SHOLA: "Bowyer Can Be Helped"

By Matthew Jones
June 7 2003

Can Sir Bobby put Lee Bowyer back on the right track? Shola Ameobi thinks so! After leaving relegated West Ham United, Bowyer was a controversial signing for Newcastle. He is now re-united with former Leeds United teammate, Jonathon Woodgate.

Lee Bowyer recently signed a four-year contract with Newcastle after turning his back on boyhood heroes West Ham following their relegation to the First Division at the end of last season.

Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi believes that manager Sir Bobby Robson is the man who can help Lee Bowyer repair his damaged reputation.

Ameobi reckons Robson can ensure Bowyer hits the headlines for all the right reasons.

"Lee is an excellent player and as he had been in the England set-up, he is a great acquisition," insisted Ameobi.

"He has had his problems and he's going to be around other Newcastle players who have been in the press, but hopefully he will be in the papers for the right reasons and we'll keep the bad press away from the club.

"But there's no better manager to handle him. He is top class and a very respected man in football as everybody knows. He knows what he's talking about.

"He has helped the likes of Craig [Bellamy and Kieron [Dyer] while he has been at Newcastle, making them better players, and there's no reason why he can't do the same with Lee Bowyer.

"He [Robson] has handled the bad press fantastically well and he has stuck with his players. That's the main thing about the manager, he knows how to treat the players.

"Different players need different types of handling and he is capable of doing that."

Read our BOWYER AND WOODGATE story below, to find out why some people are worried about them being re-united.

---