Leaving Shearer Out Was The Right Choice - Robson
By Matthew Jones
October 31 2003
Sir Bobby Robson has defended his decision to omit Alan Shearer from the Newcastle team who lost to West Brom in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night at St James' Park.
Sir Bobby Robson has defended his decision to omit Alan Shearer from the Newcastle team who lost to West Brom in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night at St James' Park.
Shearer was named among the substitutes as The Magpies' were bundled out of the competition - 2-1 to first division Albion after extra time.
"I know how disappointed the fans were, but Alan Shearer can not play every game," said Robson on Thursday.
"The idea was to save him for Saturday. If he had played for two hours, how fresh would he have been?"
Robson has also defended the strikers he DID choose to play, saying how happy he was with the form shown.
"I have to think ahead. The two kids were playing well, weren't they? Weren't Shola Ameobi and Lomana LuaLua playing well?
"I thought they were terrific, the pair of them. In the first 70 minutes, they were great.
"They're good kids. They know one's got to come off and they wouldn't want that. They've been waiting for a chance."