Souness: He (Robert) Doesn't Work Hard Enough

By Matthew Jones
December 12 2004

Laurent Robert was left out of the starting XI at the weekend as Newacstle took on Portsmouth at St James Park. According to Magpies' manager Graeme Souness, Laurent Robert doesn't work hard enough...

The match finished 1-1, with Lee Bowyer netting early on for Newcastle, and Steve Stone equalising on the half hour for the visitors.

On Laurent Robert, Souness said: "He doesn't work hard enough for me, either in training or matches."

After the game, Souness said: "Again I cannot fault the effort from the players, but once again we haven't killed them off," said Souness.

"It was a great start for us and a fantastic finish from Lee Bowyer, but they have come here with a plan and once they've got back on level terms they have stuck to that plan.

"I thought we could have kicked on from that goal, but we didn't and we let them back into it.

"We're frustrated because the goal was deflected in off JJ, and on another day that would strike one of our players and go out of play.

"We'll just have to keep plugging away and get out of this little run we're in at the moment.

"This is a big club, and when you are at a big club you have big pressure. That's par for the course.

"We had a young team out there and at times that showed because we lacked a bit of knowledge I felt."