Press article:

Nobby blasts Sir Bobby - 12/09/2005

Nobby blasts Sir Bobby

Nobby Solano has blasted Sir Bobby Robson for freezing him out of Newcastle at the end of his first spell at the club.

Wing wizard Solano's delight at being back on Tyneside is tempered by bitterness at his treatment by the man who sold him to Aston Villa 19 months ago.

The Peruvian last night accused Robson of refusing to speak to him, let alone play him regularly, for over FIVE MONTHS at the start of the 2003/04 season

And Solano also rubbished the explanation Robson belatedly gave in his autobiography for why he lost faith in the winger.

"My relationship with Bobby was difficult at the end," admitted Solano.

"Managers decide to play players, that is fair enough. But they should speak to you if they are leaving you out of the team.

"Bobby did not play me - and he did not tell me why."

Solano knew there was a problem even before the Premiership season had begun.

"We came back from Partizan Belgrade in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier and I had scored the winner," he added. "Then he (Robson) left me out of the next game, which was the first match of the season, at Leeds.

"I am a professional. The manager has to communicate with the players. He didn't with me and I got upset about it."

Matters came to a head when Solano stormed out of United's team hotel after learning he was not in the 16-man squad for the derby at Middlesbrough in October 2003.

"I would rather have stayed behind and trained with the kids," he said. "I didn't want to be at the club and just wait for my wages every week.

"I was very disappointed. We were a good team at the time, we had qualified twice for the Champions League. After that, Bobby changed his mind about me and I wasn't happy."

Robson now insists he sold Solano because the 31-year-old had lost the ability to beat full-backs.

But the player himself hit back, saying: "That was never my game. I never had pace like Arjen Robben or Ryan Giggs.

"I play passes and get through teams. We had Kieron Dyer and Craig Bellamy when I was here last to provide the pace."

 


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