Newcastle to punish Bellamy as row grows

Soccer news roundup: Newcastle United are to discipline winger Craig Bellamy after he accused manager Graeme Souness of lying yesterday.

In an angry statement Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd said Bellamy had "cheated on the club" and behaved in a "totally unacceptable and totally unprofessional" manner.

According to Souness, Bellamy was dropped before the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday because he was unhappy at being asked to play out of position on the right wing and had shown "his displeasure in totally the wrong way". Souness hinted that Bellamy had feigned injury in training.

Bellamy, though, told Sky Sports News yesterday: "When I heard what the manager was saying I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. I thought 'not only is he going behind my back, right in front of my face, he's lying'.

"I don't want the fans to think for one minute that I wouldn't play for this club in any position. I would play anywhere for this club - even in goal."

Bellamy's comments drew a blunt response from Shepherd. He said in a statement: "I wish to put the record straight regarding the Bellamy situation.

"He walked off the training ground saying his hamstring was tight, but what he failed to reveal in his interview was that he had told other members of the squad before training that he intended to feign injury.

"When Graeme Souness discovered this he immediately ordered Bellamy to attend a meeting with us in my office.

"At that meeting Bellamy admitted to Graeme and I that he had told the players that he was going to 'fake' an injury in training and walk off.

"He also agreed at that meeting to apologise to his team-mates for his behaviour. He didn't do this which resulted in the action taken by the manager at the weekend, which I fully support.

"In my book this is cheating on the club, the supporters, the manager and the player's own team-mates. Craig Bellamy is paid extremely well by Newcastle United and I consider his behaviour to be totally unacceptable and totally unprofessional.

"The player will now face internal discipline by the club."

Meanwhile, Arsenal have been handed a suspended transfer ban by the English Football Association after they admitted using an unregistered agent when Quincy Owusu-Abeyie signed professional forms with the club.

The ban, suspended for two years from February 1st, would prevent the club from any transfer activity for the duration of one full transfer window if triggered by a further breach of FA rules regarding the use of agents.

The agent at the centre of the affair last night criticised the governing body for over-reacting.

"The FA are making quite a spectacle of nothing," said Herman Rijkaard. "The company dealing with the business is mine. I am a FIFA-licensed agent, registered with the KNVB (the Dutch FA) and FIFA. The money was paid to that company's bank account.

"There has been a misunderstanding because my name should have appeared on the contract but my colleague's signature appeared instead because I was not at the meeting. If the FA had told Arsenal to return the contracts, I would have signed them as requested. I don't understand the fuss. The player was already at Arsenal as a scholar anyway."

Arsenal, who were also fined £10,000, are expected to appeal against the verdict.