Soccer Digest: Newcastle United, already understrength after a number of disappointments in the transfer market and the departure of seven first-team squad members, said yesterday that key players Kieron Dyer and Emre Belozoglu were out of today's home game with West Ham through injury, reports Michael Walker.
Graeme Souness remained optimistic about signing Alberto Luque, but although chairman Freddy Shepherd confirmed that Newcastle had lodged a bid for the Deportivo La Coruna striker, the Spanish club said that "other European teams" were interested. It would be a surprise if Luque chose Newcastle ahead of a club playing in Europe or, if Newcastle met Deportivo's £10 million valuation.
If Alan Shearer were to pick up an injury Newcastle would have no fit strikers for today's game. Shola Ameobi is suspended until Wednesday's trip to Bolton Wanderers.
Souness was keen to use Dyer in a forward role but the player, who started and finished only 13 of Newcastle's league games last season, has flown to Germany to see specialist Dr Hans Muller-Wohlfahrt to try to find a definitive answer to his long-standing injury problems.
Souness said yesterday that Dyer's lower back was now the principal area of concern but his opinion that the England international would miss only the West Ham fixture again sounded optimistic.
Dyer is more likely to miss Bolton and Manchester United at home next Sunday. Dyer would then have the international break to aid further recovery - it is doubtful that he will be in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Northern Ireland.
Souness is furious about other matters, though. Emre tore a hamstring in a "meaningless waste-of-time friendly" for Turkey, and the midfielder may be out for a month.
These injuries and failure to recruit leave question marks about Newcastle's finances and board backing for the manager. Souness used the phrase "if I was to leave here in the near future" yesterday and, though he tried to explain it away, it was a curious choice of words.
The Scot used it when he said he would not buy players for the sake of making up the numbers.
"I would be happy to go into the rest of the season with what I've got," he said. "If I was to leave here in the near future I'm not going to burden the club with what I would believe are average players. The players I've brought in are top players. You get what you pay for in the modern market and I think (Jean-Alain) Boumsong, (Scott) Parker and Emre are all top players." Guardian Service
Steaua fined: Shelbourne's Champions League conquerers, Steaua Bucharest, have been fined €16,500 by Uefa for "the behaviour of their supporters" during the second leg match between the two sides in the Romanian capital at the start of the month.
Plastic bottles were thrown by the home fans at the Shelbourne bench soon after the game started while Shelbourne substitute Joseph Ndo was subjected to "monkey sounds" on his introduction after 80 minutes.
Steaua have until midnight on Monday to appeal. Shelbourne chief executive Ollie Byrne refused to comment last night, saying only it was a matter between Steaua and Uefa.
