Roeder Blames Referee

Last updated : 16 March 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

The Toon boss says the outcome could have been different had AZ not been awarded a controversial penalty at St James' Park last week or Newcastle not been denied what would have been a tie-winning late goal.

But of course, it works both ways, and the Dutch felt Newcastle defender Steven Taylor should have been sent off for usng his elbow in a one-against-one situation with an Alkmaar player.

French referee Bertrand Layec let that go, but disallowed a Scott Parker strike for a foul in the build-up after the skipper had drilled home a low shot.

Roeder: "You are relying on the referee to make a decision and he made a decision against us.

"There were too many players in the box at that particular time to make an accurate assessment.
"You have to trust the referee to make the right decision. But there is no doubt about it - their very, very dodgy penalty last week at St James' Park has cost us.

"But there we are. We have now got to look forward and not look backwards.
"I am hugely disappointed. I cannot sit here and explain how disappointed I am personally when players I would have expected to perform well have performed poorly.

"We trained here last night. We did not do too much, but what we did gave me a lot of confidence that the boys were in good shape to come our here tonight and play as a team.

"Paul Huntington is a strong lad, a mentally tough lad. He is just 19 years old and he is a central defender who had to play at left-back.

"Although it was not a good experience for him and not a good experience for anyone tonight, he will learn a lot of things from the game.

"In the bigger picture of his football career, it will not do him any harm."

Was Roeder right to keep Huntington on the pitch when the kid was given such a torrid time? Should he have done what Jose Mourinho does and switch the system the minute it looks to be going arse-over-tit?

Personally I cannot believe how a manager can sit back and watch it happen when there were players in that squad with more experience who could have made a stand. Why didn't he bring on Emre in midfield and put Damien Duff or Nicky Butt at left-back?

Instead he saw Jenner take Huntington to the cleaners time and time again, then say "it will do him no harm".

Oh yeah? SHOCKING MANAGEMENT!