Newcastle Youngsters Problems?

A senior source speaking to the Sunday Mirror, has claimed that Newcastle United are struggling to keep their younger players in-check.

Craig Bellamy and Olivier Bernard have already been arrested and interviewed by Police this year.

"We have a problem that is maybe peculiar to Newcastle. In a vast city like London top players can go out for a night out and remain virtually anonymous.

"But Newcastle has become the party city of Europe and it is hard for young multi-millionaire footballers to go unnoticed in a compact little city that has 300 licensed premises within one square mile. Newcastle has become the Las Vegas of the North and that has created unique problems for United. example, don't have because they don't have the vibrant night life that Newcastle does.

"Whenever Paul Gascoigne came back to Newcastle he always seemed to end up in trouble and, unfortunately, we have a few young lads who seem determined to out-Gazza Gazza.

"The majority of players at Newcastle are sensible, level-headed family men like Alan Shearer, Gary Speed and Shay Given, but some of the younger element have a big problem handling fame and fortune.

"But there is also a lack of respect for authority and the older generation and that is a problem not just for Newcastle United or football in general but for society as a whole. Freddy Shepherd and Bobby Robson deliberately set out to recruit the best young players in Europe and they knew there would be discipline problems with such a young squad in Newcastle.

"But the scale of the indiscipline is worrying both of them and they realise they must crack down on it before it gets totally out of hand."

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