Don't Believe Bowyer Rubbish

Don't believe the Journal's story that Glenn Roeder will be forced to sacrifice Lee Bowyer in his rebuilding plans this summer.

Bowyer wanted to return to London because, like so many players, he failed to hit it off with former manager Graeme Souness. And more than once he clashed with chairman Freddy Shepherd, who Bowyer openly said at the time: 'he's wanted to sell me since the day I walked through the door at Newcastle'.

But with no move transpiring during the January transfer window, when Souness tried to offload him, the controversial midfielder says he is perfectly happy to remain in the North-East after Roeder's permanent appointment was confirmed last week.

Bowyer has built up a an excellent relationship with Roeder, who signed him from Leeds when he was manager of West Ham, before his Bosman-style free transfer to the Magpies in 2003.

Roeder wants to cut the wage bill before he can start to bring in his own players this summer - and Bowyer is one of the club's top earners. But with the biggest earner of the lot - Alan Shearer - off the books, the pressure isn't so strong. And ideally, if he had the choice, he wants rid of Nicky Butt, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Amdy Faye and Albert Luque.

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