Roeder threatens summer clear-out

GLEN ROEDER slammed his Newcastle slackers and threatened a summer clear-out after another depressing Premiership defeat.

Some critics still think Roeder might be part of that cull.

And Portsmouth fans, revelling in their side’s latest 2-1 win – their first against Newcastle in the Premiership – chanted at him “You’re getting sacked in the summer”.

But Roeder hit back at Pompey boss Harry Redknapp’s accusations his side are underachieving by saying: “Nobody could have done better (than me) with all the injuries we’ve had this season.”

Newcastle are back in the bottom half of the table and Redknapp stated his belief last week that Roeder’s expensive squad should be much higher.

But Roeder, who took over at Newcastle from Graeme Souness last season and was Redknapp’s successor at West Ham in 2001, said: “Sure, our squad is fantastic. We’ve got Michael Owen – but I’ve never been able to write his name on the team-sheet.

“Shola Ameobi had scored one goal every two games until he was injured (in November). Almost every one of our senior players has had three and four months out during the season.

“So the suggestion that the squad should have done better is rubbish because he (Redknapp) hasn’t taken into account how difficult it has been with injuries.”

But even another Intertoto Cup place looks beyond Newcastle now, as Pompey press for a UEFA Cup slot – although Roeder admits: “If we could enter (the Intertoto) again, we would like to.”

Newcastle must finish eighth to qualify, however, and the manager insisted some of his players need to improve their attitude before the end of the season.

Roeder sang the praises of midfielder Nicky Butt – “a great example to all” — but admitted: “What makes me angry is that we have so many other talented players in the squad who lack his self-motivation.

“And we had a few players out there against Portsmouth who, in my opinion, were not giving everything. I find that totally unacceptable.

“I had serious words with them at half-time and they came out for the second half a different team. But if I have to do that every game then those players will have to move on because they are not what I would want at the club.

“This is probably the strongest criticism I’ve given them but I was not going to have what I saw in the first half. We’ve shown it a few times, especially way from home, this season and I’m not going to have it.”

In truth Portsmouth should have had much more than Benjani’s seventh-minute strike to show for their first-half dominance.

But Kanu’s £11m Nigeria team-mate Obafemi Martin had a header cleared off the Pompey line by Lauren in first-half stoppage-time and then hit the bar with another just before Matt Taylor’s rocket made it 2-0 for the home side.

After Emre’s penalty pulled Newcastle back into the game in the 69th minute, Martins was clean through onto Linvoy Primus’ mistake only for goalkeeper David James to deny him.

By then, the Magpies had lost winger Damien Duff who collapsed with nobody near him and faces a scan on an ankle that had taken “two heavy tackles” and is already a major doubt for Sunday’s clash with Chelsea.

Roeder poured doubt over England ace Owen’s chances of making a return against the champions after being out since the World Cup where he damaged a cruciate knee ligament which needed surgery.

He said: “If we put a date on Michael’s return and he doesn’t make it people will call it a setback.

“His progress interests the entire football world, not just England, but the main thing is for him to pull on a Newcastle shirt again and play for the club who paid £1m for him to Real Madrid and pays his wages.”

Opta Fact: 21% of Portsmouth’s goals have been scored in the 15 minute period after the break — the highest proportion in the top flight.

Opta Fact: The Magpies have gone 11 away trips without a clean sheet.