Robson relishes Dutch return

Newcastle boss Bobby Robson shook off his Champions League heartache as he was handed a return to Holland in the UEFA Cup.

The former PSV Eindhoven boss saw his side paired with Dutch outfit NAC Breda in the first round of the competition following their final qualifying round defeat by Partizan Belgrade on Wednesday night.

And while the 70-year-old is still coming to terms with his disappointment at being denied a second chance to live it up in the European fast lane, he is relishing the prospect of going into battle in a competition which gave him one of the high points in his distinguished career when Ipswich lifted the trophy in 1981.

“I’m very pleased to be going back to Holland, where I spent three very enjoyable years,” he said. “The Breda Stadium is a very nice one and a relatively new one too.

“And it’s close to Eindhoven, where I worked. I know Dutch football very well and all the teams there play good football, so I’m sure it will be a very good footballing encounter.”

Robson enjoyed two hugely successful spells in charge at PSV, the second immediately before he took over at St James’ Park.

Newcastle have been installed at 12-1 fifth favourites to win the UEFA Cup by Ladbrokes with another of Robson’s former clubs, Barcelona, quoted at 6-1 favourites and Liverpool, Roma and Valencia all at 8-1.

Breda finished fourth in Holland last season, although they were 28 points adrift of third-placed Feyenoord, the side the Magpies defeated in Rotterdam last season to book their place in the second group stage of the Champions League.