Archive
Statement From Alan Pardew
Written by Newcastle Utd
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has issued a statement following media reports regarding Loic Remy
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has issued the following statement:
Following media reports today (Tuesday, 27th May) concerning my player selection for our final game of the season against Liverpool, any suggestion that I colluded and agreed with our loan striker, Loic Remy, that he did not have to play in this game are wholly untrue.
To suggest that I considered there to be nothing riding on that game is also completely false. Our final league position was at stake, as was the race for the Barclays Premier League title for our opponents, Liverpool.
What is more, each and every one of us associated with the Club was desperate to get a result for our supporters, especially those 2,800 travelling fans who made the journey to Anfield that day.
The reality was that Loic had sustained an ankle injury in our game against Cardiff the previous week. The results of an MRI scan conducted after that fixture revealed ligament damage and swelling around the joint.
It was a result of this injury, and the fact that Loic was unable therefore to complete any training session during the week leading up to the Liverpool game, that meant he was not fit for selection.
Had Loic been fit then clearly, without question, he would have been selected to play in what was a crucial game like every other.