Anxious wait for Magpies legend over claims of bullying and racism
FUTURE OF UNDER-23 BOSS UNCERTAIN FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS FROM PLAYER
NEWCASTLE favourite Peter Beardsley will have an agonising wait over the weekend before learning if he is to keep his job coaching Newcastle United’s Under-23 squad
Beardsley faced the club’s managing director Lee Charnley on Thursday to discuss allegations of bullying and racism.
And it is believed the 56-year-old could find out his fate next week as Charnley reflects on the evidence he has gathered.
It is 22-year-old reserve winger Yasin Ben El-Mhanni who has accused the former England international of bullying and racism.
Charnley, who spoke to Beardsley on Monday before placing him on gardening leave the following day, has spent the week speaking to assorted witnesses after El-Mhanni’s claims were supported by written submissions from five team-mates. He hopes to conclude a wide-ranging internal investigation by the weekend. It is then understood Charnley will allow himself time to take into account all the evidence before making a decision. Beardsley has strongly denied the allegations through his solicitor and is understood to believe he has done nothing wrong. During discussions with Charnley he strongly rebutted all accusations. While Beardsley is on leave, professional development phase coach for NUFC’s Under-21s Ben Dawson will take charge for the Under- 23 match against Norwich City U23 on Sunday. Beardsley, who was supported by a PFA representative during Monday’s meeting with Charnley, is in the second of two coaching stints with Newcastle’s juniors. The first ran from 2001-2006 and involved him being cleared of bullying complaints from three academy players by a Premier League investigation in 2003.
In 2006 the then first team manager, Glenn Roeder, instigated his switch into an ambassadorial role but Beardsley returned to coaching duties at the academy three years later, subsequently being promoted to take charge of the Under-23s.
El-Mhanni has regularly been flown around the world by private jet in order to teach other players his trademark ball skills and tricks. A left-winger who has doubled for Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in adverts for football boots, he has undeniable, if raw, talent but is struggling to make the grade in the professional game.
Although the former Barnet player made two cup appearances for the first team last season, he failed to make a positive impact. At the time Beardsley said: “Yasin’s got unbelievable ability but I would say, without being negative, he needs to learn the game. He needs to know when to defend, when to help, when to get himself organised but he’s a great kid.”