10 Former Newcastle Players Who Criticised The Club

7. Hugo Viana

Now 31 years old and petering his career out in the United Arab Emirates, Hugo Viana was once a very gifted and extraordinarily talented playmaker in Europe. Boasting the likes of Sporting Lisbon, Valencia and Braga on his CV, along with 29 caps for Portugal, he was certainly a nifty player - which makes it all the more disappointing that his time on Newcastle didn€™t work out. Having arrived as a 19 year old for a fee of £8.5 million in 2002, the Portuguese teenager failed to settle and mustered just two goals in 56 appearances before leaving for Spain three years later. While at Newcastle, he certainly didn€™t make things easy for himself, publicly criticising boss Sir Bobby Robson for going back on his word to allow him out on loan prior to Euro 2004.

''Bobby Robson was not correct with me, I feel that I deserved more respect. I am disillusioned with him. He guaranteed that I would get many opportunities and I have played just about 100 minutes in 20 games. That is very little for the promises he made. I۪d like it if the coach was more sincere with me, he was not honest.۪۪ - Hugo Viana, December 2003.

Just two years later, once Viana was finally free of the shackles that bound him to Tyneside, he once again went on the offensive, this time blaming the style of play and lack of compatriots at the club for his failure to settle.

''In England, only four or five teams play good football, but Spanish teams like playing football and that will benefit me. I believe Spanish football is better than in England. It is more like Portugal where people appreciate players with a good touch. I think that for players who like to have the ball at their feet, Spain is a good place to play. I was pleased to sign for Valencia because they are a great club and they have also got some other Portuguese players. That is good because it will make it easier for me to adapt, unlike at Newcastle.۪۪ - Hugo Viana, September 2005.

One would wonder how many Portuguese players Viana hopes to find in the UAE?