The last thing a club needs when they are fighting relegation is for one of their stars to be throwing a strop midway through the campaign, but in a way it was fitting, as it encapsulated the selfishness and lack of camaraderie rife within the squad during the 08/09 season. With Newcastle playing out a six-pointer at the Riverside Stadium in December - a 0-0 draw that would ultimately help neither side - a 24 year old Obafemi Martins vented his disgust at being replaced by Mark Viduka in the second half by storming straight down the tunnel. Martins had scored five goals during the season, and clearly didnt feel that he should have been the one to accommodate the introduction of the Aussie hitman, who was making his long-awaited and much-anticipated return from a six-month injury lay-off at his old stomping ground.
''I was absolutely gutted at being hauled off, and it was all down to sheer disappointment. Like any other player, Im always disappointed when Im substituted, but Im sorry if what I did was a problem, and perhaps it was wrong for me to go into the dressing room and not the bench. - Obafemi Martins, December 2008.
Indeed, it was a wrong call from the Nigerian frontman, and he would last just six more months at the club before jumping ship to German side Wolfsburg following the clubs ignominious relegation from the top-flight.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
