Magpies: Bernard legal action still an option
Newcastle have not yet ruled out legal action against West Ham over their bid to sign Olivier Bernard.
The 22-year-old Frenchman’s appeal against a Premier League ruling that he was contracted to the Magpies until the end of next season was dismissed yesterday.
But after hearing the decision, Bernard performed a neat U-turn by signing a new three-year deal to extend his stay at St James’ Park and end a difficult few weeks for him.
The news will have come as a blow to the Hammers, who insisted that they had done nothing wrong in approaching a player they were confident was out of contract.
They too offered the former Lyon man a three-year deal after speaking to his representatives, but now he will return to begin pre-season training with his team-mates on Thursday, a week after he was initially due to head back to Tyneside.
Chairman Freddy Shepherd, who vowed from the off to fight tooth and nail to protect the club’s interest in Bernard, was delighted to have been vindicated, but hinted that the matter may not yet be at a close.
‘‘Olivier will be back in training on Thursday, which is what we wanted all along,’’ he said.
‘‘We have been proved right and we will now look into whether or not we are going to pursue legal action against West Ham United.
‘‘A contract is a contract, and that is what the tribunal and appeal have both proved.
‘‘We are delighted that Olivier has now committed his future to Newcastle United and we look forward to seeing him in a black and white shirt again.’’
Bernard has made huge progress in the last year or so, and manager Sir Bobby Robson sees him as an important member of his squad for what promises to be a gruelling season.
The Frenchman has found first-team chances few and far between, but has more often than not been involved in the 16, and with Champions League football to add to all the club’s domestic commitments in 2002-03, the Magpies will need to use all their resources.
However, Shepherd urged the former France youth international player to prove himself worthy of a place and challenged him to force his way into contention for senior honours.
‘‘Olivier has a great future ahead of him,’’ he said. ‘‘We saw his potential last season.
‘‘And if you look at the changes happening in the France squad, he has every chance of making his mark at international level over the next three years.’’
