Pablo's Fury At Being Substituted
Last updated : 04 October 2003 By Site Editor
The Spanish striker, who argueably was Town's best front man on Tuesday before being taken off, was sacraficed after just 51 minutes despite setting up Town's first goal in their 3-2 defeat at the Stadium of Light.
Joe Royle decided that the formation wasn't working, and rather than take off the disappointing Kuqi, the Spaniard would come off instead, something which very much upset the former Celta Vigo star: βIt is normal for players to get upset when they are substituted and I was not happy at all at Sunderland and said so but it is no big deal, there are no problems.
βI feel for the gaffer, he has to decide between four or five good strikers and he knows whoever he leaves out is going to be upset. I'm glad I don't have to make the decision. My responsibility is to play and when I do, to play as well as I can.β
It's hard not to feel Sympathy for Counago, with Royle seeming to be more keen to prove the doubters wrong about Shefki Kuqi, than doing whats best for the team. Kuqi by all means had a nightmare against Sunderland, but Royle insisted that the presence he gave in the box was required, therefore even if he was playing badly, he would rather substitute Counago despite the Spaniard having the better game.
