Source: SKY_Sports
Dowie denies Martins row
Newcastle United assistant boss Iain Dowie insists there has been no bust-up with Obafemi Martins over the striker's withdrawal for the game at Stoke.
Martins did not feature at the Britannia Stadium after pulling out of the squad with a groin injury.
Magpies boss Alan Shearer expressed his disappointment at having to change his plans so late before the game with reports suggesting the incident had caused a rift between the pair.
Martins denied any talk of a row earlier this week and now Shearer's right-hand man Dowie says there is no problem between both men and that the matter has been dealt with.
"There hasn't been a falling-out with Obafemi Martins and the matter has been dealt with," Dowie told the club's official website.
"It's gone and it's in the past and he has said he is fully behind the cause here. We never said there wasn't an injury. All Alan expressed was his disappointment that he had not been told about the injury until 11.15 on Saturday morning, which was too late.
"It was disappointing, that's all, because we had been working on a system all week and then had to scrap it at the last minute because of the injury to Oba.
"There is no bad feeling. He has gone away for a scan and hopefully the prognosis will be a good one and he will be back involved quickly, because he is an important player for us, no doubt.
"The communication should have been better, but to be fair to Oba he was desperate to be involved and maybe that was why he kept quiet about the injury."
