À letter to the manager and a text for the players...

[Scottish Mag 3]

Kevin Keegan resigned as manager of Newcastle United last night but those who think this brings to a conclusion a dramatic few days on Tyneside are in for an awakening. This could yet end up in court.

 

It was confirmed last night Keegan's contract is in the hands of lawyers, the suggestion being that by resigning less than 12 months into the job, Keegan's contract says that it is he who owes Newcastle compensation and that owner Mike Ashley is going after it. Earlier this week Keegan's interpretation was that he had been sacked.

 

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

Newcastle's swift response came after Keegan had pointed the metaphorical finger at head of recruitment Dennis Wise. "I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible," Keegan said. "It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want."

 

The club responded on its website. "Newcastle United Football Club is sad and disappointed that Kevin Keegan has resigned. Over the last few days the club has devoted itself to the discussions it has held with Kevin and as a result of those discussions had put together a set of practical suggestions for how to move forward.

 

"Today the Club made it clear to Kevin that if he had any outstanding concerns on its proposals, he should raise them with the club. The club regrets that Kevin has, instead of taking up that offer, chosen to resign."

 

Should Newcastle succeed in portraying themselves as the wronged party, it will be some achievement. The situation on Tyneside could scarcely be more acrimonious and were he not in possession of the keys, the position of Ashley in his "King Kev" replica jersey, would be untenable. Ashley is likely to have stood in the away end for the last time. His presence at the next away game, at West Ham, could be deemed a threat to public order. Anti-London feeling is running high.However, Ashley is a proven and hard-headed businessman who cannot shy away from confrontation, judging by this week's events. Presumably he, Wise and new managing director Derek Llambias have taken the imminent storm from supporters into account and think they can ride it out. Players were informed by text message last night not to speak to the press.

 

He may not care but a detail from the League Managers' Association may not help Llambias in particular. "Over the past few days, the board of directors of Newcastle United Football Club board of directors of Newcastle United Football Club and Kevin Keegan have been in detailed discussions," the LMA said. "The letter which Kevin received today from managing director Derek Llambias has failed to resolve the matters in issue between him and the club and accordingly he feels that he has no alternative other than to resign."

 

It had been rumoured during the week that relations at the top of the club had fractured beyond repair and the revelation in the LMA statement that the two parties were communicating by letter – or fax or email – rather than face-to-face confirms that. Ultimately it was Keegan or Wise & Co – and Ashley knows the latter longer.

 

With King Kev gone, Wise is reputedly now the kingmaker and the detested Chelsea influence may grow if Wise approaches Gianfranco Zola, as was mooted last night in certain quarters, or Gustavo Poyet. The idea of Wise taking the job himself does seem inconceivable but he has been a manager in his own right at Millwall, Swindon Town and Leeds United.

 

With Wise at Leeds and Swindon as assistant was his former Chelsea playing colleague Poyet. Poyet is now assistant to Juande Ramos at Tottenham, from where he must know Tony Jimenez, Wise's recruitment assistant at Newcastle. Jimenez played a significant role in Ramos succeeding Martin Jol. Jimenez's Spanish connections are also seen in four of Newcastle's summer signings coming from Spanish football.

 

That fuels a belief that the Ashley regime will return there for a manager, one comfortable in the model of sporting directors being in control of buying and selling players.

 

Marcelino Garcia Toral, recently installed at Real Zaragoza, was first mentioned in connection with Newcastle when Sam Allardyce was manager. Toral was with Racing Santander then, where the 43-year-old performed above expectations, guiding Santander to sixth place.

 

Whoever becomes the next Newcastle manager, though, has to cope with fan resentment from the off. Newcastle followers are not known for their militancy in the way that Manchester United's are, for example. But as of yesterday afternoon they were considering ways of hurting Ashley economically. By last night there was a seething reaction, though whether this is translated into a proposed partial boycott of next Saturday's home game against Hull City remains to be seen.

 

An example of the rising hostility towards Ashley, Wise and Llambias came yesterday from the True Faith fanzine. Addressing an open letter to Ashley, it said: "This publication would like to make it clear it has considerable doubts as to your suitability to own Newcastle United Football Club and questions strongly your financial commitment to running the club in a manner which will bring sustainable progress."

 

The fanzine does not speak for all but it is an indication of a mood. Newcastle city council reflected it too, stating on Wednesday night: "Council recognises the widespread public support for Kevin Keegan, and knows how much he means to Newcastle United fans. Council believes that he is an asset to the club, the city and the wider community and expresses its support for his continuation in the role of manager."

 

Sadly for Keegan and Newcastle fans, that is not the case and less than eight months into his second spell as manager he has gone. He had been the surprise successor to Allardyce, taking over after three years out of the game since leaving Manchester City. Keegan stabilised a side that was heading for a relegation battle, but endured a frustrating summer in the transfer market.

 

In his first spell in charge of the club Keegan took Newcastle from the brink of the old Third Division in 1992 to challenging for the title. That quest was ultimately to end in disappointment but it also produced some of the most entertaining football seen in the Premier League.

 

It is plausible that Keegan will now cease to be involved in professional football, though that has been said before – notably when he stepped down at City in March 2005. Keegan has spent much of his time since then at the loss-making Soccer Circus he established in Glasgow and was only drawn back into the game because the vacancy that had arisen was at St James'.

 

It was the scene of many of his greatest moments but not long after he returned to Tyneside, he became a stranger in a club run from London.

[Tom 14013]

Newcastle followers are not known for their militancy in the way that Manchester United's are, for example.

 

I don't know about that given recent events and events that will follow...

[Sonatine 11542]

It was the scene of many of his greatest moments but not long after he returned to Tyneside, he became a stranger in a club run from London.

 

[spongebob toonpants 4132]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

[Guest alex]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

And who do they think the fans believe? Jesus wept.

[Fop 1]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

And who do they think the fans believe? Jesus wept.

Well even on here.

 

They are probably right, invent a truth and stick to it, people almost always come around to it sooner or later.

[Sonatine 11542]

A lie told often enough becomes truth.

[TheMoog 0]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

 

The cockney wanks need chasing out of fucking town, or are people happy with what they've done to our club and one of it's best loved legends? We could have gone on to great things with Keegan running the show, now we've got to put up with these pricks labeling Keegan as a 'Bottler' and making all the fans look like spineless whingers.

[spongebob toonpants 4132]

the bigger the lie the more they beleive it

 

[spongebob toonpants 4132]

I am coming round to thinking that cuntwise has proactively tried to engineer Keegan walking it out so he can get one of his mates in.

[Meenzer 15716]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

 

The cockney wanks need chasing out of fucking town, or are people happy with what they've done to our club and one of it's best loved legends? We could have gone on to great things with Keegan running the show, now we've got to put up with these pricks labeling Keegan as a 'Bottler' and making all the fans look like spineless whingers.

That's the thing. Any other manager they could have portrayed as clueless and out-of-touch - even Robson, since Fat Freddie managed as much with his undeniably limited brain capacity - but rightly or wrongly, you just don't fuck with Keegan. That's what I suspect (and hope) is going to be their downfall in the end.

[Park Life 71]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

 

The cockney wanks need chasing out of fucking town, or are people happy with what they've done to our club and one of it's best loved legends? We could have gone on to great things with Keegan running the show, now we've got to put up with these pricks labeling Keegan as a 'Bottler' and making all the fans look like spineless whingers.

That's the thing. Any other manager they could have portrayed as clueless and out-of-touch - even Robson, since Fat Freddie managed as much with his undeniably limited brain capacity - but rightly or wrongly, you just don't fuck with Keegan. That's what I suspect (and hope) is going to be their downfall in the end.

 

It's over for them.

[TheMoog 0]

The new hierarchy at St James' Park gathered around Ashley are understood to have been enraged by Keegan's comments about player recruitment in his resignation statement and less than two hours later issued one of their own.

 

You can just see llambias and cuntwise cockney spivved with outrage

 

"Oo the fackin 'ell das ee fink ee is "

 

The cockney wanks need chasing out of fucking town, or are people happy with what they've done to our club and one of it's best loved legends? We could have gone on to great things with Keegan running the show, now we've got to put up with these pricks labeling Keegan as a 'Bottler' and making all the fans look like spineless whingers.

That's the thing. Any other manager they could have portrayed as clueless and out-of-touch - even Robson, since Fat Freddie managed as much with his undeniably limited brain capacity - but rightly or wrongly, you just don't fuck with Keegan. That's what I suspect (and hope) is going to be their downfall in the end.

 

It's over for them.

 

I hope so mate, I really do. With Fat Cunt and his poison dwarf at the club the whole place feels somehow tainted.

[Tooj 17]

the bigger the lie the more they beleive it

 

Bunk.