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Ketsbaia


Deano
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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

But quite a few of the team which lost 2-0 to Arsenal 11 years ago have set out on the road to management.

 

John Barnes is manager of Jamaica, and Stuart Pearce is in charge of England Under-21s.

 

Steve Howey, Gary Speed and Warren Barton have started their apprenticeships in different ways.

 

But of all the members of that side, Temuri Ketsbaia’s managerial CV is the most impressive.

 

And few of his old team-mates can match the passion the Georgian with a Cypriot passport has for Newcastle United.

 

So the next time the Magpies look for a new boss, Ketsbaia’s name should perhaps be considered as seriously as that of his ex-strike partner Shearer.

 

Because while one of United’s legends has been studying the game from a TV studio, one of its cult heroes has been making history in a footballing backwater.

 

In 2002, Ketsbaia left Dundee to become player-coach at Anorthosis Famagusta.

 

Seven years on, he has a place in their folklore and a passport as a thank-you.

 

Famagusta won the Cypriot championship in 2004-05, his first full season as player-manager.

 

They strolled the league last season, and this term became Cyprus’ first team to play in the Champions League.

 

But Sunday’s defeat by Apoel has left them hard-pushed to retain it. So as a manager he ticks a lot of boxes.

 

And his passion for the black-and-white cause is legendary.

 

One of the more ill-thought-out comments aired in the fall-out from Kevin Keegan’s departure was that only a Geordie could manage Newcastle.

 

It ignored the fact that Keegan is from Doncaster, not Dunston.

 

As Keegan and plenty of others proved, it is possible to fall in love with Newcastle United without being born in the city. And vice-versa.

 

If Keegan won the Gallowgate over with a charm offensive, another Special K did it with brute force.

 

--------------

 

I know im not alone when i say this but i'd love to see this fella in charge of us. Should we stay up this season i really hope MA and DL understand we need someone different to run the side. And id hope to god they would have the sense to put this fella's name on the list which would probably include Alan Shearer and Steve Bruce.

 

This guy has done really well and although its been in cyprus he has done well in the CL too.

 

Give the guy a phone call MA and pull your fuckin finger out.

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

:baby:

 

Is that true?

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

:baby:

 

Is that true?

 

 

I'd heard that he hated football and wanted nothing more to do with it when he retired.

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

:baby:

 

Is that true?

 

He's well into his bikes, and apparently hasnt got an interest in football any more. Just goes around watching bike racing.

Sounds good to me.

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

:baby:

 

Is that true?

 

He's well into his bikes, and apparently hasnt got an interest in football any more. Just goes around watching bike racing.

Sounds good to me.

 

Fair play to him. Wouldn't blame him for disliking the direction football has went in either.

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

:baby:

 

Is that true?

 

He's well into his bikes, and apparently hasnt got an interest in football any more. Just goes around watching bike racing.

Sounds good to me.

 

Fair play to him. Wouldn't blame him for disliking the direction football has went in either.

Just went straight home to his family and kids even when he was still playing but, as you say, what he must make of the way football is heading...

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Where's that from btw?

 

Journal website.

 

THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

B)

 

Is that true?

 

 

I'd heard that he hated football and wanted nothing more to do with it when he retired.

 

Yeah he hates football now and is a semi-professional motor-cross biker...iv seen him and Alan Smith together at a course near doncaster a few times.

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Yeah he hates football now and is a semi-professional motor-cross biker...iv seen him and Alan Smith together at a course near doncaster a few times.

 

From now on whenever I see Smith playing I will have, quite aptly, the music from Kickstart going through my head.

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

But quite a few of the team which lost 2-0 to Arsenal 11 years ago have set out on the road to management.

 

John Barnes is manager of Jamaica, and Stuart Pearce is in charge of England Under-21s.

 

Steve Howey, Gary Speed and Warren Barton have started their apprenticeships in different ways.

 

But of all the members of that side, Temuri Ketsbaia’s managerial CV is the most impressive.

 

So... three, then.

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THE Newcastle United 1998 FA Cup final team was packed with potential managers.

 

Alan Shearer and Rob Lee are keeping their powder dry, while David Batty has totally lost interest in football and lives as a biker in North Yorkshire.

 

But quite a few of the team which lost 2-0 to Arsenal 11 years ago have set out on the road to management.

 

John Barnes is manager of Jamaica, and Stuart Pearce is in charge of England Under-21s.

 

Steve Howey, Gary Speed and Warren Barton have started their apprenticeships in different ways.

 

But of all the members of that side, Temuri Ketsbaia’s managerial CV is the most impressive.

 

So... three, then.

 

Barnes has been a failure as a manager, hasn't he? And he's a marginally better manager than a pundit too.

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