TRon

The only thing missing this time round was the funds. Keegan's never liked settling for second best and I don't think he's ever tried to hide it. I can't imagine he was thrilled he'd be battling for the scraps in the transfer market rather than landing the big fish.

Not sure if that's still the case, but you could certainly make an argument for it. Personally speaking, while I find Keegan's mood swings a constant pain, I feel he is worth more to Newcastle than Martin O'Neill could ever be. For me Keegan doesn't need to win trophies here, if we get to see good football and at least compete with the best, that's enough. This statistical bollocks saying he only won 6 games out of 21 or whatever is a snide attack in my view. It took real balls to play our way out of trouble last season. My only concern with Keegan is when he loses motivation it translates to the team. It happened last time he was here, and there were signs it was affecting the team this time round as well. But if he still wants the job, he's the best man for it in my view.

It's very similar to that of David O'Leary IMO. Another ringing endorsement!! The list of simliarly 'mediocre' (tin hat) managers i imiagine is endless, i was unhappy with his appointment then he began to win me over but no matter what i resented that he and apparently the majority of the fans wanted the club to march to his beat when quite clearly this should only be afforded to managers who have a reputation and record which demand that honour. Emphatic no. Never go back. unfortunaltey the mob have spoken and i genuinely believe he'll be the next man in. Would be interesting to see the reaction of the crowd if he isnt appointed assuming we're taken over.... muted acceptance I would reckon. A new manager appointed by a new board would be given a chance, but the ghost of Keegan is going to be around for a while yet.

Very interesting spin on it. It would explain the initial idea that there was big money available for transfers.

Why was it claimed today? "A source close to the player in Rosenborg told the Chronicle.." He didn't claimed anything about Keegan. How do you know, were you there? Your article says so... Well whoever wrote the article obviously spoke to the source and has been told that it was Keegan who pulled the plug. Why is it even something we need to dispute? For all we know Skjelbred could be shit, and Keegan could be 100% right? have to say, and this is the first time for a while, but I completely agree. If Keegan was the manager, he was quite right to veto him, if this is the case. On the flip side though, if he turns out to be very good that would make Keegan wrong.

I have to say I'd agree with that to some extent. I don't particularly think Keegan's got a lot of knowledge in the transfer market, and his targets are usually well established names as a result, sometimes past their best. If the next owner has deep pockets and doesn't mind spending big and still probably winning nowt then that's ok by me. For all the faults which I think Keegan has, he does still bring a lot to the table. 1) Attacking football 2) Great motivation 3) Feelgood factor 4) Proud figurehead and also of course, once he's had his shot, it will be a monkey off our backs. We won't keep thinking... what if?

Wanna bet? http://img.skysports.com/07/09/218x298/GraemeSouness_566271.jpg *shields self with crucifix*

If the owner can give Keegan big transfer funds whenever he requires them, it can work. But then if you give any manager enough money he's not going to go far wrong tbf.

Cheers johnson293. It just seems strange that the Nigerians will pay £350m when according to the Telegraph article, the price has been dropped to around half what Ashley was looking for. Could it just be a publicity stunt?

Bassong and Colo looked excellent against Coventry City in the last round of the CC. The back four in general that day looked good before Beye started struggling with the injury.

They are Africans so they are bound to buy African, while totally ignoring other players? What a fiendish plan.

Don't worry, all the rich local businessmen and celebrities are getting together a consortium to buy the club as we speak and save the club from falling into dubious foreign hands. And when i say foreign, that includes cockneys.

Says a lot about our midfield that people are suggesting a central defender or Ameobi to play there. If Colo was to play in midfield, would he replace Butt or the other central defender who is currently playing midifeld?

Why was it claimed today? "A source close to the player in Rosenborg told the Chronicle.." He didn't claimed anything about Keegan. How do you know, were you there? Your article says so... Well whoever wrote the article obviously spoke to the source and has been told that it was Keegan who pulled the plug. Why is it even something we need to dispute? For all we know Skjelbred could be shit, and Keegan could be 100% right?

Why was it claimed today? "A source close to the player in Rosenborg told the Chronicle.." He didn't claimed anything about Keegan. How do you know, were you there?

It was supposedly Keegan who pulled the plug on Skjelbred at any rate.

The article I posted on the other page from the Telegraph seemed to suggest that we may have a buyer lined up already for about £250m, and the view was that this Nigerian offer should be taken with a pinch of salt. Is there something I have missed which makes everyone think that it should be taken more seriously?

From today's Journal. Don't think the vocal protests will have made us a more attractive proposition for the future, but time will tell.

if the quotes about/from the nigerian consortium are correct, then he will get his price. if ashley was to look for a new manager, what respectable manager would take the job if the club will be sold within weeks? it takes two to appoint a manager. there is nothing of interest to report though. we know the main facts (that he's selling, why he's selling, his side of the keegan situation, hughton is caretaker for the forseeable) so other than an announcement about the club being sold, or at least terms agreed, there's really nothing much left to say. i dont know anything about the charity thing btw, so im not deliberately avoiding that point. Martin Samuel wrote a good piece on it in The Times today. Yes he can be an obnoxious scumbag but something struck home with me in that piece. KK can be a petulant sort, but he always made sure that his players went to the local hospitals and did their rounds in schools and other important functions. The fact that Keegan's gone and no one thought to take up the slack says a lot about the club to me, and it's being reflected from top to bottom right now.

Considering i know that already I'd rather he hadn't said it, since his useless opinion only devalues the fact.

I think comparing the two is very harsh. I think Milner lived off goals like Man Utd and glimmers of potential, Taylor hasn't had moments like that he can call on so has been judged far harsher when really hes quite a good defender who needs flaws ironing out. His biggest flaw is leaving his man and heading kamikaze style back towards his own goal line. How he's going to master such a massive lack of judgement I don't know tbh.

The last decent set of youngsters we had was Gascoigne's FA youth cup winning team, Joe Allon, Paul Stephenson and Ian Bogie I think. There seems to ba a massive gap between the first team and the juniors though. Something wrong when we have Nicky Butt as the only holding midfielder well past his best and we don't even have someone in the reserve team who could deputise, never mind pushing for that spot. We are that short for midfielders at reserve team level that the last couple of reserve games they've played, not including tonight, we have played Ryan Donaldson, England under 18 striker in midfield, to be fair though i've been more impressed with him in midfield than when he's played up front. Pretty sad state of affairs. Even our reserves are having to field players out of position

"under no oblig bla bla bla" if he had any kind of case in this "fact" argument, he'd fight his corner legally or just verbally to clear his name. he quit because he has "principles" but he'll let ashley calling him a liar go? either no backbone or no case, you decide. But we arent talking about Keegan any more. This thread is about how the current people at the club are not communicating with their fan base and keegan isnt talking to "his" public. the public who have done so much for him in the last 3 weeks. thats gratitude. ashley is selling the club so there will be no news on a new manager. the business of selling a club cant be done through the media, so that'll (thankfully) be done in silence. his "fact" statement made his side of the keegan thing quite clear and he's said he'll be selling the club due to the protests. what exactly do you want? a myspace blog? As far as I'm concerned though, the same rules that applied to Keegan, now apply to Ashley. When Keegan walked away, whatever the justification, it seemed pretty clear to me that Keegan will always put himself first. He wasn't sacked after all. By the same token, if Ashley's washed his hands, whatever he feels is the justification, the fact is he's not interested in Newcastle any more. He's looking to get out, the club is in limbo and the playing and coaching staff are in disarray with no leadership from the top. He, like Keegan could have done it differently, instead he's abandoning ship so I don't see any point in defending him or his ideas any more. If he can't be bothered why should I?

Welcome to the Jungle... There's a follow on joke that someoen's dying to crack here but tlet's not go there...