NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Now brace yourself for the mother of all explosions. Few people will be surprised that the highly combustible Kevin Keegan finds himself on a collision course with his Newcastle bosses. The only shock is it has taken him 113 days to reach breaking point. From the moment Keegan returned to St James’ Park on January 16, the cynics claimed it was only a matter of time before he fell out with his employers. Sadly, it looks as though that gloomy prophesy is about to be fulfilled as the hopes of a dreamer give way to the harsh realities of modern football. Keegan has been summoned to a meeting with owner Mike Ashley tomorrow to thrash out which direction Newcastle are heading. In the past 12 months, Ashley has forked out £134million to buy the club and another £100m to pay off their debts. He does not want to spend another £50m or more on the superstar signings Keegan believes are imperative to turn Newcastle into title contenders. When Keegan complained after Monday’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea that it is impossible for the Geordies to break into the Premier League’s top four, he was waiting for his employers to prove him wrong. The last thing he wanted to hear was chairman Chris Mort agreeing with him. But that is exactly what happened. In yesterday’s SunSport, Mort declared Newcastle will not plunge back into debt just to chase the dream of Champions League qualification. Mort cited the case of Leeds United, who went for broke and ended up bust. No one on Tyneside will be taking those risks. And in Keegan’s eyes, that is almost a declaration of mediocrity. Newcastle, it would seem, have settled for a place among the also-rans. It is all eerily reminiscent of Keegan’s first spell as Toon boss. Then, within weeks of his appointment in February 1992, he walked out after transfer funds promised him by Sir John Hall failed to materialise. The job was not as it had been advertised in the brochure, Keegan famously declared at the time. On that occasion, he called Newcastle’s bluff, Hall opened the purse strings and Keegan withdrew his threat to resign. Those tactics, though, will not work with Ashley. Tears and tantrums will fall on deaf ears tomorrow. Advertisement Do not forget Ashley turned to Keegan only after Harry Redknapp turned down taking over from Sam Allardyce. Keegan, 57, is not as irreplaceable as he once was. Especially with a ready-made successor already on board. For while Ashley might like to paint himself as a black-and-white striped man of the people, in reality he is a hard-headed businessman. That is why he appointed Dennis Wise as Newcastle’s director of football within 12 days of Keegan’s return. After nine games without a win under Keegan’s management, rumours started seeping out of the North East that Ashley was already beginning to regret the appointment. With the club sliding closer to the Premier League’s relegation zone, itchy fingers were hovering over the panic button. A seven-match unbeaten run averted the crisis just in time and returned the ship to calmer waters. Yet just when the club’s supporters were daring to dream of brighter days ahead, along came Chelsea to bring them crashing back to earth. CRUNCH TIME ... Kevin Keegan It was not just the result of Monday’s game but the huge gulf between the two clubs which opened Keegan’s eyes to the size of the task ahead. Immediately after the match, he declared it would take a spending spree of Roman Abramovich proportions to restore Newcastle to where he had left them back in 1997. Ashley may be very rich but he is no Abramovich. That is why he has Wise to shop around for him. It is the ex-Leeds chief’s task to locate potential new signings, aided by technical director Jeff Vittere and vice-president (player recruitment) Tony Jimenez. Keegan has consistently claimed he has the final say on all comings and goings. Yet while he has urged the club to renegotiate the deals of Michael Owen, Steven Taylor and Steve Harper, Wise is pressing on with his search for alternatives — in South America. If Keegan feels he is being undermined, there is no question he will stand his ground in his meeting with Ashley. But having won just four of his 16 games in charge, he is in no position to be making demands. Like it or not, Keegan is no longer indispensable. Mike Ashley is calling the Newcastle tune now. And what he says, goes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Also check out this banner http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Dont know where to start with that tbh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 "War Kev" ... good grief that's bad Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 "EXCLUSIVE" Apparently Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest king harry Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Complete shite, not one single direct quote in the whole story, typical sun newsaper, seriously why yous even read it i dont know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nufc_geordie Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Another sign of lazy journalism as far as i'm concerned. It does actually read quite well and in the real world I could envisage a sitaution like that but at the time being all the journalist has done is re-hash comments from over the weekend and spin a fairy tale of doom and gloom as is the norm concerning Newcastle. I may stand here to be corrected but how many times have we heard Keegan to walk, Keegan to be sacked etc. I will believe it when I see it. One thing is for certain though, Keegan was not a happy bunny after the Chelsea game, as low as i've seen him since leaving England but he retracted and clarified some of those statements on Tuesday. Only time will tell I suppose! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Will this club ever be stable? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 What an absolute joke. Kev you should have known what your outburst would bring. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 What an absolute joke. Kev you should have known what your outburst would bring. he did, thats why he did it, If he gets his funds, he can build a good team, If he dosent, He will probably be off, and we will lingre around for a few more years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 He didn't saying anything wrong in my eyes, the media are blowing it all out of proportion tho. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GAMMELL Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I'm absolutely sick & tired of reading the garbage these b@stards print, all over Sky Sports News this morning also, they're getting just as bad. :angry: Would they ever just f*ck off & make up bollix stories about that horrible American scouse club down the road. C*NTS!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShearMagic Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 He didn't saying anything wrong in my eyes, the media are blowing it all out of proportion tho. When do they not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 He didn't saying anything wrong in my eyes, the media are blowing it all out of proportion tho. When do they not? True, but that shouldn't stop KK speaking his mind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShearMagic Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 He didn't saying anything wrong in my eyes, the media are blowing it all out of proportion tho. When do they not? True, but that shouldn't stop KK speaking his mind. I know it shouldn't, which is what some on here can't understand. He's always done it, so he's hardly going to stop now. We had the media savvy Sam Allardyce in charge before Keegan, want him back? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 He didn't saying anything wrong in my eyes, the media are blowing it all out of proportion tho. When do they not? True, but that shouldn't stop KK speaking his mind. I know it shouldn't, which is what some on here can't understand. He's always done it, so he's hardly going to stop now. We had the media savvy Sam Allardyce in charge before Keegan, want him back? Erm no. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant1815 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 The thing I don't understand about all this uproar regarding Keegan's comments is this: Didn't he pretty much say the same thing when he was first appointed by Ashley? I seem to remember in his first interview he said he'd got a three year contract, but in that time it would be almost impossible to challenge the big boys and that a cup win was a more realistic target (or words to that effect) Now, after a defeat to Chelsea, he pretty much just reaffirms what he said before....and all hell breaks loose. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest king harry Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I'm absolutely sick & tired of reading the garbage these b@stards print, all over Sky Sports News this morning also, they're getting just as bad. :angry: Would they ever just f*ck off & make up bollix stories about that horrible American scouse club down the road. C*NTS!!! Theve made enough and are currently being sued by LFC for false stories, well thats the NOTW but not much diffrence Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I'm absolutely sick & tired of reading the garbage these b@stards print, all over Sky Sports News this morning also, they're getting just as bad. :angry: Would they ever just f*ck off & make up bollix stories about that horrible American scouse club down the road. C*NTS!!! Theve made enough and are currently being sued by LFC for false stories, well thats the NOTW but not much diffrence That's when they're not serialising "Stevie G's" latest book anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Just when things seemed to be calming down with the club and we were becoming relatively normal ... hey presto! Pretty upsetting to be honest. I don't care what Keegan was trying to achieve, he really didn't need to go about it the way he did and cause all this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crumpy Gunt Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Complete shite, not one single direct quote in the whole story, typical sun newsaper, seriously why yous even read it i dont know. tits on page three mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 He done nothing wrong, the media have had nothing to bash us with over the last few weeks with us being on that 7 game unbeaten run. Lose to Chelsea and KK tells some home truths. The media start playing soggy biscuit over us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERTOON Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 If the meeting is true one of two things will happen Ashley will back KK with loads of funds in the transfer market or KK will be gone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 If the meeting is true one of two things will happen Ashley will back KK with loads of funds in the transfer market or KK will be gone Well at least it's the summer now so if we do have to start afresh with a new manager so be it. It'll be thanks for keeping us up Kev and we'll just have to move on swiftly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkhead Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 If the meeting is true one of two things will happen Ashley will back KK with loads of funds in the transfer market or KK will be gone gone? don't be silly man Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now