Keegan Quits. Again.

[Galee]

See Kevin Keegan has quit as manager of Newcastle. Not the first time he has done it.

To be fair to him I think he has been under minded by the Newcastle Board and having Dennis Wise veto his views would be too much to tolerate.

[JimboPSM]

Looks like it might be another case of club boards knowing FA about football.

Newcastle may only have four points from their first three Premier League matches but it wasn't the easiest start with two of those matches being away at Manchester United and Arsenal - and they did also win away at Coventry in the Carling Cup.

Results so far:

• Sat 30 Aug - Prem League - Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle
  
  Tue 26 Aug - Carling Cup - Coventry 2-3 Newcastle
  
  Sat 23 Aug - Prem League - Newcastle 1-0 Bolton
  
  Sun 17 Aug - Prem League - Man Utd 1-1 Newcastle

[BobHelm]

Well he has a bit of a history of it when things don't go his way, but his managerial career is stellar when compared to Mr. Wise's..

p.s. I feel a transfer in the FF might be necessary now..

p.p.s What the hell does a director of Football actually do? Can anyone name one who was actually involved with a successful Premier club??

[Zidane]

Just over two weeks since they got a draw at United and they looked quite a decent side.
I think he was unhappy about James Milner being transferred to Villa and his authority being undermined behind the scenes.
Newcastle,a very big club who never seem to get it right.Feel sorry for their long suffering supporters....even statto !
Dennis Wise as the new manager would hardly seem to be a step in the right direction.With the Newcastle Boards amazing capacity for always getting it wrong they could even go for Paul Jewell....no,surely not !

[Irish Alan]

Time for someone to jump off the merry-go-round. Who is unemployed these days? No I don't mean EVERYBODY. I mean the usual suspects. Graeme Souness, Gary Megson, Sam Allardyce et al.

[VAL]

Club statement

Pick the bones out of this:

Newcastle United can confirm that meetings between members of the Board and manager Kevin Keegan were held both yesterday and today.

Kevin has raised a number of issues and those have been discussed with him.

The Club wants to keep progressing with its long-term strategy and would like to stress that Kevin is extremely important, both now and in the future.

Newcastle United values the effort and commitment shown by Kevin since his return to St. James' Park and wants him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the Club.

For the avoidance of doubt the Club has not sacked Kevin Keegan as manager.

Tuesday morning brought widespread but unconfirmed claims of problems behind the scenes at SJP, with movement on the betting exchanges following rumours that Kevin Keegan had walked out on the club.

The Daily Mail carried a story about the manager's future being "in the balance" following "a summit with the club's hierarchy" on Monday.

The inevitable club insider line is trotted out to describe that meeting as "‘very important but not related to transfer business’ and "a heated discussion".

KK wasn't spotted at Monday's SJP reserve game, with SkySports claiming KK didn't take training at Darsley Park on Tuesday morning and instead had headed to SJP.

Their news programme ran the story all day that Keegan had been sacked, quoting club sources.

More to follow....inevitably.

Val

[BKKSTAN]

I have heard a couple of reports on this!They all say it is not definite that he has left the club!

[beer monkey]

"Talks are on Going" with the board.(at time of posting)

[Galee]

Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I only reported what was on Yahoo News yesterday. Keegan has resigned was the headline. Send a PM to Yahoo.

[beer monkey]

To date: will he won't he........

Newcastle have confirmed that talks between manager Kevin Keegan and the club are ongoing.

After a day of intense speculation over the 57-year-old's position on Tyneside, the Magpies have reiterated that the former England boss has not been sacked, nor has he resigned.

A club statement said: "Newcastle United Football Club can confirm that discussions are ongoing between the board and Kevin Keegan.

"Both the club and Kevin would like to reiterate that Kevin remains as manager.

"He has not resigned nor has he been sacked, as has been confirmed in respective statements made by Kevin and Newcastle United Football Club."

The latest statement, which followed one released on Tuesday night amid reports that Keegan was no longer the manager at St James' Park, will simply serve to increase the intrigue over a situation which is remarkable even by the standards of a club with an astonishing capacity for attracting headlines.

Keegan is understood to have taken legal advice and contacted the League Managers' Association over his plight.

Keegan is known to have been unhappy with the way summer recruitment plans were handled with owner Mike Ashley implementing a policy which targeted up and coming players rather than the statement signings for which Keegan had hoped.

In addition, Newcastle's efforts to reduce the wage bill by attempting to offload some of their highest earners, and James Milner's £12million switch to Aston Villa, did not go down well with a man whose squad was already under great pressure because of both a lack of numbers and injuries.

Some reports have suggested Keegan's continued presence at St James' Park is simply the result of his need to sort out a compensation package ahead of his inevitable departure.

That prospect attracted a furious response from supporters who gathered outside St James' as the rumours grew on Tuesday, and there was little doubt on which side of the fence their loyalties lay.

Ashley and executive director (football) Dennis Wise, the man the billionaire employed to head up the club's recruitment department, bore the brunt of the anger, and the club can expect more of the same if Keegan does eventually sever his ties with the Magpies.

Keegan arrived back on Tyneside to a hero's welcome in January after Ashley sprang a major surprise to appoint him as Sam Allardyce's successor.

At the time, the fans settled back and waited for the millions to start flowing and the big names to arrive.

However, that has not happened - indeed, most of the noises coming out of St James' since have suggested a new frugality.

Harry Redknapp suspects Keegan's second spell at St James' Park is over and urged the Newcastle boss to walk away if he has been shown a lack of respect.

Portsmouth boss Redknapp, who was approached to take over Newcastle when Allardyce was sacked, claimed Keegan's "pride" is at stake.

"Only Kevin would know if he's been undermined. From an outsider's point of view we don't know what's happened," said the Portsmouth boss.

"But Kevin knows. He's a proud man and if he feels he's been undermined then he must make a decision over his future.

"Pride's at stake and if he feels he's not been treated with the respect he deserves then he'll have to walk.

"Only Kevin knows if players have been sold without his knowledge but it has happened to a few clubs recently.

"Hopefully there's a way of getting everything back on track but I wouldn't bet on it now."

Redknapp admitted he was surprised by the rapid deterioration of Keegan's relationship with the club following reported clashes over Newcastle's transfer policy.

"It's been an amazing turnaround in football so far this week," he said.

"If you're a Man City fan you're probably delighted by what's gone on.

"If you're a Newcastle fan you're probably very disturbed by what's happened.

"Suddenly yesterday Kevin seemed gone and no-one really knew what had happened. Only he and the chairman truly know.

"The owner's a nice guy who has put his money in and bought the club.

"So is Kevin - he's a popular and passionate guy and everyone loves him."

Redknapp's son Jamie, a former England midfielder turned TV pundit, reckons Keegan's position had been rendered "untenable".

"The situation at Newcastle is a little bit of a worry because Kevin is someone that everyone has a lot of respect for," he said.

"The sooner it gets resolved the better because Newcastle is a fabulous club that shouldn't be getting the press it does.

"What's happened makes it difficult for him - his position is almost untenable now.

"I hoped it gets sorted out as soon as possible because Kevin Keegan is a fantastic football person and he deserves better than that."

[beer monkey]

And at the other end of the country Alan Curbishley has walked out of West Ham.

[BKKSTAN]

I heard a TV report that if Keegan resigns,he has to pay $50M to the club and if they sack him,they have to pay him $50M!Seems like alot of dosh for a manager contract

[Zidane]

Time for someone to jump off the merry-go-round. Who is unemployed these days? No I don't mean EVERYBODY. I mean the usual suspects. Graeme Souness, Gary Megson, Sam Allardyce et al.

Souness and Big Sam are ex Newcastle managers !Megson is manager at Bolton,though not quite sure how he got the job in the first place !
But it looks for now as though the "Messiah" will be staying although it is rumoured Samak is resigning today.....maybe Mike Ashley has got him lined up for the job....probably a better option than Dennis Wise or Paul Jewell !

[BobHelm]

Zidane, according to some of the paper rumours Kev said he would only stay if....
Wise's job was redefined
Wise was sacked
Depending on which one you read....

[westerby]

Too late - he's gone (see link below).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 593683.stm

[beer monkey]

Possibly on his way back.......................

[westerby]

BM, you mean this?

Source: Daily Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... tball.html

Meanwhile, Bobby Robson is saying that no manager 'worth his salt' will take over from Keegan under the current arrangements at NUFC.

My own opinion is that Dennis Wise has to go if Keegan comes back and Jimenez has to be curtailed. They've made a big mistake at NUFC, Keegan is one of England's favourite sons.

[westerby]

And the latest in this Geordie saga;

Ashley puts NUFC up for sale. See BBC link below...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 615618.stm

[izzix]

all the prem sides are beset with problems of rich arrogant owners buying players over their managers heads ,and then when things go wrong the manager gets in the neck for the owners mistakes.
The manager should be in charge of buying the players but the situation has now changed and will lead to many managers resigning en masse in future .
Chelsea is a good example . Now Newcastle .
And the new filthy rich owners want instant results leading to a revolving door for managers .
They think you can splash the cash and get quick results .
Al fayed tried it and failed also ,he hires and fires managers

[Zidane]

For those of you who enjoyed the youtube video in pre-season entitled "Ronaldo leaves United",heres another one about Newcastle called "Mike Ashley sells Newcastle United.".......extract from the same film.
Very funny......even statto will enjoy it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx7X4cgh3qI