Former Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has refused to rule himself out of a return to St James’ Park, and says he still loves the Tyneside club.
Kevin Keegan – still loves the Newcastle club
Of course Keegan is a very popular figure with Newcastle fans since the marauding days with Kevin in charge, over 10 years ago now, when Newcastle were called the entertainers and were simply a joy to watch, with their wonderful attacking football.
And his appointment would without doubt be a major coup for Mike Ashley. It would instantly lift the spirits of Newcastle’s fans, after Sam Allardyce’s unsuccessful time at the club, and Harry Redknapp’s rejection of the position.
The former England, Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester City manager is still however behind Blackburn chief Mark Hughes in the betting.
However, Kevin would be a lot higher in that betting if he came out and said he actually wanted the Newcastle position, but right now we’re not sure he wants to come back to the stress and grind of being a Premier League manager. And remember it’s a lot harder now than when he first took over Newcastle in 1992. And it’s very possible his time may have past, as Sir John Hall intimated yesterday.
When Kevin was asked whether he would consider the job if it was offered, he told Sky Sports News:
“I really don’t know, you’re asking a lot of questions I can’t really answer.“I’m not ruling myself out or in or anything.”
“It’s a club I love, that’s what I am prepared to say, everyone knows that, and it’s a club I’ve managed before.”
Well that certainly doesn’t sound like somebody who doesn’t want the job does it? One real advantage of appointing Kevin again is that now, or even in a year or two, Alan Shearer could join him as assistant manager. That could be for a year or two before Alan finally took over the reigns of the club, and would give us some longer term succession plan. It appears there are only a few managers Alan would work with – Kevin being one and Terry Venables another.
Comments welcome.
51 comments so far
obafemimartins
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Comment #1he last managed a team 3 years ago so i dont know if he will be able to cope with pressure surrounding the premier league now. if he brings back the good football he still needs to win not lose 4-3!
Hammy
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Comment #2Well Ashley has said that he wants gung-ho attacking football, the only way to put the Keegan era finally to bed is to appoint him..
simple as…
Hadrian
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Comment #3id love it, but ive been saying it as long as sam’s jobs been on the line , so i didnt need to say it again … but i have 😀
antz
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Comment #4the only way it will work….
if we cannot get mourinho, (he is my only 1st choice)
i said this yesterday but no-one picked up on it
keegan as a general manager/director of football with shearer as manager/head coach
shearer has to be in complete control with keegan acting as his sort of deputy manager/footballing secretary
ie, shearer has complete control of training, team selection, tactics and formations and the day to day dealings with the team/squad and transfer targets and would liase with keegan to carry out the running of the bigger picture such as going and selling the club to these targets, keegan more of a figurehead working more in tandem with mort and ashley giving them the footballing background information and direction they need, as how arigo saachi does for ac milan now
i really think this could work if everyone was clear as to what there dutied included. this could actually be a dream partnership as they both know the place inside out and the whole business to do with newcastle united
as for terry vegetable, i wouldnt leave him in charge of a sweet shop! hes a c0ck!!
Hammy
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Comment #5If somebody doesn’t act soon we’ll be stuck with the current squad til the end of the season….
doesn’t bare thinking about.
ShiNg
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Comment #6i know that Keegan had a good time at Newcaslte in the past and many fans are really want him to be next manager again.
But i have a doubt can he get a success again since he’s record in England, Fulham, Man city were not good enough.
Hammy
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Comment #7I’d agree with antz.
Hammy
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Comment #8Keegan was a one club man, with City, Fulham and England it was a case of after the Lord Mayors show.
It would be like sha**ing the most beautiful girl in the world…..what would you do next?
Leo*
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Comment #9i watched the interview with keegan on sky sports news, he is great, i got all goosepimples listening to him, it would be exciting times ahead. obviously they have been talking to him because he ‘couldnt say anything on the matter’
also he was seen in the diamond with mort… confirmed but he could just be giving mort some tips on who to put in charge…
Steve_48
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Comment #10Just give it to KK man FFS and put us all out of our misery MA; you’ve said you want out and out attacking football, this is your answer, not Sparky with all due respect to the man.
Getting excited now… finally
Edd Case
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Comment #11I still hope for Mourinho but I’d take KK.
Defo not Hughes.
antz
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Comment #12keegan actually got fulhma promoted as champions playing scincilating football as he did with us and they were doing fine until england came calling as the press were crying out for him to have the job
if he didnt take that england job who knows where he would be or what he would be doing now
Tino
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Comment #13I do not understand why we say in one line we like attacking football, then say in the next that we want Mourinho. 1-0 results will not be entertaining, and Ashley will have to give him at least 100m to get the players that he needs. Besides, he might think he is too big for Newcastle, which means he will not come, waiting for Real Madrid to lose their seven point lead or something. I still say bring on Shearer, with or without Keegan.
Ray Hunter
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Comment #14I’d Love it! If we beat them. Still makes the hairs on my forearms stand up. Get him in.
We’ll fight them on the beaches etc
michael
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Comment #15Bring back Keegan. Fantastic job with money. We’ve never had anyone sign such good players since. Remember Shearer, Ferdinand, Barton, Fox, Asprilla, Gillespie. Lets get a man who knows who to spend money, motivate his team and try to win something. We should never have let him leave.
Dave Atkinson
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Comment #16Hammy – I’d give it another go!
Toony
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Comment #17At Newcastle he had a shed load of money to build the most exciting football we ever had at St James. He did not have that with Fulham or Man Citeh and lets face it NO ONE has managed to pick a successful team of only English players.
Money to spend Shearer the apprentice and we arent as badly off as when he arrived the first time (YET!!)
I say Ashley has to at least talk to the guy.
My first choice would still be Mourinho but even he would be looking over his shoulder at Shearer.
Kein
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Comment #18Is Hughes really going to be any better than BSA?? He has done positive things in Blackburn, but is he a BIG manager that can use big cash from Ashley well and make Newcastle a team that “can give Chelsea a walloping”? Besides his football isn’t that entertaining..(I don’t care so much about that if we are winning games, but many people here do)..
And Keegan then..What has he been doing past three years? Has he got what it takes to be succesful in modern football?? Don’t get me wrong..not critisising KK, just wondering can he bring back the glory days anymore..?
We should go for a high-class proven manager who can attract and also handle big name players. The best choices for me would be Jose, Lippi, Hiddink, Van Gaal??, Rijkaard (Barca’s gonna kick him out soon 🙂 ), Hitzfeldt…Not sure if anyone of those are interested though..
antz
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Comment #19tino, mourinho only played tight and defensive against the big clubs, eg, liverpool, manure and ar$enal, against most otheres they played some great passing football, even if it is 1-0 the football is still played on the grass, not in those fooking clouds that fat sam had it
also i would love to see lippi as his juve side played very very entertaining football in an otherwise slow serie A
for me, mourinho or lippi 1st choice, if not shearer/keegan in the roles i mentioned before, if i was ashley they are the only people i would trust giving my millions to
imagine any of them with an enormous transfer fund
Hadrian
Jan 14, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Comment #20shinig ,
he brought man city up from the first div and put them in the uefa . wasnt at fulham long enough
ChrisM
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Comment #21ANTZ – IF A COMBO OF KK AND ALAN SHEARER IS TO WORK THEN AKAN WOULD HAVE TO START AS ASSISTANT MANAGER…..I HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT HIM OVERSHADOWING KK AND THUS UNDERMINING HIM.
HOWEVER LOVE THE COMMENT ABOUT TERRY VEGETABLE.
Tino
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Comment #22The moment BSA bought Geremi, I knew he had lost it- and when he made him captain, I mean, who buys a substitute and makes him his leader of the team?
I do not like Mourinho, I think the Italian whatshisname did all the work, and Mourinho found a good team, took it further.
I would never truly find Hughes to be the ideal man, he has made some dodgy decisions at Blackburn, and his team is not a joy to watch.
Ashley should go with someone that lifts the spirits, for everyone, at least for now, and give the man support: mid table finish this term, top six next, top four after that- he has more money than those Americans at Liverpool.
And refuse to sanction any more dodgy buys, even if they are free, cacapa should be loaned to Sunderland, they at least would find use for him, and geremi too
Ross
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Comment #23I really, really pray this is true. We’ve got to get him.
antz
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Comment #24i hear what your sayin chris, but im just worried about the pressure for keegan, and im unsure as to whether the premier league and europe have moved on to another level as to what keegan is used to, but like i said, they just have to be clear in the roles that they may have
BILLY-B
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Comment #25I dont understand the clamour for mourinho he spent enogh money to save northern rock but most of the time the football he dished up was boring 1 – nil win after 1 – nil not so special one in my estimation. Bring back Keegan he did it last time without any managerial experiance,he knows the type of football geordies want it is his type of football and if left to get on with it could bring back the glory days. (notice i said could not would because no matter who comes nothing is garenteed and dont we know it) I would not involve shearer until he is ready in himself to take managership on.
Toony
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Comment #26Sky bet now have Keegan 2nd favourite at 3/1
t-g-w
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Comment #27I think that if we appoint an English manager we are shooting ourselves in the foot and I have thought this for a very long time. Don’t get me wrong, I would love nothing more than a team of 11 Geordies run by a Geordie manager but its not going to happen! A great foreign manager (and by that I don’t mean Houllier) like Van Gaal or Huudink or Lippi would already the great players on the continent and would be able to attract them to our club, as well as having the tactial knowledge to make us a great side.
antz
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Comment #28hows this for a record?
A motivator rather than a strategist, Lippi is not bound by a rigid tactical approach. He earns the respect of his players thanks to this flexibility as well as his own personal charisma and sincerity.
Lippi is considered by many to be one of the best managers in the history of Italian football.
With Juventus F.C.:
5 Italian League Championships
1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, 2001/02, 2002/03
1 Coppa Italia
1994/95
Runners up: 2001/02, 2003/04
4 Italian Supercups
1995/96, 1997/98, 2002/03, 2003/04
Runners up: 1998/99
1 European Cup
1995/96
Runners up: 1996/97, 1997/98, 2002/03
UEFA Cup
Runners up: 1994/95
1 European Supercup
1995/1996
1 Intercontinental Cup
1996
With Internazionale F.C.:
Coppa Italia
Runners up: 1999/00
With the Italian national team:
1 FIFA World Cup
2006
Toony
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Comment #29Thats some record antz but why would he come here?
antz
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Comment #30because we’re deluded and he is out of work
Big Les
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Comment #31What about this?
Shearer team coach/asst Manager
KK team manager
Sir Bobby Tatctical Advisor
Southside Jordy
Jan 14, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Comment #32BIG LES………I RUDDY WELL LOVE THAT IDEA!!
Bill F
Jan 14, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Comment #33Iv’e been saying all along Keegan and Shearer are what we are going to end up with and it looks like a strong possibilty now.
My first choice has always been Jose but I think we will see pigs flying over the Town Moore before that happens.
Don’t forget KK came straight off the golf course to us when he became manager so the situation is no different now. He would probably sign up for two years only with Shearer gradually taking up the reins. I think it would work and am hoping fervantly it will be the choiceof MA.
I am chanting a mantra of Hughes repelling to ward him off. Any who wants to can join in.
Ommmmmm Hughes stay away, Hughes stay away, Hughes stay away.
ObaFan2
Jan 14, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Comment #34At last a reliable quote and it’s from KK, just seen him on Sky sports saying he isn’t ruling himself in or out of anything.
I CAN imgine MA in the stands having fans calling his name to him, unlike Redknapp or Hughes etc.
Also I remember Saturday afternoons (5pm ish), bars packed solid,geordies happiest fans in the land, KK comes on the tv and deadly silence falls over the Toon
and every word is lapped up by his adorning fans. Even SBR didn’t have that effect.
Oh the memories, sends shivers down ya spine 🙂
KevinHann
Jan 14, 2008 at 2:26 PM
Comment #35Wow, I thought I would be lonely in my Keegan-dream. Seems a lot of geordies want him back, watching the different forums. Promising 🙂
Todd
Jan 14, 2008 at 2:47 PM
Comment #36Yes Shearer for Manager! That is excellent! Great and popular players ALWAYS instantly make great managers. What pristine logic! It worked so well with Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods! Too bad Man U didn’t appoint George Best as manager, that is why Man U is so bad now. Maybe Pele should manage Brazil because he is so organized in handling people and money. I could go on.
Graham
Jan 14, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Comment #37Obafan2 – Before I even read your last sentence i got a chill right down the spine!!
I have never been Shearers biggest fan – people put him on the highest pedestal as a player and he got a little big headed for me, and not yet experienced enough for the main roll. But to have someone like Keegan next to him for 2-3 years (lets face it Kevin won’t want much longer than that) could be just what he needs.
Get it sorted Mike, this has gone on far too long already.
Bill F
Jan 14, 2008 at 2:59 PM
Comment #38Sorry Todd have I missed something, Ice Hockey, Basketball and golf, I don’t see the connection.
And yes there many great players who have become great managers Klinsmann for one and I’m sure bloggers can mention many more.
Thing is we won’t know if its not given a go, we have had plenty of mediocrity already so if Shearer was another failure we could just add it to the list. At least it would be a positive move.
(I think)
Hadrian
Jan 14, 2008 at 3:13 PM
Comment #39dagliesh , van basten , rijkard , gullit , klinsman ,
southgate 😛 (he’s not done to bad for a guy who gets uglier everyday, not to bad in smoggy standards , considering they bath in ici water , said standards are not that high i know)
Tom Cairns
Jan 14, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Comment #40When Mort said he was casting the net over all the managers in europe it did fill me with hope that we would bring in someone experienced and successful like van gaal, hitzfeld etc. However the more i think about it if they come in and dont bring immediate results (remember we are in a very bad way at the moment) then almost definitely they wil get the axe too.
Shearer may not have managerial experience but he is as experienced a footballer as you could get and on top of that he knows the club inside out. If for example he had keegan as a no.2 that would really help guide him into maturing into the managerial position. And unlike many of the foreign coaches being mentioned they both know the english game and due to their god status they will be given the time to get it right.
The more i think about it the more i reckon a Shearer no.1 and Keegan no.2 team could really be exactly the answer we need.