Some good news for Newcastle fans, is that manager Kevin Keegan returns this week from his holiday in the USA.
Kevin Keegan – as enthusiastic as ever about Newcastle
Kevin will have been able to watch every Euro 2008 game live in the US, since the group games are being broadcast live on the ESPN channel at 12 noon and 2:45 pm eastern time. ESPN is the Sports channel network affiliated with ABC.
Whether Kevin’s wife Jean would like that is another matter of course. 😀
The Euro 2008 championships are not particularly being followed in the US newspapers over here.
In USA TODAY there is usually a couple of sentences on the Euro Championships, hidden within 11 full pages of their other sports.
Kevin’s right hand man Terry McDermott talked to the Newcastle Journal today:
“Even though Kevin’s been away, make no mistake, he’s been on his phone trying his best to bring new players to this club,â€
“Now we’ll be coming back in this week and we’re looking forward to the start of pre-season.â€
“ Both myself and Kevin are great believers in a hard pre-season so that the lads are flying when it all kicks off.â€
We found out yesterday that we play Manchester United away in our first game, followed by Bolton at home and then Arsenal away – a tough start for us.
But McDermott believes that if Newcastle can capture their priority targets, they will be competitive against the Red Devils, who of course slammed 11 goals past us in a couple of games last season. 🙁
Terry continued:
“Man United are a fantastic team and they proved that last year,â€
“But, hopefully with the players we bring in, we will be able to go there and maybe get something.”
“I definitely think that it’s a game to look forward to rather than fear.â€
“What better place, other than St James’ Park, is there to kick off your season in front of 70,000 fans?”
“If there is a good time to go there then this might be it.â€
“It’s always very important to get a good start to build momentum and raise confidence among the lads,â€
“It showed last year when we went on our seven-game unbeaten run towards the end of the season what results do for confidence.â€
“On the flip side of the tough away start we have got some decent games at home which are the ones we have to win.â€
Once Kevin returns, things are bound to pick up on the transfer front, but Dennis Wise has already been busy with some of the targets, and we think Kevin will become a lot more involved with Dennis on the transfer front, only because he’s so keen.
The good news for Newcastle fans, as Terry mentions above, is that Kevin, even though on holiday, has already talked directly with a number of our targets.
We certainly hope one of them was Turkey’s Arda Turan, who looks a great little player, made to play for Newcastle United and Kevin Keegan.
Comments welcome.
29 comments so far
Tom4Nufc
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:48 AM
Comment #1JUST SIGN SOMEONE WITH QUALITY PLEASE!!!!!!
HeronMag
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:51 AM
Comment #2It begins. Our faith has been tested.
We’ll know within the next 4 weeks whether or not Ashley is going to back up promises with cold hard cash.
Keegan wouldn’t have taken the job on without knowing he was going to have a substantial budget.
Come on KK – reel em in!!!
Ed Harrison
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:53 AM
Comment #3HeronMag – you’re absolutely right – it has been a little boring over the last 3 weeks for us.
Graeme
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Comment #4The rumour mill will take off with a vengence once he’s back!!!
Hopefully we will get an indication of what MA intends for the club by the first couple of signings through the door. Just hope its someone of quality!!!
geordiekk
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Comment #5well done terry mac at last someone comes out and tells us whats goin on quality signings are on the way.
geordiegraham
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Comment #6gd. france will gan oot the neet gomis wors when kk gets back. Turan is a must buy and at last we know wats goin on thanks 2 terry mac
Davy C
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Comment #7Rumour has it that KK has been over to see a certain Ed Harrison for some ideas and tips!!!
Can’t wait to see what happens now that the boss is due back.
tommyy
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Comment #8Gotta love Terry Mac’s enthusiasm!
I like the first set of quotes 😀
tommyy
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:58 AM
Comment #9TOOONNN ARRMMYY!!!
The Entertainers
Jun 17, 2008 at 9:59 AM
Comment #10I completely endorse the last comment about Terry Mac.
Well done, just when we thought everyone had left SJP, he lets us know there is life!
If we thought the last couple of weeks we’re bad for transfer rumours, watch what happens now the King has returned
clinta
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Comment #11‘make no mistake, he’s been on his phone trying his best to bring new players to this club,â€
that doesn’t exactly read, he’s been talking to players ed?
geordiekk
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Comment #12guthrie apparently has been telling his mates he’s signing for the toon just shows that deals are already in place and the press aint hearing anything about them
tommyy
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Comment #13More likely agents Clinta? more likely the 3 Wise Men.
craig chisholm
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Comment #14they say today that milner is going to liverpool with money and guthrie coming in………never seen guthrie or even heard of him before now to be honest……..is he any good??
SuperJoe
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Comment #15At last…..news that brings a smile to my face. My holidays just brightened up by a few degrees. Would love some attacking minded players with a little more PACE that what we have now. Look where pace and attacking skill has got the dutch. Their backline apart from Van Der Sar is crap.
At the same time getting a couple of solid defenders would be essential as well.
But I’m sure KK knows all this.
Go on Mike….open up your wallet a wee bit will ya. I honestly think 40 million pounds would be enough for this season. Turan and Arshavin for 25mill and the rest on 2 defenders. hmmm well maybe 40 ain’t really enough huh?
geordiekk
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Comment #16i went onto a lpool blog when i heard the other day and they seem to rate him highly was supposed to be the next gerrard but aint had a chance
tommyy
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Comment #17This is such good news i’m going to play some Pendulum 😀
Ed Harrison
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Comment #18Davy C – boy that would be good – maybe in a couple of years 😀
BennAllen
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Comment #19finally tery mac’s position at the club is understood.. hes the insider “leaking” everything to the press!!!!!
Stami
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Comment #20KK walks into the NUFC dressing room after a long holiday in NY. ” ello lads, come have a look at my pics from… oi, Mr Ashley, where is everyone?!?!” Mike replies “oh yeah sorry Kev, Dennis and i decided we would make a few cutbacks to the squad, we have sold everyone. Here is your new squad list, you might recognise a few names on there, its our old reserve team. oh, and you owe me 1000Quid for your NUFC suit mate, you can just write me a cheque”
BennAllen
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Comment #21stami,
quickly followed by KK Saying mr no c-ashley i resign..
broon ale
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Comment #22why does KK need a month vacation? he only worked for 3 months and prior to that he had 3 years on holiday up in glasgow.
surely he would be valuable in convincing players to join newcastle.
Leo
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Comment #23haha stami ur mad.
hopefully the deals will start to roll
Toon_Army
Jun 17, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Comment #24I’m pleased to hear Keegan is back. I personally think that 1 or 2 signings are already tied up and ready to be finalised when he returns.
Graham
Jun 17, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Comment #25Off subject but Derek Lambias has been named as managing director and not chairman. Not sure if this makes much difference, but does this mean that Ashley wants the big leather chairmans chair???
Ben_BKK
Jun 17, 2008 at 1:20 PM
Comment #26“tommyy // Jun 17, 2008 at 10:13
This is such good news i’m going to play some Pendulum :D”
They’re coming to Bangkok (where I live :P) in a couple of weeks, probably going to see them 😀
On topic, can’t wait for the signings to start flooding in, now Keegan’s back.
WIGAZ
Jun 17, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Comment #27The return of the King! get in! thats cheered me up!
i agree with heronmag 100%! kk would not have returned if he wasn’t promised whatever resources necessary to take us back to where we should be! lets hope he’s been working on a few deals & he’s just coming back to finalise! come on KK i have faith in you! he’s never let us down when it comes to signing players! even the chances he took on the likes of cole, gillespie, & even pedro when people said he was too old!
ziad
Jun 17, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Comment #28let’s hope we have arda TURAN tied up . winger seems interested and this what i feared.
The is very talented with a eye for goal and only 21!!!!! bring him in KK
Leeg123
Jun 17, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Comment #29is he actually back tomorrow or later in the week just the sooner the deals start, the better