As if to try to ensure they are quite incompetent, the Newcastle Board’s statement, issued on Saturday evening, probably for the consumption of Sunday’s papers, contradicts previous statements on Kevin Keegan’s responsibilities for players from the club.
Mike Ashley – statements contradictory at best
Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers’ Association, has spent much of the last week working with Keegan and is reported today in The Sun saying:
“It’s never been an issue that he wouldn’t work with a director of football.“But it has always been the case that the director of football could not impose a player that the manager didn’t want.”
“Dennis Wise said himself when he took the job in February that everything would be run past Kevin and he would say yes or no. That didn’t happen.”
“Kevin’s chief complaint, among others, is that it was always agreed that the director of football could not impose a player that the manager did not want. This agreement has been broken.”
“The chairman at the time of Kevin’s appointment, the director of football and the owner have confirmed previously in public meetings and publications, that he would always have the final say.”
The statement from Newcastle has also proved embarrassing for owner Mike Ashley as it contradicted what he said in the September issue of the club’s official magazine. In that magazine, which was the first time he had talked at any length to the Newcastle fans it said:
“If the deal is right — and that means the right player who Kevin wants — then we will do that deal.” “Kevin is very particular on who he wants.”
Keegan himself has said very little since Thursday evening and would only say:
“At the time at which I joined Newcastle it was made very clear to me that I would have the final say on player movement in and out of the club.”
Director of Football Dennis , in an interview with nufcTV in early February, also made it very clear that Kevin had the final say on all players:
“I’m not going to bring players in behind his Keegan’s back,” “Everything that happens here will be run by him and he will say yes or no.”
And Chairman Chris Mort also said that Kevin would have the final say on who comes and goes at the club.
So there you have it – it seems the Newcastle Board is confuded about their own rules about who was ultimately responsible for which players came and went at the club. No wonder the club is in turmoil.
How they can get themselves into a state of affairs like this is just beyond us – but it’s a fact.
Comments welcome.
60 comments so far
Toon4Life
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Comment #41@clinta
either Keegan lied and agrred on all purchases before they were signed
or
player or players were purchased without his consent which he felt was detramental to the team and his ability to manage the team
Graham
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Comment #42Clinta – The words of Dennis Wise…..
“I’m not going to bring players in behind his Keegan’s back,” “Everything that happens here will be run by him and he will say yes or no.”
Did this happen or is it a lie?
I’m not gonna bore you with the other quotes from Mike Ashley, Derek Lambias or Chris Mort as I’m sure you have read them yourself…….
clinta
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Comment #43yes these statements were made- fact, but things can change in any company, and obviously did.
possible due to KK not watching a game of football for 3 years, they decided he wasn’t the best person to judge who comes in, was thins right to not give him the final say no, of course not.
I personally think though, that there were other options than KK walking again… lets face it he’s walked from every job.
KK wasn’t my choice, he might not of even been MA’s choice, but he was certainly most of the fans choice, and look whats happened?
as i’ve said before our club is notoriously hard to manage and run, due to us the fans, while were great in some respects we can be very damaging in others.
that is very clear to me today, if never so much before
Toon4Life
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Comment #44This was a quiet summer for the club in the transfer Market and I think that this Resignation was probably coming for a while… My guess is that none of the players signed this summer were on keegan’s list – BUT there was probably a promise to him on the WOW signing which MA confirmed and this was one of the players on his list (for some reason it never happeded – but it probably could have) and Keegan walked….
bowburnmag
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Comment #45clinta – is that not just being pedantic for the sake of it? Much of this is based purely on conjecture, is it not? Until the club is able to communicate properly they will fail to earn the trust of most fans. Level-headed and otherwise. Most people are siding with Keegan not because of blind faith or nostalgia but because he’s regarded as one of us. The board has yet to earn that much respect. I doubt Keegan would harm his ties with the club by leaving us without good reason and then lying to us. Call me naive but I know who i trust thus far.
Macas
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Comment #46Clinta – the board appointed keegan and in doing so they trusted his judgement on player purchases for the duration of his contract. If they suddenly decided they had made a bad choice then they should have sacked him, instead of undermining him at every opportunity, slinging insults at him and trying to destroy his character once he had left.
Graham
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Comment #47Clinta, Mike Ashley knew that Keegan had been out of football for 3 years when he made those ‘promises’ to him and it wasn’t a problem then.
If an employer wants to change your job role they are duty bound to revise your contract. Did this happen? Dont think so, they just continued to confirm to the press (and in their own magazine) that Keegan was the bee all and end all when it came to transfers.
I for one couldn’t care less whether it was Keegan, Allardyce, Souness or whoever. The fact is that the owner and directors of NUFC have shown themselves to be unfit to run this or any other major football club. Their arrogance towards Keegan and more importantly the fans (customers) is an absolute disgrace.
I feel sick at the way my club is being dragged through the dirt. There have been some low times in the past under Shepherd, but this current situation is disgusting
bowburnmag
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Comment #48clinta – I disagree. Even the most romantic fan had Keegan right at the back of their mind at the time. It’s always nice to reminisce but everyone I spoke to was gobsmacked when Keegan was plucked out othe wilderness. Chuffed for obvious reasons but he was certiainly not necessarily the “the fans choice”. They just pined for the era not necessarily the man.
Thin ashley
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Comment #49On d short term im on kk side cos we need 2b attractive and full of quality2 maintain club pride .long term ma is trying 2mould d club d way it ought 2b paying lower wages and bringing players equal 2d club status which i strongly agree but would have also given kk chance2 bring a player of his choice 2balance d situation.ma and kk didnt understand each other.pls support d club not kk or ma.ma cant sell d club or get external manager.dennis wise is next.toon fans pls b patient.
Toon4Life
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Comment #50What ever happened to the WOW signing anyway… More lies… All we get from MA is lies lies lies….
Bill F Ash Didn't Splash :(
Sep 8, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Comment #51Toon4life, I for one was always skeptical about the wow signing and was not the least bit surprised it didn’t happen. I think he may have been talking about his new character on Warcraft.
Toon4Life
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Comment #52@ Bill F Ash Didn’t Splash 🙁
It’s just that MA hardly ever says anything so when he mentions a WOW signing you expect to take it to the Bank…
Pretty much everything he has said since he arrived has been a Lie, surely it would have been better to tell us the truth, thats how you get support…
If he came out and said I’m not gonna invest this summer we would have been annoyed but not felt betrayed, also the KK saga is one big mess, surely he knew that KK would want to re-create the glory days of the 90’s and in order to do that he needsa a free reign, us supporters were given the impression that this was the reason KK was appointed when in fact he was just a publicity stunt that went very wrong…
Toon4Life
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Comment #53Double exit
Newcastle United have now parted company with Terry McDermott and reserve team coach Adam Sadler.
derekm
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Comment #54finally mcdermott goes! I defy anyone to tell me what he has done at NUFC for any of the managers he has survived!
magmick
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Comment #55fat ash is an absolute joke he hasnt got a clue f##k knows how the man is a billionaire and sucsesfull buisnesman he hasnt got a clue
UNITED GLENN
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Comment #56How can they part company with a man who has dedicated his life to this club !!! Terry McDermott and reserve team coach Adam Sadler have been sacked…bloody hell man!
Only one more thing to say…. ASHLEY YOU HAVE UNTIL SUNDOWN TO GET THE HELL OUT OF NEWCASTLE AND WISE TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xfer
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Comment #57Graham, im glad you are with me. Remove fat Assley’s picture!
Ronjohno
Sep 8, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Comment #58I too am not happy that KK “walked” again but this time I think the reasons are different and we should remember that he allegedly spent days trying to rectify the situation before finally saying enough was enough. I think perhaps he was trying to bring things to a head thinking that he could WIN his arguments and not realising that his adversaries would not bend.
I do think however that BOTH parties should have sought some compromise which is what ADULT people usually try to do.
I have never understood the bile directed toward KK for leaving the England job.
What on earth is wrong in holding your hands up and saying “this is beyond my capabilities. ”
A pity Eriksson or even more so Wally with the Brolly hadnt the decency to do the same.
KK in his first Radio Newcastle interview on his return when asked who he would like to sign said it would be “someone ” like Henry. I dont know about anyone else but I would love even now to see Henry playing for us 30+ years or not.
At the end of the day although I hate saying it it there is very little if anything we can do .
We can protest all we want to but at the end of the day unless Ashley sells we are stuck with him – vilifying him and his cronies will not change anything . The City have tried and failed with him because he does not give a damn..
If NUFC is as important to us as we make out then until such time as things change we are going to have to draw a line under the situation and get behind the TEAM and new coach whand show that we are real true supporters and sod NUFC hiearchy the press and the rest of the country who want us to be battered and downhearted.
Black and White Blood
Sep 8, 2008 at 1:26 PM
Comment #59sweendog – Sorry for delay mate, feeling rather unwell to day (man flu). Yes indeed, I was the originator of the petition. However, in order to facilitate further suggestions, I propose that a general meeting of supporters be arranged allowing further debate of this current situation. I would welcome an opportunity to actively debate and agree upon future action.
Let me know what the consensuses is..!
http://www.petitiononline.com/DWMANUFC/petition.html
toonguy1
Sep 8, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Comment #60everyone stay away from his stores and sjp. the fat 2 faced git will soon get the message.