Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper says today that manager Joe Kinnear’s recent health problems have brought the team closer together.
Steve Harper – Kinnear health problems has brought team together
Joe will undergo triple bypass surgery tomorrow, and will be recuperating for around 2 months, and of course Joe missed the Newcastle win over West Brom at the weekend with high blood pressure, presumably caused by blockage(s) in his arteries.
Coaches Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood are ready to take over first team affairs and Harper said the 3-2 win over WBA, which wasn’t pretty but effective, was dedicated to their boss.
Steve told Sky Sports News today:
“I spoke to him on Monday. I left him a message and he called me back and he was in good spirits,”
“I think he’s a bit frustrated to be in there because he’s the sort of person who is first out on the training field and last off. I think he’s fed up.”
“He missed the game but we managed to get a win which the lads obviously dedicated to him with the job he’s done. We all wish him well.”
And in spite of the squad being told their manager had been taken to hospital on Saturday morning ahead of the crucial game, Harper said that the news had brought the team closer together:
“When Chris Hughton told us on Saturday morning there were a few people in the dressing room who were saying ‘come on he’s (Kinnear) stepped in, in a difficult time, so let’s just give it that little bit extra for him’ and we managed to do that.”
“Apparently he was being informed on the phone how the game was going and we managed to pull it off.”
We suggest the games the lads play while Joe is recovering are dedicated to Joe, starting with our next home game a week on Sunday against Everton. Joe seems to have given more than he had for the Newcastle United cause.
We think it will be hard to keep Joe Kinnear away once he has had his surgery, but we’re sure his doctors will insist on some rest, and his wife and family too.
Of course, once the operation is over, he’ll feel a lot better since the old blood will be flowing more freely to parts of his body he forgot he even had. 😀
We don’t think Joe is finished with the job at Newcastle, and for Joe it is unfinished business.
You may like the guy or hate the guy, but it’s hard to argue with his total commitment to the Newcastle cause.
Comments welcome.
102 comments so far
Wigaz
Feb 12, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Comment #41Cheers Worky! It’s sad but true about o neil mate. Lets hope the board is hard at work gettin new gaffer in. This is more important than it was gettin players in Jan.
Tom_Toon
Feb 12, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Comment #42We aren’t getting a new manager, they are waiting for Kinnear to get backed and we are ****ed, Shearer, Strachan, Bruce, all useless, mediocre, some not even tested.
Tom_Toon
Feb 12, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Comment #43to get back*
Rodzilla
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Comment #44Troy Stavers // Feb 12, 2009 at 7:50 PM
Re: Comment No. 8
“Now is the time to be scouting for a long term manager.
preferably KK or Shearer cos i’ve got 100 quid on each at 12/1.”
I hope this was a comical quip on your part mate. If not, what was the bet exactly? Next permanent manager as from now?
I’m a gambling man and wouldn’t touch either of those at 12s with someone else’s barge pole!
workyticket
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Comment #45Wigaz, I feel sorry for Joe and strange as it sounds, I really want him to come back, but I know what you mean 🙁
Wigaz
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Comment #46I feel sorry for Joe too worky but life deals you the cards & you play your hand. I just think Joe needs to think about himself & his family & not NUFC dare i say it. If MA has any kind of heart then he’ll get in a permanent Manager & let joe live his life.
workyticket
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Comment #47I don’t know much about Calderwood, but I know that his teams can have great runs of form, then be disappointing at the crucial point, a bit like Keegan during 95/6, but on a smaller scale.
Rodzilla
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Comment #48…see some of you lads are talking about O’Neill and Villa. Mi best mate is a Villa fan, it seems a bit sh1te to me that only a couple of years ago we both seemed to always be under-achieving and aimlessly floating around 12th and 13th season in and out.
Now we’re in the mire and Villa are fighting for a Champions League spot all of a sudden and they (Villa) are our new ‘model’ to aim for!! Load of old w@nk
Wigaz
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Comment #49Rodzilla my best mate is a villa fan too & he cant belive how much they have improved. It shows you how far back we’ve went in recent years compared to them now.
workyticket
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Comment #50Quite a few managers have had heart attacks and bypasses and come back though. Souness, Droopy Redknapp and quite a few others.
Rodzilla
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Comment #51…yeah Wigaz, I think one of the main differences may have been Doug Ellis being tight as fk for so long and keeping the club relatively stable while we were running ’round like headless chickens, sacking managers left right and centre and continuously changing the team.
Villa seem to have got themselves to a settled state by 2006, Ellis sold up, Randy Lerner ploughed in, got a decent manager, gave him money and stuck with him.
….oh how I laugh at the amount of “I bet you a tenner we finish above you” bets I’ve lost to my Villa friend (the w@nker) ; )
Wigaz
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Comment #52Ha ha! Rodzilla hopefully if Ma & co appoint the right manager & stand by him then we can climb back up the table to at least a top 7 finish to start with.
Rodzilla
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Comment #53…here’s hoping eh Wigaz. Despite the frequent airs of doom and gloom on this blog I do have high hopes for next season. Obviously we’ve GOT to stay up first though. Was a bit pi55ed off we never brought in another 2 or 3 players in Jan, but I’ll leave all my whingeing for if we get relegated.
Would love to see JK back, but unfortunately his old ticker seems to have made the decision for him. We need a new manager in before Everton IMO. Permanently.
Tom_Toon
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Comment #54–
Kevin
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:48 PM
Comment #55JFK was never going to be manager after this season anyway. He didn’t sign a new contract because he knew it would take a physical toll on him, which it did – the pressure just got the best of him to a more severe degree than he anticipated.
We do need a new manager now, but we all know it won’t happen. Hughton will lead us to a 15th place season, and we’ll all be underwhelmed by the new manager this offseason.
Toony Soprano
Feb 12, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Comment #56Worky ticket -that is one of the best contradictions i have ever seen.
No doubt about it Sven might have S**** crack but he sure has done well as a manager.
Good to see the top brass at NUFC have found their tongues, communication is the key to managing the changes, Wise gets some undeserved stick on here and no doubt that this current youth set up that Richard Money runs is the best it has been in years. (Arsenal here we come)
We need to act a bit cleverer in the summer when conducting our business i will be staggered if we make the same mistakes twice – think positive
Fog-on-the-Tyne
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Comment #57Get well soon Joe…
Come on King Kev, regardless of all of who dont want him back, I do..! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and in mine I would love KK back over anyone!!!
Theres only one Kevin Keegan, one Kevin Keegan….hehe….I think hes coming back…
workyticket
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Comment #58“No doubt about it Sven might have S**** crack”
It seems to work with the lasses though.
Fog-on-the-Tyne
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:04 PM
Comment #59Toony Soprano – I disagree, simply as I feel we are going down, and that is a result of Ashleys running of the club full stop! The summer will be too late!
Ross
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Comment #60i feel sorry for Joe. The job has clearly b@ll@cksed up his health and he clearly wants to do well for us though. Waiting for him to return is the wrong option however, as im sure we’re all aware, for a couple of reasons.
1. With Hughton in charge we’re done for. The man has admitted that managerial roles arent for him and his last performance (albeit forced, again) shows that he just isnt up to the task.
2. We need to give him full time to recover, meaning Hughton could be in charge for longer than liked. The longer he is in charge, the gloomier it looks for us.
3. God forbid he tries to force his recovery, returns earlier than advised and his health is forced to deteriorate even further.
Everything points to trying to bring in someone new. The fact that we dont want to do anymore damage to Joe, who to be completly honest has worked his arse off for us. He wanted to do his job and do it properly and its a real, real shame that his health has stopped him from doing so. He may have taken a bashing when he turned up, he may have contradicted himself, he may not have been up to the job in the first place-but you could see he was giving 110% to give it a bloody good go, and that i am thoroughly greatful for, as he was the only one who stood up and said “fine, on my shoulders, i’ll give it a go”.
Saddest part of the whle situation is the fact that we’re just going to sit back and wait for him to return. We’ve said for a while “this game could make or break us, that game could make or break us”. I think its a forced incident off the field, that could break us.
ever the optomist being a toon fan eh
Tom_Toon
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Comment #61Keegan can do one, he is a coward and a little, litle man, he is a disgrace.
Toony Soprano
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Comment #62Ross — I agree who would come now?
Sven?, Houllier? – i would love louis Van Haal
Robbo might love the toon but his managerial record is the opposite of svens.
If we appoint someone now it needs to be for the long haul
Tommy_PA
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:36 PM
Comment #63Tom_Toon // Feb 12, 2009 at 11:19 PM
“Keegan can do one, he is a coward and a little, litle man, he is a disgrace.”
You might not respect the man, or dislike him because you disagree with what he has done [allegedly]. Though to have the audacity to belittle a man who has fought in so many ways for this club in the past, it seems to me you probably have an overly high opinion of yourself and your opinion.
Toony Soprano
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Comment #64TT – Keegan did not cover himself in glory in his latest departure – he has still been the best ‘discrace’ that we have had since 1969.
You may wish to chose your words more carefully
simon376
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Comment #65Tom, I’m not having a go here, but how long have you been supporting NUFC?
KK was the person who kick started everything in recent times for the club, he left as his hands were tied due to being floated on the stockmarket, he left this time because of the way the club is being run (hands tied again). He was backed this time round by people like Ferguson & Wenger who said they wouldnt work under that system.
Maybe he isn’t the answer now, but when people have such a go at him, got to understand why he left. And yes, I know he has a £9m claim in against the club, but if he was wronged, hope he gets the cash, I would hope everybody would feel the same if it was one of us in our work place. Yes it wouldn’t be for that kind of money, but thats because people in ‘normal’ jobs don’t get paid big ‘football salaries’
Darling27
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:52 PM
Comment #66I’d love to see Sven in charge of the toon.
Tom_Toon
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:53 PM
Comment #67The only reason he came back is for money, he doesn’t care about anything else now. He left us knowing full well what it would cause and I he is partly to blame for this season, actually, not partly but mainly. If we get relegated, it will be mainly attirbute to him.
Beardsley iss right in everything he says.
Ally
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:53 PM
Comment #68Tom_Toon watch what ur saying mate.
Keegan is a legend at this club no matter what happened in his last stint.
Tom_Toon
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Comment #69Nah, he has been relegated to, manager who did a good job and then completely f***** us.
Toony Soprano
Feb 12, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Comment #70TT- I watched ‘the discrace’ kick start a bigger shambles than we watch now, long before you were born.
Your comments are based on a small amount of the keegan story
simon376
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Comment #71Keegan saved us from relegation last season. When he left this season, we had played what, about 3 games, one at Old Trafford and got a draw, not many clubs have pulled that off. If you blame Keegan for the state we are in now, that means you and anybody else who feels the same rates him as such a great manager, one of the best and the reason we are doing so badly is because he’s still not in charge
Tom_Toon
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Comment #72I was atually born born Keegan arrived for the first time.
Tom_Toon
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:02 AM
Comment #73The reason we are doing so badly is the reaction of the fans that everyone knew, including Keegan, would happen.
Toony Soprano
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Comment #74TT – 1982
are you sure?
Ross
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:05 AM
Comment #75I dont agree with what Keegan did, i dont think he should have left us like he did. I agree with Tom Toon when he says wor Kev knew fine well the consequences of his actions like. However, i grew up with the Keegan era and its been the most enjoyable time supporting Newcastle i’ve had, along with Sir Bobby. Both are legends of our club, and it will be a long time before we see a manager recreate some of the saturday afternoons/champions league nights that they did. He shouldnt have left us, but he will forever be a hero.
simon376
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:07 AM
Comment #76The fans can’t be blamed for the players performances on the pitch. I’m at every home game and a few away, yes maybe we are not as vocal as we used to be, but thats about it. There has only been one demo inside the ground, the Hull game.
It’s not because of the fans the way the players perfom, it’s down to the manager and coaches.
It seems wrong to be having a go at the manager now as the poor bloke is in hospital having a serious op and that of course is so much more important than football. Just hope he pulls through and gets fit again. But at the end of the day, no matter what club it is, it’s down to the way the players are coached and the formation and team selction picked by the manager, not the fans.
Ally
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:07 AM
Comment #77leave Keegan alone
Tom_Toon
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Comment #78No, before he first came as manager.
Ally is the fan I’m talking about, think the coward is bigger than the club.
Ally
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Comment #79Its not like that Tom_Toon i think the good outweighs the bad in Keegans case.
so i’ll stick with him
simon376
Feb 13, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Comment #80The Keegan I remember was a person who loves the club and the fans. He talked to as many people as possible when coming out after a game. I was a young lad of 16 when he first came as manager, he was always great with me, even phoned me a few times because of my contacts with the club back then. He always took time out for the fans. I’ll never forget what he did and know what he could have done this time round if he had been given the chance to manage the club as a club should be run.