ohhh_yeah 3103 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 One-On-One Your questions answered by footyās biggest legends! from 4-4-2 Kevin Keegan Ā Ā You were rejected as a youth by Doncaster for being too small. What would you be doing today if you hadnāt been picked up by Scunthorpe? Glenn Poore, Dartford Iād be making taps. I know that because I took a job at Pegler before I got signed up to play football. You know when you go into a public toilet and push down the taps, and a bit of water comes out, and just as you put your hands underneath, the water stops? We made those taps. So Iād have been tap dancing. Ā When and where were you happiest? Mike Clarke, Waterloo, Liverpool Everywhere! Liverpool: wow. Hamburg: fantastic. Newcastle to finish my career: unbelievable. Southampton was exhilarating, because we were a load of old guys coming to the end of our careers, and still beating people. Great fun! Scunthorpe was great, too. You look back on your schooldays as the happiest days of your life, and they probably were. Iāve been happy everywhere. Ā I heard a story about you and Tommy Smith arguing about a pair of white boots at Anfield. Can you enlighten us? Ian McDougall, Glasgow I got offered white boots by Hummel for quite a lot of money, and I asked Tommy what he thought because I respected him ā he was like a father figure. Hardly anyone wore them in those days and he said Iād look like a prat. Alan Ball was wearing them, but Tommy said they looked OK with white socks but daft with red ones. Then a week or two later, Tommy was wearing the same boots! He said to me āI canāt turn down that money at my age. Theyāll all come knocking at your door, Kevin ā Adidas, Puma, Gola ā but I need to take this offer.ā In the end his white boots ended up a bit red. I was never sure if he dyed them, or whether it was blood⦠ Whoās the best player you played with and against? Olly, via email Cruyff was the best player I played with. He was the cleverest player ever. When he was playing well he would run the show, and when he wasnāt playing well ā which was rare ā he would stick to the mundane things and work for the team. He could be a soldier and he could be a general. He had no ego, and thatās a sign of greatness to me. The best players I ever faced? Iād put Pele and Maradona in there together. I played against Pele when he was 38 and Maradona when he was 17. Pele would have the edge in life, because heās handled himself so well. Ā In 1977 you could have moved to any club in the world. Why Germany, and why Hamburg? Mike Shepherd, Colchester Iād dispute that I could have moved to any club in the world. In 1977 there were no English players abroad and they werenāt perceived as a good investment. Only John Charles had done really well. Hamburg was the only offer I got, and thatās where I went. They phoned me up. I said I wanted to leave Liverpool. I felt I was stagnating there, even though I loved the club, the fans and the players. I needed a change, Iām not a character who stays at one club for all his life. Hamburg offered me four times the salary that I was on, which was incredible. So financially it was right, and my wife spoke German, which was a great start. I thought, thatās the challenge I want. Ā Footballers today would never get involved in something daft like Superstars. Do you think some of the fun has been sucked out of the game? Ralph, Ilminster I think footballers would love to get involved if they were allowed to! Iām sure what happened to me [Keegan fell off his bike on the show and spent four days in hospital] changed the way people looked at it. Someone probably should have been sued over that. But it was fun. I took on boxers, skiers, table tennis players. It was a fantastic couple of days but the sad thing for me was that I was ill afterwards and missed the final in America. Iād have loved to have gone ā Iād have been the first footballer to win one ā but my wife wouldnāt let me go. She said: āYou nearly killed yourself once, thatās it!ā Ā Spain 82 ā your header sails wide. As youāre kneeling on the ground, what are you thinking? Snipsy, South London As I headed it, I thought āgoal!ā because I donāt usually miss from there. In peopleās memories it cost us a World Cup. In reality, we were put on with 20 minutes to go and we needed to score two goals to get through. Iād been injured with my back and hadnāt trained. It shows that even if youāre a great header of a football, which I think I was, if your preparation is not 100 percent, you can catch yourself out. Trevor Brooking and I werenāt fit, and we would have needed another goal anyway. I donāt think weād have won the World Cup if weād gone through, because we werenāt the strongest side there, but obviously there would have been a chance. Ā When you signed for Newcastle, was the helicopter out of St James' Park your idea? Mike, Manchester It was the clubās idea ā not really my style. I think the police were annoyed about it. Words were said afterwards, Iām not sure it was quite legit. It was ruled out happening again so Shearer and Beardsley missed out on the chopper. But it was fantastic symbolically, that great stadium getting smaller and smaller, then gone. It was also the only time I left that ground without signing any autographs. Ā How much did you dislike Alex Ferguson when you did that āI'd love itā outburst? Richard Birch, Birmingham For a day or two I really disliked him. I wouldnāt say weāre close now, but we have talked a lot. Iāve sold players to him, heās sold players to me, Iāve done charity things for him, heās done them for me. But if youāre asking me do I love him [laughs]... I totally respect him. Heās managed a huge club for 20 years. Iāve got a terrific record against Alex Ferguson compared with most people, too. It probably isnāt level, but Iāve managed teams that have beaten his teams 5-0, 4-1, 3-1. Two Manchester derbies. So I would say Iāve come out relatively well against him. Ā Whatās your greatest memory as Newcastle manager? Lots of people still want to see a Keegan statue up here⦠Kelly Munro, South Shields Phillippe Albert beating Peter Schmeichel to seal that 5-0 win over Manchester United. If you beat Man United thatās great, if you beat them 5-0 itās fantastic, and if youāve just lost a league to them the season before, itās even better. I shook Alex Fergusonās hand, but Cantona was the only one that spoke to me. He shook my hand and said: āFucking great teamā. The crowd were really proud of those players because they were cobbled together, really. We didnāt sign top, top players until later on. We were signing players who still had something to prove, the Beresfords and Lees, and fortunately for me, and for Newcastle, they still wanted to achieve things. Ā There are loads of kids in Newcastle with the first name Keegan. Do you feel guilty about that? Keegan Davenport, North Shields Ha ha! There are lots of kids called Keegan, Iāve met many of them. Lots of dogs too. Thereās not much you can do about it, although I suppose you donāt have to keep your name if you donāt want to. My first nameās Joseph, but I used my middle name, Kevin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Cantona was the only one that spoke to me. He shook my hand and said: āFucking great teamā. The crowd were really proud of those players because they were cobbled together, really. We didnāt sign top, top players until later on. We were signing players who still had something to prove, the Beresfords and Lees, and fortunately for me, and for Newcastle, they still wanted to achieve things. Ā Something the "we must spend Ā£300M" brigade should remember. Ā Look at Moyes, he's spent thruppence ha'penny and they're neck and neck for a champions league place with big money Liverpool. Edited March 17, 2008 by Happy Face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadrian 0 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 shame keegans achivements as a footballer get brushed under the carpet cos of his spell as england manager this guy is respected the world over for what he did on a football pitch . wonder if he's still got some contacts in hamburg wouldnt mind a few of their squad ! Ā We were signing players who still had something to prove, the Beresfords and Lees, and fortunately for me, and for Newcastle, they still wanted to achieve things. Ā that was the key last time , i can see kev doing the same this time round aswell . lets hope messi is boo'd off at the next world cup or summit then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 8092 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 You know when you go into a public toilet and push down the taps, and a bit of water comes out, and just as you put your hands underneath, the water stops? We made those taps Ā I never realised until now just how shit a design those taps are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 8004 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keeg?? Ā Christ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keeg??Ā Christ..... Ā the Keegmeister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 They missed one.... Ā Kev, why is it you think that Alan Smith and Joey Barton are footballers? Ā All of Newcastle, Newcastle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keeg??Ā Christ..... Ā change the title ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keeg??Ā Christ..... Ā change the title ffs. Ā Ā I have, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keegmeister General, shirley? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keegmeister General, shirley? Ā The Keeganator ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keegmeister General, shirley? Ā The Keeganator ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM4 0 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keegmeister General, shirley? Ā The Keeganator ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 2 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keegerelli? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@yourservice 67 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Keegachute payment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 99 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Robokeeg Ā or Ā Keegocop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 The Blitzkeeg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14587 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Best thread titles ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 16957 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Keeghole Surgery. Ā Keeg West. Ā Ā Ā Ā Maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Keegan wept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 keegzilla? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Keegone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke 2 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Keegan wept Ā Anyone see Billy the Fish in this month's Viz? Ā "You're going up on a fucking crucifix" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Keeg Kong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Arnold Keeganegger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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