Keegan ready for Manchester United test

[Deano 0]

KEVIN KEEGAN is ready to face his moment of truth as Sunday’s opener with Manchester United at Old Trafford is now just FOUR days away.

 

The Newcastle United boss is probably the most positive man I have met in football and, despite all his problems, Keegan will stay upbeat.

 

Even Keegan’s enthusiasm, though, is being tested after one of the most frustrating United pre-seasons I can remember for some time.

 

No wonder the fans were scanning every face at today’s open day and public training session at St James’s Park.

 

 

For five of Keegan’s first-team squad – Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Andy Carroll, Abdoulaye Faye and Joey Barton – have not kicked a ball in any of United’s six pre-season games, the first four because of their injuries and the latter because he has been in jail.

 

 

Oba Martins continues to have trouble with his knee, and has only been seen in the first half at Hartlepool and for 63 minutes against Valencia at St James’s – and there is talk he has been back in Nigeria after Saturday’s game in a bid to get it all sorted out.

 

 

Right-back Habib Beye missed the first four friendlies and came off in the last two.

 

 

On the other flank Jose Enrique was on the team sheet for Saturday’s game – but it was Charles N’Zogbia who eventually turned out at left-back. The United fans have certainly taken to new boys Jonas Gutierrez and Danny Guthrie, but there was still no news from the club early today as to whether the Argentinian winger’s paperwork has come through to enable him to play at Old Trafford on Sunday.

 

 

Or whether his fellow countryman Fabricio Coloccini has finally become a United player, although he has been training with them for nearly a week now.

[Deano 0]

KEVIN KEEGAN is ready to face his moment of truth as Sunday’s opener with Manchester United at Old Trafford is now just FOUR days away.

 

The Newcastle United boss is probably the most positive man I have met in football and, despite all his problems, Keegan will stay upbeat.

 

Even Keegan’s enthusiasm, though, is being tested after one of the most frustrating United pre-seasons I can remember for some time.

 

No wonder the fans were scanning every face at today’s open day and public training session at St James’s Park.

 

 

For five of Keegan’s first-team squad – Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Andy Carroll, Abdoulaye Faye and Joey Barton – have not kicked a ball in any of United’s six pre-season games, the first four because of their injuries and the latter because he has been in jail.

 

 

Oba Martins continues to have trouble with his knee, and has only been seen in the first half at Hartlepool and for 63 minutes against Valencia at St James’s – and there is talk he has been back in Nigeria after Saturday’s game in a bid to get it all sorted out.

 

 

Right-back Habib Beye missed the first four friendlies and came off in the last two.

 

 

On the other flank Jose Enrique was on the team sheet for Saturday’s game – but it was Charles N’Zogbia who eventually turned out at left-back. The United fans have certainly taken to new boys Jonas Gutierrez and Danny Guthrie, but there was still no news from the club early today as to whether the Argentinian winger’s paperwork has come through to enable him to play at Old Trafford on Sunday.

 

 

Or whether his fellow countryman Fabricio Coloccini has finally become a United player, although he has been training with them for nearly a week now.

 

 

As article suggests oba is back in nigeria to sort his knee out?? And coloccini has been trainin with squad for a week, so if thats the case why wasnt he at open day? And still no announcment?? There has to be something wrong here!