Kevin Keegan Resigns as manager

[triggy99 0]

We need to hope Keegan stays for our sakes.

 

exciting start to the season ruined

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

The current regime is already reeling from the lowest attendance at St James' for more than a decade for the opening home fixture with Bolton, with an unheard of 4,500 empty seats. Huge pro-Keegan demonstrations are expected at their next game against Hull City on September 13.

 

Funny how we managed to squeeze more than 47k into a 36k capacity ground like..

Liverpool can do it.

[Happy Face 29]

Barton should text SSN with what's going on.

[Chaser 1054]

I guess we will get the full story somewhere down the line when a book comes out. Until then, itll be down to the media and various ITKs creating chinese whispers on what has happened.

 

It would take a big character to return to his position if the reports are to be believed. It will take a similar dose of humility from the owner to accept that he has made a big mistake and needs KK to continue his enterntainment.

[Chaser 1054]

The current regime is already reeling from the lowest attendance at St James' for more than a decade for the opening home fixture with Bolton, with an unheard of 4,500 empty seats. Huge pro-Keegan demonstrations are expected at their next game against Hull City on September 13.

 

Funny how we managed to squeeze more than 47k into a 36k capacity ground like..

Liverpool can do it.

 

I was gonna make a joke of that comment but then realised it was in bad taste

[The Fish 8989]

Barton should text SSN with what's going on.

He does owe us, after all!

[grasshopper 0]

it makes sense that KK is a bit miffed when he wasn't involved with the arrival of colo jonas and guthrie, when fans have been more than happy with their performance

[NJS 3977]

I guess we will get the full story somewhere down the line when a book comes out. Until then, itll be down to the media and various ITKs creating chinese whispers on what has happened.

 

It would take a big character to return to his position if the reports are to be believed. It will take a similar dose of humility from the owner to accept that he has made a big mistake and needs KK to continue his enterntainment.

 

If we've reached the stage where the only reasons statements are released is with the purpose of arguing over compen then we're fucked.

[Jimbo 133]

From The Times

September 3, 2008

Kevin Keegan may quit football for good

 

Matt Dickinson

Kevin Keegan was on the verge of standing down as Newcastle United manager last night, throwing the club into bitter turmoil, over what he perceives as humiliation concerning the club's transfer policy. After farcical scenes that included bewildered fans demonstrating against the “sacking” of their hero, Keegan remained in his position, according to the club, but it is hard to believe that he will stay for long, or want to, given his clashes with the board.

 

Keegan has been so at odds with the directors over transfers that some Newcastle players were among those to believe that club and manager had parted company yesterday lunchtime. It appears to have been only a reluctance to surrender the payoff on his three-year deal, worth up to £3 million a year, that stopped Keegan following through his threats to take his leave. Whether he jumps or is seen to be pushed, it seems highly unlikely that he will be seen in a dugout again.

 

The former England manager has been so impotent in recent days that, having angrily questioned the proposed sale of Joey Barton on Monday, it is believed he was told that every member of the first-team squad could be sold, irrespective of his opinion.

 

The directors have pushed their manager to the brink by dictating the buying and selling of players, but, bizarrely, they seem happy for him to continue for the time being. Perhaps they want to avoid more trouble from supporters who are in revolt over Mike Ashley's stewardship. The crowd of 47,711 for the opening home Barclays Premier League match of the season, against Bolton Wanderers, was the lowest in more than a decade and there is talk of a boycott of the next fixture, against Hull City on Saturday week. Suggestions that Dennis Wise and Gustavo Poyet may take over from Keegan have led to further uproar on Tyneside.

 

Boardroom sources claimed last night that they had spent most of the day talking Keegan out of resigning, but there is no doubt who the fans will side with. Even with mixed results since he took over from Sam Allardyce in January, Keegan is popular for his previous exploits on the pitch and as the Newcastle manager.

 

The humiliations heaped on him stretch back over several months, since Wise was brought in as executive director (football). Wise and Tony Jimenez, both London-based directors, were appointed by Ashley to guide transfer policy, but their seizing of control has brought only conflict with the manager.

 

Those rows came to a head with the recruitment on Monday of Ignacio González, the Uruguay midfield player, and Xisco, the Spanish striker, even though Keegan had not scouted the players or approved their signings. He had been asking for a left back and Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich, but was given neither. At the same time the club tried to offload Barton for £4 million to Portsmouth, even though Keegan had fought hard to retain the midfield player after his six-month prison sentence for assault.

 

A deal to sell Alan Smith to Everton also fell through, while the board tried to sell Michael Owen to any takers, despite Keegan imploring club officials to give the Newcastle captain a new long-term contract. Keegan had also been undermined by the sale of James Milner to Aston Villa last week. In the circumstances, it is a surprise that Keegan, 57, has lasted this long, particularly given his temperamental history. But at his age and with his faltering record, to quit now would probably be to leave management for good.

 

In response to reports that Keegan had been sacked, the club said that they “wanted him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the club”. Whether he can endure further embarrassment is another matter.

[Happy Face 29]

Kevin Keegan was talking to his lawyers last night as he considered launching a claim for constructive dismissal against Newcastle United

 

After a day of drama in which owner Mike Ashley insisted Keegan had not been sacked as manager, the ex-England boss was in a Manchester hotel with his legal advisers. Newcastle do not want to pay the compensation on his contract, believed to be £8million.

 

The 57-year-old believes his position at St James' Park has become untenable after a day of boardroom posturing. Although players and staff are expecting Keegan to take training this morning, his family and friends believe his time is over. His contract obliges him to pay more than £1million in compensation if he walks out and Keegan is exploring how to resolve the situation without actually resigning.

 

The club have admitted Keegan and Ashley, along with members of the board, held two heated meetings, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail yesterday.

 

Transfer policy, the failure to tie Michael Owen to a new contract, the role of football director Dennis Wise and the aborted sale of Joey Barton, which fell through on transfer deadline day, were discussed. The Newcastle board were convinced Keegan had walked out following a ferocious row.

 

He accused them of 'false promises' and they told him he knew he would be working within a budget when he returned to the club.

 

'We are not Chelsea or Manchester City,' one senior member of staff is said to have told the manager during the blazing row.

 

Keegan left the second meeting yesterday morning believing he had been sacked but Newcastle put out a statement seven hours later claiming he had not been dismissed but remained an integral part of the club's future. This came a f t e r thousands of fans gathered outside the ground calling for Ashley's head.

 

The billionaire sportswear tycoon is understood to have been unsettled by the adverse reaction of fans to Keegan's departure and the prospect of Wise taking over the reins with his former Leeds assistant and Chelsea team-mate Gus Poyet.

 

The current regime is already reeling from the lowest attendance at St James' for more than a decade for the opening home fixture with Bolton, with an unheard of 4,500 empty seats. Huge pro-Keegan demonstrations are expected at their next game against Hull City on September 13.

 

Keegan and Ashley clashed in a heated exchange over a number of issues which have been coming to a head for several weeks, with Keegan unable any longer to suppress his anger and frustration.

 

He was upset that the entire squad was put up for sale on Monday as the transfer window closed and that two more players, Xisco and Nacho Gonzalez, were signed without his knowledge. Keegan was also disturbed by the plan to sell Joey Barton behind his back.

 

Like summer additions Danny Guthrie, Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez, the latest signings have been scouted and hired by Wise and his fellow director Tony Jimenez, with Keegan having little say in the process.

 

Keegan, who resigned as Newcastle manager in 1997 over the club's Stock Market sale, was fully aware of Wise's pending arrival when he took over but has not been comfortable with the reality of being a manager in name only. Former Ireland and Newcastle defender John Anderson, who played alongside Keegan on Tyneside in the early Eighties, said: 'It's no surprise. I think the way he has been treated has been shabby to say the least. From the outside it looks like he's been let down.'

 

John Beresford, who played under Keegan during his first spell as manager from 1992-97, said: 'I can't tell you how bad this will be for the club. This could be devastating for Newcastle. Kevin Keegan had put the club back on track again - the fans were starting to feel pride in the club again.'

 

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/footba...mpensation.html

 

 

Could they actually manage to spin this to make Keegan the bad guy.

 

I'm confused and tired.

 

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Telegraph:

Newcastle deny sacking angry Kevin Keegan

 

Newcastle United have denied that manager Kevin Keegan had left the club after a dramatic day on Tyneside.

 

 

Keegan is believed to have been pushed to the brink of quitting Newcastle when he discovered his directors were trying to sell off Michael Owen and Joey Barton behind his back.

 

The club strenuously rebuffed rumours that Keegan had been sacked. But they should know this morning whether the turmoil which has again gripped St James’ Park will lead to a parting of the ways.

 

Keegan hit the roof when he heard that Owen and Barton were being touted around the transfer market despite his insistence that the pair were an integral part of his plans, suggesting his relationship with club owner Mike Ashley may have suffered an irretrievable breakdown. He was summoned to St James’ Park for showdown talks with the club’s managing director, Derek Llambias, on Monday afternoon and during the ensuing heated debate, Keegan was ordered back to the Gallowgate for what were described as crisis talks on Tuesday morning, instead of supervising first-team training at Darsley Park.

 

Keegan’s absence provoked heightened speculation that he had either been sacked or had walked away from the club for the second time as manager.

 

“Newcastle United can confirm meetings between members of the board and manager Kevin Keegan were held both yesterday and today,” a club statement read. “The club wants to keep progressing with its long-term strategy and would like to stress that Kevin is extremely important, both now and in the future.

 

“Newcastle United values the effort and commitment shown by Kevin since his return to St James’ Park and wants him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager. For the avoidance of doubt, the club have not sacked Keegan.”

 

While he was away, gossip in the first-team dressing-room is understood to have centred on Tottenham assistant manager Gus Poyet as his potential successor. Everton manager David Moyes was also a frontrunner with the bookies, although top Spanish coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, who guided Racing Santander to sixth place in La Liga before joining Real Zaragoza, is known to have admirers at Newcastle.

 

Keegan is also believed to have been frustrated by the club’s failure to sign German international Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich.

 

Owen’s contract expires next summer and three Premier League clubs – believed to be Everton, Spurs and Manchester City, as well as an Italian club – were alerted to his immediate availability as Newcastle tried to cut their losses on a player who seems certain to leave the North-East at the end of the season.

 

As for Barton, Keegan and his paymasters have been at loggerheads over the controversial player since he was jailed for a late-night attack on a teenager in Liverpool.

 

Ashley and his directors have had their patience tested by Keegan’s loyalty to Barton. His decision to play the midfielder at Arsenal on Saturday prompted Newcastle to attempt to rid themselves of the player, but his prospective move to Portsmouth broke down. Keegan’s position has been weakened in recent months by the departure of a key ally in former chairman Chris Mort and the abrupt exit of right-hand man Arthur Cox.

 

Given recent events concerning Owen and Barton, Keegan appears to have exerted little control over transfer policy, which is largely dictated by directors Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez.

 

Keegan was also on a collision course with the powers-that-be over the future of striker Alan Smith.

 

Meanwhile, Barton will be represented by top QC Jim Sturman when he appears before a Football Association disciplinary hearing on Friday after he admitted a charge of violent conduct towards his former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo. The worst outcome for Barton would see him end up with a lengthy ban and a hefty fine.

 

 

Times:

Newcastle United deny Kevin Keegan has been sacked as manager

 

Confusion surrounds the future of Kevin Keegan after Newcastle United issued a statement tonight denying that they had sacked him as manager.

 

Earlier in the day angry fans had gathered outside St James' Park to protest against his departure after widespread speculation that Newcastle had dismissed him.

 

The club, however, finally issued the following statement this evening:

 

"Newcastle United can confirm that meetings between members of the board and manager Kevin Keegan were held both yesterday and today.

 

"Kevin has raised a number of issues and those have been discussed with him.

 

"The club wants to keep progressing with its long-term strategy and would like to stress that Kevin is extremely important, both now and in the future.

 

"Newcastle United values the effort and commitment shown by Kevin since his return to St. James' Park and wants him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the club.

 

"For the avoidance of doubt the club has not sacked Kevin Keegan as manager."

 

It was originally thought that the Geordie favourite had been shown the door after showdown talks with club owner Mike Ashley. But with Newcastle denying this to be the case, it is unclear whether Keegan has in fact resigned or whether he is considering his position.

 

Speculation mounted all morning that Keegan’s second reign as manager was drawing to a close after his main transfer targets failed to materialise when the transfer window closed at midnight.

 

Fans chanting "sack the board" arrived at the ground to show their support for the man they hailed as their "Messiah" but media were forced by security guards to leave the stadium grounds as the club initially declined to comment on the reports.

 

There is little doubt that Keegan is unhappy about recent events at Newcastle, relating specifically to the club’s transfer policy and the level of influence he is afforded as manager, which has been reduced since the appointment of Dennis Wise as executive director of football.

 

James Milner was sold to Aston Villa last week despite Keegan previously insisting he wanted to keep the winger, while rumours suggest the arrivals of Xisco and Ignacio Gonzalez yesterday were not on his say-so.

 

He asked Newcastle United fans angered by the move to sell Milner to reserve their judgment until after the transfer deadline had passed.

 

Having been unable to add to the signings of Argentinian pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez with several big-name stars, Keegan is believed to have become disillusioned with his lot at Newcastle.

 

Frank Gilmour, of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters Association, said: “It’s an absolute farce, you cannot run a football club like this.”

 

Keegan walked out on the club in January 1997 when he was manager, citing off-pitch interference when his first spell in charge ended in disappointment.

 

Gilmour said: “This is on a par with what happened 12 years ago. I wouldn’t blame Keegan for going whatsoever.”

 

One fan outside St James’ Park said: “We’re supporting Keegan. We don’t like Dennis Wise and we don’t like Mike Ashley.

 

“I don’t know what was going on during the transfer window but still, you never thought he would leave.

 

“I heard this morning and couldn’t believe it.”

 

Another supporter said: “It is alienating fans but singing ’sack the board’ doesn’t do any good because Ashley can’t sack himself. But he needs to be forward about what exactly is happening.”

 

Keegan returned to Newcastle as manager in January 2008 after the departure of Sam Allardyce, having previously held the post between 1992 and 1997.

[Happy Face 29]

Seems to me given the information available....

 

Keegan has said "Fuck this!"

The club have said "Fine, give us our £1M for breach of contract"

Keegan's said "Eh? Fuck off! (Aside - here joan, get me lawyer on the phone to look through this contract)"

The club: "We'll expect you in training tomorrow"

Keegan: "Ah fuck, these boys are smarter than John Hall when it comes to writing a contract. I can't afford to stick to me guns on this one. Say nowt"

[TheMoog 0]

Kevin Keegan was talking to his lawyers last night as he considered launching a claim for constructive dismissal against Newcastle United

 

After a day of drama in which owner Mike Ashley insisted Keegan had not been sacked as manager, the ex-England boss was in a Manchester hotel with his legal advisers. Newcastle do not want to pay the compensation on his contract, believed to be £8million.

 

The 57-year-old believes his position at St James' Park has become untenable after a day of boardroom posturing. Although players and staff are expecting Keegan to take training this morning, his family and friends believe his time is over. His contract obliges him to pay more than £1million in compensation if he walks out and Keegan is exploring how to resolve the situation without actually resigning.

 

The club have admitted Keegan and Ashley, along with members of the board, held two heated meetings, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail yesterday.

 

Transfer policy, the failure to tie Michael Owen to a new contract, the role of football director Dennis Wise and the aborted sale of Joey Barton, which fell through on transfer deadline day, were discussed. The Newcastle board were convinced Keegan had walked out following a ferocious row.

 

He accused them of 'false promises' and they told him he knew he would be working within a budget when he returned to the club.

 

'We are not Chelsea or Manchester City,' one senior member of staff is said to have told the manager during the blazing row.

 

Keegan left the second meeting yesterday morning believing he had been sacked but Newcastle put out a statement seven hours later claiming he had not been dismissed but remained an integral part of the club's future. This came a f t e r thousands of fans gathered outside the ground calling for Ashley's head.

 

The billionaire sportswear tycoon is understood to have been unsettled by the adverse reaction of fans to Keegan's departure and the prospect of Wise taking over the reins with his former Leeds assistant and Chelsea team-mate Gus Poyet.

 

The current regime is already reeling from the lowest attendance at St James' for more than a decade for the opening home fixture with Bolton, with an unheard of 4,500 empty seats. Huge pro-Keegan demonstrations are expected at their next game against Hull City on September 13.

 

Keegan and Ashley clashed in a heated exchange over a number of issues which have been coming to a head for several weeks, with Keegan unable any longer to suppress his anger and frustration.

 

He was upset that the entire squad was put up for sale on Monday as the transfer window closed and that two more players, Xisco and Nacho Gonzalez, were signed without his knowledge. Keegan was also disturbed by the plan to sell Joey Barton behind his back.

 

Like summer additions Danny Guthrie, Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez, the latest signings have been scouted and hired by Wise and his fellow director Tony Jimenez, with Keegan having little say in the process.

 

Keegan, who resigned as Newcastle manager in 1997 over the club's Stock Market sale, was fully aware of Wise's pending arrival when he took over but has not been comfortable with the reality of being a manager in name only. Former Ireland and Newcastle defender John Anderson, who played alongside Keegan on Tyneside in the early Eighties, said: 'It's no surprise. I think the way he has been treated has been shabby to say the least. From the outside it looks like he's been let down.'

 

John Beresford, who played under Keegan during his first spell as manager from 1992-97, said: 'I can't tell you how bad this will be for the club. This could be devastating for Newcastle. Kevin Keegan had put the club back on track again - the fans were starting to feel pride in the club again.'

 

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/footba...mpensation.html

 

 

Could they actually manage to spin this to make Keegan the bad guy.

 

I'm confused and tired.

 

 

Nothing they can do will make me believe Kev's at fault. Ashley can fuck off if he thinks it's possible - they need to back down and sharpish.

[trophyshy 6434]

Seems to me given the information available....

 

Keegan has said "Fuck this!"

The club have said "Fine, give us our £1M for breach of contract"

Keegan's said "Eh? Fuck off! (Aside - here joan, get me lawyer on the phone to look through this contract)"

The club: "We'll expect you in training tomorrow"

Keegan: "Ah fuck, these boys are smarter than John Hall when it comes to writing a contract. I can't afford to stick to me guns on this one. Say nowt"

 

Keegan does NOT swear.

[Happy Face 29]

Nothing they can do will make me believe Kev's at fault. Ashley can fuck off if he thinks it's possible - they need to back down and sharpish.

 

Back down on what exactly? The Transfer window is closed. No-one's been sold that he wanted to keep, not since he said it was his choice to sell Milner anyway.

 

Keegan has happily gone along with the set-up for 8 months

[Chaser 1054]

I dont think it matters if Keegan walks, if the situation in the club had been less about getting rid of players and instead recruitment of a team, then he wouldnt have reason to resign. That makes it Ashleys fault anyway

[trophyshy 6434]

just on 5 live, has definitely not resigned

[The Fish 8989]

just on 5 live, has definitely not resigned

not being an arse, but how the fuck would they know?

[TheMoog 0]

Nothing they can do will make me believe Kev's at fault. Ashley can fuck off if he thinks it's possible - they need to back down and sharpish.

 

Back down on what exactly? The Transfer window is closed. No-one's been sold that he wanted to keep, not since he said it was his choice to sell Milner anyway.

 

Keegan has happily gone along with the set-up for 8 months

 

They're the ones that made this mess, they need to fix it. If they made promises to Keegan and haven't followed through with them then had the cheek to call his bluff when he's blown up about it then they need to back down and admit they were wrong. I don't see Kev returning though because it'd always be underlying now and the press would never leave it alone, Kev couldn't work with Fat Ashley and Wise. IF, and it's a big if, Ashley was going to try and sort it out he'd need to dismiss Wise as a gesture that Keegan isn't being undermined.

[TheInspiration 1]

It strikes me Ashley is aware Keegan is a walker and wants to take advantage of that to make him leave without having to pay him.

[TheMoog 0]

just on 5 live, has definitely not resigned

not being an arse, but how the fuck would they know?

 

We can hope I guess but it could just be that he hasn't resigned 'yet'

[Scottish Mag 3]

It strikes me Ashley is aware Keegan is a walker and wants to take advantage of that to make him leave without having to pay him.

 

Ashley trying to penny pinch? Surely not...

[peasepud 59]

What a farcical day.

 

An entire day spent scouring the net for any snippet of news, the amount of productivity lost in both Newcastle and Sunderland must be huge!

 

If the above stories are even partly true then we are in deep deep shit. This appears to be a case of sidelining KK to allow the poison cunt dwarf Wise to move in, aforementioned posion cunt dwarf is clearly willing to do whatever MA wishes and will see this club slide into obscurity until theres some kind of magical buyout to make fat Mike a nice big profit.

 

Even if KK stays though then things arent going to be the same or in any way sorted, we will always be expecting the walk which will come fairly soon. The only thing that could save this club from a dismal future will be a buyout of MA and unfortunately we appear to have missed that boat by literally days. How different could this morning have been if only MA had sold out to Abu-Dhabi lot.

 

Oh and sorry LM but you were right maybe the grass isnt greener on the other side.

 

Heres some pics from the mongs that were there today, they really did make us look like total wankers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

even he didnt have a clue what was going on....

[trophyshy 6434]

just on 5 live, has definitely not resigned

not being an arse, but how the fuck would they know?

 

It was someone in the PFA (I think, was watching something else tbh) who is a close friend of Keegan and has had a very long conversation with him, the fans mean everything to him, there is a lot to sort out at the club, blah blah....they were VERY adamant about it. sure it'll come out soon. ridicule is nothing to be scared of.

 

EDITED for credibility

Edited September 2, 2008 by trophyshy

[Guest Stevie]

Is that KK is now managing within a different sytem to which he did first time round.

 

He is no longer solely in charge of transfers and like it or not the system is set up to protect NUFC.

 

His job is to coach with what he has.

 

A lot on here are saying if KK walks it is Ashleys fault but it isn't.

 

KK knew what he was going back to, he wouldn't have gone in with his eyes closed (if he did its still his own fault).

 

It seems to me that true to form that he hasnt got his own way so he has turned his back.

 

It seems to me that KK gets more respect on here than he actually deserves.

It seems to me you are a cockney wank. Serious question, in the history of Tottenham Hotspur have they ever had a day where they've had the media focus on them as much as we have today? ....and I wouldn't even put it in the top 20 of the last 15 years.