Joe Kinnear 'to return as Newcastle manager'

15 July 2009 00:05
Kinnear, 62, has been asked to return to the St James' Park hot seat by club owner Mike Ashley, the Daily Mail claim. The former Wimbledon manager, who had to relinquish the Tyneside reins in February after suffering a heart attack requiring a triple bypass operation, could be reinstalled at the newly-relegated Championship club on Tuesday. Originally given the chance to rescue the North-East side last September, Kinnear was only temporarily in charge following after Kevin Keegan resigned from the manager's position. After just 26 games illness forced Kinnear from his post, which was eventually filled by Newcastle's talismanic hero Alan Shearer as the club sought to avoid dropping out of the Premier League. Kinnear, whose Newcastle contract has now expired, recently revealed he was recovered from his health problems and had returned to full fitness. He said: I've gone from bad to being much, much better than I was. 'Things are working out well. I feel as fit as a fiddle.' The club, meanwhile, have been put up for sale by Ashley and have failed to appoint a full-time manager – Alan Shearer or otherwise – leaving Chris Hughton in charge of the pre-season training as the players have lurched from uncertainty to uncertainty and seen striker Michael Owen move to Manchester United.

Source: Telegraph