Keegan Points To Kinnear Disaster!

27 June 2013 12:29
What makes fans tick? You should look no further than Kevin Keegan's rousing interview.

In it Keegan spoke about "communication and consultation", and perhaps Mike Ashley should have watched it!

He talks about Dennis Wise and the Director of Football position that made him walk, and we see it AGAIN with Joe Kinnear.

Let’s make no mistake: there is no love lost between the current Magpies board and the man the Geordies called "Messiah".

But compare the summer of 1993 to the summer of 2013 and it’s quite simply night and day.

Cast your mind back to 20 years ago and you couldn’t buy a season ticket for love nor money.

Shirt sales went through the roof and anticipation of Tyneside’s first Premier League season was almost unbearable with fans unable to sleep with excitement.

Season ticket sales aren’t too bad in comparison now, nor are Newcastle struggling to attract 50,000 fans.

However, to some Geordie punters cheap ticket deals, which should be applauded, suggest that they are struggling to convince some people that SJP is still where the magic happens.

Keegan’s own suggestion that Newcastle United won’t be the same again until Mike Ashley sells up and takes his board with him appeared to strike a chord with many fans.

Most Geordies who lived through those times can easily compare and contrast to then and now. They were special days.

Keegan talks about those days when Alan Shearer came back home and even taking the time on the steps of the Milburn Stand to explain to the public why he sold Andy Cole to Manchester United.

I think Keegan summed it all up when he reflected on his time as captain of the club by interrupting one of Arthur Cox’s team talks to say to an under-performing player: “Hey, you can’t play for Newcastle United if you’ve got a heart the size of a pea.”

Some things change in football but some of Keegan’s principles still remain very valid – like the pride of pulling on the black-and-white shirt, how much wearing the No 9 means and playing for the Geordie punters.

Keegan famously compared fans going to St James’ Park as Londoners going to the theatre in the West End, saying: “They want to be entertained, they want to see us having a go.”

But it was Keegan’s reflections on the current Newcastle United that stoked the fires for a lot of supporters.

KK claimed that Ashley and his board did not represent the club, they were merely custodians. And that much is correct.

But it is a marriage that fans have had to get on with.

Twice in the Ashley era the club has been up for sale during times in which the Toon tycoon was hurt by intense criticism.

Twice it has remained unsold with no serious bidders for United.

Keegan’s main gripe during his time in charge was that he wasn’t in full control of transfers the second time around.

He felt he was battered around by his bosses with a transfer chief in Dennis Wise above him and his board.

Keegan wanted to sign the likes of Torsten Frings, Pablo Aimar and Gareth Barry.

Instead he got little-known stars like Xisco and Nacho Gonzalez. It was a far cry from convincing John Beresford to snub top-flight advances and sign for Newcastle.

Or somehow persuading Paul Bracewell to swap Sunderland for Newcastle.

There was a chasm of difference from the days of wooing David Ginola from Paris St-Germain or luring Tino Asprilla from Serie A when it was the best league in the world, and you have to question if there will ever be a signing like Alan Shearer in 1996 under Ashley.

Keegan feels so aggrieved and is still so upset about his departure five years ago.

For the rest of us, having Ashley in charge is something that we must get on with.

Indeed, while Keegan’s words will always be captivating, the “custodians” are the ones in the box seat when it comes to making the good times roll again.

Ashley ... it's over to you!

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