Source: Northern_Echo
Keegan's decision day
KEVIN KEEGAN is expected to learn today if his claim of constructive dismissal has been successful, with Newcastle United refusing to comment on suggestions that such an outcome could put the club into administration.
It was claimed yesterday that Keegan could be awarded far in excess of the £8m that has been reported if he successfully argues his case, which would have major implications for the cashstrapped club.
Interestingly Newcastle issued a line of “no comment”
after the reports, which has led to worried fans stating concerns that it is an attempt from inside St James’ Park to knock the support for Keegan.
The former Newcastle boss’s claim for a substantial compensation pay-out, thought to go beyond loss of earnings, is being heard by a Premier League independent arbitration panel and is nearing conclusion. The outcome could be announced today.
Keegan’s second reign as manager came to an end just over a year ago having fallen out with Ashley and the then executive director (football) Dennis Wise over the club’s transfer policy.
Despite the situation, there is a huge degree of sympathy from the fans towards Keegan, who argues his position had become untenable, while Newcastle are claiming he knew all about the club’s transfer process.
Ironically when the line is finally drawn under Keegan’s claim it is likely to arrive at a time when Tyneside businessman Barry Moat believes he is close to buying Newcastle.
Discussions at the start of the week strengthened Moat’s attempts to buy the club and he is said to be confident that a deal with Ashley will still happen, even if Keegan receives a massive pay-out.
Ideally Moat, who has been trying to find investors in a bid to convince Barclays Bank that he can push through the deal, will complete the takeover before installing Alan Shearer as manager.
After a week that has become typical Newcastle United, caretaker manager Chris Hughton has just been trying to focus on the playing side of things.
Despite defeat at Peterborough United on Tuesday in the Carling Cup, the Newcastle squad head to Ipswich tomorrow with new signing Marlon Harewood looking to keep the Magpies in the Championship’s top two.
“I’m not tearing my hair out. Next week could be something different and the week after we might be reading something different about the club,” said Hughton.
“We can only react to what is fact and what is fact is that we have a group of lads and a football team who are fighting as hard as they can to be at the right end of the table.
“I’ve not heard anything about administration.
“I’m aware of everything that’s been said but as far as I’m aware it’s speculation and we can only deal with what is fact. The fact is that we’re playing Ipswich on Saturday.”
The signing of Harewood follows last week’s acquisition of Blackburn defender Zurab Khizanishvili, boosting a thin squad that was exploited at London Road in midweek.
Harewood has arrived on a three-month loan from Aston Villa, who have spent much of the summer trying to move on the striker. And the Newcastle boss is convinced the former West Ham man can succeed in the North-East.
“I’m very confident about Marlon. This is one we’ve been working on for a while because of the type of player that he is and I’m quite sure he’ll see this as a very good challenge,” said Hughton.
“With every player you always look at it as a challenge for them and it’s a great challenge and opportunity for him. He’s been at some very big clubs and he’s at a good age and he’s a player of experience and the timing’s right for us and hopefully the timing’s right for him.”
While Hughton has been encouraged by the arrival of Harewood, he has been frustrated by a foot problem that will prevent midfielder Joey Barton from playing at Portman Road tomorrow.
■ Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed his personal frustration at Sol Campbell’s departure from Notts County and questioned the former England defender’s motives.
Campbell quit the League Two club on Wednesday just five weeks after signing a fiveyear deal reportedly worth in the region of £40,000 a week.
The 35-year-old defender made just one appearance – in a 2-1 league defeat at Morecambe last weekend – before deciding he was unable to commit to the long-term project under new owners Munto Finance.
Eriksson was instrumental in bringing Campbell to Meadow Lane having managed the player during his time as England boss.
Asked if he felt personally let down by Campbell’s decision, County’s director of football admitted: ‘‘Yes a little bit, but I think everybody has the same feeling.
“He didn’t like the training pitch, the dressing room, things like that.’’
