Source: Daily_Mail
We don't want Venables, we've got Kinnear! Magpies rule out Tel swoop
Newcastle United will not be bringing in Terry Venables to replace Joe Kinnear. The Tyneside club have dismissed reports today that the former England manager is wanted by senior players to guide the club to Premier League safety.
A club insider has told Sportsmail thatowner Mike Ashley and his managing director Derek Llambias areinsistent that Kinnear will retain full control of the club when hereturns within a month following major heart surgery.
The former Wimbledon manager has pencilled in a comeback game at Stokeon April 11, although it seems more likely he will be back to face hisformer club Tottenham at White Hart Lane the following week.
That means caretaker managers and first team coaches Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood will remain in charge of team affairs during the international break and will pick the side to face Chelsea at St James's Park a week on Saturday.
Hughton confirmed at the weekend that he took the controversial, if logical decision to drop Michael Owen to the bench for Arsenal's visit at the weekend, although he did discuss team selections with Kinnear before the 3-1 home defeat.
Third-bottom Newcastle are two points adrift of safety with eight games to go. One player claimed: 'The players have all been talking about how they need someone of real authority to sort it out. There is no leader since Joe Kinnear took ill. It is not that they don't respect Hughton as a coach because they do, but he is no manager.'
Ex-England boss Venables was asked to take temporary charge when Kevin Keegan left in September but turned it down because owner Mike Ashley was trying to sell the club.
Venables, who was also overlooked for the vacant Republic of Ireland job last year, has also been linked with a return to Middlesbrough to assist Gareth Southgate, but chairman Steve Gibson does not intend to re-visit a plan which worked so successfully with Bryan Robson eight years ago.
