Newcastle United Football Club News

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52,193

Keegan: No quick Magpies fix

29 Feb 2008 - 08:58:24

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Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan claims he never expected to make a dramatic immediate impression at St James' Park.

Keegan's second stint as manager has yet to ignite as the ailing Magpies remain without a win in his six games back at the helm.

Newcastle are now without a win in the last ten Premier League games and looking over their shoulders as the race to avoid relegation intensifies.

But speaking ahead of Saturday's visit of Blackburn Rovers, Keegan has claimed he never expected to work an instant miracle.

"We need to get to 40 points. I think 40 will be enough, although I may be proved wrong even on that," he said.

"But we are just in the early stages of rebuilding here and this instant quick-fix thing was never going to happen.

"I have seen improvements on the training ground, definitely, but those improvements as yet have not gone on to the pitch - where it really matters."

Meanwhile, fit-again striker Obafemi Martins has revealed he didn't know who Keegan was prior to his return to Tyneside in January.

Martins is available for selection again after returning from the recent Africa Cup of Nations with an ankle problem.

"I honestly didn't know anything about him," he told The Sun. "But I quickly learned things and realised what an important person he was.

"It was Geremi who told me all about Kevin Keegan. He rang while we were both out in Ghana - Geremi was with Cameroon - to say that Keegan had been this great player and what a good manager he was for Newcastle.

"When I got back we had to introduce ourselves to each other. I had an ankle injury but Keegan told me he wanted me back and fit to help the team. I told him I wanted that, too."