Keegan: 'There's nothing been hidden'.Speaking in an inverview with Ray Stubbs in his new role as a pundit for ESPN, former Newcastle United manager, Kevin Keegan, spoke in some depth about his £2 million pound payday from the club, and his possible future in football.
When asked by ‘Stubbsy’, “would you ever consider returning to a club you love so much?” Keegan replied:
“I don’t think it’s on to return back there now, I think the fans have had enough of that but you never know in football.
Meanwhile, over on rival, Sky Sports News, old sparring partner, ex NUFC DOF, and Geordie Pantomime villain, Dennis Wise, gave his own thoughts on Mike Ashley’s plans for the future of Toon. More on that story after the Keegan show.
What follows is a full transcript of the Kevin Keegan interview.
Stubbsy:Kevin, a Premier League arbitration panel ruled in your favour in regard to the situation at Newcastle United. I’m sure you’re relieved it’s all over. What was the main purpose of your claim?
Special K:Well, really to clear everything up. It wasn’t a great situation. I don’t think there are really any winners in it but we’ve got to move on now. The club have got to move on and I’ve got to move on. It’s out in the open. An independent arbitration panel have made a judgement. People can read it, it’s out there for everyone to read so there’s nothing been hidden.
Stubbsy:“Was it important to you that the truth came out?” (more…)
Foghorn LeghornFormer Newcastle United owner Freddy Shepherd has been having his say on Keegangate, as is his wont in such situations these days, and of course that called for a comparison with his time at Newcastle and how things were so much better back then.
Freddy said:
“There are no winners [I say no winners, you listening to me boy] in this case. There are only losers – the club and its fans. Kevin Keegan and Mike Ashley are just passing through – it is the institution of Newcastle United that is damaged by this episode.
“During my time at Newcastle, when a manager left we always managed to sort it out amicably and agree on a settlement.
“And when Ruud Gullit left he agreed to waive all his rights to compensation. Gullit is the most honourable man I have ever met in football.
“Things weren’t going well and he came to me and told me he had lost the fans. He told me he wanted to go quietly and didn’t want a penny paid into his bank account. There aren’t many men of that calibre in the game. He showed he had true class and integrity [and I aint no chickenhawk, chickenhawk that is].” (more…)
Sing in the cheap seats!You could be excused for forgetting there was a football match going ahead this afternoon. After the findings of the arbitration yesterday, all the talk has been of last summer and deliberation over whether everyone is happy with the outcome of ‘the affair’. Well I took full advantage of my dodgy knee and got to another game this season.
I’d decided for this game, partly due to circumstance and partly through choice, to get tickets in the Leazes Corner and as we stepped out of Central Station and the sun shone, the wind seemed to help to blow away the cobwebs of the protracted tribunal. My thoughts being that Keegan had been vindicated and with every day that passed and every victory notched we could step closer to a sale and moving on.
A quick one in O’Neills and some banter with Bristol City fans, most of whom declared they’d be happy with a draw, and we were off to Tilleys before picking up the tickets. After another couple in Tilleys, we navigated the pre-paid ticket queues without too much hassle and headed to the turnstile. Two or three hundered steps later we were out amongst the fans. (more…)
Nacho: The intrigue continues.]In the wake of the Newcastle United / Mike Ashley / Keegan tribunal fiasco, the Daily Mail published a story asking if a Nacho Gonzalez video on ‘YouTube’ was the one Kevin Keegan was supposedly asked to watch by Dennis Wise? A video which was, supposedly, the only thing he had to go on in deciding whether he should be signed on loan for Newcastle United. However, the video linked to was only uploaded to YouTube 7 months ago, so that would be impossible.
After researching more closely, it is highly likely that it was actually this video, uploaded by Brazilian sporting agency, ADM Esporte well over a year ago.
Are they, perchance, the mystery Brazilian agents Dennis Wise and the NUFC recruitment squad sought to curry favour with in the one year loan signing of Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Gonzalez? The ones of which Keegan said:
“I was being asked to sanction the signing of a player in order to ‘do a favour’ for two South American agents. No-one at the club had seen this player play and I was asked to sign him on the basis of some clips on You Tube…” (more…)
Keegan: £25.1 million claim.Kevin Keegan’s Statement:
1. I am delighted that the Premier League Manager’s Arbitration Tribunal has today formally announced that it has upheld my claim for wrongful dismissal against Newcastle United. The full details of the decision are on the Premier League website and will also be added to the League Managers Association website in due course.
2. I took the decision to resign in September 2008 only after very careful and anxious consideration. The decision to resign was one of the most difficult decisions that I have ever had to take in my life. I believe that anybody who knows me and my attachment to Newcastle United and the North East in general will understand how difficult this must have been. I very much hope that the decision of the Tribunal now confirms why I felt that I had no option but to resign from the position as Manager of the Club that I love.
3. The Tribunal has found the conduct of the Club in forcing a player on me against my wishes represented a fundamental breach of my contract of employment. I do not believe that there is any Manager in football who could have remained at the Club in the light of their conduct.
4. Since my departure there have been many untrue stories written about my resignation, my time at the Club and these proceedings. I do not blame the press for this: I know that the journalists concerned are only doing their job but I hope that the Tribunal’s decision will now conclusively put to rest a number of allegations made against me. (more…)
