Constructively dismissedThanks to Stardust for posting the breaking news about Keegan winning his constructive dismissal case against Newcastle United. However, I just thought I’d try to distil it into something more manageable and article-shaped.
In the simplest terms Keegan was constructively dismissed and has been awarded £2m as a result.
The player that kicked all this off was Nacho Gonzalez. Keegan was asked by the club to sign the player to ‘do a favour’ to two South American agents. No one from the club had actually seen Nacho play and all Keegan had to go on was a couple of YouTube videos. Keegan refused to sanction the signing of the player but the club went ahead and signed him anyway.
This was what tipped things over the edge but the bigger underlying issue was that Keegan was being denied the final say on transfers.
Keegan’s contract wasn’t totally clear on whether or not he had the final say on transfers, although it did contain a clause to the effect of “performing the duties expected of a Premiership manager“. (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…)
Sallying forthAfter much speculation about who will be Newcastle United’s next manager, Alan Shearer has finally been appointed …
… as Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland. His job will be to stand in for the Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland – currently the Duchess of Northumberland – when she’s away slaying insurgents elsewhere.
The role of Lord Lieutenant was created by Henry VIII in a rare quiet moment between marriages and beheadings and its purpose is to command the local militia in times of emergency (such as relegation).
The appointment means he’s a representative of the Queen and will have to start saying things like “mine wanges werken me full wo“, although in the end Shearer settled for saying:
“I look forward to assisting the Duchess of Northumberland in her official duties.”
The first of those duties will of course be to take command of the Toon Army when Barry Moat buys the club in a few days/weeks/months/years (delete as applicable) time.
Spiderman 2 - the return of JonasJonas Gutierrez joined Newcastle United for £2.5m in the summer of 2008 and he’s contracted to us until 2013. We could well have lost him this summer but Maradona, who says Jonas is the 3rd name he automatically puts on his team sheet, told him that playing in the Championship wouldn’t affect his chances of playing for Argentina.
After the QPR game, Jonas told The Chronicle:
“I know that I must do much better and that is certainly my aim. I want to create more for the team and score some goals – it’s what I’m trying to do every game.”
So what do we think about Jonas?
He came in for some stick last season for two things mainly: failing to deliver a good enough final ball and failing to score himself. Personally I’ve always been a bit sympathetic towards Jonas because I think, even through the nightmare of last season, he was one of the players who put in a bit more effort than most. (more…)
No trip for you my sonNewcastle United boss Chris Hughton might upset Diego Maradona over the availability of Fabricio Coloccini for World Cup duty.
The defender managed to strain his groin during the game against Ipswich, was absent for last night’s game against QPR and has already been ruled out of Newcastle’s game against Bristol City at the weekend.
However, Coloccini is due to link up with the woeful Argentina squad to try and help them salvage a World Cup place from their qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay, but Hughton is putting his foot down. Hughton said:
“If he’s not fit for the weekend, then no, and he’ll certainly miss the [World Cup] weekend.
“It’s one I need to check, but from our point of view, if he doesn’t play the weekend, then he’s not going. If we all had a choice as coaches, you’d prefer it if everybody stayed.
“At this moment Jonas is fit, and it’s his prerogative and privilege to go away with his country.” (more…)
