Byrner
01-19-2008, 01:12 AM
By Rob Stewart
Kevin Keegan last night spoke intriguingly of sorting out "a bit of unfinished business'' -- immediately putting himself on a collision course with his old foe, Alex Ferguson -- as he leapt to the defence of Newcastle, and the club's supporters, in the wake of stinging criticism by his Manchester United counterpart.
The pair seem to be heading inexorably for another fascinating war of words over what remains the finest hour of Keegan's turbulent managerial career.
It was October 20, 1996 when Keegan's side crushed Manchester United 5-0 at St James' Park, a match that took place just months after Ferguson had inspired his Old Trafford team to dramatically overtake their North-East rivals to win the Premier League title.
While that rain-drenched Sunday afternoon retains a special place in Geordie folklore, Ferguson recently rekindled old rivalries by arguing that occasion was "probably the worst thing that ever happened to Newcastle,'' because, he continued, "Newcastle fans think they should be winning games 5-0 all the time''.
Sam Allardyce, who was sacked to make way for Keegan in the Newcastle manager's office, might have agreed with Ferguson's sentiments but the former England manager is clearly having none of it.
Region
Keegan, whose emphasis on attacking football took Newcastle to within touching distance of the Premier League title in 1996, said: "It is a big job and it is a great club. People outside the region don't understand it.
"I have been out of the game three years and you listen to the phone-ins but they don't understand this place and the Geordies.
"This is my third time here and my dad was a Geordie so I know what they want, and what they don't want as well, and as long as they are realistic and a little bit patient I think we can try again to help them have dreams again and we could possibly win something.''
Keegan, whose return was demanded by many Newcastle supporters, will welcome Ferguson back to St James' Park when the reigning Premier League champions visit the North East on February 23, but his second spell in charge of Newcastle will begin in earnest against Bolton on Saturday.
"Everyone has opinions on the game of football and what people should and shouldn't do but I think this is right,'' Keegan (56) added. "I have certainly inherited a really strong and talented group of players, which is something I didn't have when I came last time.
"Then we were wondering whether we could fill the stadium and that is not a problem here now, and it will be trying to get a stadium big enough if we can put the football on and get any success here.
"It is very, very exciting. I am just as excited as I was when I came to play here at 31 and when I came to manage here at 44.''
Lured
Keegan was lured out of football retirement by Newcastle's billionaire owner Mike Ashley, who offered him a three-and-a-half year deal worth £5m a year and he admitted the decision to take centre stage again was a straightforward one.
"I wouldn't say it was a big decision,'' Keegan continued. "I love this club so from that point of view it was very easy. Life has moved on, I was doing other things and I had to make a decision and it was a very easy one.
"I met the owner, I like him very much, I met the chairman (Chris Mort) and just asked them what they felt was needed at Newcastle United and, particularly the owner, 'what do you expect from your football club?' I spent an hour with them and that convinced me it is right to come back and maybe there is a bit of unfinished business here.''
Until meeting up with Ashley in London and returning to the fray at St James' Park, Keegan kept himself busy with a business in Scotland and is now getting used to his new working environment.
Speaking after the 4-1 victory over Stoke, Keegan added: "I'm wearing the clothes I was in on Tuesday when I was driving down from Glasgow, and my wife is behind me and I think she thinks I need some deodorant or something. I'd forgotten how cold it was up here, I could have done with some thermals.
"We will have a good look at it, good look at the squad, have a look at the training ground. I haven't even been to the training ground yet. (It is) not the same one I left all those years ago -- at least we are at the same stadium -- so I want to learn a lot in a short space of time and then we have a big game on Saturday.''
Source: (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/case-of-keeganrsquos-unfinished-business-1268519.html)
Kevin Keegan last night spoke intriguingly of sorting out "a bit of unfinished business'' -- immediately putting himself on a collision course with his old foe, Alex Ferguson -- as he leapt to the defence of Newcastle, and the club's supporters, in the wake of stinging criticism by his Manchester United counterpart.
The pair seem to be heading inexorably for another fascinating war of words over what remains the finest hour of Keegan's turbulent managerial career.
It was October 20, 1996 when Keegan's side crushed Manchester United 5-0 at St James' Park, a match that took place just months after Ferguson had inspired his Old Trafford team to dramatically overtake their North-East rivals to win the Premier League title.
While that rain-drenched Sunday afternoon retains a special place in Geordie folklore, Ferguson recently rekindled old rivalries by arguing that occasion was "probably the worst thing that ever happened to Newcastle,'' because, he continued, "Newcastle fans think they should be winning games 5-0 all the time''.
Sam Allardyce, who was sacked to make way for Keegan in the Newcastle manager's office, might have agreed with Ferguson's sentiments but the former England manager is clearly having none of it.
Region
Keegan, whose emphasis on attacking football took Newcastle to within touching distance of the Premier League title in 1996, said: "It is a big job and it is a great club. People outside the region don't understand it.
"I have been out of the game three years and you listen to the phone-ins but they don't understand this place and the Geordies.
"This is my third time here and my dad was a Geordie so I know what they want, and what they don't want as well, and as long as they are realistic and a little bit patient I think we can try again to help them have dreams again and we could possibly win something.''
Keegan, whose return was demanded by many Newcastle supporters, will welcome Ferguson back to St James' Park when the reigning Premier League champions visit the North East on February 23, but his second spell in charge of Newcastle will begin in earnest against Bolton on Saturday.
"Everyone has opinions on the game of football and what people should and shouldn't do but I think this is right,'' Keegan (56) added. "I have certainly inherited a really strong and talented group of players, which is something I didn't have when I came last time.
"Then we were wondering whether we could fill the stadium and that is not a problem here now, and it will be trying to get a stadium big enough if we can put the football on and get any success here.
"It is very, very exciting. I am just as excited as I was when I came to play here at 31 and when I came to manage here at 44.''
Lured
Keegan was lured out of football retirement by Newcastle's billionaire owner Mike Ashley, who offered him a three-and-a-half year deal worth £5m a year and he admitted the decision to take centre stage again was a straightforward one.
"I wouldn't say it was a big decision,'' Keegan continued. "I love this club so from that point of view it was very easy. Life has moved on, I was doing other things and I had to make a decision and it was a very easy one.
"I met the owner, I like him very much, I met the chairman (Chris Mort) and just asked them what they felt was needed at Newcastle United and, particularly the owner, 'what do you expect from your football club?' I spent an hour with them and that convinced me it is right to come back and maybe there is a bit of unfinished business here.''
Until meeting up with Ashley in London and returning to the fray at St James' Park, Keegan kept himself busy with a business in Scotland and is now getting used to his new working environment.
Speaking after the 4-1 victory over Stoke, Keegan added: "I'm wearing the clothes I was in on Tuesday when I was driving down from Glasgow, and my wife is behind me and I think she thinks I need some deodorant or something. I'd forgotten how cold it was up here, I could have done with some thermals.
"We will have a good look at it, good look at the squad, have a look at the training ground. I haven't even been to the training ground yet. (It is) not the same one I left all those years ago -- at least we are at the same stadium -- so I want to learn a lot in a short space of time and then we have a big game on Saturday.''
Source: (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/case-of-keeganrsquos-unfinished-business-1268519.html)