The Geordie Messiah?

Paul Patterson wrote...

I said last week, when defending my fellow Newcastle fans, we are not a greedy lot, we don’t constantly bang on about trophies (Or lack of ‘em) we simply LOVE our football.

I have also said that we have a good squad that under previous regime’s, was completely wasted, with some players that we LOVE and some we actually find it baffling they were even signed in the first place.

With Kevin Keegan, we have a Newcastle fan, a man who we LOVE and a man who we actually respect the thoughts of, unlike previous incumbents of the hotseat- What chance has the club had, when we the fans have raised question (En Mass) about some appointments in the past?

We Newcastle folk are a crazy breed, not expecting a trophy, (It would be great though) but it’s the style of football we LOVE, not ’Percentage Football’ just football is what we want to watch.

What we have been watching in the last three years, certainly the last eight months has NOT been football, certainly not the kind of football were going to LOVE.

I’ve been imagining players Keegan might want to sign, players that are in his own image, player he’d LOVE to have playing around him, if he were still on the park.

Then I thought- Well, isn’t Emre a Keegan type of player? Isn’t Milner? Isn’t N’Zogbia? Maybe even Enrique? Emre could be a Beardsley, N’Zogbia- Ginola, Milner- Gillespie, Enrique- Beresford, the players are remarkably similar, they are there, already in place.

I also stated in December, that IF we were to get Keegan in, not for a minute believing it would happen, but if we did, I’d be confident of a European finish- time has moved on and the table is a bit stretched now.

But hey, this is Newcastle United- The club we all LOVE. Enjoy it.!

Paul.

Note From Luke
You're happy then Paul I take it. I am too, if only because it means I don't have to field questions from people asking me who the next manager is going to be.

Posted by: Paul Patterson  | January 16, 2008 9:20 PM

Theo wrote...

Shocking decision! I honestly believe this is one of the most terrible decisions ever made in the history of the Toon. What saddens me even further is that my estimation of Mike Ashley, who i previously believed would finally be the base from which Newcastle United could once again rise up and show what this great club was about has just botched the decision and gone with an ol' fans favourite. I'm not one to leave my comments on the blog but the goings on of the last few days has shocked me!! Beginning with the shock decision of sacking BS days into the transfer window, surely this could have been done earlier as to allow the incoming man time to buy much needed reinforcements. Second was the apparent attempt at appointing Rednapp as first choice, surely we must be aiming much higher than this?! When will the leadership learn that we must be a club with REAL ambition and therefore be challenging for the top managers. Now i'm not saying we can get Mourinho BUT Houllier, Deschamps even Van Gaal? These must be the caliber of manager the Toon needs to be looking to attract because modern day football has become about great scouting networks all over the world and forward thinking football. Now i'm not belittling King Kev but i'm just saying lets be realistic here, he left us over a decade ago, footballs moved on and by his own admission he hasn't watched a football match LIVE since he left Manchester City!!!Thats two years ago! Shocking!!! With a manager of Deschamps predigree available and apparently up for the challenge surely thats the man we should be going for?? At the age of 39 thats the type of guy we can start to build a long and lasting Toon dynasty for years to come. I just feel this has been a real cop-out by Ashley where he had a massive oppurtunity to finally put our great club on the right path. I just hope everything i've said is wrong and ol' King Kev can prove me wrong. I very much doubt it.

Note From Luke
Theo, I'm interested to know how old you are. I'm not being patronising, it's just I suspect you are a young man who does not really remember the Keegan years. I may be wrong, but I alluded to the fact that, for a new generation of Newcastle fans, Keegan means very little. As a result, you wanted a better, more proven manager with a better CV. I think you have a point, but this could still be the catalyst for great things at SJP, just as Keegan was last time.

Posted by: Theo  | January 17, 2008 12:06 AM

John Fowler wrote...

Hiya & Greetings from Australia! Well written Luke,you've covered all possible angles of Kevin Keegan's appointment.As a boy growing up in Oz, KK was my fave player despite playing for the opposition so when he arrived on Tyneside first as a player & then as manager it was a dream come true.I have one comment & one question.....time will tell & what happens to Alan Shearer's managerial aspirations?

Note From Luke
Alan might become his number two, learn the ropes and then take over when KK rides off into the sunset. Whereabouts in Australia do you live John. I was on the radio in Melbourne last night (yesterday morning for you) talking nonsense as ever!

Posted by: John Fowler  | January 17, 2008 2:04 AM

Matt Van-Rossi wrote...

My god what can I say. Growing up as a youngster during the KK early days as our manager, this really gives me a warm feeling. Agreeing with many other people, I don't know whether to feel excited, dissapointed or ecstatic to be honest, but lads, listen... KK brought our expectations up so high in the early days so why not again? Why?

Realistically this appointment has to be positive rather than negative, I'd rather have KK at the helm compared to some of the incapable names banded about in previous days, Redknapp and Hughes, both "decent" mid-table, mediocre managers, who haven't really achieved anything great or "special". Now we all would've loved Mourinho or Lippi but that would never of happened, no matter how big of a payday.

Now, everybody lets get behind them, not just KK, but the players, the board, and even some of our own when we go down 2-0 as we used to!

Let the good times roll! Howay the Lads!

Note From Luke
Matt, I think you've hit the nail on the head as to why this is an exciting appointment.

Posted by: Matt Van-Rossi  | January 17, 2008 2:07 AM

Ronnie Busker Lambert wrote...

Commonsense prevails, the only man who could ever run this club is a Geordie, and Kev is the son of one, and self proclaimed one. Like he said,'' It's good to be home again.'' My vote in the Chronicle was for Keegan, with or without Shearer and I'm elated. He might bring Al in at sometime but the club's in safe hands as it is for me. I learned about it at 4-25pm. and chanced getting a ticket in the huge queues after 6pm. to find myself projected through a time-warp, back into the Keegan wonderland where the team played attacking, scintilating football from the back as if Kev had coached the team all week. He hadn't of course, and they appeared to be all playing for their contracts, out of their skin, the tightest of little triangles up the wings until they reached goal and then with ease, converted their numerous chances. Stuff the Southern press, forget about their dreary agendas and let us all sink back into the comfort of Cavalier manager, his way is best, it's entertaining and we're here in Geordieland and you gutterpress are still in the grey constancy of your dusty old make-it-up headlines now that we Geordies are back in Kevin-Heaven. Now, we've put up our door-sign, gone fishin', please don't disturb, you're not welcome or needed. We'll call you with our results on Saturdays so you can write what your Pirhana public like reading about us ....hopefully they'll see through your false trashy stories and sack you for our home-grown Chronicle/Journal writers. Anyway naff off.

Note From Luke
You tell em Busker!

Posted by: Ronnie Busker Lambert  | January 17, 2008 3:20 AM

James 09 wrote...

Mixed emotions, with shock being up there. The passion he brings is something truly special and has had an immediate impact - N'Zogbia and Owen (among others) must literally be licking their lips. As you know, I certainly favoured a manager with a track record of winning trophies - that entailed looking to Europe.

Despite reservations, there's undoubted excitement. To be honest, I never seriously thought we'd see this. While entertainment is great, I really do hope Ashley and Keegan have actual success (that dreaded word trophy) firmly in their plans as well.

Posted by: James 09  | January 17, 2008 6:59 AM

richard wrote...

King Kev was surely the only man other than Shearer who's appointment would have won the fans over unanimously. I couldn't see any other name doing this - a master stroke from Mort and Ashley. Keegan will be afforded the time that none of his predecessors (with the exception of Sir Bobby).

Any idea on the amount in the transfer kitty luke? 50-100million for january haha!

I'm walking in a Keegan wonderland

Note From Luke
I reckon KK will make two or three signings before the close of the window, although I have no idea how much money he has been promised. Knowing his past, I bet it's a large amount.

Posted by: richard  | January 17, 2008 9:12 AM

Tim Stedman wrote...

ESPN Classic, on Sky Channel 442 is running a programme called Kevin Keegan Football Messiah tonight at 9pm. This will remind fans what the great man has achieved, his love affair with The Geordies and why he couldn't turn this job down.

Well worth a watch!

Note From Luke
I hope you don't work for ESPN Tim and this is a shamless plug!

Posted by: Tim Stedman  | January 17, 2008 9:34 AM

Little Lord Fauntleroy wrote...

My initial reaction was one of dismay if I'm honest. I wondered if going back was a good way of going forward, but having witnessed what I did last night, I don't care anymore! There was a real buzz around the place and everyone seemed happy. We were smiling because we were playing nice football, not because we were so bad and the players all earned their wages.
Dominant, flowing football is what we want and I have a feeling that better teams than Stoke will be put to the sword in coming months.

Rumour has it that it was partly due to my call to arms (Blessing In Disguise entry) that galvanised everyone, but I'm just happy to see people in balck & white cheering again.
Write this season off and let KK see what he needs in the summer. I think we've got enough to get us through til then..... Happy Days!

P.S. I'm also happy for my Dad, who upon befriending a chap on the train home following the Man. City defeat, mentioned how we used to play under Keegan.
The other chap's retort was that we had to "forget about Keegan because he's long gone" and "get behind Allardyce even though he's only been given £9 million to spend". I wonder where he is now....

Note From Luke
Probably off to the club shop to buy his King Kev home and away shirts!

Posted by: Little Lord Fauntleroy  | January 17, 2008 9:48 AM

Mike in London wrote...

Luke,

Agree with your comments.

In the cold light of day, the problems with Keegan still remain:

- he looked behind the times when he resigned from City and the game has moved on even more in the couple of years since then.
- football is even more tactical and sophisticated than it used to be and considering Kev resigned from the England job because he had 'come up short' in his tactical thinking that's a big worry.
- the expectation is going to be unrealistic and there is a huge risk that all the wonderful memories could be tarnished by failure.
- Keegan always had a habit of spending a fortune on players but blaming any failure on not being able to spend.
- Whoever the manager is, the defence will need sorting out and, in the modern game, scoring is a lot harder than it was a decade ago (unless you're Man U against our current defence - see above).
- Recruiting players is now global and a network of scouts (like Sven has - we got Barton, they got Elano!) is needed in Europe, Eastern Europe and Africa - Kev is going to be way behind on that one.

On the positive, the owner seems to genuinely want what the supporters want and will presumably back this with cash. Chris Coleman would be a positive appointment with his recent (admittedly, unsuccessful) time in Europe and Clarky's experience is at least current.

So, it is a huge risk (bigger than I think most realise) BUT it really exciting and the only way it will work is with the 100% support of the Owner, the team and, most of all, the fans.

So, let's not be naive but let's support Kev and the team like we used to and at least give them a chance to make the dreams come true!

Note From Luke
As you say Mike, I just hope it doesn't sour the memories everyone has of Keegan first time around. It has had the desired effect so far, though, Newcastle is buzzing again. I'm really looking forward to Saturday's game against Bolton as well. I was due to have the weekend off, but will change my plans

Posted by: Mike in London  | January 17, 2008 10:33 AM

Edmond Dante wrote...

We're probably never going to win the war, but I'd rather die on my enemy's bayonet than be flattened by his artillery before we've even left the trench.

At least we might now attempt to beat the opposition, instead of containing them and hoping our Pro Zone expert is better than theirs. Or that by our constant defending the opposition may become confused and make a mistake.

Note From Luke
Perfectly put Edmond. Keegan's ideas about football are completely opposite to Allardyce's. No wonder Ashley went and got him!

Posted by: Edmond Dante  | January 17, 2008 10:55 AM

John24 wrote...

Lets get one thing straight, Mike Ashley and Chris Mort are, first and foremost, businessmen and they want to make money from their business venture into football. The appointment of Keegan is a business decision; in the short term (i.e. the rest of this season) he will fill a stadium that has been slowly emptying under the former regime. In the long term (i.e. next season and beyond) I would imagine season ticket sales will rise dramatically.

This may be a business decision, but I for one do not care one jot. The appointment of Keegan has lifted the Geordie nation out of a 10 year depression. His effect on the team was immediate last night, he has passion and energy, he inspires and above all he knows what the geordie public want from their team, fluid, attacking and entertaining football.

Who cares if this is a different era and who cares if Keegan has been detached from football for too long. It might be a disaster, it might all end tears, but it will be a great ride all the same and I for one can't wait for it to begin!

Note From Luke
I couldn't agree with you more about the business decision side of things. Ashley wants to make money and he knew the appointment of Keegan would instantly raise interest levels. Attendances are down, only slightly, but they are down. If things had stayed like that, his investment would have looked a poor one. With Keegan mania back, the club will do a roaring trade once again!

Posted by: John24  | January 17, 2008 11:01 AM

zulu wrote...

Great News of Super K coming back, hopefully he brings in Shearer and Bearsdley into his back room staff. We still need to buy a centre-half and a fullback but reckon the season won`t end too badly.
Well done to Mike and Chris.

Note From Luke
Expect a busy few days in the transfer market next week!

Posted by: zulu  | January 17, 2008 11:53 AM

Carl wrote...

FINALLY!!!!, a owner and chairman who understand and listen to the fans. Fair enough Harry Redknapp was probably first choice, but hey he didnt take it, IT WAS FATE!! I was at the game last night and for the first time in years the buzz is back at St James's. Fans running round outside the stadium, queues snaking round the stadium, journalists scrambling for anyones and everyones opinion. I for one dont care if we win nowt under Keegan, ok it would be nice i admit. But isnt football first and foremost about entertainment?? We will certainly get that under Keegan. Allardyce epitomises everything that is wrong with the game, dull boring tactics that are set out to win a game at all costs, even if it puts the fans to sleep in the process. Whats the point in winning the FA Cup or qualifying for the UEFA cup if all the fans are snoozing during the process.
So come on lads lets get behind King Kev, AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!

Posted by: Carl  | January 17, 2008 12:01 PM

Ben wrote...

My first reaction when I heard the news was 'what?!'

Suprise may be an understatement as I dismissed the Keegan rumours as quickly as I did the 'Special One' rumours. I still can't make my mind up about this one, part of me says that it good NUFC finally have someone who cares about the club leading them - but that causes its own problems in my opinion.

Keegan has already asked for something NUFC have given no other manager, TIME. A lot of the other football forums have said that NUFC have become a laughing stock because of the fans 'greed' for success from an inferior squad (compared to Man U etc etc). I can't see that time appointment will change those opinions, and I am not convinced that 'King Kev' will be given the right amount of time needed to turn the club into a top six (never mind anything else!)

He really does not have the squad capable of playing the type of football he likes, and with an expectant Geordie public wanting a return to the original Keegan days, I can't see an easy ride for him.

He failed to bring anything with the squad he had last time. He will not be able to build a similar squad because of the huge gap and competition from the big 3 (or 4 if you count Liverpool) - even with Ashley's money! Maybe he would have been better remembering why he left in the first place... pressure... and consider how much of that will be coming his way every week.

Ta
Ben

ps - I thought that was quite 'PC' for a SAFC fan!

Note From Luke
You always are PC Ben!

Posted by: Ben  | January 17, 2008 12:11 PM

Rachel McK wrote...

My initial reaction was one of trepidation, wondering if he could do it again, remembering the latter years of Man City and his time with England... but as I was watching SSN and watching the buzz, it all started to get exciting again. If Keegan can do half of what he did the first time, it'd be a massive, massive appointment. He doesn't need to be challenging for the title, he just needs to be challenging.

Give him a big Budget, something he didn't have at City, and he could be awesome again.

Watching Shearer on BBC last night, he was like the rest of us.. like an over-excited kid, all wide-eyed and just gibbering away. You could see his excitement at that appointment and I hope KK decides to involve him in someway.

I hope this works and I hope we can do just a fraction of what happened the first time around. Challenge for Europe, threaten the "Big Four", even a cup run or two... not much to ask for, is it?

I can barely remember the last time I was this excited to watch a game vs Bolton...

Note From Luke
So excited that you remembered how to leave a comment on this blog as well Rachel! I'm excited as well and I'm not even a Geordie...

Posted by: Rachel McK  | January 17, 2008 12:47 PM

Tony Brown wrote...

Hello Luke,
Trophies? Who needs trophies when you are a supporter of a team of which you can be proud. We were proud of being Newcastle supporters a little more than a decade ago. I remember when we were within touching distance of the title, I had mixed feelings about it. Nice, but not so important. We might just as well have won it when you consider the way the team is remembered. In the eyes of most people we were lucky to have such a team to follow. Perhaps if you support Rotherham or others of that ilk, then NUFC might inspire a little envy, but not elsewhere, up in the top twenty, where Arsenal's accomplished reserve outfit can hold its own in Europe. Sam may be a good manager, but not at SJP. He didn't understand or appreciate the priorities facing a manager of the Magpies. He pursued his own agenda and, whilst he may have achieved success in the long term, he neglected style. A 4-3 defeat to Liverpool is palatable if the game is remembered as a classic. A 1-0 defeat at Derby sticks in the craw and remains forever unforgiven. The appointment of Keegan may have been led by the heart and not by the head, but the energy it has regenerated will count for a lot. The supporters wanted it rather than the uncertainty of an unknown quantity. It's the romance we all crave, the excitement, and now we've got the opportunity to revive that. If you're going to come second, then do it with style. You'll never regret it. I can now go out in Portsmouth, for a while at least, without pretending to be from some country far removed from Newcastle. The pride is flooding back. Yours, in anticipation of better days, Tony Brown.

Posted by: Tony Brown  | January 17, 2008 1:07 PM

Klaus wrote...

Originating from Germany, married to a Geordie wife, I came to the North East in 1993 and consider myself now an adopted Geordie. As soon as I arrived I decided that I have to support a local team and where I worked at the time the Boro, Sunderland and Toon Army faithful all tried their best to make me support their teams. I opted for Newcastle - because of Kevin Keegan. He was (and still is) very popular in Germany and I always (although he played for Hamburg - my team Bayern Munich's biggest rivals at the time) liked his enthusiasm and passion. I can remember the Keegan years first time round and let's be honest - they were great times to watch Newcastle and we never came anywhere near them ever since. Every time we changed managers (apart from Sir Bobby Robson's appointment) I wished he would come back and have another go. Yes, we didn't win a trophy but we were serious contenders. Yes, it is also a romantic choice and a lot of heart in it - for both, Keegan and the fans - but I am sure it will work out and I even believe some current Newcastle Players are well qualified to play his style of football. Those media "experts", predominantly based down South, who love to criticize the North East football scene in the most arrogant way, should also have a look at Keegan's record between 1992 and 1997 and beyond. I think it's a great appointment and I am sure the Club will go in the right direction - and hopefully there is some European football and silverware (Carling Cup would do for a start) on the way.

Note From Luke
I'm not sure who my German team are Klaus, although I'd probably go for Schalke. Newcastle is twinned with Gelsenkirchen and Schalke are renowned for the passion of their fans and a depressing lack of silverware! It's nice to know that other people have come to the North-East and been so well received. It's something those down south will never fully understand about the place. So, yes, let them mock Keegan's return because nobody of a black and white persuasion cares what they think at the moment.

Posted by: Klaus  | January 17, 2008 1:13 PM

Commulus wrote...

‘Alright, who’s been feeding the Ouroboros horribilis?’

The press, the fans, and the club, are together the ‘Ouroboros’ a self destroying mechanism which creates the Newcastle United phenomenon, and it’s a pantomime? ‘Oh no it isn’t’ the assembly chanted, as the circus rolled into town for its annual tour.

The Fans, far from being knowledgeable en-masse, are simply passionate and dwell upon close inspection and largely miss the game plan, (the drama which surrounds the game rather than the game itself) which is crucially a sporting contest, where winning is the successful outcome. Furthermore where loosing is the norm, the sport degenerates into the shadows and ends up as nothing more than a social event. To that extent the top clubs are sporting & competitive entities and the rest are the ‘wheeltappers and shunters!’

The media and the geographic isolation of Newcastle are factors in the daily sales of newspapers, The London and Manchester press usually put a regional cover to increase sales in a particular area. Competition is fought out by the weight of hyperbole of the banner headline, the hyperbole feeds the fans and can reach heady factors of embarrassment as the Sun front page yesterday proclaimed the coming of totally the wrong person in 240 point Times New Roman! Throughout the country especially in the south east and northwest the back pages are shared between lots of clubs, this isn’t the case here, there is quite a unique singularity about the people’s republic of Geordieland!

The last time Newcastle United were a football club was in the Edwardian era when the away teams got of the train and headed for the Crows nest (Bar Oz or whatever they call it now) where it was used as the changing rooms. The club degenerated into a social event, exemplified by cup runs when the old grannies dress up and shop windows are decorated. Some would argue that because of the city centre location United have always been a social event, and that is not to dismiss the main thrust of my argument.

Resistance to change and the elevation of a ‘hero’ as the centre for a social event firstly requires a hero figure, What exactly a hero is, is ultimately down to the individual, but to me a hero isn’t just someone who fits the bill for the headline act, its someone who brought the desired conclusion to the aim of a sporting event. The local media in collaboration with the club orchestrate involvement in propagating the hero status and social importance via dramatization are betraying not only those who want competitive sport as the priority, but also their own worth as custodians of that responsibility. It wasn’t only the black and white bedecked young children and party seekers who went overboard yesterday, the press were acting like kids. And the most alarming thing was the Sky interview with a certain journalist who’s name escapes me saying that he had used the newspapers resources to ‘Push for his man’ (Mr Shearer) via Gerald Houllier.
When you put the pieces of the equation together, the manipulation, the resistance to change, an army of ex-united players and other assorted pundits on radio TV and newspapers and couple that with Club owners who take the easy option of not breaking up the pantomime that is the Ouroboros

When noise has faded and the task of constructing ‘The Entertainers part deux’ can begin, an opportunity to take the club to the next level will be missed, the next level was of course humourless,to turn us into a football club! But this being Newcastle…Nah! Sport that’s boring, pies and circuses will do for that lot!

Mr Ashley has fed the Ouroboros, Cameras, action!

Note From Luke
A fittingly leftfield entry from you Commulus. I should expect nothing less of course. So are you happy with Keegan's appointment then? Couldn't quite tell with the above.
For what it's worth, I believe Newcastle United belong to the city of Newcastle, which is why it's such a special club (or a poisoned chalice when things are going badly apparently). Kevin Keegan's heart belongs to Newcastle United so he also belongs in the city. I might not agree that he is the best appointment, but he is certainly the most exciting and that, my dear sir, will do for me at the moment.

Posted by: Commulus  | January 17, 2008 1:15 PM

Hugo wrote...

I was a boy when he last managed the club, 11 years on I awake to his return. My intial shock has turned to confidence. Its a big gamble but we're going to have some fun along the way.

Bring in Shearer and with Keegan there will be few players who will not buy ito the dream. Throw in the spice of Ashley's billions and you have the ingredients for something quite special.

This is the third coming for a man who bleeds black and white, I honestly believe it may just be the third time lucky.

Note From Luke
Nothing like a bit of optimism to brighten up a grey and damp Thursday afternoon!

Posted by: Hugo  | January 17, 2008 2:14 PM

LongBeach_CA_Toon wrote...

The decision is done.
Was it crazy..............yes.
Is it typical NUFC........yes.
Bring on Paul John Gascoigne, David Ginola and Alan Shearer as the top lieutenants.
Howay !!!!!!!!!!!!

..

Posted by: LongBeach_CA_Toon  | January 17, 2008 3:23 PM

Dave L wrote...

What has being young got to do with not liking Kevin Keegan. Im a wee bit short of 18 and my earliest football memories are phillipe alberts lob, stan collymore running down the pitch with kks head over the advertising board, and falling out my seat at the cinema watching us win 7-1 against spurs. This was entertainment, and even us kids can appreciate that. I dont care if he doesnt repeat his sucess, im just excited that the prospect of exciting football is coming back to St James'

Note From Luke
I only meant that the young generation of Newcastle fans may not really remember the Keegan years properly and so they would have preferred to see another manager appointed with a better recent track record. That was all Dave. Obviously you don't agree with me!

Posted by: Dave L  | January 17, 2008 3:47 PM

Commulus wrote...

Am I Happy with Keegan's appointment Luke?...I don't know it’s hard to tell! Everyone has been singing at me in the cave today, ‘there’s only one Kevin Keegan’ and the noise drives you mad as it echoes through the labyrinth, but I’m not the one to stop the joy and laughter of the trolls and goblins, as they don’t get out very much and turn to pillars of dust in sunlight!

Posted by: Commulus  | January 17, 2008 4:16 PM

philip miller wrote...

I am an exiled geordie living in the other toon, Stranraer in scotland . I first watched united in the sixties with the soaring Wynn Davies and the great Moncur leading Joe Harvey's side to the intercity Fairs cup .
I cannot but agree with all the fans that say the southern press do not understand that football is an escape from daily grind and should be something that entertains .I well remember a previous life of Sam Allardyce as Gordon Lee .On paper he took us to our highest place in the league, I think,for years and yet the fans deserted in their droves because the team under Tommy Craig served up the same turgid winning football that Sam wanted .So I say to hell with the southern press I just look forward to the ride .
Win or lose I will enjoy it and I hope we might win something this time as a little extra .My heart welled with pride when I heard my Geordie people had refound their voice last night and
I am writing this with tears of pride at the reawakening of our nation.Watch out down south the Geordie nation is back win loose or draw we will enjoy it.

Note From Luke
Is there such a thing as a Geordie nation? I thought it was just a region of England, but look, I understand what you're saying. Keegan's appointment has reawakened that sense of pride that was sadly missing when Sam was in charge.

Posted by: philip miller  | January 17, 2008 4:27 PM

Peter wrote...

I'm just loving the lift and buzz generated by KK appointment but I hope he won't let Mike Ashley, who having listened again to some fans,appoints Shearer as Kevins "assistant"-Shearer to Keegan will be as Brown to Blair-be warned!

Note From Luke
Nice analogy Peter. It could well spell trouble, even if it sounds like a dream partnership or the "dream ticket," whatever that means!

Posted by: Peter  | January 17, 2008 4:56 PM

William Gee wrote...

I have to agree, mostly, with Theo as I feel much the same way. Sure it will be great to watch the rollercoaster take off and we may have some good results initially, but long term stability? I don’t think so. Nufc owe KK a massive debt for what he has done in the past, but that was a long time ago.
He is quoted last October as saying “I haven’t watched a live game since my last game at Man. City and I can’t even remember what game that was now� hardly a man with his finger on the pulse, who can rush out and get the players needed to strengthen the teams during the last days left of the January transfer window!
He was found to be tactically inept at Man City and Fulham and by his own admission as England’s manager when he said with great honesty “I really just feel a little bit short of what’s required�
Will he bring with him a world wide scouting system? And what about his decision in his last reign to get rid of the reserve team to save wear and tear on SJP pitch? I have been supporting NUFC and watching football for over 60 years and that was one of the craziest decisions I can ever remember.
What is hardly in dispute that during the last ELEVEN years the Premiership has changed immeasurably teams that used to languish in the bottom half of the table such as West Ham, Blackburn, Man City Everton etc have had a massive influx of money and are now able to compete much better than before, also look how much money Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool have to spend in the transfer market (Are you listening Mr Ashley). Even relatively poor teams such as Wigan now know how to play tactically in order to survive in the Premiership.

The only salvation I can see is if that KK takes Alan Shearer as hisNo.2, Shearer’s name always seem to polarise opinion on Tyneside but what is not in dispute that because of his role in MOTD not only does he see more football than most but its his job to analyse all teams in the Premiership and top European teams, which gives him a priceless insight into who and what is available in football.

Life in general and football in particular is all about opinions (more so in the Geordie Nation) these are mine and are honestly held. If anyone wants to slag me off then please go ahead but don’t be disappointed when I don’t respond.
My love for NUFC remains undiminished!

Rothley Bill

Posted by: William Gee  | January 17, 2008 5:23 PM

Phil wrote...

Marvellous appointment! Kevin will need time to assess what he's got. He'll handpick individual targets in the transfer market to fill specific roles, and no doubt others will not fulfil his footballing requirements. It was incredible to see King Kev "discover" Andy Cole, and bring in Ginola, Beardsley, Ferdinand, Shearer, etc. etc. last time. Fans must give him the nesessary time - he's inherited some good players, but also some real "misfits". Kevin Keegan is inspirational - it's up to Owen and other underachievers to value Newcastle now - the new boss won't rest on your reputation - he was a European footballer of the year!!

Posted by: Phil  | January 17, 2008 5:29 PM

Anonymous wrote...

The start of a New Era,Overall success depends largely; upon who KK appoints as his lieutenants. His lack of tactical ability, will be more evident this time around, as the game has moved forward technically so much in the last 5 years. Skill & stamina, are sadly missing at NUFC and as we got him on the cheap; it is essential that he adopts a TOP assistant to fill the void.Perhaps we can develop the hidden skill of the existing players, there must be at least 3 or 4, who can move to the next stage quickly !!!

Posted by: Anonymous  | January 17, 2008 5:33 PM

Anonymous wrote...

What a load of crap!

This is stupid, a second God i dont thnk so. Other teams dont go on like this it's giving the northeast a bad image

Note From Luke
Obviously you are entitled to your opinion, but they'd carry more weight if you had the bottle to leave your name!

Posted by: Anonymous  | January 17, 2008 6:52 PM

Neil McCluskey wrote...

I'm an exiled Geordie living in Aberdeen sharing similar anxieties to the local football team up here Aberdeen FC who have been living in the shadow of Fergie's overwhelmingly successful reign up here pre Man Utd. On hearing the appointment of Keegan I cannot explain in words the euphoria that went pulsing through my veins. Is it a good appointment? You better believe it is. For too long Managers at SJP with excellent reputations have been slaughtered via the media and by the Fans for their ineptness. The under acheiving and in some cases vastly overpaid performers got off scott free. We all know now that it is highly unlikely that the crowd will chant unfavourably in Keegans direction and rightly so. With Mike Ashley and Chris Mort, businessmen through and through, giving the geordie public what they desire, they also will be untarnished in the eyes of the geordie public. I couldn't really give a monkeys what the media are qouting as a large percentage of the dross they scribe is laugingly under researched. What enlightens me this time around is that if there are, and there will be, any under performing charlatans wearing the hallowed stripes the paying public will now turn their venom on them. Parker, Dyer and Carr in recent years are a few of the charlatans who felt the venom of the paying geordie public. Hopefully with the working class ethic that Keegan brings to the table, we will feel that it is our club again and not the plaything of the Shepherd or Hall family (I'll distance Sir John from that last statement). Do you for minute think FFS would ever of had the courage to stand on the terraces with the Newcastle fans as Mike Ashley did at Wigan. Up here in Scotland, every fan of every persausion adored the Newcastle team of the Nineties. Believe it or not even exiled Mancs doffed their caps in respect to what Keegan achieved. My expectations are not, I repeat are not those that are aired in the media. Unlike some football clubs I do not believe for one minute that we have a divine right to any trophy. But I firmly believe we have a divine right to have an attempt at winning a trophy, and unlike some of the arrogant clubs who pour scourn on the Mickey Mouse Trophies, and we all know who they are, winning the league cup would have me filling trafalgar Square fountain with tears of joy. Now that Mourinho has left the EPL, the media should should be down on bended knees giving praise to Keegan for returning to what is a personality devoid league. Look at the Back and front pages of the media today. Keegan has provided the vultures with more soundbytes than the rest of the EPL managers have all season. And he hasn't even picked a team yet!! Who ever Kevin chooses as his backroom team in my mind is the most important transfer window signing. I feel that KK isn't here for the 3½ contract. I think Director of Football and a permanent place on the board is in the current regimes thinking. So ignore the Newspaper doom and gloom merchants, it's Fish and Chip papers tomorrow. Discard all the WUMs and watch what little talent we have available, enjoy going in to training, knowing that come Saturday they will get the opportunity to express themselves as they only dreamed off when the started on the adventure that would take them into professional football. When was the last time anyone saw Shay Given smiling as broadly as he did last night. And if we don't reach those dizzy heights again, so what! It's going to be one hell of a ride.

Note From Luke
Fish and chip paper, charlatans! I hope you don't mean me!

Posted by: Neil McCluskey  | January 17, 2008 10:50 PM

Jamie wrote...

The sentiment around this appointment worries me greatly. Is this Ashley’s way of trying to stay popular? Appointing a fan favourite- which shields the fact the real Messiah thinks he isn't ready yet?

It seems the same fans that couldn't let Big Sam settle and build a team think that this is exactly what is needed. I for one, do not. It shows that apparently what is wanted is entertainment, attacking football and not steady development. Unfortunately, patience and steady development is a faster track to any kind of success. Look at Redknapp at Portsmouth, Hughes at Blackburn and Moyes at Everton. None of these managers started their reigns with attacking football- they consolidated first. Sam was doing that, steadily making his mark and introducing his way of doing things, his fitness regimes and the technology he uses- but that was not enough. Entertainment is more important.

I feel the fact that KK is seen as the most "exciting" appointment misses what should be the point by a long way. I can understand why he is seen this way- after all he made the club the second best team in the country, brought in all kinds of exciting players and entertained the fans in the way they want. I understand and remember the Keegan years well enough to make judgement. That was fantastic then, but this is now.

But what is overlooked in this "exciting" appointment is the lack of tactical nous KK has- which others have picked up upon. You can never win anything with a "we will score more goals than you" philosophy. Sure, at its best you can win more than you lose, but ultimately more organisation is needed.

Equally overlooked in this is KK's somewhat frosty relationship with players. Sure he is a "motivator" and will put a buzz around the place, but look what Michael Owen thought of him when he was England manager.

Which nicely brings me to my next point. Of course KK did well before, but what has he done since?! Fair enough, Fulham worked ok, but there he was backed by a mammoth budget- most good managers could bring them up through the leagues the way he did. England was a massive failure and what about Man City? He hardly looked like a motivator there did he? It seems this motivation only worked at one place!

What it comes down to is this- do the Toon Army want excitement and entertainment or do they want progress and eventually the success that is so deserved. Because KK only brings one of those and I fear that is what is seen as most important, after all it brought the end of Sam, the most promising English manager, after just months in charge. This really makes me fear for the club in future.

This maybe an exciting appointment, but it is not a forward thinking or ambitious appointment. Sure KK makes things more exciting now, but surely it is there for all to see that what Big Sam did at Bolton trumps anything KK has on his C.V.! Success needs to be the target, not bringing in a crowd favourite for his last hurrah. It almost makes me think other fans would rather see a 6-5 loss every week, just because it was entertaining. This appointment will, eventually, bring the same results the last few years have and whilst nostalgia is a great thing, ultimately what this club needs to do is look to the future and appoint accordingly.

Posted by: Jamie  | January 17, 2008 11:06 PM

Coz wrote...

AHEM....

What do you mean 23 years old or younger??? I am 19 years old and I can remember fondly the days when Kevin Keegan was manager. I remember the 6-1 demolition of Wimbledon, Tino's debut when he ran rings round the Boro defence, Stan Collymore's final nail in the coffin at Anfield in the 4-3 game, and last but not least the 5-0 demolition of Manyoo. Still the best Newcastle performance I have ever seen.

True anything before the 1995/1996 season is a bit blurry, but I was 5 or 6 years old for god's sake, I was probably more interested in power rangers or something!

But to say that someone under the age of 23 wouldn't remember any of it is way off the mark.

P.S, Great appointment by the way!!

Note From Luke
It was a suggestion Coz, just a suggestion! Power Rangers!? Pah, they were nothing compared to Transformers and Action Force, children's toys with an altogether more violent edge. When I was in Fenwicks before Christmas I also noticed they still sell Playmobile. My personal favourite for years, oh the memories!

Posted by: Coz  | January 17, 2008 11:28 PM

Theo wrote...

Hi Luke, i firstly wana thank you for posting my previous comments i appreciate they may not be to everyones tastes but i just want to reiterate i am a MASSIVE Toon fan and all i want for my beloved club is to be back up there challenging wit the best of 'em. Furthermore i accept your comment about my age, i am only 22 yes but i am still old enough to remember the glory days of King Kev and how that team of Asprilla, Ginola, Shearer, Barton, Lee, Gillespie Beardsley...etc made me feel, however i just want to re-emphasize my previous point of we must not be a club who is stuck in the past!!! That was well over a decade ago and football has moved on. Drastically!!!! What is upsetting me even further as i speak to fellow Geordie fans and read other bloggists comments is the fact that it seems far too many people are stuck yearning for past glories to be reproduced by past heroes. Let me make my point clearer, it seems that the majority of the fans believe this club is so unique in character that only a handful of past heroes- Keegan, Shearer and Robson are capable to resurrect us back to where we belong. Now i do accept that Newcastle United is a very unique club and much like the England job is one of the toughest in football, however i do not believe that we are limited in the type of manager we can appoint. For me, ever since Sir Bobby was sacked by teh evil shepherd (Sir Bobby in my opinion was one of the best things that ever happened to our great club) the managerial appoinments have ALL been a joke! Graeme Souness! Daglish, Gullit and Roeder (the age-ol' footballing mistake, never appoint a number 2!) None of these guys can be said to be world class, further evidence for this is that they no-longer have employment in football apart from Roeder who's where he belong at Norwich! The rest are all arm-chair critics on sky sports! RUBBISH the lot of 'em. So i go back to my previous assertion of why not start having some REAL ambition and seek out some world-class managers?! i mean they can't be any worse than the jokers we've had the past five - six years. I think all of us as Toon fans should set our sights higher than merely attacking football under a manager we all know and love, but we should want to go back to when we were playing in the Champions League under Sir Bobby and challenging for the title. Does that mean we should re-appoint Sir Bobby?! The other thing is i think all this clamor for attacking football is simply a knee-jerk response to the dreary percentage football played under BS, the Toon has always otherwise played attacking football regardless of who the manager was,its always been in defense we've had trouble! I really believe KK is a shadow of his former self and this job could prove to be WAY beyond his talents. Its a shame because hes about to ruin the great memories we had for the man and i dear say the same for Shearer if he decides to throw his name in the hat! This club is far bigger than two former greats and we should all look to put that behind us rather than keep harking back to the past, lets look to find a new man thats going to lead us to glory and take the likes of Nzogbia, Martins and Given into the history books as the new generation of Heroes. A proven world-class manager, not necessarilly Mourinho but there are many other foreign alternatives that would be ripe for the job. I just hope that this debacle doesn't dent the great reputation of United and we can hopefully get back on track with a proven winner in the future! However all this being said my love and support for the Toon is still firmly undiminished and i will nevertheless get behind King KK as the roller-coaster begins once again!!!!

Note From Luke
I don't think there is anything wrong with your comments. As I've said before, one of the things about football which makes it the great game it is, is the fact it provokes so many different opinions. If I'm honest, while I'm really excited by Keegan's appointment and the good feeling it has generated, I'd still rather have had Mourinho!

Posted by: Theo  | January 18, 2008 12:14 AM

Lee wrote...

This is a good appointment. You have to wonder if the people complaining about tactics and defense actually looked at the stats. The idea that Keegan's teams were defensively poor is not supported by the PL stats. His teams tended to concede fewer goals than those of his successors. They only conceded a few more than the champions in most of the seasons he was there. To be precise: 3 more in 93-94, 8 more in 94-95 (his worst season defensively), 2 more in 95-96, and 4 less in 96-97 (although KD was in charge for the close of that season).

Historically, Newcastle have tended to concede about 40-45 goals a season in the PL. Less than 40 in a couple of seasons under Keegan, and rarely more than 50. That's not as parsimonious as Arsenal or some other teams, but then again Man United were leaky compared to them. Man United have shown that you can leak goals as long as you score at the other end and still win the league.

If you look at the Premier League records, what has historically made the difference for Newcastle between a mid table season and a top 5 finish has been goals for, not goals against. When we've scored loads, we've done well. When goals have dried up, the team has finished down the table.

What this tells you is that improving the defense should not be the manager's first priority. The first priority should be to get the team back to finishing in the top five. In the Premier League, Newcastle have always achieved that by scoring more goals, not by conceding fewer goals, so attacking football should be the priority. In essence, that is what Manchester United do. They concede quite a few goals, but the potency of their attack means that they win games. Only when we have a decent attacking team should we start tweaking the defence to enable us to win the tough, close games.

Keegan means more goals. It's the obvious solution for the next few years. It would be better to aim to break into the top five on a regular basis before tweaking the defence. Allardyce was going about it completely the wrong way. Instead of trying to change the character of the team from the ground up, he should have emphasized the attacking play that has been a tradition at the club. Apparently, with all his computer programs and statistics, he was too dumb to notice the most obvious and efficient solution. No wonder he was sacked.

Note From Luke
The perception of Keegan teams come from that 4-3 defeat at Liverpool more than anything

Posted by: Lee  | January 18, 2008 3:28 AM

Mike Fraser wrote...

Hi Luke,

Greetings from Sydney where it is raining heavily!

KK back is the news I awoke to yesterday and whilst I thought it possible, wasnt sure it to be the wisest decision given I would prefer a long term approach. But having watched the Stoke goals with KK in the stands after getting up early to watch the first Stoke game it just seems an amazing turnaround.

Tactically he didnt impress as the England Manager but then neither did Sven and look what has happened at City this year.

On reflection I am excited and looking forward to the Bolton game and neither a 6-0 win or a 1-0 loss would surprise me!

A number of the squad I believe would suit KK's playing style:

Owen, Emre, Zog, Milner, Viduka but where will we get a Beardsley from!

I hope we get a good tactition in as assistant and I hope KK doesnt abandon the reserves again, we need to build our youth pipeline

Cheers

Mike

Note From Luke
Keegan's backroom staff will make or break him I feel. The appointment of an opposite as his assistant, in other words someone who will balance his wilder ideas, is vital.

Posted by: Mike Fraser  | January 18, 2008 5:08 AM

Mark blades wrote...

Mate im awa the knot.....pathetic as it is i know...i cant remember feeling this good for a long time, as an expat living in New Zealand, i only watched the last Journey of Kevin's on the box, if he gets us back to that level again ill be back for me season ticket, would not miss it for the world, got back last time to shearer break Wor Jackies record what an atmosphere. ill remember it till i die. Kev's appointment is the only one we could make at this time i feel. As i said to a mate yesterday, people talk about the passion, but unless you have lived and breathed the toon, you really dont understand how passionate we are for the club.Howay the lads......ps lets get Wright phillips and defoe in next week...c'mon i cant wait, lets here the lads shout the roof down this weekend i'll be up in the middle of the night like i do every week.if we're on the telly....

Note From Luke
Let us know if you do come back from New Zealand. It'll be some story if you do justy to watch Keegan's Newcastle!

Posted by: Mark blades  | January 18, 2008 9:22 AM

Frank wrote...

G'day me bonny lads, As a Geordie exile here in Sydney and sixty plus years a Toon fan, I have a bit of sound psychological advice for Kev. Get rid of 'Northern Rock' off the team jerseys and bring back the Blue Star or Broon Ale logo.

Posted by: Frank  | January 18, 2008 10:08 AM

Toonrooster wrote...

So many thoughts flood through the brain! The main thing is wer'e Toon and we don't do conventional. No other supporters understand us, but hey we don't care anyway. KK is one of us totally, but in particular mentally. Yes I would like us to win something, but lets do it with our own unique brand and style or not at all. Some of the critics of the KK appointment are obviously looking for something different but that won't fill SJP week after week.

After the Man U game, as usual, their ignorant type of supporters were trying to goad us in our local. They just don't understand, and never will, that supporting a club is not about winning all the time. Far from winding us up, when the glory hunters ask why we support a club that rarely wins a trophy I just feel sorry for them, they just never will feel the passion and exitement so they deserve at least some pity.

Yep it's a crazy high risk scenario but that's us, and all true Toon supporters will be 100% on for the ride.

Posted by: Toonrooster  | January 18, 2008 12:35 PM

Rachel McK wrote...

"surely it is there for all to see that what Big Sam did at Bolton trumps anything KK has on his C.V.! "

So what exactly is on Fat Sam's CV that is so impressive? Promoted Bolton. Kept them in the League. Qualified for Europe once. And it took him 10 years.

What's on Keegans CV? Premier League challenges, constant European placements. Promoted with Newcastle.. promoted with Fulham.. promoted with Man City.. ex-England manager (ok, so maybe that one wasn't so great).

The truth is, what so many people fail to see is that while Fat Sam spent a lot of time talking about how great he was/is... there was very little to back that up. The premier league is a rubbish league and has been for the past 4-6 years and not getting relegated and scraping into Europe is not an achievement and rather than the media reporting on how great sam says he is, they should actually sit down and just look at what he's done. Nothing. Curbishly achieved a hell of a lot more with Charlton. So did Moyes with Everton, McClaren with Boro, Reid with Sunderland.. Hell, Dennis Wise got Millwall into Europe with a team that wasn't even in the premier league!

Fat Sam is not that good. He;s certainly not half as good as people think he is and isn't a quarter as good as he tells everyone he is.

Note From Luke
You tell him Rachel, don't hold back, get it off your chest! lol

Posted by: Rachel McK  | January 18, 2008 12:39 PM

Commulus wrote...

Let us now sing Hymm Number 666.

Guide me, O thou greatest schemer
Pilgrim through this barren land
We are weak, but thou art mighty
Take us with thy master plan

Bread of Kevin, Bread of Kevin
Feed me now and evermore!
Feed me now and evermore!

Open now the defences quaking,
whence the wondrous goals doth flow.
Let the fire and thunder rumble,
lead us all from history’s woes

Kevin Keegan, Kevin Keegan;
Thou art all our hopes in one!
Be thou still Messiah… until ye be gone

When I walk the hill of Gallows
Wave all our fears… and worries subdue
Bring us victory and we will worship
Fawn in admiration, and maybe build a statue.

Bread of Kevin, Bread of Kevin
Feed me now and evermore!
Feed me now and evermore!

Note From Luke
I didn't realise we were getting religious on this blog

Posted by: Commulus  | January 18, 2008 12:41 PM

Dave C wrote...

I for one am happy, no make that ecstatic about KKs return.

Forget logic, forget ManC and England and his times in these jobs. There is something magical about KK and NUFC and I firmly believe he will get us back to winning ways and lay the foundation for success for the longer term.

For now, every true NUFC supporter should get behind him and look forward to some decent football and a climb up the PL over the next 4 months.

Posted by: Dave C  | January 18, 2008 12:59 PM

Tony Poolan wrote...

I have my reservations about KK based primarily around anyones ability to 'go back' - but I am excited and believe that irrespective of any lasting success there will be good arising from his appointment. Messrs Dalglish, Gullit (sexy football?), Allardyce, Souness and going further back Gordon Lee (makes the sign of the cross!) just couldn't understand what makes the club tick - Dinnis, McFaul and Roeder just weren't managers and had nothing to fall back on - poor Roeder should have stayed with the Academy and not been Freddie's cheap cop-out. It is interesting that since the Joe Harvey days the only successes have been 'man managers' who were just as able to man-manage the supporters - namely Keegan and Bobby Robson. They get it (Arthur Cox to be fair appeared to get it too - even if he was a bit stiff). As Alan Shearer said on the TV the other night if nothing else a new KK era will be exciting and short-term at least he will get all the support he wants. All this talk of the game having moved on? How exactly? You still have 11 players, one ball two goals and each team trying to score. The dependency on denying rather than scoring killed Dalglish, Souness and Allardyce. Are you telling me that the Premiership is full of tactical geniuses? Wenger operates a system that allows reserve players to automatically slot in when required - do you see him going out to stop teams, does Ferguson? Bobby Robson never had a water tight defence but we hardly struggled under him - we played exciting football and all enjoyed it - he was let down by Freddie S? Unlike Fred, Ashley looks set to make his own money available to buy the players Keegan - you must applaud him for that because let's face it FS consistently took from the club rather than gave. Yes Mike Ashley is a businessman and there is method in his madness but I think he gets it too. With everyone pulling together SJP can be a fortress again and that is the best start we could make. Having said all of that yes it could all go wrong - but were any of the other guys mentioned - Hughes, Redknapp, Houllier, Deschamps (What?) any more reliable as choices or definitely going to succeed? Would Mourinho ever come (no!), could Lippi understand the culture let alone the accent? Success is impossible to predict anywhere let alone in football. Keegan may be a bit of an idealist at times but he is no fool, nor do I believe is Mike Ashley. If Kevin needs support from a more recently involved experienced No.2 I'm sure he will go and get it. In business, often companies stand or fall on their ability to harness together culture, vision and resources - and so do football clubs. KK understands and appears able to do that - certainly where NUFC is concerned - he did it as a player and subsequently as a manager. I'm not certain it will work but I am not going to deny it before it even starts! I am going to enjoy it just as I did when he was a player and manager when I was in my 20s and 30s. Now in my 40s I wish him all the best again!

Note From Luke
I think the key thing Keegan's appointment has done is bring that excitement back. In the short term, at the very least, it is an inspired decision.

Posted by: Tony Poolan  | January 18, 2008 1:16 PM

McGregor wrote...

Hi Luke, I’ve got very mixed feelings (huge excitement as well as unhealthy anxiety) about the appointment of Keegan so a lot of this may sound confusing.

To be honest, I would’ve preferred Mourinho, Hitzfeld (both very unlikely but worth a crack) or Houllier. I feel that we have missed out on making a significant leap forward by appointing a manager with their sort of credentials. Having said that, I can’t help being excited about another Keegan return.

I’m almost 23 so I was fairly young when I watched most of the managerial Keegan era. Despite my age, Keegan means a massive, massive deal. I watched some fantastic football. The quality of the football is widely known. But there was so much more. As you wrote in The Journal, there was a real buzz, a real passion throughout the city too. Of course the football was unforgettable (still, I’d like to forget a few matches), but even watching them train was great. Meeting the players and the man himself were unforgettable experiences. There was a sense that Keegan brought the whole package.

After and (before) Allardyce’s sacking, I thought we desperately needed someone to reignite some passion throughout this club, on and off the field. Admittedly, I didn’t have Keegan directly in mind, but he seems to be the perfect man for this. In an interview before Keegan’s appointment, Ginola didn’t focus so much on the football (he talked more about golf trips), but on the spirit that Keegan spread throughout the club. Yes, some question his tactical abilities and current football knowledge, but Keegan promises to reignite passion, something Geordies are rather fond of, and a vital ingredient to success. Ok, so it far from guarantees results and can’t always compensate for lack of ability, but it can still go a long way to making success more likely. Pride may not make much sense to many who simply choose a football club. But it means a lot to those born into a club.

Of course there are doubts about Keegan, how he will react to changes in the game, his time away from football etc, etc. I share William Gee’s concern about bringing in players. Yet, I honestly (and nervously) feel that anything is possible with Keegan (a sensational move to Tyneside for a disgruntled Ronaldinho, why not). He brought exceptional players – Cole, Beardsley (for his second stint), Lee, Ferdinand, Ginola, Shearer etc. He could make some great signings even if he has been out of football for a while.

Let’s not forget, we have some real potential already. I remember Beardsley talking to Mcdonald about how Keegan got so much out of him compared with other managers (more or less telling him to just go out and play football). I’m sure we could see a lot more from the likes of Milner, Charlie, Duff, Emre and others under Keegan than we have so far.

And there is more to think about. Who will end up in his backroom staff? What’s Keegan going to do with a certain Mr Barton? How will other Allardyce signings work out? Who is going to be our captain?

As well as all the excitement, I’m trying to stay realistic and patient. At some stage, we have to get a more solid defence. The reputation and reality of leaking soft goals has hurt us for a long time and will continue to do so unless we sort it out, and saying this definitely does not endorse the sort of 100% containment, lock-down system of Allardyce. The reality is we desperately need Premier League points and getting three against Bolton is crucial. I hope and hope this is the right appointment that can restore pride to this club and can eventually bring us long-term stability and success.

I don’t agree with all that is written here, but massive credit has to go to Luke Edwards for his articles on Newcastle, especially considering our tough (torturous) times. I try to read a range of stuff on Newcastle (including some of the southern press) and Luke is easily one of the best writers on the club. Forget about the English cricket team and boxing, focus on Newcastle.

Note From Luke
Thanks for the words of praise. Always appreciated, but I can't just write about Newcastle United. I have other irons in other fires, although events at SJP are certainly the main point of interest.
Believe it or not, I'm also excited. I've just walked back from Keegan's first press conference with a spring in my step. My head keeps reminding me that it might not work, that returning to a club is never a good idea for a manager and that football has moved on from the Entertainers era, but I don't care. Newcastle, as a city, is buzzing at the moment and it's fantastic to be a part of. Im sure it was the same in Sunderland when Roy Keane took over last season.

Posted by: McGregor  | January 18, 2008 3:28 PM

Jamie wrote...

"So what exactly is on Fat Sam's CV that is so impressive? Promoted Bolton. Kept them in the League. Qualified for Europe once. And it took him 10 years.

What's on Keegans CV? Premier League challenges, constant European placements. Promoted with Newcastle.. promoted with Fulham.. promoted with Man City.. ex-England manager (ok, so maybe that one wasn't so great)."

I'm not quite sure it took him ten years, but what I am talking about is taking a club that isn't all that famous, does not have the resources, the money, the stadium or the fanbase, firstly into the Premier League, keeping it up, consolidating and finally taking it to European place. For Bolton just being in the Premier League is a triumph! KK did it here with all of those things, again at Man City with all those things and with a mammoth budget at Fulham. Newcastle and Man City EXPECT to be in the Premier League.

What would BS have done at Bolton with those things!

"Curbishly achieved a hell of a lot more with Charlton. So did Moyes with Everton, McClaren with Boro, Reid with Sunderland.. Hell, Dennis Wise got Millwall into Europe with a team that wasn't even in the premier league!"

Not true I'm afraid, Although Curbishley did pretty much the same sans European place. Moyes has taken an established Premiership club (one of the only original founding clubs) into Europe which is both rich and famous and Reid got the Mackems up, with financial backing and a big stadium, yet how long did that last!! McClaren at Boro? Again, they were already up when he took over and they won a final and were humiliated in a Uefa Cup final. No real league progress. I'll let him have the trophy, but again BS took a club from the championship and consolidated and got the UEFA place with a club considerably smaller than all of those mentioned, with the possible exception of Charlton. McClaren and Wise did well with successful cup runs, not year on year progress.

Moyes has done pretty much the same as BS did, only BS didn't have the money for the Arteta's Cahill's etc and Moyes didn't take Everton up a division!

I'm sorry, but the lack of all aforementioned conditions at Bolton shows how impressive that is on the C.V. as BS could only rely on managerial talent.

"The premier league is a rubbish league and has been for the past 4-6 years and not getting relegated and scraping into Europe is not an achievement"

The Premier League is not a rubbish league. It is far more competitive from top to bottom than any other European league and is watched by more than any other world-wide. I feel this evidence alone refutes that point.

Getting into Europe is an achievement, especially through league places- It is the holy grail for many clubs. Avoiding relegation with a club like Bolton is also an achievement as again, they are fairly small and they also got relegated straight away the first time they came up- without BS I have to add. How many clubs go up and come back down again? Wolves, Bradford, Watford, Leicester, Derby, Birmingham, Sheffield United, West Brom etc. Again, all of these clubs traditionally bigger than Bolton.

Note From Luke
Ding Ding, Round Three...

Posted by: Jamie  | January 18, 2008 5:19 PM

Wayne wrote...

Greetings from Singapore ! I can't believe we got keegan back ! He was the reason why i started to support Newcastle United. His believe in attacking the opposition is what makes me want to watch and support Newcastle United.

I'm not sure if we will be back where we were before keegan left. I'm not sure if we will win trophys. But one things for sure, Keegan's appointment has got the whole world buzzing. Even here in Singapore! The match against Bolton will be crucial. A win will send confidence sky rocketing. Lets all rally behind the team and enjoy the new era of attacking football. The match will be played here live in singapore at 1 am in the morning and i will be awake and wating for king kev's return !

Note From Luke
Always good to hear from those abroad. Hopefully Newcastle will pick up plenty more foreign fans now that Keegan has returned

Posted by: Wayne  | January 18, 2008 5:36 PM

True Mag wrote...

He'll do for me Luke my boy! I'm actually excited about the prospect of a home game at SJP for the first time since, erm, Robson left! It has been a labour of love for the last few years, but even if Keegan fails, the optimism his return has caused will give me a warm feeling for the rest of the winter!

Come on the Toon!

Posted by: True Mag  | January 18, 2008 10:18 PM

Ronnie Lambert wrote...

Luke, please tell cowardly Anonymus that A. Keegan isn't a God, on that he is right, but he is the greatest and only possible appointment we could have made to catapult, yes catapult us to the top end. Stick around chicken no-name and your bile will choke you. B. This is a Geordie nation, very much seperated from the south in wages, wealth, language, culture, sincerity and humble expectation. And if he doesn't know this, then he doesn't belong on this family blog with his incessant jealous whining. He's either a mackem or a smoggie, or a southerner married to a northern girl who wears the trousers and this is the only outlet of his subjugated sad life. Get a life no-name, and send letters to your own club's blog...er, do they have one?

Note From Luke
I'm a southerner marrying a northern girl.... Not entirely sure who wears the trousers though Ronnie! Also, it isn't a Geordie nation, it's a region with fierce pride and a wonderful attitude to life, but it's not a nation. That was Sir John Hall's doing and he's currently sitting on millions in Gibraltor so he doesn't have to pay as much tax, which might improve the health and welfare opportunities of the people of his so called "Geordie Nation." Political comment finished.
As for My Anonyomous, you all know I don't respect comments left by people who haven't even got the sense to even make up a name, but I do enjoy all sorts of comments. Are you going to come up with a new song for the return of KK Busker?

Posted by: Ronnie Lambert  | January 19, 2008 4:21 AM