Magpies consider taking on another 1970s throwback

Newcastle caretaker manager Joe Kinnear has revealed he is eager to bring ex-QPR boss Gerry Francis into his coaching team. What this means - apart from Newcastle’s foreign stars having another coach they have never heard of - is that Newcastle will have potentially the best collection of mullets in a management team ever seen. Kinnear said:

“There is only me and Chris (Hughton), and we have a lot of lads to work with. We need to work in smaller numbers.

“Gerry can do some solid work and I will pay him accordingly. He has no desire to be a manager or anything full-time. He won’t be involved in anything on Saturdays.

“I feel we need someone with that experience. He will not be a number two or anything like that, I will be meeting him for a meal on Monday afternoon to discuss it. There is a good chance something will happen.”

Hang on one cotton-picking minute. Was that the man who ended up making a foul-mouthed tirade against journalists who had criticised him for taking last Monday off publicly announcing that he was taking Monday afternoon off to take Gerry Francis out to dinner? We think it was, you know!

Back to the matter in hand. Think of the potential if Kevin Keegan was to return to the club and keep the management team together. A Holy Trinity of football mullets in one dugout. Is Chris Waddle busy these days?