Former Dons boss keen to take control at SJP full time
We hope you were wearing your betting shoes yesterday, as we gave you five compelling reasons for Joe Kinnear’s first victory in black and white stripes. Yet despite getting five points from four games and expressing a keen desire to remain at the club full time, Big Joe’s future in the North East is no clearer than that of Mike Ashley:
“I have got no idea who is going to buy the place, but I can throw my hat in the ring whoever buys it. I am not going to get another chance like this.”
“But I really don’t know, to be honest. I know it is obviously for sale, but who is going to buy it, I have got no idea.”
Newcastle fans have never been entirely keen on those of southern persuasion, but Joe seems to have brought a ‘no nonsense’ attitude which has given the club some much-needed stability. But has he already earned the right to take the job permanently? Let us know with a vote and comment below…
Spoiler video bonus: Check out extended highlights of last night’s victory over West Brom after the jump…
Newcastle/ West Brom, Sat, 7.45, Sky Sports 2, Free ÂŁ10 bet
West Brom picked up their only away win of the season in the North East last month against boss Tony Mowbray’s old club Middlesbrough, but it’s unlikely they’ll make it a double tonight. Here are five reasons why chickendinner believe Wimbletoon will finally bag three points:
1. Newcastle have comfortably beaten West Brom in their three previous Premier League meetings at St James’ Park.
2. The Magpies haven’t lost a home league game to a Midlands outfit in three-and-a-half years.
3. West Brom have conceded seven goals without reply
Newcastle haven’t won a game for a month now, they don’t have a permanent manager - damn it, even Terry Venables doesn’t want anything to do with them. But are things really so bad up at St James’ Park? Like, HONESTLY? The Spoiler decided to search of a silver lining, and guess what brothers and sisters? We found one. You can welcome Blackburn Rovers with confidence, children of Newcastle, here’s why:
1. Newcastle haven’t failed to score in any home game this season and their opponents on Saturday, Blackburn, haven’t scored more than one goal in any of their last four.
2. The last time Keegan walked out on a club it took the team a couple of games to settle - Man City didn’t win until their third league game in the post Keegan era, a 1-0 victory over Liverpool. And with this Saturday the third league game for Newcastle post Keegan, maybe it’s a good omen?
Winless Spurs prepare for more misery in the North East
A year ago, Newcastle caretaker Chris Hughton was assistant manager of a Tottenham team that had achieved consecutive fifth-placed finishes before being sacked with Martin Jol. Tonight his former club visit St. James’ Park in the Carling Cup with the two worst teams in the Premier League in 2008 both desperate for a win. Our friends at Chickendinner have compiled seven reasons why Hughton will be having the last laugh tonight:
1. Newcastle have won the last five clashes between the two sides both home and away.
2. Spurs have won on just two of their last seventeen visits to St. James’ Park.
3. The last three times that the two clubs have collided in cup competitions, the Magpies have been the team that have progressed.
While Mike Ashley released his lengthy statement attempting to dissuade Newcastle fans from further protests against the club’s management structure, two more former players were following Kevin Keegan out of St James’ Park.
Record goalscorer Alan Shearer was removed from his position as the club’s sporting ambassador, a role he took up after retiring in May 2006, with reports claiming that the Newcastle board were furious with the Match of the Day pundit for calling the management structure “dangerous”.
Former defender John Beresford, who played under Keegan in the 1990s was also axed from his corporate hospitality match-day role after making critical comments in the local media.
Are the Newcastle board right to ship out former players who have the best interests of the club at heart because they refuse to toe the party line? Let us know with a comment below.
