Official English Premiere League Thread

[Renz]

Keegan finally quits
Boss walks away after talks
By Graeme Bailey Last updated: 4th September 2008

Kevin Keegan's second reign in charge of Newcastle United has come to an end after he resigned as manager.

The news brings to an end huge confusion surrounding Keegan's future at the club, after talk of his departure first emerged on Monday evening.

Keegan held discussions with Newcastle's hierarchy on Monday and Tuesday, and reports of him being sacked began to leak out of St James' Park.

However, Newcastle denied he had been sacked and then Keegan insisted through the League Managers Association that he had not resigned.

Now, following further talks, Keegan has quit his role - bringing to an end his second spell in charge, which lasted eight months, after he took charge following Sam Allardyce's departure.

Statement
In a statement released through the LMA, Keegan confirmed he had quit - citing the fact he did not have the control he wanted over club affairs.

"I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible," he said.

"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want.

"It remains my fervent wish to see Newcastle United do well in the future and I feel incredibly sorry for the players, staff and most importantly the supporters.

"I have been left with no choice other than to leave."

The LMA confirmed that Keegan failed to resolve his issues after talks over the past few days.

"The board of directors of Newcastle United Football Club and Kevin Keegan have been in detailed discussions," said an LMA statement.

"The letter which Kevin received today from managing director Derek Llambias has failed to resolve the matters in issue between him and the club and accordingly he feels he has no alternative other than to resign."

LMA chief executive, Richard Bevan, added: "The LMA has been supporting Kevin during a very difficult period.

"We share his great disappointment and frustration that the situation could not be resolved."

ALL ABOARD THE MAGPIE EXPRESS!!!

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[English on tour]

Newcastle
4 league titles (last in 1927)
6 FA Cups (last in 1955)
1 Inter City Fairs Cup (1969) (had to have a trade fair in your city to qualify - Everton did but could not play in it as LFC were in Euro cup and at the time you could not have to teams from the same city playing Euro football. ....and im not even going to mention who they played in the final.)

Sunderland
6 league titles (last in 1936)
2 FA Cups (Last in 1973)


Right now what is going on in Newcastle is a joke.. Keeg was a joke as a manager (the dude took how many years off and openly admits he never saw a game while he was away), Ashley is a joke of a manager... All they need right now is Santiago to come back from Real Madrid!

Sunderland is in a much more stable position imo even with all the Man U retreads.....

cleaned that up for you

 

[Stout]

Great picture, lousy ownership. No fault in the least to King Kev for walking out. He'd have been a fool to stay. Sadly, the Magpies are like the Cards to me...I've been so pissed at ownership and management, but I'll never be able to drop them as a team.

 

[English on tour]

Great picture, lousy ownership. No fault in the least to King Kev for walking out. He'd have been a fool to stay. Sadly, the Magpies are like the Cards to me...I've been so pissed at ownership and management, but I'll never be able to drop them as a team.

Never ever compare the Mags to the Cards again

for one a lot people like that Cards, maybe feel a bit sorry for us but they like us. Trust me, its not the same with Newcastle.

 

[Milgod]

Don't talk about what you know NOTHING about. Ashley has only recently taken over, and all that misspent money went down before he bought the team. True, he inherited a lot of those problems, but neither he nor Keegan are the ones responsible for them. Past mistakes do not mean that you should utterly give up on a season before it even gets going, which is what Ashley has tried to do. Keegan has not had a major flop signing, and neither has Ashley. After reading the latest, I wouldn't blame Keegan in the least for walking out. It turns out that, not only was Ashley not trying to spend the money he needed to spend, he tried to sell Owen. How idiotic would that have been?

Thankfully Keegan is willing to fight through the crap, because he has not quit nor has he been sacked. Still, Ashley needs to get it together or his club will end up losing money by sucking again. Ugh.

Excuse me? what? Why do I know nothing about it? because I don't agree with your short sighted view. When did I say that Ashley spent loads? I said NEWCASTLE have spent loads of money on wasted talent. That is a fact. I'm just sick of Newcastle fans whining about their situation all the bloody time. Even this summer you lot spent £13m. You might have got rid of Milner but he didn't want to be there!

I like Keegan but he is a bit wet. Newcastle should have done a lot better with your squad last year under the 'messiah' than they did.

If Ashley could have got good money for Owen then it wouldn't have been that idiotic to sell him seeing as he spends half the year injured and is not even half the player he used to be (this coming from somebody who likes him!).

I'm also glad the Sunderland FA cup year was cleared up. 1972 was the year of the great Leeds victory over Arsenal. I can't remember who lost in 1973.

 

[Stout]

Excuse me? what? Why do I know nothing about it? because I don't agree with your short sighted view. When did I say that Ashley spent loads? I said NEWCASTLE have spent loads of money on wasted talent. That is a fact. I'm just sick of Newcastle fans whining about their situation all the bloody time. Even this summer you lot spent £13m. You might have got rid of Milner but he didn't want to be there!

I like Keegan but he is a bit wet. Newcastle should have done a lot better with your squad last year under the 'messiah' than they did.

If Ashley could have got good money for Owen then it wouldn't have been that idiotic to sell him seeing as he spends half the year injured and is not even half the player he used to be (this coming from somebody who likes him!).

I'm also glad the Sunderland FA cup year was cleared up. 1972 was the year of the great Leeds victory over Arsenal. I can't remember who lost in 1973.

I get it. You don't like Keegan. It's okay to say that's your reason for the criticism. Considering he came in to about the worst situation a manager can come into mid-season, finishing strong the way we did speaks volumes of his abilities. Spending 13 million pounds when you have a weak and thin squad isn't even peanuts in the Premiership. If you take a squad lacking talent in key areas and any kind of depth, and then you fail to add significantly to it, you can't expect better results and you can't expect anyone will seriously believe you're trying to achieve said results.

As for Owen, you'd basically sell one of the best strikers (when healthy) on the brink of the transfer window closure, with the rest of your strikers injured, and nothing really coming in (Xisco? Really?)? I'm glad you aren't ownership then. Well, then again, with the kind of drek we have currently, you'd probably do better.

 

[Milgod]

I get it. You don't like Keegan. It's okay to say that's your reason for the criticism. Considering he came in to about the worst situation a manager can come into mid-season, finishing strong the way we did speaks volumes of his abilities. Spending 13 million pounds when you have a weak and thin squad isn't even peanuts in the Premiership. If you take a squad lacking talent in key areas and any kind of depth, and then you fail to add significantly to it, you can't expect better results and you can't expect anyone will seriously believe you're trying to achieve said results.

As for Owen, you'd basically sell one of the best strikers (when healthy) on the brink of the transfer window closure, with the rest of your strikers injured, and nothing really coming in (Xisco? Really?)? I'm glad you aren't ownership then. Well, then again, with the kind of drek we have currently, you'd probably do better.

Wrong again. I do like Keegan. I've liked him since his 'I would love it' speech and the fact that Fergiescum doesn't like him. Newcastle don't have a thin squad, they just spent on over-rated or injury prone players in the past few years. The squad you have should be good enough to be doing better than it is.

I love the fact that not one Newcastle fan seems to care that your club was about to fold before Ashley stepped in. You were closer to doing a Leeds than Leeds were when the sh*t hit the fan for us. He got rid of your debt, or at least took it on, and saved you at a great expense but because you haven't bought big this year everything is his fault.

 

[Stout]

Wrong again. I do like Keegan. I've liked him since his 'I would love it' speech and the fact that Fergiescum doesn't like him. Newcastle don't have a thin squad, they just spent on over-rated or injury prone players in the past few years. The squad you have should be good enough to be doing better than it is.

I love the fact that not one Newcastle fan seems to care that your club was about to fold before Ashley stepped in. You were closer to doing a Leeds than Leeds were when the sh*t hit the fan for us. He got rid of your debt, or at least took it on, and saved you at a great expense but because you haven't bought big this year everything is his fault.

No, the fact that he hasn't bought big this year isn't his fault; the fact that he's lied about just about everything and has destroyed our chances IS. He told KK that he wasn't being undermined with Wise and co. being brought in. Wrong. Wise and co. have been doing business behind KK's back and without his knowledge or consent. The team kept promising it would help KK bolster the squad; it hasn't done so. We are desperately depleted in the defense. Coloccini was a fabulous addition but we are still being killed wide. Enrique is not an answer. N'Zogbia is out of position back there and it shows. We need more back there.

Ashley got rid of our debt. That is awesome, and yes, his money helped us out of a tight spot. If he came to KK and asked him to keep us out of relegation, and spend a year trying to cull the squad, and then he'd start infusing some big money into building the team right, then all would probably be well. Instead, he brought KK in under false pretenses, immediately took away all his control and undermined him by hiring a management team to work autonomously, and kept feeding KK a line of crap. Hell, when all of this was going down over the past week, when the team was soooo desperate to keep KK as manager, what was Mike Ashley doing? Reassuring his manager, trying to patch things up, and doing his best to keep his property out of turmoil? Nope, he was hosting an upscale champagne party in NYC. The idiot even said this, when asked why he wasn't there:

Asked why he was not in England trying to resolve the situation at his football club with Keegan, Ashley told a fellow party-goer: "We've had a tiff with Keegan – but it will all be sorted out," the Telegraph reportted.

Yeah, it's been sorted out, you big, dumb idiot...YOU FRICKIN' FAILED! Ashley seems to me like a kid with a toy...it's his, he loves it, but he doesn't have to do anything to take care of it. When it's broken, he just figures it'll get fixed by itself and ignores the problem. Well, now he lost the head off his cool toy, and he has only himself to blame.

If you don't like how I'm summing up the situation, check out these lists of articles...should open your eyes a wee bit more than they are now:

Keegan tells Toon to 'Wise' up: http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=848357
Who can blame him?

Newcastle Hierarchy now 'begging Keegan to stay': http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=848810
Who can blame the fans? Who can blame the team for realizing it's making a huge mistake?

Keegan Quits Newcastle--Official: http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=849517
Who can blame King Kev? He was hired, then his replacement was hired, then his replacement starting working without him.

Lee--players won't welcome Wise: http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=849684
Ashley's seeming plan comes crashing around him as neither the fans nor the players want his man Wise taking over.

Xisco: I am not to blame for Keegan going: http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=850633
Of course he isn't; it's Wise and co.'s fault, under Ashley's leadership, for signing Xisco without even consulting Keegan.

Shearer on Toon job: not under this regime: http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=851337
Shearer is 'wise' to take such a stance.

Ashley partied in New York during KK crisis talks: http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=851763
Ashley: "Why didn't it go my way, damn it. I wanted to party AND get my way! Boo hoo!"

So, yeah, I'm no fan of Ashley. Surprise, surprise.

 

[gr000000vy]

ya know i really want to root for Newcastle... They have class players.. Always been a Michael Owen fan but the whole owner sitting in the stands with his kit on chugging beers like a college kids doesn't really sit well with me...

Glad to see KK go and i'm happy Shearer is not coming in... Would love to see him take this team but not under the current ownership...

 

[Stout]

ya know i really want to root for Newcastle... They have class players.. Always been a Michael Owen fan but the whole owner sitting in the stands with his kit on chugging beers like a college kids doesn't really sit well with me...

Glad to see KK go and i'm happy Shearer is not coming in... Would love to see him take this team but not under the current ownership...

Agreed on ALL points! Well, I hate that we don't have King Kev now, and I'd love to have Shearer as manager, but first ownership needs swapped out.

 

[gr000000vy]

I woke up at 5:30 am for this?

Manchester GAVE the game away…Yes that’s right friggin GIVES it away…. This was supposed to be Berby’s big breakthrough and what happens? Van Der Sar and Giggs of all people decide that Liverpool should take this one home….

Manchester started well and it was a Berby love fest for awhile and then a ball deflects off three manchester players for one goal and giggs makes a rookie mistake for goal two…. i must say however that before the goals happenned Manchester looked like crap… couldn’t pass to feet… took WAY too many touches and basically were never even close to being in the game… also would Querizos ever had let Sir Alex make that lineup card…

4-3-3

brown-rio-vidic-evra (ok great back 4)

carrick-scholes-anderson (yes let’s put THREE center mids in the middle to cover the width of the field)

rooney-berby-tevez (ok hard to argue that)

what should have happened was putting berby up top with tevez and had Rooney in as the attacking CM Putting him outside doesn't do him justice), Scholes sucks right now anyways put Nani out with Giggs on the flanks and then either Hargraves or Anderson in the middle… Carrick is just not healthy right now)

oh well looks like ronaldo will be back on wednesday for champions league vs Villarreal (how fitting a spanish team?) we started like crap last season and that didn’t hurt us so hopefully it won’t now…

 

[CaptTurbo]

West Ham picked up an excellent gaffer.

 

[Chaplin]

Arsenal might be currently the best team in Europe.

 

[slinslin]

No, Arsenal will never be more than a tease.

 

[Chaplin]

No, Arsenal will never be more than a tease.

How did Hannover do this weekend?

 

[CaptTurbo]

West Ham 3 points back

 

[gr000000vy]

looks like west ham could have to pay Sheffield UTD like 30 million for the whole Tevez thing..... I didn't think utd would get anywhere with all this leagal stuff but i guess i was wrong.....

 

[CaptTurbo]

I can promise you they wont get 30 mil.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Dont look now! West Ham in 5th!!!

 

[gr000000vy]

Dont look now! West Ham in 5th!!!

just wait till they have to sell off players to pay Sheffield Utd!!! Uh oh........

 

[gr000000vy]

Ince is out in Blackburn..... Some are saying that Keane is the perfect man for the job. Maybe Keane will wait for Hughes to get the boot in Man City

 

[Renz]

Newcastle officially waving the white flag. Hello Championship!

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=613635&sec=transfers&cc=5901

 

[Stout]

Newcastle officially waving the white flag. Hello Championship!

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=613635&sec=transfers&cc=5901

Not to downplay how great Given has been, but Harper is a damn fine keeper in his own right.

So you'd really want us sent down, eh? Funny, I'd think you'd want us around to fight it out in the derby matches. I kept rooting for Sunderland to stay up just for that reason. Yes, stay up at 4th from bottom, but still

 

[Renz]

I would like to see the Mags relegated just for the humiliation aspect, but I would rather they stayed up to continue the rivalry. The 'rivalry' with Middlesbrough just doesn't get the juices flowing.

 

[Stout]

I would like to see the Mags relegated just for the humiliation aspect, but I would rather they stayed up to continue the rivalry. The 'rivalry' with Middlesbrough just doesn't get the juices flowing.

Don't worry. We'll hang around, if just barely, to beat you as much as possible