Some Job 'Player Recruitment' - The Window Closes Tomorrow!
Last updated : 30 January 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor
Kevin Keegan has not come out of this looking good, and was forced into a corner and forced to say today he has no problems with the arrival of Dennis Wise.
That is the public face of it, but deep down KK is FURIOUS the way the chairman - and owner - have gone about business.
The Magpies made three senior appointments yesterday. Aswell as Wise, businessman Tony Jimenez and former Real Madrid international scout Jeff Vetere also joined the club as vice-president (player recruitment) and technical co-ordinator respectively.
Keegan: "I am all for the changes and I approve of them," said the former England manager, who earlier this month made an unexpected but welcome return to Tyneside for a second spell in charge.
"They want someone on the board who understands football, and Dennis knows very well. I think it will work very well. He reports to me - the chain is established.
"My concentration is on the first team and getting the club right.
"The club has become slightly fragmented. From my point of view, it's a positive thing - provided I get all the help I need.
"I had a chat with Dennis and I knew that he was in the frame for the job.
"That was in place before I joined the club, and it would have happened regardless. It's been very open in that sense," the manager continued.
"I know what Dennis is going to do, and the idea in principle is good - to look for new players, to bring youngsters through and do things which our academy isn't doing so much at the moment.
"Our fans have common sense and they know it won't happen overnight. Things take time.
"Sometimes there's an 'uplift' with a new manager. But our fixtures have been tough, and we could have played much better against Arsenal and been beaten.
"Some of these players aren't used to getting beat(en). We have guys who are used to winning things, and they need picking up.
"We have to get a win from somewhere - and I hope it will be against Middlesbrough on Sunday."