There were times particularly in the weeks after Keegan's departure when Given cut an increasingly frustrated figure on Tyneside.
Given: "He (Joe Kinnear) can be judged on the Everton game and we got a point.
Given: "He (Joe Kinnear) can be judged on the Everton game and we got a point.
"It's a turbulent time at the club and Joe is only in for a couple of months, so he wants to get as many points and results as possible and we've got to give him credit for coming up to the club when it's in a bit of turmoil to try to get us moving back up the league."
"Yeah, it was an interesting interview he did.
"He got some things off his chest.
"He got some things off his chest.
"I think Joe was obviously disappointed and angry with some of the stuff that was written about him because he didn't take charge of the game and he was kind of hammered from pillar to post and he needed to get a few things off his chest.
"He certainly did that, I suppose."