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Toon tension
Join the debate on Kevin Keegan's assessment of Newcastle's Premier League chances
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Join the debate on Kevin Keegan's assessment of Newcastle's Premier League chances
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Comments
Jason Linton (Newcastle United fan) says...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Newcastle just have a poor season overall? Big Sam couldn't cut the mustard when adopting his isolation of Michael Owen with his old school tactics, and KK's only just brought in some semblance of order into our squad over the past couple of months. So why is the PRESS regarding these views as so outlandish? In my view we've a lot to thank KK for after the sacking of Allardyce, for had it not been for a manager who had the ability to lift the players heads, we'd be in the relegation battle as we speak! So based on this KK has every right, and the qualification to forecast Newcastle's season in 08/09. At the end of the day HE knows his relationship with the charman and HE knows what funds are available this summer. Calling to all Newcastle Fans to once again not get ahead of ourselves (after a reasonably promising end to the season) and trust our Manager and Chairman who i beleive do have enthusiasm for the club and have all of our interests to heart.
Posted 15:50 8th May 2008
Steven Rebello (Newcastle United fan) says...
I fully agree with what KK has said, the fans and especially the owner have to be realistic. I would be happy with a top8 finish next season and hopefully thereafter we can grow in strenght. Fighting for Europe requires a squad with depth. Moyes has been fighting to get this for a good few seasons. Added to this is stability, everyone has seen what it has done to Liverpool this season and no team will be successful without it. I hope KK stays on for a long time and i understand not to expect miracles.
Posted 15:45 8th May 2008
Ken Thynne says...
As an avid NUFC supporter albeit not a season ticket holder I think we as a club should be able to compete for any position from fifth downwards with the likes of Aston Villa , Everton , Portsmouth , Man City , Blackburn and Tottenham. What we need is stability within the board room and on the manager front as well, and providing that happens then maybe we can answer our critics in the only way we know with a excellent campaign next season and a place in the EUFA cup competition the season after next. Go for it Kevin and ignore the total bias from the southern based press who only ever look for negative things to report about our club.
Posted 15:30 8th May 2008
Darren G (Newcastle United fan) says...
I think KK was totally spot with his assesment on Monday after the Chelsea match, and I think most Newcastle fans realise this! Yes he has to buy and spend probably a small fortune (as long as the owner agrees, and gives him his full support). What is there is there to attract big names? Nothing unfortunately! A top ten finish? A couple of domestic cups? Don't think this will be enough to attract any huge names. I think he can only look at who to buy when he actually knows who wants to stay and help mount any kind of challenge. On the other hand, the good players we have may not want to commit their future to the club unless some good signings are made, which could mean another season of struggling. Hopefully this won't be the case.
Posted 15:28 8th May 2008
Bradley Clasper (Newcastle United fan) says...
Once again the media are blowing things totally out of proportion. KK is right. We cant even think about the breaking into the top 4. UEFA Cup is a realistic goal. Strengthen the defense, get a quality right sided midfielder and get rid of geremi. maybe in about 3 or 4 yrs we could challenge the top 4 but at the moment i would settle for top 6 or 7.
Posted 14:46 8th May 2008
Fraser Mitchell (Portsmouth fan) says...
KK is right in what he said - I think he is trying to dampen fans aspirations and quite rightly so as some will be expecting him to perform miracles. The truth is that even with Ashley's money Newcastle are light years away from Chelsea and Man U and a few seasons behind Liverpool and Arsenal. He was probably also trying to draw a reaction from Ashley, which he has clearly got. The interesting thing will be to see if he will still be there come the start of next season. I predict he will not and that Wise will take over....
Posted 14:44 8th May 2008
Boss Johnson (Aston Villa fan) says...
I think KK is playing his chances down a bit too much here. Out of all the PL Clubs Newcastle are clearly the only club capable of breaking into the Champions League positions. After all, they have finished in the top 4, I believe, 5 times since KK brought them into the PL. No other club outside of Chelsea, Manure, Arsenal or Liverpool have managed this. I don't think Villa or spurs are capable of doing this. Villa may make some ground up on Newcastle but it is an accepted fact that when Villa play Newcastle we always expect to loose. Look at the players Spurs have and look where spurs have finished in the PL. Newcastle have had a poor season by their standards and are only three points behind spurs who have had an average spurs style season. Villa are on the up, Newcastle are the benchmark to beat and spurs make the numbers up.
Posted 13:40 8th May 2008
David Wray (Middlesbrough fan) says...
Kevin Keegan is being a realist and sometimes the truth hurts. The fortunes of Newcastle have been fanned by the media and, it has to be said, the inflated expectations of its fans. Keegan has done a good job of turning around what looked like being a disastrous season but that is, indeed, a million miles from a top-4 finish. Newcastle United does not, and never has had, a divine right to occupy a top spot in the Premier League. It's a club with a glorious past, but so are Leeds, Leicester and Nottingham Forest, among others. It will take a lot more than stable management to shift Toon up the table.
Posted 13:36 8th May 2008
Ross Cummings (Newcastle United fan) says...
Simple!! get your cheque book out Mr Ashley! Show us your commitment. Forget all this going to do a leeds rubbish, Leeds poor managment top to bottom (sorry leeds fans but i would hope you agree) Seperate the wheat from the chaff kev, 5-6 new faces of passionate commited players, its a starting point. After all big sam said Rome wasnt built in a day !!! Lets get a grip and show this apparent top four what we can do.
Posted 13:09 8th May 2008
Graham Bell (Newcastle United fan) says...
I think KK is spot on actually. 5/6th or 7th is very acheivable and a good jump off point for an assault on the top 4 the season after next. The problem is the players who you can get at the moment. I don't think the money or wages is the problem. It's the mentality of the players themselves. This day and age a world class player don't seem to be bothered about "working for their money". They would rather sit on the bench half the season and collect a winners medal anyway as apposed to playing week in week out on the pitch and putting the effort in! The problem is the agents are short sighted and see a potential winners medal as a selling point to the bigger clubs for their clients/players regardless if they actually kicked a ball towards it or not! Long gone now are the days that a player was concerned about being in the first 11 and you can thank the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona, Man Utd, Real Madrid for that "mega team" attitude now. So who should KK try and buy? Well I would think it would be very wise to get proven premiership players (something Big Sam couldn't get a grasp of)and some names that spring to mind are: John Arne Riisje LB, Jermaine Pennant RW, Wes Brown CB, Richard Dunne RCB, Stewart Downing LW..... Add to the players we want to keep at newcastle and there is your top 5 finish. Then to strengthen the squad further Bafetimbi Gomis CF, Alves CB, Jean Makoun CM, Jimmy Briand CAM, Achilles Emana CDM... Add those players and introduce them steadily throughout the season (something Big Sam couldn't get a grasp of either) and you will have a top 3 club the season after! Player that should be sold to off set the cost... Carr, Ramage, N'Zogbia, Geremi, Cacapa, Barton and dare I say it... Milner.
Posted 11:47 8th May 2008
Tony Hughes says...
Kevin is 100% correct in his comments regarding the top 4 and the boring nature of the Premiership. Oh for a return to the days where we would witness British players providing real football entertainment, blood and guts on the pitch and mutual respect off the pitch. The influx of foreign players has softened the Premiership and aside from Manu and Arsenal added very little of the "continental flair" we were led to expect. If Kevin can build again with a "two dogs" midfield (AKA Batty and Lee) there may be some hope.
Posted 11:46 8th May 2008
Malcolm Robertson (Newcastle United fan) says...
I think Keegan was just being realistic knowing what a big task he has ahead of him and knows like most of the fans that it is not going to be a quick fix. I am just a bit disappointed that the focus of attention yet again is the backroom staff and problems between them and the manager when the focus should be entirely fixed on bringing in new faces as we have seen how tough it is to get the right player and also make it an atractive prospect for them. Modric and Woodgate both turned down more money at Newcastle to take less money but play European Football in the bright lights of London for Spurs.
Posted 11:44 8th May 2008
Chris Forshaw (Newcastle United fan) says...
Newcastle ALREADY have a world class strike force (owen & martins) and a top level midfield. A stronger centre half partner for taylor and a decent set of wing backs would surely mean a top 8 finish if consistency could be achieved. If Everton can challenge Liverpool on a relative shoe string and some shrewd deals i don't see why Spurs, Newcastle, Villa or anyone with strong, consistent coaching shouldn't be edging Liverpool and Arsenal to the line (3rd/4th spot) without being over ambitious
Posted 11:40 8th May 2008
J Richardson (Newcastle United fan) says...
Just look at Chelsea's bench on Monday, Lampard, Ashley Cole Schevenco ect then at Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool squads it would take 100s of millions for Newcastle to match their squad, so how can Keegans comments raise so much debate, unless serious money is spent we can never match those four. Times have changed from KK'S first spell in charge, the premiership has become somewhat predictable, and YES if your not a supporter of the top four somewhat boring, perhaps we need a trophy for finnishing 5th!!!!
Posted 11:40 8th May 2008
Phil Round says...
I'm an Aston Villa supporter and we will soon be hoping to gatecrash the top 4 but i think Keegan is talking a lot of sense. He is right, Toon are a million miles away from the top 4, just simply because of no stability at the club! But if he can lead them to the top 4, then fair play. But i think Villa or Spurs have the best chance breaking the cycle because of we have a core at the club, both have substantial investment within playing staff and facilities and both have boardroom stability to an extent! Also, both have top class mangers with proven track records. Where as keegan is a nearly man, nearly won them the league, nearly won them the cup, nearly won something for england! The top 4 will be gatecrashed but like i said, it will be villa of spurs!
Posted 11:30 8th May 2008
Barry Hinchliffe (Manchester United fan) says...
Keegan is right in what he says but it is not just about the money, geography comes into the equation. World class players have only got eyes for London and this has proved a drawback for Man Utd on previous occasions
Posted 11:29 8th May 2008
John Bolton (Manchester United fan) says...
Married to a Geordie,I know this isn't what their fans want to hear from their manager.I'm sure the realists out there probably agree with what Keegan said.However,fans of any club want to start a fresh season full of optimism and not feeling as though they're out of it before a ball is kicked.Besides if the players already know that their manager is not expecting 100% assault on the league,how will they be motivated to do so? Bythe way,Geremi was Chelsea's best player on Sunday!Rolled over like Grants lap dog!
Posted 10:21 8th May 2008
Mark Dixon (Newcastle United fan) says...
If im honest i think Kevs right, Why should we Newcastle fans be even contemplating a top 4 spot next season....That would be ridiculous. I think the Uefa cup is sensible but even that is asking alot of the team after the last few seasons. Yes Keegan has seemingly made a big difference to the current squad but do any honest Newcastle fans really see him signing the Big names and taking us into the top 4?? The only way anyone can really break the top 4 is if they spend Huge amounts of money on quality players and unfortunatly the reason we cant all compete is because of the Champions League. the sooner that competition becomes an actual champions league the better, that way the league would be more competitive..I mean why should Liverpool and Arsenal be in the champions League next year after their League campaign?? Whats champion about coming 3rd & 4th respectevly?? Nothing...Even 2nd place!! Why?? Champions League should be for champions only..So if its 2 teams that we enter it should be the Winners of the League and the national cup (FA cup, Spanish Cup etc etc) That way the league would be a hell of alot more competitive..
Posted 10:15 8th May 2008
Katy Heaton (Newcastle United fan) says...
I think, as usual, the press have blown this all out of proportion. He was merely stating a fact that many of us Newcastle fans are aware of. We sing "when we get to Europe" not "we're gonna win the league"! We're not totally deluded. Having said that it was a shame for such an optimist like Kev to come out and say it. On the Keegan/Ashley front, I don't think for one minute they didn't sit down and talk about this before Kev agreed to come back. He said he had spoken to the owner etc and they both wanted the same thing. That won't have changed. Why would he need to speak to Ashley? Mort holds the purse strings. Ashely turns up week in week out in his Toon shirt - I'm sure if he had 'issues' he wouldn't do that. Stop stirring it and leave the club to get on with things in private.
Posted 10:10 8th May 2008
Neil Pringle (Newcastle United fan) says...
KK is spot on, you have to buy (and buy well) just to stand still in the premiership, ie to maintain your league position season to season. Newcastle need to be able to attract several top quality players to get into the top six, and that's not easy without the lure of European football. To break into the big four and dominate, as Chelsea did at the beginning of the Abramovich era, a club needs to attract the biggest names in the world. Arsenal are the only exception, with their nous for poaching the globe's best teenagers,
Posted 10:04 8th May 2008
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