Keegan: My Magpies return was a living nightmare
metro
Kevin Keegan: My return to Newcastle was an absolute living nightmare
Kevin Keegan has described his second spell as Newcastle manager as an absolute living nightmare and claimed the club will have no interest to him while Mike Ashley remains in charge.
Keegan, a favourite with fans during his playing days and a successful manager from 1992-97, returned in 2008 hoping to turn the teams fortunes around after a 12th- place finish the previous season.
I thought it could be good, but no, it was a nightmare, an absolute living nightmare, Keegan told former England cricketer Steve Harmison in an interview for Sky Sports.
In his first spell as manager, Keegan took Newcastle back to the Premier League and they finished second behind Manchester United in 1996.
During his second period, however, Keegan criticised the board for not giving him enough financial backing to break into the top four.
He was also angered by his complete lack of involvement in the loan- signing of Uruguayan midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez.
The former England manager originally said he had left voluntarily but later took the club and their owners to court for unfair dismissal.
Although criticised by some fans for the decision, he said he did not see it as a move against Newcastle.
I saw it as [owner] Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise, a guy called [Tony] Jimenez (former vice-president) and Derek Llambias (current managing director), he said.
Keegans dispute with the club was resolved in 2009 when he was awarded £2million by the Premier Leagues arbitration tribunal.
The 62-year-old, who has not managed since, refused to rule out a return to the Magpies, although he would only consider it if Ashley left.
Until they leave that football club, it has no interest for me, he said.
They are not that football club. They are just the custodians who are in for a few years. It might be five, ten or six. But Newcastle United will go on after Mike Ashley.
Kevin Keegan has described his second spell as Newcastle manager as an absolute living nightmare and claimed the club will have no interest to him while Mike Ashley remains in charge.
Keegan, a favourite with fans during his playing days and a successful manager from 1992-97, returned in 2008 hoping to turn the teams fortunes around after a 12th- place finish the previous season.
I thought it could be good, but no, it was a nightmare, an absolute living nightmare, Keegan told former England cricketer Steve Harmison in an interview for Sky Sports.
In his first spell as manager, Keegan took Newcastle back to the Premier League and they finished second behind Manchester United in 1996.
During his second period, however, Keegan criticised the board for not giving him enough financial backing to break into the top four.
He was also angered by his complete lack of involvement in the loan- signing of Uruguayan midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez.
The former England manager originally said he had left voluntarily but later took the club and their owners to court for unfair dismissal.
Although criticised by some fans for the decision, he said he did not see it as a move against Newcastle.
I saw it as [owner] Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise, a guy called [Tony] Jimenez (former vice-president) and Derek Llambias (current managing director), he said.
Keegans dispute with the club was resolved in 2009 when he was awarded £2million by the Premier Leagues arbitration tribunal.
The 62-year-old, who has not managed since, refused to rule out a return to the Magpies, although he would only consider it if Ashley left.
Until they leave that football club, it has no interest for me, he said.
They are not that football club. They are just the custodians who are in for a few years. It might be five, ten or six. But Newcastle United will go on after Mike Ashley.
