Keegan returns to newcastle - I bet fergies loving it!
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:02 pmKeegan Returns to Newcastle
Keegan in shock Newcastle return
Newcastle have confirmed that Kevin Keegan will make a dramatic return to manage the club.
The 56-year-old former Manchester City boss managed the Magpies from 1992 to 1997 and will return to St James' Park as Sam Allardyce's successor.
Gerard Houllier and Didier Deschamps were strongly linked with the position in the last two days but the club unexpectedly turned to Keegan.
He was initially linked only with a partnership role with Alan Shearer.
The ex-England coach was running his "Soccer Circus" in Glasgow after quitting his job at City in March 2005.
He was also linked with a return to the club last summer as director of football following Mike Ashley's takeover.
Keegan told BBC Sport in October that he was unlikely to manage a team again.
But he returns to Newcastle, having said on Monday: "I'm not ruling myself out or in. It's a club I love, everyone knows that."
Keegan took Newcastle to promotion back to the top flight in 1993 and came close to winning the league title in the 1995-96 season when they led Manchester United by 12 points before finishing as runners up.
He went on to manage Fulham, England and Manchester City but has not managed again since leaving City.
A sign of how highly regarded Keegan is on Tyneside was reflected in a statement on the Newcastle website: "Geordie messiah to be unveiled as new United manager."
Harry Redknapp had been first choice for Ashley and chairman Chris Mort but he last week opted to stay at Portsmouth.
Shearer was also touted as a possible replacement for Allardyce, but the former captain said earlier on Wednesday that Newcastle did not want him as their next manager because he lacks experience.
Shearer said he had yet to speak to Keegan about a possible return to St James' Park, but praised his managerial record during his five-year spell.
"He is highly thought of in Newcastle and rightly so because of what he did for the club," Shearer said.
"Kevin did something special, he's a special person with special charisma."
Keegan in shock Newcastle return
Newcastle have confirmed that Kevin Keegan will make a dramatic return to manage the club.
The 56-year-old former Manchester City boss managed the Magpies from 1992 to 1997 and will return to St James' Park as Sam Allardyce's successor.
Gerard Houllier and Didier Deschamps were strongly linked with the position in the last two days but the club unexpectedly turned to Keegan.
He was initially linked only with a partnership role with Alan Shearer.
The ex-England coach was running his "Soccer Circus" in Glasgow after quitting his job at City in March 2005.
He was also linked with a return to the club last summer as director of football following Mike Ashley's takeover.
Keegan told BBC Sport in October that he was unlikely to manage a team again.
But he returns to Newcastle, having said on Monday: "I'm not ruling myself out or in. It's a club I love, everyone knows that."
Keegan took Newcastle to promotion back to the top flight in 1993 and came close to winning the league title in the 1995-96 season when they led Manchester United by 12 points before finishing as runners up.
He went on to manage Fulham, England and Manchester City but has not managed again since leaving City.
A sign of how highly regarded Keegan is on Tyneside was reflected in a statement on the Newcastle website: "Geordie messiah to be unveiled as new United manager."
Harry Redknapp had been first choice for Ashley and chairman Chris Mort but he last week opted to stay at Portsmouth.
Shearer was also touted as a possible replacement for Allardyce, but the former captain said earlier on Wednesday that Newcastle did not want him as their next manager because he lacks experience.
Shearer said he had yet to speak to Keegan about a possible return to St James' Park, but praised his managerial record during his five-year spell.
"He is highly thought of in Newcastle and rightly so because of what he did for the club," Shearer said.
"Kevin did something special, he's a special person with special charisma."
