KINNEAR TAKES CHARGE: FANS SAY LATEST DECISION BY ASHLEY WILL BE DEATH OF THEIR BELOVED CLUB; Toon at 'rock bottom'

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 27, 2008

Byline: By DAVID OLD

TOON fans today voiced their doubts over claims a management dream team is being lined up to run Newcastle United.

Supporters are refusing to be won over by interim boss Joe Kinnear's comments yesterday that fans' favourites Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer were getting ready to take over managerial duties next month.

The speculation came as agent Chris Nathaniel fuelled optimism that a Nigerian consortium was on the brink of agreeing a takeover bid for the club.

Yesterday's surprise appointment of former Wimbledon boss Kinnear was the latest twist in a turbulent time at St James's Park.

The 61-year-old Dubliner, who last managed at Nottingham Forrest in 2004, was approached just 24 hours after former Spurs team-mate Terry Venables rejected the offer of a game-by-game deal at the club.

But the latest developments have left even die-hard fans bemused.

Michael Martin, who runs True Faith magazine, slammed the move and warned the club was "hitting rock bottom".

"It is a mad appointment," he said. "What has Joe Kinnear ever done in management? He's not even in good health for the pressures of taking on Newcastle United.

"I think Mike Ashley has put the club in its death throes.

"There are lots of other people Ashley could have turned to. We've hit rock bottom.

"Personally, I think it could work better if Keegan was given Dennis Wise's current role. Shearer could then be manager which he may prefer. It could work well because Keegan has rarely signed a bad player."

Greg Tunney, of the Toon Ultras fans group, said: "I would love to see Keegan or Shearer come back, but I can't see it. I don't think Shearer wants the job yet and there's too much water under the bridge now for Kev to return."

Michael Ord, a spokesman for the newly-formed Newcastle United Supporters' Club, urged fans to take the stop-gap appointment as a sign that Ashley was close to sealing a sale.

"It would be unfair to expect a big name to come to the club for four weeks, so maybe he's the best we could have hoped for," he said.

"The one good thing about this appointment is that Kin-near has been told he'd have the job for a month. That says to me that a takeover is imminent and that's the most important thing."

Magpies' goalkeeper Shay Given also appeared unconvinced at the latest developments.

When asked if he was pleased with the situation, he said: "Pleased? No, I mean the club is still up for sale and we haven't got a permanent manager, so I wouldn't say pleased.

"It's going somewhere, I suppose, but I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

While Keegan's return cannot be entirely ruled out, it has been claimed that former Newcastle and England captain Shearer was "in the dark" about his proposed new role.

Shearer - who rejected a coaching role this year - is understood to have no interest in such a career turn.

Rumours of a potential takeover still remained tainted with uncertainty today.

It is understood investors from China, the US and the Middle East have approached Seymour Pierce, the investment bank charged this week with handling the sale of Newcastle United.

But Kinnear stated yesterday that a Nigerian consortium is owner Mike Ashley's "first choice".

That four-man group is being led by Chris Nathaniel, the head of NVA Management and Obafemi Martins' agent. It is understood an offer of more than pounds 200m has been lodged.

He said: "It's up to Newcastle now - the consortium have put an offer in. We will still have to go through all the legal side of it and due diligence I needs to be carried out. "These people know J what they are doing I and are very enthusiastic about Newcastle."

Since news of Kin-near's arrival spread across the city, fans have been flooding our website www.chroniclelive.co.uk with messages.

Paul Patterson wrote: "This is an absolute farce, I know it's only for a while but, come on, this has just proved that the whole club has become a comedy."

Fan Ray Mos-som disagrees, writing: "Let's get real here, no-one wanted to manage the Toon under the conditions that prevail now.

"The club is being sold so let's stop moaning and get behind Kinnear and the team and give them some real Geordie support."

CAPTION(S):

TEMPORARY: Kinnear in his playing days