So Why Keegan?

Following on from my post of earlier today (below), here are some of the reasons I'd like to see Kevin Keegan installed as manager of Newcastle United.

1. He loves the club.

Not just in a shirt-kissing way that some footballers do when they want to get the fans onside just before a big money move to one of their local rivals (and yes Alan Smith, I am looking at you here), but in a mind-blowing, can't-talk-about-it-without-getting-misty-eyed kind of way. Witness how utterly important Newcastle winning the Premiership was to him, and how he was so totally destroyed when we lost to Man Utd.

That is the kind of uber loyalty money just cannot buy. It's the same kind of thing we had when Sir Bobby Robson was at the helm (and I still cannot believe Fat Freddie Shepherd had the gall to sack him and replace him with Souness, but that's another story) and you knew he cared when the results weren't going the right way. I'm sure it's the same thing Alan Shearer would have if he were manager some day (but not today, he's not got any experience).

2. He's played for the club.

Sounds a weird reason, but think about it for a moment. Unless you've played for Newcastle United and felt what comes off the stands when things are going right - and wrong - how are you going to know what the players are feeling? How can you possibly be a man manager without knowing exactly you wanted to hear in the same situation?

Better than many possible managers, Keegan hasn't played for one of our major rivals (unlike the not sorely missed Allardyce who'd played for Sunderland) or managed a minor one (I cannot believe anyone is seriously thinking we'd go for McLaren after he'd been in charge of Boro).

3. He's managed the club.

Again, a very odd reason, but the logic from above stands. Unless you've managed Newcastle United before - and the hype was even bigger when Keegan was in charge than it is now (remember the Adidas & Sugar Puffs adverts?) - you have no way of knowing just how much the press and every single person from the North East is going to analyse every single thing you do.

Saying that, there's not a great deal of managers we'd welcome back with open arms - Souness I'm looking at you here - but Keegan and Robson would definitely be two of them. Even Roeder if he was installed back as the Academy boss (he oversaw the development of two current first teamers and many more who could yet make the grade).

No-one understands the pressure cooker of being Newcastle boss better than Keegan. It nearly killed him the last time, and he's older and wiser now.

4. He's currently not in management.

Since resigning from Manchester City, Keegan has been out of club management. To some people this means he's not got his finger on the pulse and is out of touch with current methods of training. To me, this means he's had time to develop and hone the training methods he was previously successful with and isn't in the thrall of the latest fad.

Handily, and I'm sure this will be something to appeal to Mike Ashley, it also means that we won't have to pay cash money to another club in order to get him. Very handy seeing as we're having to pay a reported £6 million to Allardyce for terminating his contract, and Portsmouth wanted the same amount if we'd taken Redknapp off them. Let's keep the money to buy decent players, shall we?

5. He's likely to resign.

Not a great reason, I have to admit, but it makes further financial sense.

Keegan quit Newcastle after deciding he couldn't take them any further. We'd finished second in the league twice in quick succession. Souness was sacked after such highlights as losing 3-0 to Man City, Gullit after losing to the Mackems, Roeder after losing an FA Cup replay to the then lower league Birmingham. They all cost us money to get rid of. Keegan went for free.

Keegan will either do the job brilliantly, and then quit. Or he will fail to achieve the standards he's set himself, and then quit. It will cost us NOTHING to terminate his contract, he'll do that himself.