Newcastle want Keegan to stay

2008-09-02 21:15

Newcastle - Newcastle United denied on Tuesday that manager Kevin Keegan had been sacked and said the English Premier League club want him to remain in his job.

"For the avoidance of doubt the club has not sacked Kevin Keegan as manager," the English Premier League club said in a statement, adding it hoped he would stay on "to play an instrumental role as manager of the club."

Media reports had claimed both that Keegan, 57, had been dismissed, and that he had resigned in the wake of meetings held following the club's failure to make any major signings before Monday's closure of the transfer window.

But Newcastle said in the statement on their website: "Newcastle United can confirm that meetings between members of the board and manager Kevin Keegan were held both yesterday and today.

"Kevin has raised a number of issues and those have been discussed with him. The club wants to keep progressing with its long-term strategy and would like to stress that Kevin is extremely important, both now and in the future.

Instrumental role as manager

"Newcastle United values the effort and commitment shown by Kevin since his return to St James' Park and wants him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the club."

Angry supporters had gathered at the club's St James' Park stadium and chanted "sack the board" as they voiced their dissatisfaction at reports Keegan was to be sacked less than eight months after his high-profile return to Tyneside.

Reports said Keegan was disgruntled at Newcastle's failure to make three or four major signings as the transfer window closed on Monday.

The club's only business on deadline day was the 5.7m pound signing of Spanish striker Xisco and the loan signing of midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez.

In another apparent bone of contention, Keegan recently claimed James Milner would not be sold only for the midfielder to join Aston Villa in a 12m pound deal.

The former England and Manchester City boss, who managed the club from 1992 to 1997, delighted fans by returning for a second time to St James' Park in January to replace the sacked Sam Allardyce.

The club are 11th in the table with just four points from their opening three games.

- SAPA