The YouTube signing that cost Newcastle £2m

Oct 3 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

KEVIN Keegan’s return as Newcastle United manager last year was the dream appointment that has turned into a reoccurring nightmare for Mike Ashley and the regime he presides over.

When an FA panel ruled in Keegan’s favour yesterday it not only awarded the former Magpies boss £2m in compensation for constructive dismissal it gave a unique insight into the flaws and failings of the management Ashley has since discarded.

It has been more than 12 months since Keegan walked out on the club in protest at boardroom interference in player recruitment, but still the ramifications of that dark day are reverberating around Tyneside.

No matter how many times the club tries to move on; no matter how hard we try to judge a football club solely on performances and results, we are brought back to this dispute and the bitter clashes between those involved.

Given the horrendous blunders and the dreadful errors in judgment made by the key players, it seems ridiculous Ashley ever considered fighting Keegan’s claim for constructive dismissal.

At the crux of the dispute was Keegan’s complaint he did not have the final say on transfers, yet at no point do the arguments made by Ashley and his companions convincingly suggest he did. At various times the panel referred to contradictions in the club’s defence, with various witnesses – which included Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez, Chris Mort, Derek Llambias and Tony Vetere – saying different things at different times.

In fact, rather than fight against this assertion, Ashley’s defence instead argued Keegan had accepted the job knowing he would not be in charge of player recruitment.

At best, Keegan misunderstood what was expected of him, at worst he was deliberately misled. He did know about the intention to put a specialist recruitment team in place shortly after his own appointment, although he clearly believed he would have overall say on transfer policy.

Although there were tensions behind the scenes relating to the arrival of players like Argentinean pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez, the relationship between Keegan and the board broke down completely when Uruguay midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez was signed by Executive Director (Football) Dennis Wise vehemently against his wishes.

The panel described this deal “as the straw that broke the camel’s back” and claimed the club proceeded with the deal even though it “appreciated that proceeding with it against this (sic) wishes may well lead to his resignation.”

The deal was a major insult to Keegan who was told by Wise to “look up the player on You Tube” and that the deal was done as a commercial “favour” to two agents who would look favourably on the club in the future.

As the evidence unfolded during a two-week hearing, it became increasingly obvious Ashley did not have a leg to stand on, particularly when the club’s own official publications, and the public comments made by senior figures at St James’s Park, were used against them.