Keegan attacks Viduka bust-up claims

Mar 14 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

KEVIN Keegan has moved to quash rumours that he has a difficult relationship with Newcastle striker Mark Viduka as the Australian prepares to finally return to the United side against Birmingham City next week.

Viduka has only started 11 games since his Bosman-style free transfer switch from Middlesbrough in the summer and has not been named in the starting line-up since the 4-1 FA Cup win over Stoke on January 16, the day Keegan returned as manager. But Keegan is adamant the 32-year-old is finally approaching match fitness as he strongly denied the player had done anything to upset him since he returned to St James’s Park.

Some had interpreted Keegan’s previous comments regarding Viduka’s inability to train as a veiled criticism of the striker’s attitude, but that was quickly dismissed yesterday. “Can I just say that most of the stuff written about this club is tosh, absolute rubbish and that’s just another case,” he said when asked if he could clarify what had gone on behind the scenes at St James’s Park with the former Leeds and Middlesbrough star.

“I get on really well with Mark, we’ve never had a bust-up with any player at this club, and that’s the truth, he just hasn’t been fit. He’s come back from one thing and then got another thing and they’ve all been genuine. All the other stuff you’ve seen is absolute garbage.

“He’s my kind of player. I like him as a player. He’s got this fantastic ability to score goals in tight situations and to score goals at important times. That’s what wins you football matches.

“You saw Fernando Torres the other night score a goal (against Inter Milan) when a lot of players would have taken another touch and moved across, and Mark comes into that category. He doesn’t need a lot of space, he can do the unexpected. It’s a massive bonus having him back for the last 10 games.”

With United struggling to score goals since Keegan returned – they have managed three in eight games so far – as well as failing to keep them out at the other end, Keegan is keen to see Viduka rebuild his partnership with Michael Owen.

The pairing has, generally, looked United’s best attacking spearhead this season, but injuries have meant they have only managed nine appearances together and only a handful of those have seen them both start the game. However, of those nine, the Magpies have only lost three.

And while sections of United’s support are desperate to see Obafemi Martins given an extended run in the side alongside either striker, Keegan is convinced Viduka and Owen have the ability to fire the club to safety.

He explained: “If he’d been fit and available, Mark is the kind of player you want on your team sheet every week. You always want your best players available, but forwards who can score you goals and win you football matches, who have experience, yes, you need them especially.

“That’s not been the case up to now, but it’s a 10-game season for us now. That’s what we’ve told the players. Forget what’s happened beforehand, the only thing that matters is the last 10 games and that’s what we’re focusing on. If we can have a fit Mark Viduka for the last 10 games, that’ll be a huge bonus for us.

“When you look back over the season, when Michael has played with Mark, I think the results have been pretty good but, for different reasons, unfortunately they’ve not been paired together much.

“One’s had an injury, then the other. Maybe for the last eight or 10 games we can look at a partnership there that’s going to score goals. There’s definitely goals in it.”

Keegan was hit by the news that James Milner will miss the trip to St Andrew’s on Monday after being ruled out for up to three weeks with a badly bruised foot, but is confident Viduka will be involved.

He added: “At the moment, it looks as though he’ll definitely be involved.

“We’ve tried to work on fitness and bringing him back in a way that doesn’t blast him out. We can’t be too intense with him. So far that’s good. He’s trained. We’ve always erred on the side of caution up to now, but come Saturday and Sunday, he should be ready.”