Nobody leaves unless I say so – boss

Apr 26 2008 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United boss Kevin Keegan has insisted that there will be no surprise departures from St James’s Park this summer – and that includes Emre, the injury-jinxed midfielder he is yet to see the best of since his return to Tyneside.

So far speculation has centred on possible additions to Keegan’s squad, but the United manager believes departures are “inevitable” as he looks to reshape his squad with a view towards European qualification next term.

United’s improved form will have peaked the interest of the top flight’s so-called big four in some of the rejuvenated players in his squad, with Michael Owen’s goal-scoring run making him once again a viable target for any top European club in need of a proven goalscorer.

That may provoke some worry among United fans, but Owen remains highly unlikely to leave St James’s Park – and Keegan is sure his other marquee names will join the England international in staying put on Tyneside. Instead it will be some of his fringe players who will be pruned from his squad – but only if Keegan gives the move the green light.

“Departures are inevitable at a football club. There will be players coming here and there will be players going out,” he admitted. “While we are looking at other people’s players and saying, ‘We like him or we’d like to have him’, other people are doing that about our players. But there will not be surprises on that front. In other words – no one will leave here unless we want them to, but it is inevitable that some players will leave.”

Emre is at last back in training after recovering from a sprained ankle but Keegan is reluctant to rush him back into the first team.

That may mean he is packed off to Turkey’s Euro 2008 training camp to get fit for the Championships before the rest of his squad are released for the summer, but Keegan is keen that move is not seen as a sign Emre has no part to play next season. Dismissing reports the midfielder is unsettled, Keegan has insisted he will not be among the group of players he makes available for transfer.

“A lot of people say he has been unsettled but I don’t see an unsettled player here. I see a player who is obviously very keen to play at Euro 2008, which he will for Turkey,” he said. “If he does not play in the next two weeks, I will let him go a week early to their training camp because I do not want to keep him around here if he is not going to be involved.

“And with the way the team is playing, that may be the case, so that is the discussion I have had with Emre. If it suits Newcastle, he will go early. It will be good for him to get the games.”