Joe Kinnear lines up two £4m buys for NUFC

Jan 15 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

JOE Kinnear hopes to bury the bad news of Newcastle United’s FA Cup exit under the announcement of two £4m signings today.

The unfortunate Magpies lost 1-0 to Hull City in last night’s third round replay but their manager is hoping for better news on the transfer front. Having persuaded the club’s backers to provide extra funds in the transfer window, he hopes to spend it all today, on Stephane Mbia and Albin Ebondo.

“We’ve made two serious efforts for decent money on players – two £4m offers,” he revealed last night. “We made the bids yesterday, they’re considering it now. We’ll probably end up spending at the moment, unless anything else happens, £10m.”

The extra cash could come from the sale of Geremi. The Cameroon midfielder is considering an offer, thought to be from Besiktas.

Kinnear had been expected to raise all the money he spent on transfer this month through sales, but persuaded Mike Ashley of the need for extra funds in a meeting on Tuesday evening.

“I said to Mike I’d identified the two players and told him the price,” he added. “Whatever there is from outgoing players will add to them. We’re hoping to find out on Thursday on the two players coming in.

“I said one of them was very crucial to us at the moment. He plays for Cameroon, he’s a decent player, 6ft 2in, powerful. I just thought he would add something else to us. We’ve spoken to the club he plays for, fingers crossed they accept it.”

That was understood to be a reference to Rennes’ Mbia, while Toulouse right-back Ebondo is thought to be the other target.

Events on the field, however, did not go well for Newcastle last night. Hull’s win, earned totally against the run of play by Daniel Cousin’s 81st-minute tap-in, was their first in the third round of the FA Cup since 1989.

“We were the better team by miles, by miles,” reflected Kinnear. “We missed at least five clear-cut chances.

“Michael (Owen, the chief culprit) being the finisher he is, you would have thought he would have put away at least one of the chances he had.” Nicky Butt headed against the bar from a free-kick but the most notable incident of the first half was a flashpoint between Kinnear and opposite number Phil Brown.

The pair clashed when South Shields-born Brown applauded the booking for Fabricio Coloccini’s foul on Cousin. “I

don’t know why I was sent off,” said Kinnear. “We just had words. He (Brown) had plenty to say and I answered.

“He didn’t actually say anything to me. He was having a rant at Chris (Hughton, Kinnear’s assistant). He wasn’t saying too many pleasant things to him. I just said to him, ‘Enough’ and sent Chris to sit down. I don’t know if my reputation precedes me.”

Brown explained: “I was contesting the fact that every time the ball came to Danny Cousin the centre-half kept coming through the back of him. They did not think that was the case in their dug-out.

“They were arguing Cousin was diving. I know the lad and he’s not the type to do that.”

Kinnear is still waiting to hear what punishment he faces for calling Martin Atkinson a “Mickey Mouse referee” at Fulham, and for his last dismissal, against Stoke City. He is contesting the latter charge, but not the former.

Brown’s number two, Brian Horton, claimed Hull were owed their fortune after outplaying Newcastle in the original game between the pair, which ended 0-0.

“They rode their luck at our place because Shay (Given) saved them there,” he pointed out.

The Tigers will now entertain Millwall in round four. They should have Kevin Kilbane in their ranks against Arsenal at the weekend after the former Sunderland winger had a medical yesterday and is expected to complete his move from Wigan Athletic.

Newcastle’s players wore black armbands last night in honour of the late Tommy Casey, part of the last United team to win the FA Cup, in 1955.

Casey, the club’s 10th oldest surviving player until his death on Sunday, aged 78, played 134 times for the Magpies between 1952 and 1958, scoring 10 goals.

WIGAN chief executive Brenda Spencer does not expect in-demand striker Emile Heskey to leave in the transfer window after claiming the player pledged to stay until at least the summer.

Heskey, who is out of contract in the summer, has been linked with former club Liverpool and Aston Villa in recent weeks.

Manager Steve Bruce has stressed he wants to keep his squad intact and remains hopeful the England international will sign a new deal.

It now seems unlikely the 31-year-old will leave this month.

“I think Emile has been fantastic for us,” said Spencer. “When we bought him from Birmingham people thought we were mad but he has been an absolute gem for us and has done well for himself.

“He is a fantastic pro and we would be sorry to lose him in the summer if he goes.”

Kinnear close to double swoop