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Keegan hits back against Newcastle assertions

07/09/2008

Kevin Keegan has responded to assertions made by Newcastle United about his departure from the club on Thursday.

Last night the Magpies denied they had gone behind Keegan's back to sign players on transfer deadline day and claimed that it was never in the manager's contract to be in charge of signings.

The club claim they had an agreement for Keegan to work within the structure of a director of football.

However, the League Managers Association (LMA) claims that although Keegan agreed to the transfers being negotiated by others at the club, the arrangement did not extend to players he did not want being bought without his knowledge or consent.

Richard Bevan, LMA chief executive, said: "Kevin Keegan's chief complaint, amongst others, is that it was always agreed that the director of football could not impose a player that the manager did not want.

"This agreement has been broken and, notwithstanding the fact that the chairman at the time of Kevin Keegan's appointment, the director of football and the owner of Newcastle United, have confirmed previously in public meetings and publications, that he would always have the final say."

Keegan was known to desire more full-backs at the club but after the transfer window closed on Monday there was still only one recognised left-back at the club while the Magpies actually signed striker Xisco from Deportivo La Coruna and midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez from Valencia.

Keegan claims that although he agreed to work with a director of football he did not expect to be excluded completely from the transfer activity.

He said: "At the time at which I joined Newcastle United football club it was made very clear to me that I would have the final say on player movement in and out of the club."

The former England manager is also believed to have been angered by Michael Owen's potential transfer out of the club on Monday.