King Keegan?

Not so far. Another three goals scored by The Arse in last night's league game to match the same score they had on the weekend in the FA Cup. More doom and gloom for the Toon.

Particularly as they have just taken on that pint-sized runt, Dennis Wise (a beautiful oxymoron if ever I heard one) to help Newcastle sign players and develop their academy, as an executive director on "football-related" matters. I wonder how that is going to make Keegan feel as that is surely what he should be doing?

It seems he's not entirely sure either: On Monday, Keegan said he was "reluctant to tell all I know because I really do not know everything" about Wise's role but insisted he was "very happy" with the situation.

However, Keegan's comments seem to contradict the opinion he gave to BBC One's Inside Sport last October, when he said he felt that kind of structure is unworkable. When Keegan was asked about reports linking him with a return to Newcastle as director of football (surely Wise's new position?) under then-manager Sam Allardyce, he said:

"It's absolutely impossible to give Sam a job at Newcastle and then go and fetch someone who is going to be some sort of threat, it doesn't work. Sam would be a fool to let it happen and the guy who goes in would be a fool to accept it. The chairman, who is not a fool, would be a fool to go and do it, too. It doesn't work."

A kind of a Fool's Delight, you mean Kev?

And why Wise? A right nasty, surly piece of work who spent most of his career kicking lumps out of people, both on and off the pitch? More baffling as there is no role for the Tyneside hero, Shearer, either.

Newcastle remain in 12th spot, directly above their arch rivals Middlesbrough (13th ) and Sunderland (14th) and whilst winning the title may be out of the question, if they stay above both those teams at the end of the season, the fans will be more than delighted.


Newcastle have not scored a single goal since Keegan officially took over.