INSTILLING a desire and professional pride in Newcastle United's play came easily for Joe Kinnear, but even fighting back from two goals down at Everton yesterday to claim a draw could not turn attentions away from the interim manager's fall-out with newspaper journalists. A 52-expletive rant at pressmen last week has already passed into football folklore, and Kinnear asserted that he will no longer conduct interviews with the written media.
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Watch Premier League video highlights hereWhile the League Managers Association and former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness led the criticism of Kin
near's stance, the fighting spirit shown on the field by his newly inherited players suggested the former Wimbledon manager is getting his message over loud and clear in the dressing room. Two goals down inside 35 minutes at Goodison Park, Newcastle claimed only their fifth point of the season thanks to a Steven Taylor header shortly before half-time and a Damien Duff strike soon after the restart.
Kinnear's day had begun badly enough with the LMA urging him to apologise for his expletive-laden outburst at journalists for printing 'lies'. Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek, LMA chief executive Richard Bevan said: "Whether it's a manager, owner or even supporter, such heavy use of language is unacceptable, when in a public arena. However, in Joe's case his conversation did start off the record and in a private meeting."
When asked if Kinnear should apologise, Bevan added: "If it wasn't a private meeting, then the answer is yes."
Kinnear himself refused to back down. "I've got to hold my hands up, I didn't think I'd be treated the way I have been with all the cheap shots," he said. "I didn't realise football had got to that stage. I've got a short temper, I've got a short fuse, I'm well aware of that. I say what I believe and I'm never going to change.
"There have been people saying I've had two heart attacks and I'm ready for a third, others saying I need my head examined. I didn't envisage any of this, not in the slightest, and maybe I'm naive because of that.
"I was in a state of shock and just couldn't believe it, it's sickening. I can see why people say Newcastle is one of the most difficult clubs in the country to manage."
After yesterday's match, Kinnear honoured his obligation to speak to the written press, but made clear he had no intention of doing so again in his TV interview. "I want to make one thing clear to everybody, I am not interested in doing the press any more while I am at the club," said Kinnear on Sky Sports.
"I will do television, I will do radio and that way the stories that are going round will make me a lot happier. Anything I have got to say to you (TV] will be the truth. What is happening in the press at the moment is scandalous. Nothing has ever been said that is true.
"Most of the stuff that is flying around, they are digging up every Tom, Dick and Harry that used to play for me that I either sacked or got rid of. It is a little bit spiteful.
"I don't mind being criticised on results but the state of things before I walked into the club was outrageous and I am not accepting that. If we start doing well and they start looking for me again the answer is no. I have come to a club that has lost five out of the last seven games, morale rock bottom. I have got a big job to do."
In response, former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness said: "He's wrong. You can't group them all (the press] and say, 'You're all bad, I'm not speaking to you'. It is a difficult, difficult job up there but all the press are not bad.
"My advice to him would be to work out who the good ones are, the ones who are going to give you a fair crack of the whip, and go from there.
"I can understand where Joe is coming from, when I was at Newcastle some of them were outrageous. There are some things up there that take place, with ex-professionals, ex-players, who go out of their way to make life difficult for the players and the managers, and the coaches.
"It is as if they take great delight in causing problems. They talk about Newcastle being a soap opera, and it is."
Yesterday's script began ominously like the one against Blackburn last weekend. It was almost too easy for Everton in the opening stages, Newcastle's defence seeming only to have been introduced to each other that very morning. The panic and indecision that pervaded their play led to midfielder Nicky Butt chopping down Everton full-back Leighton Baines in the box, and Mikel Arteta converted the penalty on 17 minutes.
Baines created the second on 35 minutes with a whipped cross into the near post, and although Marouane Fellaini deserves credit for his athletic finish off the underside of the crossbar, it owed much to the lack of confidence in Newcastle's ranks that the Italian could even reach the ball before Shay Given or his defence.
Everton, however, do not have their own problems to seek. After much delay, manager David Moyes is poised to committed to a new contract but his previously excellent defensive unit appears intent on relieving him of his duties in the near future. Having exited the Uefa Cup against Standard Liege on Thursday night and loitereing at the wrong end of the Barclays Premier League table, it did not take much for Everton's fragile confidence to shatter. On the stroke of half-time, a deep cross from Geremi found Taylor at the back post, and the Newcastle captain bulleted a header beyond Tim Howard in the home goal.
Two minutes into the second half and Newcastle were level. Everton's offside trap failed allowing Taylor to break free down the right and after being afforded time to steady himself he picked out Duff for a sidefoot finish from six yards out.
The Irishman's sprint back towards the centre circle in celebration suggested Newcastle believed a winner was possible, and although that proved elusive, the player's reaction was encouragement for a long-suffering travelling support, who remain steadfastly opposed to Kinnear's appointment and the presence of owner Mike Ashley and director of football Dennis Wise at the club.
The banner 'Cockney Mafia Out' was again displayed by the Toon Army, and Ashley is more than willing to concede to their demands. The owner has told potential buyers, which includes investors and businessmen from America and the Far and Middle East, they must give a clear indication they want to make a bid by tomorrow.
The asking price remains £250-300million and Ashley is hopeful a deal will be completed by the middle of November. Kinnear is expected to stay until a transfer ownership, but the freeze on speaking to the press is unlikely to have thawed by then.
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Osman, Fellaini, Pienaar (Vaughan 84), Saha (Anichebe 72), Yakubu. Subs Not Used: Nash, Yobo, Castillo, Nuno Valente, Rodwell. Booked: Fellaini.
Newcastle: Given, Taylor, Coloccini, Cacapa, Jose Enrique (Bassong 39), Geremi (Ameobi 75), Butt, Guthrie, N'Zogbia, Owen, Duff. Subs Not Used: Harper, Xisco, Edgar, Doninger, Donaldson. Booked: N'Zogbia, Butt, Geremi.
The full article contains 1253 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
