Why Kevin Keegan is so loved by Newcastle United

He’s back! Last week the soccer fraternity was abuzz with news of the return of Kevin Keegan as manager of troubled Newcastle United.

Keegan first became Newcastle’s manager from Feb 1992 to Jan 1997. During his tenure, he was responsible for the club’s promotion to the Premiership as Division One champions.

He then saw Newcastle blew a 12-point lead at the top of the Premiership and finish second to Manchester United in 1996. This is the club’s highest finish since 1927 when it won its last league title.

Disappointed, he resigned in January 1997 but remains hugely popular and well-loved by Newcastle fans, better known as the Toons.

While Keegan exudes plenty of charisma and is proven both as a player and in management, he shows symptoms of a psychological flaw that causes his emotions to cloud his judgment.

This has resulted in him making oxymoronic statements which are as amusing as they are regrettable.

Take a look at some of his classics:

1) “Despite his white boots, he has real pace.”

2) “And that is his strength, his strength.”

3) “I’m not disappointed – just disappointed.”

4) “The tide is very much in our court now.”

5) “Chile have three points – they could win or they could lose.”

6) “I know what is around the corner – I just don’t know where the corner is.”

7) “The 33- or 34-year-olds will be 36 or 37 by the time the next World Cup comes around, if they’re not careful.”

8) “England have the best fans in the world and Scotland’s fans are second-to-none.”

9) “Argentina won’t be at Euro 2000 because they’re from South America.”

10) “They’re the second-best team in the world, and there’s no higher praise than that.”

11) “We deserved to win this game after hammering them 0 – 0 in the first half.”

12) “You get bunches of players like you do bananas, though that is a bad comparison.”