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From the outset, Kevin Keegan's appointment smacked of desperation and misplaced sentimentality. His first four games in charge had failed to reinvigorate the Geordie fans, although two of them were difficult games against high-flying Arsenal. It is probably a good thing that St. James' Park was not granted a dream start to Kevin Keegan's reign. It highlighted the problems at the club and left Newcastle fans with no illusions as to the enormity of the task at hand. However, I see Keegan as a stop gap measure and not one to take Newcastle forward.

Despite having had loads of experience in the top flight, Keegan's three year absence since his Manchester City stint might prove to be an obstacle. Already, Sir Alex Ferguson has commented on how football is evolving all the time and that three year void might prove detrimental to Keegan's managerial instinct. Some might argue that Keegan's old time foe is just trying to plant some seeds of doubt in his mind as Manchester United has yet to visit St. James' park this season. Well, Sir Alex Ferguson has never been shy of employing mind games.

Outside of the big four, no club attracts more fervent support than Newcastle. However, no club has more volatile fans than Newcastle too. In that respect, the Geordies are not unlike their counterparts who support Real Madrid. These fans are quick to turn on the managers and the upper echelons of their respective clubs after a couple of indifferent performances. Both Graeme Souness and Sam Allardyce have succumbed to this unhealthy obsession. There is nothing to suggest that Kevin Keegan will not suffer the same fate if he does not turn things around quickly enough for the fans' liking. But it seems that the romance of the "return of the king" might afford him more time than his previous counterparts.

One wonders whether Keegan's appointment is just another chess move by Mike Ashley to appease the fans, without regard for his managerial ability. Keegan has never really demonstrated the same guile in managing as he did in his playing days and he probably would not amount to more than a mid-table manager. Surely that is not enough for Newcastle who are a massive club in their own right and who wants to break the monopoly of the top four.

Dennis Wise's surprise appointment as general manager is also in opposition with Keegan's appointment. The fact that Keegan was not informed about Wise's appointment further reinforces the belief that Keegan's appointment would be a temporary one. From now until the end of the season, Keegan's job would be to steady the ship and buy the Newcastle board some time. After the season is over, Mike Ashley might look for a more prominent and fashionable manager to take Newcastle forward. One really cannot see how a relationship between Keegan and Wise can be sustained when Wise has substantial power to decide which players to sign or offload.

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