IN THE MIXER

The Director of Football role is one which hasn’t had much in the way of obvious success on these shores. Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy is a fan, and has reverted to having a DoF in place this season having hired Franco Baldini from Roma. Baldini however has been in employed in similar roles across Europe so it is somewhat understandable to see that he has the credentials to be hireable. One Director of Football whose appointment has baffled, annoyed and on occasion offended is that of Joe Kinnear at Newcastle United. The second coming of Kinnear at St James’ continues to fill pages weeks after his appointment.

 

Kinnear has never been a Director of Football and it is highly unlikely that he has ever worked under a Director of Football. His career is certainly an interesting one, but he certainly doesn’t possess the type of CV that will convince the notoriously passionate Toon Army that he is a suitable candidate or even a worthwhile one. Short spells in UAE, India and Nepal at the start of his coaching career were followed up by a short spell as Assistant to Dave Mackay and then Caretaker Manager at Doncaster Rovers. Then came his longest managerial spell, a seven year period taking the ‘Crazy Gang’ of Wimbledon through the majority of the 90’s. This was a pretty successful spell when compared to the resources and situation of The Dons at the time. A serious heart attack meant he had to step down from his position at Wimbledon before brief and futile spells at Luton and Forest followed.

 

Then came the first baffling spell at Newcastle. Four years out of the game lead to many question whether Kinnear possessed enough relevant knowledge or contacts to succeed in what was now a totally different world to the one he last succeeded in during his spell with Wimbledon. However a bizarre friendship that had been struck up with the new and much maligned Newcastle owner Mike Ashley meant that Kinnear was appointed initially on a one month contract to replace the outgoing Kevin Keegan, another manager hired based upon a reputation created in the 90’s.

 

According to some reports the Ashley/Kinnear friendship was forged in The Orange Tree, Totteridge. Now I’ve been to The Orange Tree, well I attempted to use the toilet once when passing through on a charity scavenger hunt. Needless to say the toilet wasn’t available to me, whether or not my hoody and beanie contributed to that I’m not sure…
 

It is easy to see how Kinnear, probably over a rather expensive beverage enticed Ashley’s interest, with tales of success in football. The Orange Tree struck me as the type of ‘pub’ (a term used very loosely) where people go to regale with tales of that weeks triumphant stories; the big sale made, the new mansion purchased or the fancy new motor sat outside whilst the table next door ear wig intently.
Kinnear’s first spell at Newcastle, once again cut short by ill health, was hardly a roaring success. His relationship with media collapsed following a foul mouthed confrontation with a renowned North East journo, his relationship with the players wasn’t the best (just ask Charles Insomnia) and the supporters certainly weren’t keen.

 

So imagine the surprise of all above mentioned parties (probably minus Insomnia) when this month, a bizarre telephone interview with Kinnear on TalkSport radio seemed to confirm that he would be returning to the stadium formerly known as ‘Sports Direct.com Britain’s Number One Arena’ or something like that. He started off true to form, slating some of the Newcastle support, getting names well and truly wrong and getting facts and figures about his own career and success wide of the mark.

 

This is someone who’s last meaningful role in the gamed ended in 1999. The year that United won the treble, David Ginola stormed home to win both player of the year awards and new Manchester United signing Wilfried Zaha was still in Primary School. Relevance of knowledge and contacts has definitely got to be in question once again for Joe particularly his knowledge of a role he has no experience in. The Toon Army aren’t best pleased and rather predictably neither is Alan Shearer.

 

Whether or not the shock waves of Kinnear II will continue to knock people off their perches at St James’ remains to be seen but one thing is for sure the appointment of a 66 year old former football manager who has never been a Director of Football, struggles with ‘foreign sounding names’ and conducts incredibly bizarre radio interviews continues to baffle and amuse.

 

Will Newcastle and Kinnear succeed? Whose job is it to teach him how to pronounce Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Gaël Bigirimana? How long before Pardew walks and Kinnear is back in the dugout?

 

But more importantly, if someone like Kinnear is a suitable Director of Football, what exactly does the role entail and is it worth it?

 

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