It’s been an interesting fortnight for Joe Kinnear, who has been unexpectedly appointed as interim manager of Newcastle United. The ex-Wimbledon gaffer doesn’t know how long he’ll be in charge of the team for, but he’s certainly proving to be a colourful character, and that extends to his language. It appears that his verbal tirade against certain members of the press last week could lead to trouble with the authorities.
In case you missed it, click here for the highly entertaining rant against some of the tabloid journalists who had supposedly been writing bad things about the Magpies manager. The Daily Mail report that the League Managers’ Association have been frowning on the industrial language used by Kinnear, and that the FA could end up throwing the book at the beleaguered man.
LMA chief executive Richard Bevan was clearly unhappy with the behaviour of Kinnear, who had been out of management for four years until he was appointed as interim boss by owner Mike Ashley last week.
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 – who expects an answer from Gerry Francis on Monday after offering the former England midfielder a coaching role – should apologise, Bevan added: ‘If it wasn’t a private meeting, then the answer is yes.’
An FA spokesman confirmed: ‘We have not made a decision either way.’
Kinnear clearly shouldn’t have reacted in the way that he did, yet it was refreshing to hear a manager let the gutter press have it with both barrels. Perhaps the FA should take into consideration that the former Luton boss has found himself under enormous pressure after taking the poisoned chalice that is the Newcastle manager’s position, and that he’s simply trying to demonstrate what he can do in a managerial position. Should he really have the book thrown at him?
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