Please keeper it real, Keano
PERHAPS it is the clean sheets that make Roy Keane nauseous.
The former Manchester United captain might be ‘sick to death’ of David de Gea but the Spanish keeper has conceded only two goals in his last nine appearances.
Couple that with Dean Henderson’s rush of blood against Arsenal the other day and you should be able to accept that ideas of De Gea (above) being usurped by the Englishman on loan at Sheffield United are fanciful, to say the least.
MAYBE Richard Masters had been waiting to get his appearance before a grandstanding select committee out of the way.
The Premier League’s chief executive was up before MPs earlier this week, facing a wide range of questions from showboating politicians enjoying their moment in the sporting sun.
Of particular interest to John Nicholson, of the Scottish National Party, was the proposed takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi Arabian investment fund.
It is fair to say he had Masters on the back foot, but the overriding impression was that the saga – rumbling along for three months – is close to resolution. Good. So it should be. Now Masters has done his parliamentary bit, perhaps we can get a decision.
As Masters said, it is complicated, the twin issues of human rights and piracy of TV rights giving considerable grounds for discussion.
But the limbo has lasted long enough.
Based solely on a hunch, my guess is it will go through. Soon.
And then attention will turn towards plans for next season. Potential signings, potential change of manager. You could understand if new owners had ideas on who they wanted to lead the team forward and those ideas might not include a coach who turns 60 this year and has been around the managerial block more than a good few times, winning nothing. Perhaps those ideas involve Mauricio Pochettino, pictured only this week in a T-shirt emblazoned with the name of his beloved Spurs.
Only obscene money could tempt Pochettino (below) to St James’ Park.
To keep his reputation gilded, the Argentine knows he needs to win something some time soon.
Regardless of the investment, he would take convincing that Newcastle is a club and a squad set up to be challenging for honours in the near future. There would be plenty of alternatives to Pochettino, but the best of them is in the job right now.
Bournemouth are in a rotten vein of form, but Newcastle’s emphatic win there on Wednesday was further evidence Steve Bruce (above) is growing into the role.
The biggest recent disappointment for Newcastle supporters should have been that first-half performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup, when Bruce went full Rafa Benitez without the success.
But, considering City’s attacking prowess, the ultra-defensive policy was just about excusable.
Bruce, though, has not made many serious missteps and Newcastle, for all the off-the-field distractions, are seven points better off than they were with six games of last season remaining. While much of the stuff in the pre-lockdown part of the campaign was fairly attritional, there are signs Bruce is gradually unlocking the attacking potential of his squad.
Plenty of money has been spent on attack-minded recruits and a sense of freedom is bound to come with the early avoidance of a relegation battle.
But, from the outside, it looks pretty certain the players are responding to Bruce and enjoy playing for him.
The new owners – should they actually become the new owners – might already have plans for change.
But, as the takeover delay continues, you cannot help feeling this is an extended audition for Bruce.
And he is passing some style. it in