Incensed KK was ‘stitched up’ by the Schweins in charge
nez, the vice-chairman, plus Derek Llambias, who was effectively the chief executive, and Jeff Vetere, the chief scout.
During Kevin’s short time back at Newcastle, we did not see much of Ashley.
After training in the first few weeks we would go into Kevin’s office, sit round a table with Dennis and his mates and discuss targets.
They would suggest potential signings and we did not have a problem with that – provided the manager had the final say. Sadly, it did notwork out like that. The job was nothing like the brochure. Over the months, Kevin’s distrust of Dennis began to grow.
Rightly or wrongly, he didn’t think Dennis and the rest of them had any passion for Newcastle, that it was merely a job for them.
Things came to a head as we prepared for only the third game of the 2008-09 season, a trip to Arsenal.
Kevin got a call from Jimenez saying the club had received a “magnificent” offer from Aston Villa for James Milner. He was a good player who could do a job in a number of positions. Villa had offered £10m but Kevin insisted James was staying.
We were flying down to London for the game when Kevin took a call from Jimenez saying the Villa offer had been increased to £12m. It was a decent offer so Kevin asked who would they get to replace him.
Jimenez said they had accepted the bid and it looked like they could sign Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich.
Kevin said it was a no-brainer – just do it. Then Jimenez said that, as Kevin knew Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, BASTIAN Schweinsteiger’s move from Manchester United to Chicago Fire has been completed, the Premier League club have confirmed.
The German’s visa application was the only formality preventing the switch from officially being finalised but that has now been done.
Schweinsteiger, who was mobbed by fans upon his arrival at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Tuesday, will join the Fire as a who was on the board at Bayern, could he give him a ring? “What for?” he asked. “To ask if Schweinsteiger would be interested in coming to Newcastle,” he was told.
Kevin was incensed. We were losing Milner but in reality had no replacement lined up. I told him it was a joke and Kevin replied: “The swines have stitched us up.”
There was only one thing for it – Kevin would have to ring Rummenigge. He ended up getting KarlHeinz on the phone and switched it to speaker mode.
In English, he explained the reason he was ringing him – he had been told by his club they might be able to sign Schweinsteiger.
Karl-Heinz immediately started laughing. He revealed Bayern had received an email from Newcastle designated player on one-year deal for a reported salary of US dollars 4.5million (£3.6million).
The 32-year-old is set to be unveiled by the Major League Soccer side at a press conference.
A statement from Manchester United said: “Bastian Schweinsteiger has completed his move from Manchester United to Chicago Fire.
“The World Cup winner has joined the Major League Soccer side on a that morning offering €5m for him. “Kevin, we couldn’t stop laughing,” he added. “If you had offered €50m we still wouldn’t have sold him – but €5m?!”
The next morning, we were out for a walk in London’s Canary Wharf, where our hotel was situated, and the phone went. It was Jimenez, asking about Schweinsteiger.
Of course it all went off. The air turned blue with Kevin letting Jimenez know exactly what he thought of him. I’ve never seen Kevin so incensed.
He also found out the club was trying to sell other players, like Michael Owen and Joey Barton, behind his back. He was blazing mad. He knew then that was it.
I think one of the problems for Kevin was the fact Ashley was not involved enough. permanent basis after passing a medical and receiving his visa.
“After being given a hero’s welcome by supporters at his new club, Schweinsteiger has finalised the required paperwork and could be in line for a debut against Montreal Impact at the weekend.
“The 32-year-old made 35 appearances for the Reds and scored twice, against Leicester City in the Premier League last season and
Kevin asked him if he had known what had gone on with Schweinsteiger.
Mike replied he had not known and he would give Derek Llambias a ring. That was it – he never heard from him again on the matter.
I had just finished my Sunday roast the day after the game at Arsenal, which we lost 3-0, when Kevin rang and asked me to pop round to his house. I could tell he was annoyed. He told me two players were having medicals at Newcastle. Sure enough, a little later Dennis rang Kevin and told him the club were signing both players – Xisco for over £5m and Nacho Gonzalez on loan.
Kevin said he had not sanctioned the deals so how could they sign them? Dennis asked him to have a look at them, insisting they were good players.
“Take a look at them on YouTube,” he said. That did not go down well. Kevin phoned Ashley again and asked him if he knew of any players Newcastle were signing that day. Ashley said he didn’t but he would get back to him. He didn’t.
In a desperate attempt to sort things out, Kevin did agree to go to a meeting at St James’ Park the day after the transfer window had closed.
It ended in a blazing row between Kevin and Llambias, Kevin leaping into his car and leaving the ground for the last time.
Terry McDermott Living For The Moment, RRP £18.99, is only £15.99 on sportmediashop.com. Hardback and ebook available. On sale from today. Wigan Athletic in the Emirates FA Cup earlier this year.
“Everybody at United would like to wish Bastion the very best of luck in the next chapter of his career.”
A move away from United seemed inevitable for midfielder Schweinsteiger, who was signed by former manager Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2015, for some time after he was largely frozen out under new boss Jose Mourinho. DIDIER Deschamps described it as the “evolution of football.”
Gianni Infantino claims “a new page in football’s history book” has been turned.
Whatever your view on the controversial video technology in football, it appears to be the future.
In fact, preliminary plans are already in place to introduce it into English football as early as next season - at least on a trial basis.
Newcastle United fans could yet see video assistant referees or ‘VARs’ - overturning and clarifying decisions in the FA Cup next season.
Should the trials prove fruitful, then the Premier League - and possibly even the EFL, at least at Championship level - will surely adopt the technology from potentially as early as the 2018/19 campaign.
The Football Association is still experimenting with a variety of models for VARs, one proposal being video referees could operate from a remote match centre.
FIFA president Infantino even expressed earlier this month his desire to see VARs used at the 2018 World Cup in Russia next season, trials having already proved successful during international friendlies.
After a penalty decision was correctly overturned during a match between France and Italy in September, Infantino said “we turned a new page in football’s history book.”
Then, in Tuesday night’s friendly between Spain and France, TV replays led to two match-defining decisions being made - and both correctly.
Referee Felix Zwayer disallowed an Antoine Griezmann header after consulting the technology to find the Frenchman was marginally offside.
Then TV replays were used to overrule an incorrect offside call against Gerard Deulofeu, leading to Spain’s second goal being awarded during their 2-0 victory.
Despite having been on the wrong end of both VARs decisions, France boss Deschamps said: “If it is verified and it is fair why not (use VARs)?
“It changes our football a little. It is against us here but if we have to go through this it will be the same for everyone.
“Afterwards, without (VARs) it would have been different but it is the evolution of football. That is how it will be.”