After a confusing few days, the League Mangers' Association have
revealed that Keegan has indeed left his post as Newcastle United
manager.
Having not taken training for the last three days, Keegan's
situation was unclear after the club insisted he had not been
sacked and the LMA consistently confirmed that the former England
boss had not resigned.
Club owner Mike Ashley flew home from a business trip to hold
face-to-face talks with Keegan today, and it seems that the
discussions have confirmed Keegan's decision to leave the club.
The relationship between Keegan and Ashley has been strained
ever since Executive Director (Football) Dennis Wise was brought
into the club to oversee club transfers reportedly without Keegan's
backing just two weeks into his second tenure at the club.
And the relationship between the manager and the club's board
continued to deteriorate over disagreements over the lack of high
quality additions being made to the squad and the board's sale of
James Milner, before attempts were made to sell Joey Barton and
Michael Owen over the head of Keegan on deadline day.
"I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with
the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible," Keegan said
in a statement released by the LMA.
"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage
and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that
he does not want," he added.
"It remains my fervent wish to see Newcastle United do well in
the future and I feel incredibly sorry for the players, staff and
most importantly the supporters.
"I have been left with no choice other than to leave."
Newcastle fans are now likely to up the pressure on Ashley and
Wise to leave the club after protests were staged at St. James'
earlier in the week.