No one wants to sign for Newcastle

No one will sign for Joe Kinnear, says Newcastle great Rob Lee

FORMER Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee believes players do not want to join the club under the current regime.

By: Niall HickmanPublished: Fri, September 13, 2013
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Direct of football Joe Kinnear has been criticised by former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee [GETTY]

Lee, Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, heroes of ‘The Entertainers’ side of the Nineties, hit out at owner Mike Ashley and new director of football Joe Kinnear after former goalkeeper Steven Harper’s testimonial on Wednesday attracted their biggest crowd of the season, a capacity 52,000.

“Players don’t want to join Newcastle any more,” said Lee, who spent 10 seasons at St James’ Park from 1992 to 2002. “Kevin Keegan sold the club to me when I joined, but if Joe Kinnear was speaking to you, are you going to join this football club? I’m not so sure.

“If we can get our best 11 out on to the pitch we can compete with anyone, but if we have one or two missing we can’t.

“In an ideal world Mike Ashley should step aside, but it isn’t an ideal world. Also, if he sold it, you don’t know if you’re going to get something even worse. The likelihood is you are going to get a foreign owner as there aren’t any Geordie billionaires out there. ”

Shearer, Newcastle’s record goal-scorer, said: “Like a lot of football clubs they need more players, but they did not arrive in the window.

Rob Lee said players stay away from signing to Newcastle nowadays [ACTION IMAGES]

Kevin Keegan sold the club to me when I joined, but if Joe Kinnear was speaking to you, are you going to join this football club? I’m not so sure
Rob Lee
“I listened to Alan Pardew saying he wanted some players and the club were confident they would bring them in. I haven’t got a clue why they didn’t.”

Former Newcastle striker Cole said: “Only three or four teams can win the league and Newcastle used to be a lot closer to them.

“Kevin Keegan’s team had a fantastic opportunity but they have gone backwards since then.

“Apathy is something I have never associated with Newcastle. To be told their biggest crowd was for a testimonial match is a huge surprise and it’s worrying.

“If you’re not going to put finances into the team, fans are going to vote with their feet.

“You’ve got to have ambition. If you keep the punters on board at Newcastle, that’s half the battle. If you upset them they will react because there is only so much they can take. The team did well a few years ago in finishing fifth but it has fallen apart.”

 

Always liked Rob Lee, a great player and club man and very intelligent. He's hit the nail right on the head.

 

Reputation and creditability two essential elements of any business.

Two things we are sadly lacking l fear.

 

I'm awaiting Joe responding with a "well, what would Rob Lee know?" comment. .

 

A million times more than you JK.

 

Do you think JFK would actually know who Rob Lee was ? Oh no wait a minute, Joe signed him up for 50p and a packet of salt and vinegar, silly me, how could l have forgotten that fact.

 

JK taught KK all he knows about attacking football pity he cant pass it on to Pards.

 

Where is the cocky git anyway, ??? Disappeared of the radar ........ He's not bragging, he's not bragging, he's not bragging anymore, he's not bragging anymore.

Judge me by my signings he asked, okay Joe, judgement is found unanimously guilty of being a loud mouth prick with the intelligence quota of a single cell amoeba, sorry that's very rude to amoeba and l apologise.

 

Very well put, no need to apologise.

 

speaking on behalf of amoebas everywhere



(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

There's only on amoeba, one amoeba

 

Sad but true.