Keegan admitted today that he ever tried to sign Turkish playmaker Emre when he was manager of Manchester City. According to Keegan, Emre certainly a player that he love to play the classy ball-play and someone who can unlock opposition defences.

Newcastle still have to score goals since Keegan’s return to the club, and to break the deadlock Keegan tempted to give a start to the former Inter Milan’s ace on Sunday’s derby clash with Middlesbrough.

“He offers us another option that none of the other players can quite offer us,” said Keegan as quoted from the official site “He’s different to anything else we’ve got and you need players like that around.”

Keegan admits if He hasn’t had any player to work with his game style, he will always gone and bought one or two.

“The fact we’ve already got a player like that here is a plus for me. I’ve always believed there is a place in a team, at least one, for a creative player. I’ve always managed to accommodate one, even though some people say you can’t.”

And for some managers, they must have teams full of talented players, but King Kev think there is always a place in the United team for a player like Emre.

Keegan said the player who can unlock the door when games are really tight is someone we’ve missed in Newcastle’s last couple games.

And for the 27-year-old Emre, He is determined to repay Keegan’s glowing praise. Emre was being frustrated this season so far because Sam Allardyce was rarely give him the chance to playing.

“I wasn’t playing regularly and I couldn’t show my best when I was playing one game and then going back on the bench. I was happy with Sam sometimes, I believe he’s a good man, but I need to play more to find the consistency he wanted. I hardly played in three months.” Emre explained.

“I worked very hard for my shirt and I wanted to be on the pitch every game. Maybe my style of football did not suit the old manager as much, he had other choices. I think that will change now,”

“I’m very happy with the new manager and the dressing room is very happy. Everybody believes in Kevin Keegan and we look forward to playing for him. We know he is a big legend for everyone in English football, but especially in Newcastle.”

Damien Duff is telling the truth when he said people will immediately think about European football as soon as United doing great, but if for some games we are not doing right, that same people will turn their back against the club and said that everything is wrong at Newcastle.

Duff has praised gaffer Sam Allardyce on the official site for his positive attitude during difficult period for the Magpies. Big Sam and his players have found themselves back in increasing pressure following United’s disappointing return over the festive programmes.

From a possible of nine points, Newcastle only can collect 1 point from a draw against Derby at home, while on the boxing day fixture, the Magpies failed again to breakdown bad records. For most of the last 10 years, Newcastle was never had any win games on Boxing day while playing away.

Duff said how Big Sam is reacting positively after the Man City game. He said “Let’s stick together”, which is what we have to do. The Irish winger admits United situation over the past few weeks haven’t gone smoothly, he’s concerned about it, everyone is, and the gaffer included.

“We are working hard to put it right. He’s a good man. We are all desperate for him to do well and the team.” Duff added, “We are all going to stick together.”

Duff is also believe that Newcastle have the ability to win something in the coming seasons if it was not this year. He knows United are having a long way to go to the same level as Arsenal or Manchester United, but he want Newcastle to get back challenging for the Champions League.

“We’ve got players who belong in the top six - we have one of England’s greatest ever strikers - and I know the manager is looking to strengthen.” Damien said, “Top players belong at Newcastle. I asked for a five-year contract when I signed. I’ve only had three clubs in my career and I want to keep it that way.”

Obafemi Martins! The official club site poll to pick the Goal of the Year has reach its final conclusion and announced Martins strike against Spurs as the winner.

Martins goal when Newcastle playing Spurs at White Hart Lane in January 14, 2007 collected 49% votes from a total of 2,000 voters.

Martins unstoppable 25-yard shot on goal beyond Paul Robinson help United back in the level game before Nicky Butt sealed the win 3-2 for the Magpies.

James Milner goal in United 2-2 draw against Manchester United came as runner-up with 14% and Emre’s winning strike in the dying minutes against Everton landed in third place with 11% voters. The full list of all the winners can be read on the Official site.

Joey Barton may have risk after charged with assault and affray for an incident outside a McDonald’s restaurant in his hometown of Liverpool on December 27. Although he has been released from jail he still has to face a trial at Liverpool magistrates court on January 16.

Allardyce would travel to Hampshire after Newcastle’s FA Cup third-round tie against Stoke City tomorrow to meet Barton at Tony Adam’s Sporting Chance Clinic. Barton is staying there as part of the conditions of his bail following his release from prison.

Sporting Chance Clinic was founded in 2000, and began working with patients two years later. Since then it has quickly developed into one of the world’s most innovative centres for the treatment of behavioural problems among professional sports people, and has become an integral tool for a number of football clubs and other sporting organisations.

The Sun reported that chief executive of the Sporting Chance Clinic, Peter Kay, claimed he’d spoken about the incident to Sam Allardyce.

“Joey is very lucky to be at a club with a manager who is experienced and a good man manager. They’ve given him plenty of support.” He said, “He has got a responsibility to the club. His intentions are superb and honourable but you are judged by your actions.”

Big Sam said the Barton’s case was added more pressure for him this month as the United squad become even more thin because of the departure of four first team squad members to the African Cup of Nations.

“I have spoken to Joey just to find out from him and his solicitors what can and can’t be done from our point of view,” said Allardyce, “When we get all that information we will see how we go in terms of him starting training and when he can be selected again.”

Currently, the United lawyers are working to see if he still can play in any Newcastle United match before re-appear in front of Liverpool magistrates on January 16th.

“I’ve only spoken to him on the phone and he has apologised. He is obviously relieved he is out of prison. From there he has got to concern himself about his case and try to sort that out now.” Big Sam added more, “From our point of view, we need to keep him fit to play, if and when he is available again.”

“I’m not getting sucked into talking about how I felt when I was told about what happened. We can talk about that more when we get together face to face but it couldn’t have been worse timing for us and him.”

“I hope to see him after the Stoke game. I’ve got to focus on our FA Cup tie first and then I will go and see him.” Said Allardyce.

I am absolutely sick of him and don’t rate him at all. I’m not blaming todays result on him either. I’m not making excuses. But instead of agreeing with everyone else I thought I’d raise this issue instead because he’s doing my head in this season.

He has power. But we see this so rarely it’s not even worth talking about because he doesn’t know how to make space for a shot.

For some reason he escapes all blame. There’s something “exciting” about him which makes him immune from criticism.

If he was from Gateshead, looked like Kevin Davies and didn’t do backflips I reckon he’d be getting a torrent of abuse for his woeful passing/control. If we signed him from Coventry instead of Milan would we think of him in the same way?

He’s even starting to look lazy. For someone with his pace he’s not doing a lot of running and when things are going badly I don’t see him trying to put it right. Martins has been the best of a bad bunch of strikers at SJP over the last few years so we rate him more highly than we should.

I’d swap him for strikers from the majority of other clubs in the league. We like to think we should be top 6 when we look at our squad. Owen and Martins on paper makes us look amazing upfront.

But the reality is that the only “footballers” that we currently have fit and available to play upfront are Smith and Viduka. And Viduka has missed a lot of our games.

I was saying this to my mate after the game. I think he kind of agreed. But then mentioned the fact that Martins scored a canny few goals in a crap side last season.

My gut reaction to this is that I honestly believe Ameobi would score quite a few if he started for the majority of games over a whole season and I don’t rate him.

Then there’s the fact that Martins is very young. This istrue But so is Fabregas. So is Milner. But they can trap a ball, look up and pass.

Yes he’s got the raw speed and power. But surely passing, looking up and skill is important too? Bramble also had all the “raw materials.”

Am I being too harsh? Or were we all just crying out for someone different to Shearer to come along and take us in a different direction? So put a load of mis-placed faith in him?

Comments welcome!