Kevin Keegan's formation

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Just had a daft/stupid half hour this afternoon thinking about Kevin Kegan and if he had still been the City Manager, with the current players at his disposal, what formation would he have played ??

I ended up thinking it might even been something ludicrous like a 3-2-5 set-up, with Yaya and Tevez as the 'midfield two' and Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Silva and AJ all playing up front.

Even strengthening the defence by 4-2-4 would have led to some interesting times, with goals galore and we'd probably have had to win the League to avoid getting relegated.

Kevin Keegan; don't you just love him.........

[john@staustell]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

The football we played under Keegan in the promotion year was a delight to watch (albeit at a lower level); it's just a pity it all turned sour thereafter.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

The football we played under Keegan in the promotion year was a delight to watch (albeit at a lower level); it's just a pity it all turned sour thereafter.

I didn't think it turned sour. Expectations were ridiculously high and Keegan did alright job. Besides, if you are going to be in mid-table, why not be in mid-table with some exciting football.

Keegan was stupid to say that he'd quit football in a year before he was sacked.

[Haz]

I wouldn't say Keegan did that good a job. He spent a fortune at City, that the club just didn't have, most of it on shite players. I could have won the championship with what he spent. He is the reason Pearce had hardly any money to spend (although that may be a good thing going by Samaras!)

I recall he even signed Vuoso for £5m on the strength of a video, then refused to ever play him because he then realised he didn't speak English. Later sold for £1m. And Fowler was a waste of £6m, he was a joke. I'll never forget that last minute penalty miss against Boro.

[Cityfan]

Don't remember him spending that much money in the championship untill promotion was all but assured and we were building for the next season with the likes of Macken and SunJihai. It was a great season but thereafter although we did at times play some decent football he wasted a bigger proportion fo the wage/ transfer budget than any City manager I can remember with the possible exception of big Mal second time around. (even in the championship those that he bought for the future like Ellegaard and
various obscure centre backs whose names escape me invariably failed)

[Crossie]

He lit us up in dark times.

But nearly crippled the club and caused David Bernstein to resign.

However, if none of that had happened, we wouldn't be where we are now.

[Chinners]

I loved it when Keegan was our manager .... LOVED IT

[Ted Hughes]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

The football we played under Keegan in the promotion year was a delight to watch (albeit at a lower level); it's just a pity it all turned sour thereafter.

I didn't think it turned sour. Expectations were ridiculously high and Keegan did alright job. Besides, if you are going to be in mid-table, why not be in mid-table with some exciting football.

Keegan was stupid to say that he'd quit football in a year before he was sacked.

This was the problem; players could do what the fuck they wanted as they knew he was going & the whole thing felt like we were just treading water. (Oh, & he signed Robbie Fowler & didn't play the Goat enough)

[Alioune DVToure]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

The football we played under Keegan in the promotion year was a delight to watch (albeit at a lower level); it's just a pity it all turned sour thereafter.

It didn't. That final season at Maine Road ('02/'03) was one of my favourites as a City fan.

[Haz]

This was the problem; players could do what the fuck they wanted as they knew he was going & the whole thing felt like we were just treading water. (Oh, & he signed Robbie Fowler & didn't play the Goat enough)

I read The Goats autobiography a while back, in which he says Keegan's man management was basically non existent, and wouldn't even talk to him for no reason. I recall him saying once that he never had tactics either, just basically said "go and play"! Don't get me wrong, King Kev was a real character and I liked him, but the timing was definitely right when he left.

[Ted Hughes]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

The football we played under Keegan in the promotion year was a delight to watch (albeit at a lower level); it's just a pity it all turned sour thereafter.

It didn't. That final season at Maine Road ('02/'03) was one of my favourites as a City fan.

The fact that we actually improvced when Pearce first took over, shows how KK had lost his influence on the team.

[s1ty m]

Don't remember him spending that much money in the championship untill promotion was all but assured and we were building for the next season with the likes of Macken and SunJihai. It was a great season but thereafter although we did at times play some decent football he wasted a bigger proportion fo the wage/ transfer budget than any City manager I can remember with the possible exception of big Mal second time around. (even in the championship those that he bought for the future like Ellegaard and
various obscure centre backs whose names escape me invariably failed)

Lucien Mettomo?

Bizarrely, played in the final MR derby and played well.

[ronk]

Keegan was okay with zero money or lots of it. A limited but not insubstantial kitty was a problem though because he looked for miracle buys (just like Pearce did with Dabo and Samaras).

Trying to build a prem challenge on a tiny budget meant that he went all in on speculative purchases rather than trying to build a steady platform and add to it later using the success.

With a group like Adebayor, Robinho, Bellamy, Tevez: he'd have done alright.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

This was the problem; players could do what the fuck they wanted as they knew he was going & the whole thing felt like we were just treading water. (Oh, & he signed Robbie Fowler & didn't play the Goat enough)

I read The Goats autobiography a while back, in which he says Keegan's man management was basically non existent, and wouldn't even talk to him for no reason. I recall him saying once that he never had tactics either, just basically said "go and play"! Don't get me wrong, King Kev was a real character and I liked him, but the timing was definitely right when he left.

Yeah but Goater was well pissed off because Keegan was trying to get rid of him. Autobiographies are all about persons percepetion of the situation. If I remember correctly, in Fowler's autobiography he praises what a great chap Keegan was. You'd expect that as well.

I do agree though that it was mistake not to play Goat enough especially as he was starting find his feet in Premier League.

[Alioune DVToure]

He had his time in the sweetshop mate. Any player he wanted at Newcastle. He bottled it, just as he did every other job. Fergie saw him off. Mancini is a lot harder than KK.

The football we played under Keegan in the promotion year was a delight to watch (albeit at a lower level); it's just a pity it all turned sour thereafter.

It didn't. That final season at Maine Road ('02/'03) was one of my favourites as a City fan.

The fact that we actually improvced when Pearce first took over, shows how KK had lost his influence on the team.

True... but the point I was making was that it wasn't all downhill after 2001/02. We had some great times the season after and finished 9th. It was during 2003/04 that things went stale. Keegan should be remembered for more than just a promotion from the old Division One.

[Cityfan]

Lucien Mettomo?

Bizarrely, played in the final MR derby and played well.

Nah, Bischoff and Loran though I had to google them to remember.

[Ted Hughes]

Lucien Mettomo?

Bizarrely, played in the final MR derby and played well.

Nah, Bischoff and Loran though I had to google them to remember.

I recon Boateng was Bischoff trying to sneak back in, but we got wise to it.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

A lot of interesting posts and comments but, just to humour me you guys, what team/formation would KK have played, given our current squad ??

I honestly think he wouldn't have been able to contain himself with all the attacking players we possess and he would have tried to fit them all in somehow. I'm also sure there would have been no place for 'Big Nige' in the starting line-up.

[Chinners]

Hart
Richards Kompany Clichy
Yaya Silva
Nasri, Tevez, Balotelli, Dzeko, Augero