Kinnear given the all-clear

Kinnear: Fit and well

I love the game. I'm desperate to get back into it. It just depends where and when. I just hope it happens sooner than later.

Joe Kinnear
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

• Newcastle United

Also see

• Newcastle fixtures
• Newcastle stats
• Newcastle forum

Former Newcastle United boss Joe Kinnear says he has been given the thumbs-up to return to football management.

Last season's surprise appointment Kinnear had been proving the critics wrong and helping The Magpies away from the drop zone when he fell ill prior to their Premier League clash against West Brom in February.

The ex-Wimbledon manager underwent triple heart bypass surgery forcing him to miss the rest of the season and prompting Alan Shearer's appointment.

Kinnear has confirmed his health has improved considerably following the surgery and that he is now eager to get back in the game, possibly with Newcastle.

Fit as a fiddle

"I've gone from bad to being much, much better than I was. I've got the all-clear," he told Sky Sports News. "Things are working out well for me. I feel as fit as a fiddle.

"I love the game. I'm desperate to get back into it. It just depends where and when. I just hope it happens sooner than later."

Although owner Mike Ashley is still trying to thrash out a deal to sell Newcastle, Kinnear is open to the possibility of being a short-term measure at the helm if things continue to drag on.

Kinnear is grateful for being handed the chance to manage Newcastle in the first place and would have no qualms with repaying Ashley's faith in him by agreeing a new contract.

Available

"My contract was up at the end of the season. Mike knows I'm still available," he continued. "I'm not sure how far down the road they are of selling it.

"I spoke to Mike last week. He told me he has people very much interested in it and maybe the decision for me to go back there is away from him, because obviously new owners might come in.

"Obviously if they don't and they haven't got anybody else I thoroughly enjoyed my time when I was up there. I thought I did well up there. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the people. I enjoyed the team.

"I'm pretty sure that the run I got the team on at the time, it would have seen us through, but it's a bit late for that now.

"My opportunity would be to support Mike and Derek (Llambias). They are the people who gave me the job in the first place. If it does come, with the same scenario as last season, then I'm ready for the right."