Ginola - Toon must look ahead

Former favourite knows Keegan needs time

By Rob Parrish   Last updated: 31st January 2008

Ginola - Toon must look ahead

Ginola: Keegan test

He is on his own as a manager, playing with the players he has got. He has to keep the club in the Premier League first, and start next season with a new base.

Ginola on Keegan.
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David Ginola has warned Newcastle's fans that they should write off the remainder of this season under Kevin Keegan.

The former Magpies favourite believes that returning manager Keegan needs time to implement his own ideas at St James' Park and that it may not be until the new campaign that any impact becomes apparent.

Goalkeeper Shay Given has already admitted that Newcastle are in danger of being sucked into the relegation battle, and Ginola believes that survival should be the first priority.

Start again

He told the Daily Express: "You can't expect Kevin Keegan to bring back success in two weeks.

"I mean, Newcastle have some tough games coming up, Middlesbrough, Manchester United, and they are all fighting for something. So you have to make sure to stay in place for next season, and start again.

"He is on his own as a manager, playing with the players he has got. He has to keep the club in the Premier League first, and start next season with a new base."

And Ginola feels that Keegan must get used to the changing demands of top-flight football after three years out of the game following his exit from Manchester City.

He added: "It's not the same football, players, or mentality - you have to do the same thing with other ingredients.

"This is a melting-pot, and it will be the toughest job for Kevin Keegan.

"It's not only getting the players, it's making sure the players give 100 per cent to the club."

Ferguson

And Sir Alex Ferguson agrees that Keegan's time out of football could hinder his attempts to bring success to the Toon army.

The Manchester United boss said: "I have said when you are out of the game you can be forgotten and that's a big problem for managers. It's difficult to say how it will affect him not having seen any games for three years.

"He's had a rest and he will have the freshness that brings, so who knows? But the game has definitely changed. It's changing all the time.

"Kevin has a big challenge for himself."