Forrest Gump Wants Toon Job!

Last updated : 29 September 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor
Ketsbaia spent three seasons at St James' Park after being signed by Kevin Keegan in the summer of 1997.

Temuri Ketsbaia (known to a section of the Leazes End as "Forrest Gump" because he would put his head down and run and run) has blasted Newcastle's decision to appoint an interim boss - branding the position "a suicide job".

He is now managing Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, where he is a legend.

Ketsbaia: "This is no kind of solution to Newcastle's problems.

"There is no point in appointing someone in a temporary role, you can't just sit there waiting for something to happen in the future.

"This kind of appointment is a suicide job.

"Newcastle is a massive club and it's a real shame that they find - themselves in this situation.

"From what I had seen Keegan was doing a good job of turning the club around but what happened was no surprise to me.

"He walked out because he's the manager and it seemed that other people were going out and making the decisions that he should have been making.

"We are seeing more and more directors of football coming in and doing the job the manager should be doing.

"I had a great opportunity to play at Newcastle as a player, so why not as a manager?"

1997/00 T.Ketsbaia 58/51 14

Dynamite bald little player who arrived from Greece. Known on the terraces as 'Forest Gump' because he tended to head in one direction with his head down. Always looked more dangerous when he came on as substitute. Georgian international, signed for Wolves. The fact he spent a lot of time on the bench became a big frustration to him and in one game when he was introduced as sub ... and scored ... ran behind the Gallowgate End goal and started kicking the advertising boards.