Players like Jonas, Fabricio Coloccini, Shola Ameobi and Steven Taylor all knew Kinnear from his first stint as boss in 2008/09.
Yet Kinnear never really got to know the players this time around.
However a source close to one of the Newcastle players talked to the Chronicle in an exclusive interview.
Who is this "source" .... we believe it's Betty the tea lady!
The Chronicle source:- “The players didn’t really have much to do with Joe - they never seen him around the training ground.
“Nobody fully understood what his role was at the club.
“He certainly didn’t attend training sessions and despite him saying he’d have an office at the training ground when he first arrived, none of the lads has many dealings with him.
“They didn’t know anything about him.
“When he managed Wimbledon all that time ago, some of the lads were still wearing nappies.
“He didn’t have the authority of a big name coming in and he didn’t have a lot to back up his bold claims with as far as the modern football world is concerned.
“Alan Pardew called the players into a meeting at the start of Kinnear’s return and drew some lines in the sand as he tried to ensure the dressing room didn’t implode.
“Obviously calling Yohan “Kebab” wasn’t a smart move as he was one of the most influential players in the dressing room.
"Kinnear had also insisted last June he would keep Cabaye.
“He will stay.
“We’ve got him under contract – and we want to keep all of our top players here."