Was Keegan's Replacement Approached?

Last Updated : 23-Jun-2008 by
Their readership has dropped alarmingly and there has been cut backs ... and I got that from the "horse's mouth" ... a sports reporter who jumped into my shoes when I left another company.

The problem is, it only comes out once a week, so whatever news it publishes has to be spectacular.

And having competition from the excellent Evening Chronicle, which is usually first with the cutting-edge material, it has its problems.

This site (NewcastleUtd-Mad) gets more than twenty times its readership in a week, going on page hits, showing how far the Sunday Sun has dropped down the pecking order.

On Sunday they revamped the story that Spanish coach Marcelino was Mike Ashley's prefered choice of manager ... claiming he "turned down an approach from an English club before joining Real Zaragoza" and suggesting that club was Newcastle.

Marcelino: "The English option was interesting, but family issues meant that it was not the right moment to go.

"My son begins studying this September for the Bachillerato (Spain's equivalent of A-levels) and so it would not be good to leave Spain now.

"But I am convinced that similar options will arrive in the future, and I want to perfect my English."

Personally I believe the Sunday Sun could have something here, but are treading carefully how they go about it.

It is the timing of this approach that is of concern, because (if it is true) Marcelino was contacted AFTER Keegan was appointed.

Make your own mind up on this.