Former Leeds boss Dennis Wise is joining Newcastle in a director of football role, the club confirmed on Tuesday, a day after manager Kevin Keegan claimed he knew nothing about the appointment. Wise, a former Wimbledon and Chelsea winger, will assist the club's board on football-related matters, including player recruitment and youth development.
But the club stressed that first-team affairs would remain Keegan's fiefdom and claimed that the manager had been fully aware of the intention to bring in a director of football. "This is all part of the vision that recently helped us to secure Kevin Keegan's return to the club as manager," said chairman Chris Mort. On Monday, Keegan had refused to answer questions related to the appointment of Wise, saying: "I just do not know enough about it."
Wise is joinined on the board by property developer Tony Jimenez, who is to become vice-president with responsibility for player recruitment and Jeff Vetere, a former Real Madrid scout who will have the title of technical co-ordinator.
Explaining the moves, Mort said: "Two of the conclusions of our strategic review, since acquiring the club, were that the club would benefit from having a football person involved at board level, which it has not had historically, and that further senior resources are needed for recruiting players of the highest quality from this country and further afield.
"Dennis would like to move away from day-to-day football management to a board role and, with his considerable energy and intelligence, we believe he will do very well in this new position.
"With Kevin able to devote his efforts to developing and running the first team squad, Dennis, Tony and Jeff will each help us to secure success for Newcastle United Football Club at all levels and for the long-term.
"One or two further key appointments will follow in the months ahead." The impression that Wise has been brought in over Keegan's head will only add to the growing doubts about whether 'King Kev' will be able to repeat the success he enjoyed at the club during his first managerial spell on Tyneside, in the mid-1990s.
Keegan has failed to persuade the club's former captain and leading goalscorer, Alan Shearer, to join his backroom staff, and was snubbed by his top transfer target Jonathan Woodgate, who opted to join Tottenham earlier this week.
Keegan's fabled motivational abilities have yet to have any impact on performances on the pitch. Newcastle succumbed meekly to a 3-0 defeat in their FA Cup tie with Arsenal on Saturday after a goalless draw with struggling Bolton in the first match of Keegan's second spell in charge.
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