One by one, managerial candidates are falling off from Newcastle’s wish list. Not because new owners are doing something wrong, but because managers refuse to get involved. The reasons are various. For example, Brendan Rodgers refused, as he wants to honor his contract and show respect to Leicester owners, who invested heavily into the club and players, according to his wishes. And Zinedine Zidane, one of rare top coaches who are available also refused, according to The Mirror, because, the former Real Madrid coach who won three consecutive Champions League titles is not focused on long term projects, but rather Juventus or France head coach positions. And those claims should be taken with reserve, since no official bids were made for those managers. Clubs furious over Newcastle takeover, demand answers from the Premier LeagueIt is also ironic that the French legend refused Newcastle, just as they refused him back in 1996. And it was actually the club’s legend, Kevin Keegan who declined the possibility to sign Zidane, who played in England that summer, as a member of EURO 1996 French national team, which lost on penalties to the Czech Republic in the semi-final.Bruce set to take charge of Newcastle for Spurs match after takeoverAfter EURO, Bordeaux was prepared to let him go for only 182 million Ksh, and offered him to Newcastle. Then Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan was offered the player by agent Barry Silkman, who had connections with Bordeaux. But, Magpies scout in France didn’t rate him and Keegan believed his scout. What a mistake…“I spoke with Kevin and said I’ve seen this player out in France and he looks absolutely fantastic. His name is Zinedine Zidane. He was 24 and this was in the January of 1996. Kevin said to me he would get somebody on it and has someone out in France and he knows the players and would get him watched. He sent somebody to watch him and then a couple of days after that he sent me a fax. He got his report back from the guy who watched him and said the player has got no chance of making it, at best he could play for Wolves – who were bottom of the First Division. I phoned Kevin and said ‘who on earth have you sent to watch this player, it must be f***ing Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles’. Kevin laughed and said that was the guy they relied on in France and that’s his report” Silkman recalls. (3.60) NEWCASTLE (3.50) TOTTENHAM (2.15)In 1996, Zidane, a guy who could ‘only play for Wolves’ was named Ligue 1 player of the year and Juventus signed him for the same price that Newcastle were offered. Everything else is history.
