Owen reveals squad sadness at Keegan exit

NEWCASTLE captain Michael Owen admits he and his team-mates were devastated to see manager Kevin Keegan leave the club.

The 28-year-old’s strike at West Ham on Saturday was too little to prevent the crisis-torn Magpies from slipping to a third successive defeat.

Caretaker boss Chris Hughton now faces the task of raising the players for tonight’s Carling Cup third-round clash with Tottenham, and Owen admits the manager’s loss has had a lasting effect.

He said: “We all liked Kevin Keegan and we were sad to see him go. We are all feeling it at the moment – but we have got to snap out of the doom and gloom and try and get some confidence and results, and at the minute, not picking up the results is hurting the players.

“We are as much in the dark as the fans as to the next move and it does not make it any easier as he was very popular with the players and the fans.”

Owen has played under four permanent managers since arriving at St James’ Park in August 2005 – Graeme Souness, who bought him, Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce and Keegan – and has quickly become accustomed to the turmoil which regularly engulfs the club.

He admitted: “You almost become immune to these happenings in football nowadays and I have seen plenty in my time. I had three managers in the space of a few months at Real Madrid. It’s unfortunate but that’s the way it goes. But players are paid to play and we have got to go out there and perform.”

It comes against the backdrop of the ongoing search for a buyer for their club after owner Mike Ashley put it up for sale last weekend.

The Magpies confirmed they had appointed investment bank Seymour Pierce, whose chairman Keith Harris played roles in Roman Abramovich’s takeover at Chelsea and the changes of ownership at Aston Villa and Manchester City, to handle it.

Last week’s trip to Dubai by Ashley, Derek Llambias, Tony Jimenez and Dennis Wise has so far come to nothing, while a Nigerian consortium has claimed to be ready to open talks. Chris Nathaniel, spokesman for the potential buyers, said: “They are absolutely serious. They were taken aback by the passion of the Newcastle fans. The consortium is lodging the money with the lawyers and once that happens, I will begin talks with Newcastle.”