Kinnear ready to strengthen after Magpies’ Cup exit
The 62-year-old, who was sent to the stands along with Hull counterpart Phil Brown after a touchline spat as his side slipped out of the FA Cup, later revealed owner Mike Ashley had sanctioned two significant offers as the Magpies attempt to bolster their threadbare squad.
Kinnear’s targets are understood to be Rennes 22-year-old Cameroon international Stephane Mbia and Toulouse full-back Albin Ebondo, 24.
He said: “We have made two serious efforts for decent money on players – when I say decent money, two £4m (€4.4m) offers for players.
“They are considering it now. I am very optimistic about it. I said one of them is very crucial to us at the moment. We have spoken to the club he plays for and so it is really just fingers crossed that they accept it.”
Brown left assistant Brian Horton to speak to the written press, but confirmed in a radio interview that he has table an undisclosed bid for Sunderland skipper Dean Whitehead, and revealed that loan signing Paul McShane has been recalled by the Black Cats.
Brown said: “We have made an inquiry for Dean Whitehead.
“We have identified probably four or five players and Dean is one of them.’’
Whitehead or an alternative may well be needed at the KC Stadium sooner rather than later after George Boateng suffered suspected knee ligament damage at St James’ Park on a night when Hull reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 20 years.
But perhaps the biggest talking point came when Kinnear and Brown were sent from the touchline by match referee after a coming together in the wake of Fabricio Coloccini’s 22nd-minute foul on eventual match-winner Daniel Cousin.
Kinnear, who denied their heads had touched as they went nose-to- nose, said: “He (Brown) came across. He was having a rant, more than anything.
“He didn’t actually say anything to me, he was having a rant at (Kinnear’s) number two) Chris (Hughton) – and he wasn’t saying too many pleasant things to him. It was as simple as that.
“I just said ‘Enough’. That’s all I said. I don’t know what the trouble was with the ref. I just said ‘Cool it and call it a day’. I sent Chris to sit down and as he (Brown) came across and the referee came running over.
“I don’t know whether my reputation precedes me, but if you look at the video, what I did do was stand my ground, I didn’t do anything else.”
Cousin earned Hull a home clash with Millwall in the fourth round when he fired home the game’s only goal from close range with 10 minutes remaining.
But Newcastle had only themselves to blame after enjoying the better of much of the game.
Nicky Butt came closest to scoring with a 21st-minute header which came back off the crossbar, but on another night, skipper Michael Owen might have collected a hat-trick.
The England international fired over 11 minutes before the break and was then denied by keeper Matthew Duke two minutes after it before heading over at the death as his side launched a desperate late assault.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Edgar, Bassong, Coloccini, N’Zogbia, Gutierrez (LuaLua 82), Butt, Guthrie, Duff, Owen, Xisco (Carroll 76).
HULL: Duke, Doyle, McShane, Zayatte, Ricketts, Fagan (Mendy 74), Halmosi, Boateng (Ashbee 67), France, Garcia, Cousin (Folan 86).
Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
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