Kinnear: I’ve been offered Magpies job

JOE KINNEAR yesterday claimed he has been offered a two-year contract by Mike Ashley to resume his role as Newcastle manager.

Kinnear said the offer was put to him two weeks ago but he told the club’s owner he would not be able to return to work for at least three months.

Currently recovering from a heart complaint, he made the startling allegation on BBC Radio Five Live.

Kinnear said: “I have been offered a two-year contract and it is something I am mulling over at the present time.

“I have told Mike I am not going to go back to football for at least three months and we will look at the situation then.

“In another three months the picture might be completely different.

“In the meantime if Newcastle feel the need to go and get another manager, then so be it.”

Newcastle officials were unavailable for comment on the claim yesterday.

Kinnear arrived on Tyneside last September in the wake of Kevin Keegan’s departure. The Magpies won four of the 20 games for which he was in charge before he succumbed to heart problems hours before a 3-2 Barclays Premier League victory at West Brom.

Kinnear needed further surgery, which ruled him out for the rest of the season, and Newcastle won just once more in their final 13 league fixtures, the last eight of them under caretaker boss Alan Shearer.

Shearer remains the favourite for the job with the club’s fans, but has failed to be offered a new deal by Ashley, who has been hamstrung by his as-yet unsuccessful efforts to sell the club.

When asked whether Shearer was Ashley’s preferred choice for the manager’s post, Kinnear replied: “I am not sure. I haven’t discussed Alan Shearer at all any time. I was definitely offered the job a couple of weeks ago.

“I sat down and spoke in depth to (club chairman) Derek Llambias and the offer was a two-year contract.”