Talk Of The Tyne

Joe Kinnear says he has been given the thumbs-up to return to football management.

Last season’s surprise appointment Kinnear had been proving the critics wrong and helping The Magpies away from the drop zone when he fell ill prior to their Premier League clash against West Brom in February.

The ex-Wimbledon manager underwent triple heart bypass surgery forcing him to miss the rest of the season and prompting Alan Shearer’s appointment.

Kinnear has confirmed his health has improved considerably following the surgery and that he is now eager to get back in the game, possibly with Newcastle.

“I’ve gone from bad to being much, much better than I was. I’ve got the all-clear,”

“I love the game. I’m desperate to get back into it. It just depends where and when. I just hope it happens sooner than later.”

Although owner Mike Ashley is still trying to thrash out a deal to sell Newcastle, Kinnear is open to the possibility of being a short-term measure at the helm if things continue to drag on.

Kinnear is grateful for being handed the chance to manage Newcastle in the first place and would have no qualms with repaying Ashley’s faith in him by agreeing a new contract.

“My contract was up at the end of the season. Mike knows I’m still available,” he continued. “I’m not sure how far down the road they are of selling it.

“My opportunity would be to support Mike and Derek. They are the people who gave me the job in the first place. If it does come, with the same scenario as last season, then I’m ready for the right.”

Danish striker Peter Lovenkrands says he is in no rush to find a new club after leaving Newcastle United.

Lovenkrands is on the lookout for a new team after his short-term deal with the Magpies expired at the end of June.

The former Rangers man impressed during his time at St James’ Park with three goals from 12 Premier League appearances.

Although Lovenkrands is without a club, he is more than happy biding his time before putting pen-to-paper on a contract elsewhere.

“I have plenty of time to find a club since the transfer window just opened,” he told Sporten.dk. “But there is no concrete offer on the table.”

Lovenkrands has confirmed he was told his Newcastle career was over by a letter, although his Magpies exit did not come as a shock.

With no manager at the helm, and with owner Mike Ashley looking to sell the club, Lovenkrands believes the unrest did not help his situation.

“It’s correct I received a letter from the club saying my contract with Newcastle has now expired,” he continued.

“But it’s no big surprise for me that Newcastle didn’t renew it when they don’t even have a manager in place.”

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Following the BBC’s announcement of live Championship games, Sky have now confirmed that the following Newcastle matches will be shown

Sat 15.08.2009 Reading 5.20pm
Mon 31.08.2009 Leicester City 7.45pm
Sun 12.09.2009 Cardiff City 2.05pm

The first fixture alterations for live TV have been confirmed, with the opening day game against West Brom being shown live on BBC1.

We’ll now play West Brom on Sat 8th August at 5.30pm

As earlier reported, our the visit to Ipswich Town has also been picked up by the BBC. Which will now br a 5.30pm KO on Sat 26th Sept.

In between those games, we visit Bloomfield Road, with the official Blackpool website reporting that this has been put back 24 hours to a 7.45pm KO on Wed 16th Sept.

The reason for the switch was given by Blackpool Secretary Matt Williams as:

“Newcastle are due to play Cardiff on the Saturday before our game, however, Sky have now selected that game for their Sunday lunchtime spot and as a result under Football League regulations our game has to be moved to the Wednesday.”

However this has now been removed

The official Blackpool website has reported that the upcoming visit to Bloomfield Road has been put back 24 hours and will now take place on Wednesday September 16th, however kickoff remains at 7.45pm.

Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd is heading a consortium that is set to launch a £60m takeover bid for the Magpies.

Alan Shearer has been lined up to carry on as manager at the club, who were relegated to the Championship in May.

Owner Mike Ashley was asking for £100m but BBC Sport understands Shepherd’s offer is likely to be accepted.

Shepherd sold his Newcastle shares to current owner Mike Ashley two years ago as part of a £134m deal for the club.

Ashley’s total investment in the club is estimated at £244m, which includes paying off debts and buying new players.

When Ashley first put the club up for sale last September, he hoped to get around £300m.

Shepherd became chairman in 1997 when Sir John Hall and his son Douglas were the major shareholders and negotiated the £15m signing of Shearer.

Always a controversial figure, Shepherd was forced out of the club when Ashley bought his controlling interest.

Several other groups, including investors from Singapore, Oman and South Africa, have also shown interest in buying the club.

The man in charge of the sale, Keith Harris, the chairman of brokers Seymour Pierce, has said he expected a deal to be concluded by the end of this month.

Shane Ferguson has committed his long-term future to Newcastle United after agreeing a new three-year deal with the Championship club.

The highly-rated winger has already played for his country at senior level having made his international bow in Northern Ireland’s defeat to Italy earlier this year.

Ferguson is regarded as one of Newcastle’s most promising young players and is expected to push for a first team place next season.

Such has been the level of his displays for the club’s reserve and youth sides, Ferguson has attracted interest from elsewhere, with Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin having monitored his contractual situation at St James’ Park.

However, following productive talks with the club’s hierarchy he has decided his future lies in the North East having agreed a new long-term deal.

Peter Lovenkrands’ agent has revealed that his client is keen to remain in England.

The Danish winger tasted the disappointment of relegation out of the Premier League while on a short-term deal at Newcastle last season.

That agreement expired at the end of the 2008/09 campaign and the flying winger is currently without a club.

He has not ruled out the possibility of returning to St James’ Park and helping the Magpies’ promotion push, but his representative admits a move to the top flight would be his preferred option.

“Yes, we are looking for a new club,” Ivan Marko Benes told Onside.

“Is it out of the question that he stays at Newcastle? I don’t think so. But we will find a club for him and that’s what we are working on now.

“There is only speculation at the moment (about interested clubs), but I think we will find a good club for him.

“What does he wish for in his future career? He wants to stay in the UK and preferably at the highest level possible.”

Reports coming out of Holland today suggested that United have a friendly with Utrecht lined up.

The Dutch side could take on the Magpies on July 25 or 26, with July 11 already penned in by Shamrock Rovers on the Irish side’s official website.