Tel's Toon time

El Tel: Back in the saddle

Terry Venables is set for a return to top flight management at the helm of troubled Newcastle United.

El Tel who managed England between 1994-1996 is touted for the role of ‘interim manager’ while the battered Geordie giant seek to get their affairs in order.

The Geordies lost for the third consecutive match since Kevin Keegan’s acrimonious departure on Wednesday night.

Only 20,000 fans turned up to see Newcastle lose 2-1 in the Carling Cup to Spurs, an official announcement on the new boss is expected to be made before the weekend.

It’s unlikely that the club will deviate from its plan to implement a European management structure at the club with Dennis Wise as Director of Football conducting the club’s transfer affairs.

Kevin Keegan walked after falling out with Wise and owner Mike Ashley over the club’s transfer policy. If Venables was to step in, he would have to work under Wise, a scenario he would be comfortable with if everything was out in the open.

‘It works if everyone's in agreement, if you're in agreement with the situation as a manager then fine. But if you say no and then it's implementing change that is when the problems come in,’ Tel told the Beeb on September 18^th.

‘I think the parameters of a manager's job has got to be clearly defined.’

Venables is very much in the Keegan mould, a great coach and motivator, if he can find a home within the continental structure of the club, the Geordie giant could rise again.

The Newcastle fans are now becoming notorious for their short shrift and even narrow-mindedness over the whole Ashley/Keegan affair.

El Tel is a loved character in the game, but will the Geordies embrace yet another member of the Cockney Mafia.

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