The TEN ‘Most Memorable’ Joe Kinnear Quotes
In light of Joe Kinnear recently becoming Director of Football at Newcastle United, it got me thinking of all of his ridiculous quotes over the years. This list in no particular order contains my favourite Kinnear quotes.
1. To all his critics who think he cannot do a good job at Newcastle…
“I heard a silly comment of ‘what can I attract?’ I can open the door to any manager in the world, anyone, that’s the difference,” he said. “I’ve spent my whole life talking to [Sir] Alex Ferguson, week in, week out. I can pick the phone up at any time of the day and speak to Arsène Wenger, any manager in the league. In all the divisions.”
2. Asking who Niall Hickman, a writer from The Daily Express, is in a 2008 interview…
“Which one is Hickman? You are out of order. Absolutely ****ing out of order. If you do it again, I am telling you you can **** off and go to another ground. I will not come and stand for that ****ing crap. No fucking way, lies. ****, you’re saying I turned up and they fucked off.”
3. In response to Niall Hickman’s comment that no one wants to get beaten…
“I have done it before. It is going to my ****ing lawyers. So are about three others. If they can find something in it that is a court case it is going to court. I am not ****ing about. I don’t talk to ****ing anybody. It is raking up stories. You are ****ing so ****ing slimy you are raking up players that I got rid of. Players that I had fallen out with. You are not asking Robbie Earle, because he is sensible. You are not asking Warren Barton? No. Because he is ****ing sensible. Anyone who had played for me for 10 years at any level … [but] you will find some **** that.”
4. In response to a journalists saying he is going to write that Kinnear called them cunts in a 2008 press conference…
“Do it. Fine. ****ing print it. Am I going to worry about it? Put in also that it’ll be the last time I see you. Put that in as well. Good. Do it.”
5. Message to Newcastle fans over the weekend…
I’m not accepting it, simple as that. I’ve certainly got more intelligence than them, that’s for sure.”
6. About criticism from the press…
“They are already jumping on the bandwagon saying, ‘Oh watch out Pards [manager Alan Pardew]”, but that’s the snidey press. That’s the people up there who I have upset and they have a grudge so I expect it, but it’s water off a duck’s a**e.”
7. On fans being sucked in…
“Yeah but it’s only a certain section – it was exactly the same when I got there. I got over 10,000 letters when I had my heart attack and that was a wonderful thing and I felt very proud of that. I thought I’d done an excellent job there and no way would we have gone down. But the trouble is that there are a lot of Geordies up there who are influenced and upset – and the fact is that because I stood up to about 100 journalists that night – you know – it was the night we beat Tottenham 2-1 and I suppose the journalists always had it in it. And I am not saying all of the Geordie fans but many of them were sucked into it. If they looked at my job, what I done, carefully they would have said I done a good job.”
8. On not having an ego…
“I’m having lunch with Alan Pardew to discuss our game plan for the new season. We both have the final say on players coming into the club. And we’ve got Graeme Carr as well. We’ll discuss the strengths and weaknesses between us. No-one’s got an ego. I don’t have an ego.”
9. On not having an ego again…
“Managers these days are lucky to last two seasons. The fans always stamp their feet and if they’re not happy with what’s going on the manager gets the bullet. Unfortunately for them, I’ve never been sacked in my life. Look at my record.”
10. On not having an ego for a third time…
“They keep saying to me ‘what did I do?’ Where have these people been? Have they been on another planet? I’ve played in five cup finals and won the lot. I’ve had over 400 games for Tottenham Hotspur. I’ve been manager of the year three times. I’ve travelled the world as a manager.”