David Ginola has claimed he left Newcastle for Tottenham in 1997 in part because of Kenny Dalglish’s furious reaction to the French maverick speaking to the media
David Ginola has claimed he left Newcastle for Tottenham in 1997 in part because of Kenny Dalglish’s furious reaction to the French maverick speaking to the media David Ginola has claimed he left Newcastle for Tottenham in 1997 in part because of Kenny Dalglish’s furious reaction to the French maverick speaking to the media
David Ginola has claimed Kenny Dalglish cut him adrift at Newcastle because he spoke to the press.
And in a bombshell revelation in a new book on Newcastle’s “Entertainers” team of the 1990s, the Frenchman has alleged that Dalglish was determined to “get rid” of any foreign player signed by Kevin Keegan at St James’ Park.
Ginola joined Tottenham in 1997 for £2.5million after Newcastle had finished second to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. Ginola would go on to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 1998/99 and Dalglish was widely criticised for the decision.
And in the book, written by Will Scott, Ginola says: “I didn’t want to leave the club but when Kenny Dalglish took over from Kevin it was a shock and it just wasn’t the same anymore. I argued with Kenny and he didn’t play me much after that.
“He tried to get rid of all the foreign players Kevin signed. I was frustrated at the time and I said something in the newspapers that if things don’t change, I will have to leave.
“The following day we had a row. He told me I couldn’t go to the newspapers and say these things. I said, ‘You treat me like I’m having an affair with your wife.’
“He said, ‘How dare you talk to me like that.’ I said, ‘At least I’m talking. You never look at me or talk to me.’ He wasn’t the guy to take us to the top, as it was proved. He didn’t make the most of the players we had.
“Under Kevin, it was such a pleasure every day in training and every Saturday away and at St James’ Park, where the atmosphere was magnificent. I miss those days. One day, those happy days will return.”
Ginola added that Keegan worked desperately hard to stop Barcelona from signing him a year earlier: “Barcelona tried to sign me in 1996 and Kevin told Sir Bobby Robson, ‘No!’ I was back in the South of France for my summer break in 1996 when I took a call from someone with a Geordie accent.
“He said, ‘Hello David, this is Bobby Robson, I want to sign you for Barcelona.’ I thought it was a joke at first. Bobby added that he was going to call Kevin and make an offer. Then I got a call from Kevin two hours later. He told me Barcelona had offered £7 million, which was a lot of money in 1996. Kevin told me he was going to refuse it. Barcelona then raised the offer to £12 million.
“Kevin came back to me and said, ‘I don’t want you to leave. You’re doing very well for us. The fans love you and if I let you go, they will kill me. So, you’re staying here.”
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