KK: No chance to sign Woody

Mar 30 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

KEVIN KEEGAN believes he never had a realistic hope of hijacking the “done deal” which saw Jonathan Woodgate snub him for Spurs.

Newcastle made a dramatic late bid to pip Spurs and sign Woodgate from Middlesbrough before the close of January’s transfer window.

But the England defender completed an £8 million move to White Hart Lane and could line up against United today.

And although many tipped Newcastle to persuade Woodgate to rejoin them, Keegan now says: “He had already committed himself to going to Tottenham.

“We came in and tried to hijack it but I think his mind was already made up. I think it was done between Middlesbrough and Spurs before the transfer window opened.

“It was a done deal.”

Meanwhile, with Woodgate’s father suggesting his son would have joined Newcastle had Keegan added Alan Shearer to his coaching staff, the United boss said: “I might ask him (Woodgate Sr) what he had been drinking.

“If I met his dad I would ask him: ‘Did you say that?’ I would like to know his reasons.

“But it doesn’t matter. The player would argue now that he made the right move. He will be playing European football again next season and we aren’t so you can’t knock him for what he did.

“Our attempt to sign Woodgate shows the calibre of player we will be trying to recruit though.”