1. To Take The Spotlight Away From Everyone Else
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_s3vBNeTy8 Ashley isn't an idiot. No, really, he's not. He's a self-made multi millionaire. Maybe he's a lot more intelligent than people give him credit for. What if he's brought in Kinnear as a 'human shield' for all the bad press and negativity that emanates from the club? Cruel, maybe, especially with Kinnear's health issues, but if this works and he takes the brunt of all the bad press, allowing the allegations of dressing room discord and Pardew sound bites to fall by the wayside, the players and staff can get on with the job. Of course, a bad performance will be written about but with Kinnear only a microphone away from saying something daft, the on-pitch antics will soon be forgotten. The man is press box office. And if it works on the pitch, it'll work for Kinnear. Graham Carr is a fantastic scout and with him in the ranks Newcastle will continue to bring in quality. Add to the fact Ashley will only buy young and cheap for maximum sell-on profit, it's going to be hard for Kinnear to really bring in some over-priced turkeys. Ashley will be aware of all this and will know that, in making Kinnear seemingly responsible for actions he may not have a direct involvement in, he can put him in the firing line to absorb all the bad headlines while everyone else just gets on with things. Even this summer, as Newcastle start recruiting for the season ahead, what will the press want to report, a potential transfer story or Kinnear's hilarious mis-pronunciations? And in that, Newcastle can recruit with their targets still secret. Would Kinnear's reputation really be so besmirched if Newcastle have a season like they did in 2011/12 - which they are very capable of doing? Maybe Ashley has finally made a fantastic decision... ...we'll see.