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The initial exuberance about Kevin Keegan’s arrival as Newcastle manager has cooled off but the soccer circus is well underway. Shocker of a news is the confirmation that Dennis Wise is now director of football, a day after manager Kevin Keegan claimed he knew nothing about the appointment.

Wise will be involved in football-related matters, including player recruitment and youth development. Also coming on board are property developer Tony Jimenez, who is to become vice-president in charge of player recruitment and Jeff Vetere, a former Real Madrid scout who will have the title of technical co-ordinator.

“This is all part of the vision that recently helped us to secure Kevin Keegan’s return to the club as manager,” said chairman Chris Mort.

“With Kevin able to devote his efforts to developing and running the first team squad, Dennis, Tony and Jeff will each help us to secure success for Newcastle United Football Club at all levels and for the long-term.”

The club emphasized that first-team affairs would remain Keegan’s fiefdom. Scant consolation really. Keegan must be feeling miffed that overnight, he has two superiors and the board did not deem it necessary to inform him beforehand (he learnt about it through the press).

Not being informed is one thing but not entrusted with recruitment of players is unbearable. It will be be crucial if Keegan’s opinions are sought and respected since there are three appointments to do basically the same job, which should be the sole discretion of the manager.

Will the string of appointments undermine Keegan? Certainly. Alex Ferguson once commented that Dennis Wise could start a fight in an empty house. That is how aggressive Wise was in his playing days.

While the dominance and determination to win is beneficial for the team in the same way that Roy Keane was such a giant among his peers at Old Trafford, putting on a suit and sitting in the director’s office require a different approach. If he is as hot-headed as before, Keegan will submit his resignation before the season is over.

However, Keegan cannot afford to be distracted; for now, the ship is in danger of veering off course. Alan Shearer declined to join his bandwagon. Transfer news was also muted as Keegan was snubbed by his top target, Jonathan Woodgate, who opted for Tottenham earlier this week.

He remains hopeful of signing more players even as the January transfer window is closing, saying: “We’re only looking at Premier League players. We’re not looking to bring anyone in from abroad unless they were really world-class and established — and invariably they don’t come around in this transfer window.”

Results were, in a word, deplorable so far. The cavalier and entertaining football is missing. In three matches of his third coming, the Magpies have failed to score once. Apparently, Keegan’s renowned motivational skills were not effective.

It was deja vu for Newcastle as they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium which lifted Arsenal to top of the Premier League. Newcastle were defeated in the FA Cup 4th round with the same scoreline by Arsenal and had settled for a lackluster goalless draw against struggling Bolton.

As in the FA Cup defeat, where Adebayor scored two goals, the striker again put in another noteworthy performance to put Arsenal ahead by heading in Mathieu Flamini’s cross in the 40th minute. The France midfielder then blasted in a superb long-range shot in the 72nd minute for the second goal and Spanish dynamo Cesc Fabregas struck the third eight minutes later to complete the rout.

Newcastle may appear to be in a comfort zone as they are in 12th place but it is only seven points above the relegation zone. While the FA Cup elimination dashed hopes of winning anything this season, Keegan must do his utmost to preserve Newcastle’s survival in the Premier League. If they maintain this form, it will be an inexorable slide into the abyss.

Michael Owen is another enigma, fact is, he is no longer the Owen who we last saw at Liverpool. Keegan needs him to rediscover his scoring touch to stave off relegation and convince the Geordies that the rolling good times are here. Despite being handed the captain’s armband, Owen still has no goals to show in the Premier League since October.

Keegan can’t wait for the African Nations Cup to end as he is really short of options. Meanwhile, faith in Joey Barton did not pay off. That nutcase has been charged with assault last month and was missing in action since. Selling him off at the earliest opportunity will be a better option. Hoping that Barton’s performances will turn into gold or recouping the transfer fee of 5.8 million pounds from Manchester City is futile.

Football has moved on since Keegan was last in control, when Newcastle came under his magical spell and the club advanced by playing with ambition and flair. It is hard to discard the impression that the club is preparing for plan B by appointing Wise in a higher capacity than Keegan. In case the party is over, they have a ready replacement.

Mike Ashley and certain sections of the fans may already be feeling doubts about King Kev’s ability to repeat his previous success. Even Jesus did not get a third coming. “One day Shearer will manage Newcastle,” says Kevin Keegan. The way things are panning out, that prophetic day may come sooner than later.

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