A picture is worth 97 words of speculative waffle about Keegan

Keegan's Soccer Circus rolls into town - Photo Keith Barlow CCANDNC

Southampton, who begin their first League One campaign this August with a ten point handicap, on the point of financial ruin, and at their lowest ebb for some time, could do with some comforting. When club legend Matt Le Tissier backs a consortium looking to take over the club, that is likely to provide some optimism, but the Daily Echo have taken things a step further this morning and, having snapped him, former Chairman of the club Leon Crouch, and Kevin Keegan seated together, have written some of the most speculative stuff imaginable:

IS Saints legend Kevin Keegan about to make a sensational return to the club?

What are you asking us for? You’ve got the pictures, presumably you’re setting the agenda of this story. Unless of course you’ve no idea. In which case, all you have are pictures.

Exclusive pictures printed in today’s Daily Echo appear to show the former England and Newcastle boss meeting Matthew Le Tissier and former chairman Leon Crouch.

Look at the interesting rewording in the BBC’s transfer gossip column today - the story evolves from ‘meeting’ to ‘holding a meeting’ and ‘could be set for a return to management’. And so it begins…

Former Newcastle United boss Kevin Keegan could be set for a return to management at Southampton after being spotted holding a meeting with Saints legend Matt Le Tissier and former chairman Lee Crouch.

Good work on not being able to correctly copy and paste the name Leon. That’s journalism. The Echo’s article continues:

There is no hint as to whether ex-Saints striker Keegan would return as manager or director of football.

Brilliant. But he’s definitely returning. It’s just a question of whether it’s one or the other. Obviously, we don’t know that, but knowing things is overrated. Guessing things is fun.

He may even have been just enjoying a friendly chat with Crouch and Le Tissier, who is a prospective board member should the Pinnacle group take over the club.

What’s not to enjoy about a story which concludes, “Frankly, we’ve got some pictures, and we’ve got absolutely no idea what the significance of them is”?

The story seems to have underwhelmed Southampton fans thus far - amongst the comments are questions as to whether it is April Fool’s Day, a reminder that Keegan has quit every job he’s had over the course of the last 15 years, which might be an issue for a club that’s had 4 managers since 2008, and one excellent suggestion that the stage would now be set for Le Tissier as Chairman, Keegan as Director of Football and Shearer as manager. Can’t see it, but we’re not about to pretend that that wouldn’t be amazing on so many levels.