Keegan meeting 'constructive' - Mort

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan is preparing for next season after holding "productive and constructive" talks with owner Mike Ashley.

The 57-year-old headed for London today in the wake of his comments over the club's prospects of breaking into the Barclays Premier League's top four.

But amid speculation that Ashley was furious over his remarks, it is understood the club's hierarchy have put days of rumours behind them to plot the way forward.

Chairman Chris Mort and his newly-appointed deputy Derek Llambias, as well as executive director (football) Dennis Wise and vice-president (player recruitment) Tony Jimenez were also at the meeting, which took place at Freshfields.

"It was a good meeting. It was both productive and constructive," Mort said afterwards.

Keegan will end an eventful season by taking his side to Everton on Sunday for their final Barclays Premier League game.

The brevity of the statement is perhaps understandable given the unwelcome publicity that has engulfed the club at regular intervals in recent years, and all involved will hope they can now get on with the business of building for the future.

Keegan headed south standing by his comments - although feeling that, in some cases, they had been taken out of context - and he did so making no apologies for wearing his heart on his sleeve.

The former England boss has never been afraid to air his feelings in public, although he was swift to dispel suggestions that his post-Chelsea reaction was a repeat of the infamous "not like it was in the brochure" incident during his first reign at St James' Park.

Instead, he insists what he said was an attempt to tell it like it is - something he will continue to do.

Keegan said: "Part of my job as manager of Newcastle United is to tell fans what's happening at their club.

"Part of the media's job is to report it correctly and keep it in context and not go off on tangents.

"You can take the same phrase three different ways, and it can mean three different things. You know that.

"I will continue to do what I have always done while I have been manager of Newcastle United, and at Manchester City and at Fulham and with England. I haven't changed.

"I am not scared of saying what I think the situation is, and I won't change that."