Keegan stresses it's his call on signings

Kevin Keegan has stressed that he will be dictating which players Newcastle United sign in the future.

The appointment of Dennis Wise as executive director has prompted suggestions that the former Leeds United boss will be identifying new players for the club.

But, while Keegan is happy to leave the negotiations in Wise's hands, he has reiterated that he will be responsible for picking out which players will be added to his squad.

"We know what the rules are and that's the key," said Keegan in the Sunday Express. "The worst thing is if people are fetched in where you've got no say.

"What I won't allow at this club is anyone else to buy the players. I will tell them the players I want and I don't mind them going and doing the deal.

"In some ways, that's a relief for a manager, but you have to get the combination right and that's what we talked about.

"The manager must get a player in a room and look at him, and ask him why he wants to come. I'm very strong on that."

Keegan met Wise, and fellow new appointments Tony Jimenez and Jeff Vetere, on Thursday, and is confident the setup at St James' Park can work.

He added: "I know everyone is looking for problems, but the setup is quite simple. If everyone does what we said we're going to do at the meeting, it will work fantastically.

"Now, if someone does something different, I guess we'll have a meeting and say, 'Hold on, this is not quite what we said'.

"I'm the main man in areas I need to be. If you're asking if I'm running the whole club, the academy and all that, then no. I don't want to do that, but I want to help make that work."