If, for nothing else, KK should be celebrated for bringing Ali B. to the club.
Mixed with Anelka!? Without that signing we’d of been straight back to where Keegan found us in no time at all.We had a great couple of years with him - that Championship winning season was brilliant and then he really helped us to re-establish as a Premier league team. But his transfer policy was to sign experienced players who were looking for one more chance - worked brilliantly with Berkovic and Bernabia. Mixed results with Anelka and Seaman - but disastrous with MacManaman and Fowler - not least that Bernstein left as a result. The excitement of 01-03 was replaced by inconsistent dirge and by the time of that defeat to Bolton the team looked uninspired and clueless and Keegan was just sinking into his coat - he didn't seem to know how to change things around. I was glad to see him go by that time and Pearce provided a bit of energy in the first bit of a season.
The things I remember Keegan fondly for were the whole of that Championship winning season - the 3-1 and 4-1 against United and seeing SWP flourish in the Premier League.
Pretty much how I felt about KK. I recall landing at Manchester Airport waiting for luggage when I first learned we'd appointed him. My thoughts were that he was tactically clueless, however my opinion soon changed as we steamrollered the league and then did OK in our first season back in the PL. I've many happy memories of those times, particularly as my son was then at the age of really 'getting into' City. We still watch the Blues together to this day and King Kev was instrumental in that. As we all know the Keegan era rather petered out during that final season and I remembered my initial thoughts as he reverted to becoming tactically clueless once again :-(We had a great couple of years with him - that Championship winning season was brilliant and then he really helped us to re-establish as a Premier league team. But his transfer policy was to sign experienced players who were looking for one more chance - worked brilliantly with Berkovic and Bernabia. Mixed results with Anelka and Seaman - but disastrous with MacManaman and Fowler - not least that Bernstein left as a result. The excitement of 01-03 was replaced by inconsistent dirge and by the time of that defeat to Bolton the team looked uninspired and clueless and Keegan was just sinking into his coat - he didn't seem to know how to change things around. I was glad to see him go by that time and Pearce provided a bit of energy in the first bit of a season.
The things I remember Keegan fondly for were the whole of that Championship winning season - the 3-1 and 4-1 against United and seeing SWP flourish in the Premier League.
100% 1st thing Keegan did when winning promotion was build a spine Schmeichel (who did a job short term), Distin, Foe and Anelka who were all great signings at that timeMixed with Anelka!? Without that signing we’d of been straight back to where Keegan found us in no time at all.
Agree with your broader point though, as always he always wanted that extra player, to the point we were used by scouse rejects as a final pay day, at the expense of the likes of Berkovic who had been key to us becoming an establish Prem side again.
I think the real damage he did, was spending vast sums on the likes of Vouso, Macken, Fowler etc al, that led to Bernstein going in protest, it was petering out but what a ride it was.