Joe Kinnear: Great company, sharp-witted, controversial and never afraid to speak his mind
Some of the less-informed 'tributes' to Joe Kinnear, who passed away at the weekend, were written by a younger generation of reporters who have little idea of his remarkable career, but remember him mostly for an expletive-laden press conference after his appointment as Kevin Keegan's successor at Newcastle United in 2008.
And while the colourful language and combative demeanour were typical of Kinnear, the former Spurs and Ireland defender was so much more.
A decorated player during a decade at Tottenham, the Dublin-born right-back turned into an innovative coach at unlikely outposts including India, Nepal and Doncaster before becoming a successful manager at Wimbledon, being voted Manager of the Year in 1994.
If it is true that you should judge a man by the company he keeps, Kinnear was up there with the very best.
His good friend and first mentor was Scottish legend Dave Mackay, who won the League with Derby County, and Kinnear was also close to Terry Venables and Sir Alex Ferguson, swapping tales and tips with them. Arsene Wenger lived in the same village as Kinnear and the two of them would meet for coffee and a chat from time to time.
Yet the closest he got to managing a big club was with Newcastle, but they were in the relegation zone when he took over. Of course he kept them up.
He regretted never being considered by his beloved Spurs, whose owner Alan Sugar disliked him, calling Kinnear a 'barrow boy' – which was a bit rich coming from the former market trader.
Kinnear's comeback was to beat Tottenham on the way to taking unfashionable Wimbledon to a club-best sixth place finish, above Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in 14th.
He won three Manager of the Month awards and was voted Manager of the Year by the LMA,
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