Kinnear blames rant on ´sickening´ press abuse

Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear has blamed his extraordinary, expletive-laden attack on sections of the press on “sickening” reports that have proved “soul-destroying” to him and his family.

However the 61-year-old admitted to possibly being “naive” about the nature of press reporting of his appointment by Newcastle as caretaker manager.

Kinnear caused a storm Friday when he singled out newspaper reporters over their coverage of his shock appointment at the crisis-hit Premier League club.

The former Wimbledon boss was upset by how his decision to allow Newcastle's players to have a day off on Monday had been reported and launched into a tirade containing over 50 swear words.

Kinnear claimed he had been “ridiculed for no reason” and hinted at taking legal action against his detractors in the media.

He described some reporters as “c****” and “f****** out of order”.

Kinnear admitted Sunday, prior to Newcastle's league game against Everton, that his outburst was partly down to his “short fuse”.

But he said the level of hatred he had felt since being appointed at Newcastle had shocked him.

“Some of the stuff I've had to deal with has been soul-destroying and my family has stopped reading the newspapers,” he said in the Observer Sunday.

“There've been people saying I've had two heart attacks and that I'm ready for a third, others saying I need my head examined.

“I didn't envisage any of this, not in the slightest. Maybe I'm naive.”

Kinnear, who has been out of the game for four years following a spell at Nottingham Forest, singled out Daily Mirror reporter Simon Bird and Daily Express football writer Niall Hickman.

Bird, whose newspaper broadcast the full exchange on its website, told the BBC such outbursts are commonplace.

But he added: “It is surprising after four days in the job he (Kinnear) blew his top so spectacularly after a limited degree of criticism. I don't think he has been ridiculed as much he thinks he has been.”

Kinnear reiterated his threat of court action for some of the reports.

“Some of the personal stuff is just invented, it's not right and people are going out of their way to do it. I know I'll get hammered even more, but I can live with it.

“I've got to hold my hands up, I didn't think I'd be treated the way I have with all the cheap shots. I didn't realise football had got to that stage.”

He added: “I can see why people say Newcastle is one of the most difficult clubs in the country to manage.

“It's disappointing because people feel they've got the right to degrade me.

“It'll all end in tears anyway, it'll go to court and then we'll see how brave they are then. I want people to have the bollocks to say things to my face.”