/ Alsy / 20 January 2008 /

Alsy is cheered by the Portsmouth manager's show of loyalty...

Kevin Keegan is back at Newcastle United! Yes, an unexpected minor miracle has occurred in the Premiership.

But I'm not talking about the return of the Toon Messiah. Instead what really blew me away was Harry Redknapp's refusal to join Newcastle.

I've probably misread the situation completely but, to me, it looked suspiciously like unashamed loyalty? Obviously I'm still sceptical as 'loyalty' has long been extinct in the Premiership but there it was, plain as day...

"It's not all about money," said Redknapp. "People don't know me but money is not my God. I'm happy, I enjoy it here and I have a great relationship with the fans.

"It would be difficult to sleep at night. You have to look at yourself and say 'the club's been good to me and I've got to pay them back'.

"When you bring in players ... to walk away half way through is the wrong signal; it's not fair. My heart is with Portsmouth, the job now is to take this club forward."

Harry's words moved me almost as much as John Barnes' premature exit from Strictly Come Dancing. The bigger job, the larger stage, the gargantuan pay-packet - Harry turned it all down to honour his existing contract.

If ever there was a manager looking for a bigger stage it would be Redknapp and with some justification. He knows how to steer a team through troubled waters at then wrong end of the table but he's always been committed to attractive football during spells at Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Moreover, Redknapp's ability to scout talent from around the world is second only to Wenger in the Premiership.

It seems ridiculous that Steve McClaren beat anyone to the England job but following the former England manager's recent sacking, Redknapp seemed like a strong candidate to take over until some heavy-handed policing destroyed his prospects.

When the media scrum died Fabio was in favour, but Newcastle knew his value.

Yes, expectations are high at Newcastle but they do have some of the best fans anywhere in the world. They've had too many managers in recent years but it remains a top Premiership position. Newcastle United is an enigma waiting to be solved and rich rewards await the manager who can rouse this northern giant to a higher level of success.

I simply don't believe that this job is not attractive. Portsmouth average gates of just under 20,000 while Newcastle enjoy 50,000 every weekend. Every Premiership manager has ambition so I have to assume that Harry was telling the truth - he rejected the bigger job to stay with the club who'd given him a valued opportunity.

So perhaps football isn't in terminal, moral decline after all? Perhaps one day Roy Keane might admit that a quite word with Alf Inge Haaland would have sufficed or perhaps Michael Essien will get sent off without the entire Chelsea squad attacking the ref? You can only hope but if there is to be a brave new world of football then it may well start at Pompey. Redknapp is the real football Messiah to me but do you think he should have gone?

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