Ginola offers insight into Keegan’s infamous Newcastle rant

David Ginola has offered some insight into how Newcastle players reacted to Kevin Keegan’s infamous “I will love it” rant.

Ginola was a key member of the Newcastle squad that seemed destined to win the Premier League in 1995/96, boasting a 12-point lead over Manchester United as late as January.

But they went on a disastrous run of just two wins and five defeats in nine games from mid-February to early April, handing Alex Ferguson’s United the title initiative.

Keegan’s rant live on Sky Sports is often attributed as one of the main reasons for Newcastle’s downfall – although United had actually overhauled them by that point.

Ginola recalls hearing his manager shouting from the dressing room, with players rushing “to help him because we thought there was trouble in the dugout”.

“We heard him in the dressing room,” he told Sky Sports. “We actually went out to help him because we thought there was trouble in the dugout.

“He was shouting. He was really annoyed. Also he realised things were slipping out of his hands. Well, that’s a shame.

“When you see someone nervous as he was that night, you realise he’s losing the self-confidence he had in the previous weeks.

“Would he be able to make the right decision in the near future? Because he was becoming really anxious about losing. He was so confident before.

“It’s a shame because he’s a great man. I admire him as a player, as a manager. He was not saying too much in the dressing room. Everything was very simple. I think that’s probably the main shame of it.”