Bevan: 'Kinnear rant unacceptable'

Newcastle interim manager Joe Kinnear has pledged not to curb his tongue and admitted: "I didn't think there was so much hatred up here."

The former Wimbledon and Luton boss made the headlines less than a week after his short-term appointment with an expletive-laden rant at a number of national newspaper journalists.

The League Managers' Association (LMA) has described the outburst as "unacceptable" and called on Kinnear to apologise if his comments were not off the record.

But Kinnear has defended his behaviour and insisted the negative reaction that greeted his arrival was undeserved.

He said: "I've got to hold my hands up, I didn't think I'd be treated the way I have been with all the cheap shots.

"I didn't realise football had got to that stage. I've got a short temper, I've got a short fuse, I'm well aware of that. I say what I believe and I'm never going to change."

He added: "There have been people saying I've had two heart attacks and I'm ready for a third, others saying I need my head examined. I didn't envisage any of this, not in the slightest, and maybe I'm naive because of that."

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan described Kinnear's rant as "unacceptable".

He said: "Whether it's a manager, owner or even supporter, such heavy use of language is unacceptable, when in a public arena.

"However, in Joe's case his conversation did start off the record and in a private meeting."

When asked if Kinnear should apologise, Bevan added: "If it wasn't a private meeting, then the answer is yes."

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.