WHEN you see Shay Given in a state of shock you know things are bad at Newcastle United.

In his 12 seasons at the club, if chaos and disorganisation has sometimes reigned on and off the pitch, the Republic of Ireland international has been a vision of calm authority.

But yesterday afternoon, even the unflappable United goalkeeper was taken aback at the news of Joe Kinnear’s appointment.

And if Given’s reaction was anything to go by, the players at St James’ Park are less than happy at the prospect of former Wimbledon boss becoming their third manager of the season.

Asked if he was pleased by Kinnear’s appointment, Given replied: “Pleased? No. I mean, the club is still up for sale and we haven’t got a permanent manager so I wouldn’t say pleased. It’s going somewhere I suppose, but I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing to be honest.

“I don’t know what to say, where to start, but in an ideal world, we’d like the club sorted out and a permanent manager.

“Joe Kinnear is just to oversee things until we get one. It is not an ideal situation I don’t think.”

Given, who appeared bemused when told by the assembled media that Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer were being lined up as the permanent management team, admitted: “That’s news to me.

I haven’t got a clue. I have spoken to neither. You’re telling me stuff I don’t even know.

“We don’t know as players what is happening really but there is just a lot of uncertainty around the club and it’s not helping anyone,” added Given, who confirmed that none of the Newcastle board have spoken to the players this week.

Asked if he was happy with reports of Keegan making a swift return to Tyneside, Given said: “I didn’t want to see him leave so that kind of answers that question.

“But it depends on who takes over and all that stuff.

Who are going to be the new owners and if they want him back, but no-one wanted to see him leave in the first place.”

Given preferred to talk about something he can control, today’s match against his former club Blackburn Rovers that sees an injury-hit Newcastle seeking to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat.

“We’ve got a big game to come and that’s what we are trying to focus on. It is a massive game for everyone.

“It doesn’t matter if the new manager, or even the new owner, comes in next week, nothing can be done until January regarding the size of the squad so we can’t do anything about the group of players in there at the minute. We have to focus on Blackburn and the games coming up and that’s what we will do.”

Chris Hughton received a phone call yesterday morning from the club chairman, Derek Lambias, telling him Kinnear would be taking temporary charge.

Hughton, who will work alongside Kinnear in a coaching role, gave his appraisal of the new boss.

“I’ve never worked with him but I know him from the football circuit. He had a very good record at Wimbledon. I know from that time his manmanagement skills were very good. Tactically he worked on and improved on what he had at Wimbledon and then took that on to Luton and Nottingham Forest.”

Quizzed about Kinnear as a person, Hughton replied: “He’s a big personality, although I haven’t seen him for quite some time.”

That statement is hardly surprising since Kinnear has been out of football management for almost four years.

“It’s miles too early to start thinking about a relegation battle,’’ insisted Hughton.

“The job has had its difficulties, everybody is aware of that, and among those difficulties you either get results or you don’t.

“What you can do is prepare the players the best way possible.

The longer the losing run goes on it becomes a confidence factor and under my reign its three games now and that does affect confidence.”

Asked if he looked forward to the reported ‘third coming’ of Keegan, Hughton said: “What I can envisage is working with whatever the circumstances are and those decisions are made by Mike Ashley or the directors.”