Newcastle United were nine points clear at the top of the Premier League when Kevin Keegan signed Faustino Asprilla in February 1996. Results deteriorated, the Magpies were pipped to the title and Asprilla was blamed. But is that fair? With the help of Steve Howey, Adam Bate examines the evidence… When title bids go wrong its natural to look for reasons. In such circumstances, its change - any change - that will be seen as an obvious explanation. New signings are always going to come under the spotlight when the blame game begins and English football is littered with such examples.Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan called it madness signing Rodney Marsh to bolster their chances in the spring of 1972 and Aston Villa faded badly after buying Tony Cascarino in March 1990. But most famously of all, there was the arrival on Tyneside of Faustino Asprilla in February 1996. Kevin Keegans thrilling Newcastle side had picked up 57 points from 24 games prior to signing Asprilla, but accumulated only 21 points from their remaining 14 fixtures. The sequence included a crucial home defeat to eventual champions Manchester United and a famous 4-3 loss at Liverpool.Even some involved point to Asprilla. Prior to Tino arriving, we had Les Ferdinand and Peter Beardsley through the middle, myself on the right and David Ginola on the left, said Keith Gillespie. But I became the fall-guy to accommodate Asprilla and Peter was moved to the right wing.The players became a bit miffed by the changes because they upset the whole way the team played. Ill always remember Rob Lee speaking to Kevin a few weeks later to ask him to put me back into the team because the players wanted to go back to the formation that had worked so well.When even a Newcastle team-mate sees things in such terms, its easy to buy into the narrative. But delve a little deeper, examine the matches that saw Keegans men surrender their advantage and it becomes apparent just how much the outcome has shaped our view of events. Asprilla arrived in English football to much excitement in 1996 No wonder Beardsley calls the prevailing narrative an absolute disgrace, while Ferdinand views such sentiments as ludicrous with Newcastles top scorer in that 1995/96 season instead pointing succinctly to the problem of not having any tactics. This was not one mans burden to carry.However, whats clear is that having won their three previous Premier League games ahead of the deal that brought Asprilla to the club, the coming of the Colombian undeniably represented something of a defining moment in the season. Even the very manner of it demanded attention.Picked up in a private jet from Italy, Asprilla was a genuine star. Hed been part of a Parma side that had thrived in the continents toughest league, winning three European trophies. There are claims that even his interpreter was paid more than first-team regular Robbie Elliott.He first arrived in a teddy bear coat which was covered in snow, Beardsley told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. He was shivering and probably wondering what he had done. Tino only flew in the day before we played at Middlesbrough, but KK had him on the team coach straight away. Asprilla sits behind Kevin Keegan and Terry McDermott at Middlesbrough Asprilla had a glass of wine before coming on for his debut in the second half of that match. The forward, then 26, has since insisted that he felt he adapted quite quickly to English football. Re-examine those early games in a Newcastle shirt and its clear the claim is not without substance.Firstly, the notion that Beardsley was moved out of position to accommodate Asprilla is not quite so clear-cut. The veterans flexibility had long been utilised. In the game prior to Asprillas arrival, with Ginola injured, Paul Kitson had come in up front. It was evident Newcastle needed more options.Secondly, it was Asprilla who turned the game around on his debut. With Newcastle 1-0 down at Middlesbrough, they scored twice after he came on. It was a heroic introduction. Even in defeat on his first start against West Ham next time out, it would be absurd to hold Asprilla responsible.With Ginola still injured, Asprilla did not replace Gillespie. Instead, he came in for the injured Rob Lee and was arguably Newcastles best player - hitting a post after skinning Slaven Bilic and almost winning a penalty, too. He did some superb things, acknowledged Hammers boss Harry Redknapp. Asprilla slices through the heart of the West Ham defence Keegan enthusiastically praised his new addition. I was delighted with the way Asprilla played in his first full game in three months, he said afterwards. We couldnt have expected anything more of him. He and Les are going to be a lethal partnership with one or two fine tunings.Indeed, Ferdinand was the more culpable, wasting a clear opening, while Darren Peacock had hit a post early on. Perhaps it was a sign that Newcastles fortunes had changed as much as the personnel or tactics. You do have these nights where you dont always get what you deserve, said Keegan.It was the next match at Manchester City that saw Gillespie ousted by the returning Ginola. But this was hardly a controversial decision with the Northern Irishman flagging and Asprilla having delivered such a fine display on his full debut. He justified his inclusion with a stunning first goal for the club as well.While Asprilla was also involved in an unsavoury incident in which he appeared to head-butt Keith Curle, the bigger concern was that his goal was the second of three equalisers required by Newcastle in order to earn a point. The teams defence had become an obvious problem. Keith Curle of Man City squares up to Asprilla after an incident at Maine Road When you have myself, Faustino Asprilla and Peter Beardsley, you give them their freedom, Ginola later argued but Keegan was unable to construct a sturdy platform on which they could perform. The Newcastle boss would go on to hire Mark Lawrenson as a defensive coach in recognition of this flaw.All that was required was for him to err on the side of caution in some games, said Lawrenson, quoted in the Telegraph many years later. Maybe just an extra midfield holding player to release the likes of Beardsley, Ferdinand and Asprilla.But in a sense thats precisely what Keegan did when signing David Batty from Blackburn in March. This was the no-nonsense midfielder some had suggested was required. Instead, Newcastle lost four of Battys first six games for the club and with it their grip on the Premier League trophy.Its fair to suggest that these were the six games that cost Newcastle the title. But consider Asprillas role in them and his individual culpability is far from clear. In fact, afforded the perspective that only comes with time and such criticism appears utterly unwarranted. Asprilla is denied by Mark Bosnich during a game against Aston Villa In the vital six-pointer against Manchester United, Newcastle were unfortunate having outplayed the visitors. If they want to know who is the best team in the country, they only have to look at the tape of the first half, said Keegan. Its a tape worth watching for Asprillas performance alone.On his St James Park bow, it was Asprilla, not the scorer of the games only goal, Eric Cantona, who was the games star. In a first half that Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he couldnt wait to end, he could well have been the hero had Ferdinand finished either of the one-on-ones hed helped to fashion.We absolutely tortured them, recalls former Newcastle defender Steve Howey. It should have been the same result as the year after when we beat them 5-0. I spoke to Peter Schmeichel after that when we were together at Manchester City and he said it was just one of those games where everything was hitting him.Newcastle lost despite Asprilla, rather than because of him. Asprillas arrival has been questioned but, judging by the ovation he received last night, there are no doubters on Tyneside, wrote Glenn Moore in the Independent. Within five minutes there could have been none anywhere else, either. Man Utds Gary Neville vies with Asprilla during the Premier League decider The Colombian settled quicker than anyone and his touch and movement was exceptional. Had Ferdinand been as sharp, Newcastle would have won. They did pick up the three points in their next match, a 3-0 thrashing of West Ham in which Asprilla scored his first St James Park goal.However, back-to-back defeats at Arsenal and Liverpool saw Manchester United wrestle control of the title race for good. Asprilla infuriated Keegan in the 2-0 defeat at Highbury by changing and showering rather than listening to his managers post-match criticism of the team.Asprilla argued that he had a plane to catch and promptly whistled for a motorbike to negotiate the crowds outside the ground. According to Newcastle left-back John Beresford, Keegan could only turn to the rest of the squad to exclaim: Can you believe this guy? Many couldnt.Tino just didnt see the point because he couldnt understand anyway, Howey told Sky Sports. I think that annoyed Kevin and it annoyed the lads as well because he might not have been able to speak but could have at least sat his backside down and listened. Stan Collymore scored the winner in one of the greatest Premier League games Even so, it was Warren Bartons error rather than anything by Asprilla that had been most costly on the pitch. Those defensive problems were to prove decisive once again against Liverpool in a game that has, of course, come to symbolise Keegans Newcastle.The seven-goal thriller was an instant classic. At once, Newcastle were effervescent and exciting in attack but vulnerable in defence. A visceral joy but also a glorious tragedy of a team for which every foray forward represented a risk. Every overlap now came at a cost. It was a beautiful unravelling.Asprilla added to this sense of chaos. He was mad as a box of frogs according to Howey. As a defender, you have a rough idea where a forward is going to go. With Tino, you didnt have a clue because Tino didnt have a clue. He played completely off the cuff.The two lads up front were doing brilliantly but it was difficult getting the point across to Tino because hes a different player. With Tino it was difficult because youd play it up to him and hed try a flick or a trick, lose it, and you were back under the cosh again. Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler talks about the greatest game hes covered And yet, Asprilla was magnificent at times. For Newcastles first goal, he glided past Neil Ruddock with ease and had the presence of mind to pick out Ferdinand in the middle. He later put his side 3-2 up with a delicate finish with the outside of his boot that might well have been the winner.Instead, Stan Collymore added two more for Liverpool and the story changed. But the twist in the tale owed more to a defence in disarray - they had five men around to mark Liverpools four attackers for that final goal but couldnt do it - than any imbalance caused by Asprillas inclusion.Ginola called it the turning point. Certainly, it was a performance to see doubts cascade rather than creep in. It took a late Beardsley brace to beat QPR with Simon OHagan of the Independent reporting that for all the brilliance of Asprilla, there was uncertainty in much of what they did.A loss at Blackburn two days later was the final blow. With Keegan tinkering in search of answers and games coming quickly, Lee was deployed on the wing and width sacrificed. After Asprilla was withdrawn, Newcastle fan Graham Fenton promptly scored twice to turn three points into none.Keegans men went on to pick up 11 points from their remaining five fixtures but Manchester United simply did not slip up, winning 13 of their last 15 games. The narrative of Newcastles Asprilla-sparked collapse became unshakeable and one many pundits were content to perpetuate. Everybody has got this idea that it was him who cost us the title but that wasnt the case. Steve Howey Everybody has got this idea that it was him who cost us the title but that wasnt the case, added Howey. There were another 10 players out there and we all take responsibility for that. But lets not take it away from Manchester United. They went on an unbelievable run.Beardsley also insists his team-mate was an easy target for the critics. It simply wasnt true, he said. Asprilla was a magnificent player. He had a sublime touch, great vision and a footballers mind. Ferdinand agrees. He was an asset. Kevin had noticed we were starting to let it slip.But others have their doubts. Despite Gillespie and Asprilla later combining against Barcelona for the latters hat-trick on a memorable night at St James Park, thoughts of that season appear to continue to nag away at Gillespie. He isnt the only one wholl wonder what might have been.Who knows what would have happened if we had stuck to the system that had worked so well for us? Its impossible to say. But despite the colour of the teams shirts, theres nothing black and white about Asprillas involvement in Newcastles failure to finish the job. Also See: Newcastle freeze ticket prices Mitrovic: Thirteen finals to come http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Black-Anthony-McCoy-Redskins-Jersey/ . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Darrell-Green_Redskins_Jersey/ . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Perry-Riley_Redskins_Jersey/ . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Derek-Carrier_Redskins_Jersey/ . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. http://www.authenticshopredskins.com/Authentic_Brandon-Scherff_Redskins_Jersey/ . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. SEOUL, South Korea -- National Hockey League representatives are in South Korea to inspect Olympic facilities as the league mulls a decision on whether to let its players appear for a sixth consecutive Olympics in Pyeongchang.Pyeongchangs organizing committee said the NHL delegation led by vice president of international strategy Lynn White and facilities operation manager Dan Craig will make inspections on Thursday and Friday of facilities in Gangneung, a city near Pyeongchang which will host the ice hockey tournament during the 2018 Winter Games. They will be joined NHL Players Association officials Sandra Monteiro and Mathieu Schneider and the International Ice Hockey Federations Hannes Ederer and Christian Hofstetter, the organizing committee said.Pyeongchang organizers consider securing the participation of NHL players to be a critical issue as ice hockey is one of the most popular sports at the Winter Games.dddddddddddd The International Olympic Committees negotiations with the NHL over having the leagues players competing in Pyeongchang have stalled over the IOCs decision not to pay for NHL players travel and insurance as it has in the past.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly recently told The Associated Press he felt negative about the chances the leagues players will compete in Pyeongchang.Christophe Dubi, the IOCs executive director of the Olympic Games, told reporters earlier this month that the NHLs decision to inspect the Gangneung facilities was a very positive step, but didnt offer a firm answer on whether the IOC would consider allowing the NHL to skip the Pyeongchang Games before returning for Beijing in 2022. 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