Newcastle United’s attempt to restructure the club means that a new team will be in place behind the scenes at St James’ Park. One is a familiar face, but the other two newcomers are less well known.

Dennis Wise
St James’ Park, it seems, has an eternal fascination for football’s bad boys. Wise would point out that he is a different person from the snarling character who was adored by Chelsea fans and loathed by just about everyone else. He has overcome scepticism from Leeds United fans, as well as a 15-point deduction, to hoist the club into a strong position in Coca-Cola League One.

Yet the 41-year-old is understood to be pining for a break from management - he has also had spells at Millwall, Southampton (as caretaker) and Swindon Town. His family have not settled in Yorkshire and his new role – which can be filed under the bracket of general manager – should allow him to spend two or three days a week at his Buckinghamshire home.

Duties beckoning for Wise will include scouting, but Kevin Keegan, the manager, will have the final say on acquisitions. Chris Mort, the chairman, has also placed great emphasis on developing the club’s academy.

Tony Jimenez
Set to be named Newcastle’s new vice-president today, he is a friend of Paul Kemsley, the former Tottenham Hotspur vice-chairman. In turn, Kemsley is tight with Mike Ashley, the Newcastle owner, while Jimenez has a long association with Wise, having established a wide network of contacts in football through his background in property development. So the circle is squared.

Jimenez has a reputation as a Mr Fixit, having played a significant role in Tottenham’s capture of Juande Ramos. He was also instrumental in Keegan’s return to Tyneside. He will grease the wheels for transfer deals to be finalised. The model being established is a continental one, where young, talented players are targeted and either integrated into the first team or sold at a profit. Keegan, who knew about the plans before returning to Newcastle, is said to be satisfied that there will be no interference in his domain.

A former director of Casa Sports Holdings Ltd, an agency whose clients included Celestine Babayaro, who had an ill-fated period at Newcastle, Jiminez was in Spain last night, scouting for youth-team players.

Jeff Vetere
A former apprentice at Luton Town, he rose from a youth coaching role at Rushden & Diamonds to become Charlton Athletic’s overseas scouting co-ordinator. Fluent in Italian and Spanish, he has since worked for Real Madrid but will take the title of technical director, which will mean an international scouting role. Credited with an encyclopaedic knowledge of footballers, Vetere will be expected to use his broad range of skills to help Newcastle to restock their youth and reserve ranks with exciting prospects.