After West Ham's Alan Curbishley, Its New Castle's Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan quit as Newcastle United manager for a second time following a dispute over player transfers, a day after Alan Curbishley resigned from English Premier League soccer rival West Ham for the same reason.

Keegan, who also quit Newcastle in 1997, received a letter yesterday from managing director Derek Llambias that failed to resolve the issues, the League Managers Association said in a statement. Keegan held the job for less than eight months and said he had ``worked desperately'' to resolve his differences.

"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want," Keegan said in the statement. "I have been left with no choice other than to leave."

Newcastle said in a statement it was ``disappointed'' after spending several days in talks and putting forward "a set of practical suggestions for how to move forward."

Keegan disagreed over the sale of winger James Milner to Aston Villa last week and was upset that billionaire owner Mike Ashley wanted to sell striker Michael Owen, according to U.K. media reports. Keegan's loyalty to Joey Barton was another sticking point with Ashley, who wanted to get rid of the player who recently was released from prison, the Daily Mail reported.

News Courtsey: bloomberg.com