He's only been there five weeks but already Keegan is disillusioned by Newcastle's owners

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While Keegan has publicly described Mike Ashley as the perfect owner, the manner in which the club is being run by the billionaire businessman and his lieutenants has left him feeling more and more disillusioned.

Sportsmail understands Keegan had little, if any, say in the appointment of Chris Hughton as his assistant this week and one source suggested the former Tottenham coach did not even speak to Keegan prior to accepting the job.

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Five's a crowd: Keegan (main picture) in training and (clockwise from top left): Wise, Hughton, Mort and Ashley

It was much the same when Dennis Wise was brought in as executive director (football).

Keegan actually admitted after watching his side lose at Arsenal that, while there had been talk of making such an appointment when he discussed returning for a second term in charge, he had no idea it would be the-then Leeds United manager who arrived.

That night, Keegan did not even realise Wise was at the Emirates Stadium with chairman Chris Mort.

Decisions are being made by Mort with the assistance, it is understood, of former Tottenham director Paul Kelmsley — a close friend of Ashley's who attempted to mastermind the recruitment of Harry Redknapp as manager prior to the appointment of Keegan.

Kelmsley is then thought to have helped bring in Wise, Hughton and two other members of the new hierarchy — Tony Jimenez as vicepresident (player recruitment) and Jeff Vetere, who joined from Real Madrid as technical co-ordinator.

Communication between Wise and Keegan is virtually non-existent, Wise choosing to work from Jimenez's office in London.

Mort also spends much of his time in London as, of course, does Ashley. While the situation has left Keegan feeling powerless and uncomfortable, it has also undermined his efforts to revive a struggling Newcastle team.

The former England coach has so far failed to inspire his players, who are spiralling dangerously towards the relegation zone.

Keegan has not enjoyed a victory in his six games in charge and Saturday's 5-1 defeat at home to Manchester United caused further damage to morale.

If Keegan was renowned for the attacking football his side played during his first spell at Newcastle, it has been quite the opposite this time.

In those six games, they have scored only three goals and conceded 16, hence the appointment of a defensive coach in Hughton.

On Saturday, Newcastle — who have not won a Barclays Premier League game since December 15 — face another test against a Blackburn side full of confidence as well as goals.

To add to the sense of uncertainty, rumours persist about Ashley's desire to sell the club.

Reports of contact with a consortium in Dubai as well as one reportedly being fronted by Alan Shearer have been denied.

But an offer of £250million could yet tempt Ashley, especially when the club could soon be worth considerably less should relegation come.

After Keegan guided his side to a draw in his first game against Bolton, he was gushing in his praise for the eccentric Ashley, who had attended the game with 'King Kev 1' on his Newcastle shirt.

Keegan said: "We've got a fantastic owner here. He's not a chairman, he doesn't want that. He's given us a lot of responsibility and we've got to make sure we encourage him to stay in this for the real long haul.

"If we're successful he will and we don't want to do anything that makes him despondent. That's the challenge for us. People like him don't turn up at a football club every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

"He's incredible. He's got no ego. He wants to go in with the fans and that's fantastic that he trusts you to get on with it. I've never met anyone like Mike, he's definitely different but I really like him. He's unassuming and if we get this place going, we will have the best owner in this country. But it's an 'if' until we get it going."

So far, Keegan has struggled to get the place going and his affection for Ashley is probably not what it was.

Will he once again quit?

The millions he would forfeit in compensation would probably prevent him from doing so but already his days at St James' appear to be numbered.