New Newcastle United football chief Joe Kinnear says he's over his health problems.

The former Wimbledon and Nottingham Forest boss suffered a heart attack before a game against West Brom in February 2009 and, with United favourite Alan Shearer taking charge for the remainder of the season, Kinnear left the club at the end of his contract in May of that year.

But he said: "I'm as fit as a fiddle now. I'm absolutely delighted with the situation.

"I've been working out in the gym, I go for long walks, I've lost lot of weight - I'm in the best physical shape I've ever been.

"I've been waiting for the opportunity to come back. I have turned down managerial jobs in the lower leagues, because I felt I'd gone past that and I wanted to get my teeth into something in the Premier League."