Telegraph

Doubts cast over Shearer's Newcastle return

by Martin Hardy, 20th January 2008

Kevin Keegan, whose first match back in charge at Newcastle produced an anti-climactic 0-0 draw yesterday, has lifted the lid on his rift with Alan Shearer and admitted he fears he has caused a major problem between the pair by not appearing for Shearer's testimonial in 2006 - one that may stop them working together.

Shearer was deeply hurt by the non-appearance of the man who persuaded him to snub Manchester United to move to Newcastle 10 years earlier. That Keegan was also the only significant figure from his career not to pen an article for the tribute programme similarly drove a wedge between the duo.

Keegan has spoken for the first time about a friendship that has been severely damaged because of the snub, and revealed he plans to offer an olive branch to repair their relationship. However, perhaps significantly, he has distanced himself from suggestions that Shearer could be handed the No 2 role as part of his new management team at St James' Park.

Keegan, who took over on Wednesday, has still to determine his entire staff, although his former manager, Arthur Cox, was added to the club's payroll on Friday. Yet it seems now that the best Shearer will be offered is a part-time coaching role under the new regime. The fact that Shearer is due to set off on a business trip to Africa today further complicates matters. He has also been told by Newcastle chairman Chris Mort that he will need to take over at another club before he is even considered for the manager's role in the future.

"I'd like to think there is no animosity there, but if you are asking me if Alan rings me as much as he used to do then no, he doesn't," revealed Keegan.

"I couldn't come to Alan's testimonial (against Celtic) because I was on a family holiday in the States. Things like that, sadly, may have affected him, but it hasn't affected me and I want to talk with him and I will. It's possibly true that it did offend him in some way, but for me to fly all the way from America…I wouldn't have expected him to do that for me. But maybe I'm thinking like I think and maybe it did offend him.

"If it did, I would have thought that we are great friends. For all his playing career, and from the minute I met him and signed him in David Platt's farmhouse in Cheshire, we had a fantastic relationship and a very honest one. Yes we are two people who say what we think, but that's good. I will talk to Alan first, but if that is the reason he doesn't ring me any more then that disappoints me, but I'll ring him and ask him. He's not rung me, but then I've been out of the game a while and he's on the telly.

"If Alan doesn't see himself as a No 2 then he's not going to come here, is he? What am I going to fetch him as, joint manager? If he says to me, I don't want to be No 2, and that is his line, then there really isn't any point having a long conversation. I think there is an involvement for Alan Shearer at this football club and that involvement at this moment could be on his terms.

"I know he has other obligations and commitments to the BBC. It is a promise and a commitment, so it might be that we can chat about it. What a fantastic player to have around the club and help people in the art of goalscoring and finishing and just talking to players.

"But if he can't be there on a Saturday because he has to do TV work, then you can't even think of him as a No 2. I will probably say to him, 'I'm here now, do you see any role for yourself?'

Mort's opinion has further complicated a delicate issue between two strong-willed figures. He insists Shearer must get experience to become the next Newcastle manager, though Keegan believes he is his perfect successor.


"Alan ticks a lot of boxes but he's not yet done it as a manager," said Mort. "I would be more comfortable about Alan managing this club if he has more managerial experience under his belt. I'd say this to Alan, and I have said it to him."

Keegan revealed he would not have returned to St James' Park if the Halls and Shepherds had still been in control. Both families were bought out in Mike Ashley's takeover and when he was asked if he would be manager if they were still running the club, he said: "No. That doesn't mean to say I don't respect them. If you talk about the way it finished, then it was disappointing. Sir John Hall couldn't even be bothered to come back and say goodbye to me."

Keegan, despite his row with the player he paid a world record £15?million for, does believe Shearer will inherit his position.

He added: "I had a conversation with Alan when he was in his last year at the club - I think we were playing golf somewhere - and we were talking about management and the manager's job at Newcastle came up, as it always does. And I said to him 'It will come for you one day, you don't have to go looking for it'."