Soccernet are carrying the following interesting article:

SHEARER EARMARKED FOR ENGLAND POST (By Ian McGarry)

EXCLUSIVE: Alan Shearer has been earmarked as a future coach of England, and will be put on a fast-track route to becoming an integral part of Sven Goran Eriksson's regime.

Soccernet can reveal that Shearer has already been sounded out about joining the Swede's staff when the time is right so that his coaching career can be nurtured from within the heart of the new national set-up.

His inclusion is part of a long-term planned succession of appointing from within - pioneered by the French and Germans - which the FA hope will avert the crisis management which has seen five men depart the job in the past decade.

While Eriksson is seen as the immediate future, the appointment of Peter Taylor and Steve McClaren as his assistants is designed to ensure a seamless transition in the job in the medium term.

Shearer has been identified as the 'third tier' of the grand plan and his apprenticeship will begin with membership of FA development teams, whose job it is to analyse and report on the whole structure of coaching in England.

The all-encompassing scheme will also mean a call to arms for some of the country's most experienced managers as Soho Square will recruit the skills of people like Don Howe, Dave Sexton and Bobby Robson to become 'coaching mentors'.

Shearer will be assigned one such senior figure from the day he begins his coaching course and will be encouraged to take any problems to him, as well as liaise closely throughout the learning process. He will take his FA professional coaching course in the next two years but is expected to be invited to England training sessions as an observer before then.

The former England captain, who retired from international football after Euro 2000, was consulted at length by Eriksson's chief scout Grip while on a recent visit to Newcastle United. Shearer is understood to have explained his reasons for retiring from the international scene last summer at 29 and, while he was not invited to don the Three Lions again by the new management team, his opinion on the current side was keenly sought. Shearer was quizzed on a whole range of topics, including his appraisal of the current crop of youngsters.

Having rekindled the England fire by promising to include him on the training field, there could even be a change of heart which would see Shearer return to the team, something he is prepared to contemplate in 'exceptional circumstances'.

Though he intends to fulfil his playing contract at St James' Park, the FA has recognised the need for a long-term strategy and identified Shearer as a future candidate to coach his country.

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2001

Answers

Obviously blind indifference to our Captains future!

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2001

Clarky, to tell the truth I'm more concerned that he'll end up coaching Newcastle without the right credentials.

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2001

Well, this program should at least help to ensure he doesn't.

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2001

I read this in this morning's Mail and was intrigued. I'm interested to know why he is thought of as potential management material. I agree with the view that the successor should be mentored by the present incumbent - you'll recall how well the Liverpool Boot Room used to produce winning, almost unknown managers after Shankly. I don't quite know what they see in Shearer or what they would be looking for, in terms of potential coaching ability, motivational skills, tactical nous etc. What you can say is that the guy has shown a commitment to the cause of playing for England beyond most of his contemporaries (Pearce would run him close) and that has to be a good start.

If it is his ambition to manage The Toon then it can only be good for us that he is being selected for such special treatment by the FA. It seems then that he is to be coached by the likes of Erricson for England and Robson back home so he could scarcely seek better mentors. I wish him well.

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2001