From the Beeb:

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has fuelled speculation that Alan Shearer will succeed Booby Robson as the club's manager. Shearer has made no secret of his desire to move into management when he finishes playing and would be a popular choice among the club's supporters.

Shepherd told the Daily Express: "I hope he becomes manager one day.

"I would love to see a Geordie manager here and a continuation on from Bobby Robson.

"Alan Shearer will be on the shortlist. I would always prefer to see a Geordie chairman, Geordie manager and Geordie skipper at this club - as we have it now."

Shearer has reportedly been groomed for the Newcastle job since moving to St James' Park from Blackburn for £15m in 1996.

The former England captain retired from international football after Euro 2000 to concentrate on his club career with Newcastle.

Robson could take on the role of director of football if Shearer, the club's captain, becomes manager.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Answers

A phenomenon

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

I am seriously doubtful of players becoming managers of big teams immediately. TSM did it at liverpool, but then look at the team he inherited - they'd have gone on another 2 seasons with no-one in charge. Vialli did it at Chelsea, but I think that's about it.

I would like to see Shearer get some 'practice' somewhere first, at a lower league team. My point is - what happens if he doesn't do well at NUFC, he gets the sack after maybe 10 months, then that's it, he's done. It will take him a bloody long time to get back into contention - he'll have to do spectacularly well at some shitty team with no money, which is where he should have started anyway. I really WANT Shearer to be a great Newcastle manager, but I want him to have the best shot at it, which means some sort of experience first.

By the way: of all the 'great' players over the last 30 years - and there are stacks of them - how many have proven to be great managers? Most great managers were not particularly great players.(note : I said most there. Hoddle and Keegan may yet prove to be great managers, if they haven't already, but not many more spring to mind)

Finally, let me point you to Derby. Dave McKay and Colin Todd were undoubtedly Derby greats. All the fans demanded them as managers. Hmmm.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

I have my doubts. Shearer should at least take the UEFA coaching courses.

There is an argument that it's easier to manage a big club than a little one, I imagine it has a lot to do with the kind of player a manager used to be. It could well be harder for great players to manage at a lower level, as they can't adjust to the fact that the players at their disposal lack their technical and mental ability. Chris Waddle at Burnley springs to mind (though admittedly there's nothing to suggest that he would have been an unqualified success managing Barcelona either). Similarly, there very good managers in the lower divisions who would be out of their depth with world-class players.

The other key factor is timing - when will Bobby quit?

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

I have severe worries about this. Of course, no one can say whether he will be a good manager or a bad but I'm just not sure that we can afford to take the risk on someone who is completely unproven. To me, it would be just as logical to make Pedro manager and I don't see any real appetite for that to happen. Shearer may get criticism on here but it's fairly low-key and will never be seen by him (unless he is eavesdropping, in which case he deserves all he gets) but he gets nothing but adulation on the pitch. If he wins a freekick, he gets a song. If he f..ks up as manager, he'll find the old truth about Newcastle United: we are considerably more patient with our Number 9's than we are with our managers. I'm not sure that's fair on him of the club. I have to say that while a UEFA badge isn't a guarantee of anything, being prepared to do the paperwork despite it being boring etc would show a discipline and hunger that not doing it suggests is missing.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

I totally agree with Nick. Shearer should start in the lower leagues and one day he is ready for the big step. But while we are discussing this; do we have any candidates as our next manager?

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Totally agree with Nick, no need to have wait as long as Robson =) but some years in the club on coaching duties or in a lower league. Me neither wanna risk anything.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Agree with Dougal and others. I'd really prefer he cut his managerial teeth elsewhere. The thought of him failing at NUFC depresses me. Maybe he won't, but how many other top players went immediately into coaching/managing and remained at the top. He might do well initially, while he's still got Bobby's squad and possibly has Bobby around to advise, but what happens when Bobby's no longer around or when he's got to build his own squad? The fact that he has yet to show any real ambition by taking courses or coaching youth teams only reinforces my fears. Though he has started working on his media presence...ie showing he's got a personality, so that may be his first step. ;-)

Honestly, at ths stage I'd feel (slightly) better if they were touting Beardsley as the next manager. At least he's working his way up.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Is the UEFA coaching badge a requirement now? I have fears that Al may not be management material, and that his appointment will ultimately tarnish his well earned crown as Newcastle's Golden Boy. However, those are fears not based on anything in particular other than his inexperience (i.e. none) in management. I think Al has many key qualities to being a good manager: temperament, character, knowledge of the game and professional respect from players. I wouldn't underestimate these factors.

There's nothing can prepare you for managing a big club like NUFC like doing the job. No amount of slogging away at going-nowhere-small-places like Swindon Town, Chesterfield or Sun*****nd ;-) will help in managing our club. It's simply a different game entirely. And would a club take on a manager when it's writ large he's heading elsewhere as soon as he can? I also can't see Shearer, a man with a single-minded attitude to success at the highest level, considering a drop down the leagues. Al came to Newcastle to win things, as he's said often - if not as a player, then certainly as a manager.

Besides, we can always get Barton if Al balls it up :-)

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Oooooh! Stop teasing Bobby!

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Wasn't a certain Mr. B. Robson being groomed (at Smogland) as Taggart's replacement?

Not all great players / captains (Robson was a far better captain that wor Al, IMHO) make great managers.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Top players who've gone straight into top jobs and done well? How about TSM who won the double in his first season at L'pool?!!! Why - because he inherited an excellent team and had an old man in the background to help him out!

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

And what's he done since? Precisely. :-(

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Won the PL with Blackburn?

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Keep going...

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

i'd be happy enough if Shearer did no more than win the Premiership with us

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Said it before, but the only manager I like as a replacement at the mo is David Platt. With Shearer alongside him?

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

>>(said FF) I would always prefer to see a Geordie chairman, Geordie manager and Geordie skipper at this club - as we have it now.

Acknowledging that he only said he'd "prefer" these scenarios - and while I can see arguments for the Geordie skipper bit - this is utter horseshit. Best person for the job - everytime

-- Anonymous, January 15, 2002

Why is there not a system in place, as in Italy, where to coach you have to have qualifications?

The FA, Coaches'r'us and the PFA or whatever should be insisting on it.

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2002

I think you'll find gus that Coaches'r'us actually offer charabanc services to members of the travelling public ...

Otherwise a good point that I fully concur with

-- Anonymous, January 16, 2002