Toon may turn to Shearer
Bolton’s Sam Allardyce and former Celtic boss Martin O’Neill also emerged as strong fancies for the St. James’ Park hot-seat, with Allardyce the bookies’ favourite.
But sources close to the club believe that captain Shearer, due to retire at the end of the season, is destined to take charge.
It is thought Newcastle are considering an approach to Luton in a bid to lure their manager, Mike Newell, with a view to installing him as Shearer’s right-hand man. The pair are close friends from their days as strike partners at Blackburn.
But it remains to be seen whether Shearer, one short of eclipsing Jackie Milburn’s club-record haul of 200 goals, is ready to take the managerial plunge. Shearer, 35, has been coaching the side this season as he works towards his UEFA ‘A’ badge.
Caretaker boss Roeder, 50, a one-time Newcastle skipper and now academy director, overcame a brain tumour while at West Ham three years ago and is not a candidate to replace Souness on a permanent basis.
Souness’s troubled 17-month reign came to an end yesterday morning when he was summoned by chairman Freddy Shepherd following the abject 3-0 defeat at Manchester City on Wednesday night.
The setback was the Magpies’ fifth in six Premiership games, and left them just six points off the bottom three. Souness, who had spent over £50m in the transfer market, confessed for the first time after the City debacle that Newcastle were fighting for their Premiership lives.
Shepherd told Souness at the start of the season that a top-six finish and a trophy were the minimum requirements this term.
But a spate of injuries and dismal form sealed Souness’s fate as his side slipped to 15th spot.
Angry fans called for Souness’s head a fortnight ago after the 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn, the club he walked out on to join Newcastle as Bobby Robson’s replacement.
Shepherd had been loath to wield the axe because of the prospect of a £3m-plus compensation pay-out to Souness and his backroom team, but the chairman decided to act after further demands from fans for Souness to go during and after the City game.
Shepherd yesterday met the senior squad to spell out the way ahead for the club.
Souness, meanwhile, issued a statement saying: “I’m obviously saddened at the way things have worked out. I’ve enjoyed living and working at Newcastle and my family and I have been made to feel particularly welcome by the Geordies. I wish the club, the players and the supporters good fortune and success.”
Despite pulling off the coup of prising Michael Owen from Real Madrid last August, Souness was heavily criticised for the signings of Albert Luque from Deportivo La Coruna for £9.5m and Jean-Alain Boumsong, who cost £8m from Rangers, with both players failing to impress.
Souness was also embroiled in unseemly public rows with striker Craig Bellamy and winger Laurent Robert, who were both offloaded.
He also had to contend with the sight of two of his players, Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer, being sent off for trading blows with each other in a home defeat by Aston Villa.
Now the focus falls on Roeder and Shearer ahead of tomorrow’s crucial home game against fellow strugglers Portsmouth.
Former Newcastle left-back Frank Clark, now with the League Managers’ Association, warned his old club they risk Premier League censure if they don’t appoint a full-time successor to Souness before the end of the season.
Clark explained: “It’s a good move in the short term, but that can only exist for 12 weeks under Premier League regulations because neither Glenn nor Alan have the UEFA pro-licence qualification. After that, the club would be breaking Premier League regulations.”
The 12-week period would be up at the end of April, a week before the end of the Premiership season, but it is likely Newcastle would receive special dispensation to stick with Roeder and Shearer until the summer.
Two former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland stars, midfielder Mick Martin and defender John Anderson, yesterday gave their assessment of the latest crisis to hit the club.
Seasoned Newcastle observers, they were at the Man City game as pundits with Tyneside-based radio stations.
Anderson said: “It’s been a tough time for Graeme and you have to have some sympathy for him from the point of view of injuries.
“If they don’t have a replacement lined up, putting Glenn and Alan in charge was probably the right way to go. Glenn has management experience and he has a feel for the club having been Newcastle captain.
“And you always feel the job is there for Alan if he wants it. Depending on when he wants it, I don’t think anyone would stand in his way.”
Martin said: “Graeme’s gone and I think it had everything to do with Wednesday. Appointing Shearer long term might be part of the grand plan, but I’m not too sure whether Alan has to go somewhere else first to cut his managerial teeth.”
Shearer summed up the Magpies’ plight, saying: “We need to rectify this before it becomes an emergency, otherwise we’ll be in real trouble.
“We have a big battle on our hands - we’re not in the comfort zone. Forget the FA Cup. What are important are our next two league games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa. We need points.”
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