Kinnear bites back at ‘clueless’ Shearer

Newcastle’s director of football Joe Kinnear has hit back at the club’s record goalscorer Alan Shearer, claiming: “This is a guy who doesn’t have a clue about coaching.”

Last week Magpies legend Shearer claimed the appointment of former Republic of Ireland international Kinnear had “undermined” manager Alan Pardew and recent events at St James’ Park had turned the club into a “laughing stock”.

Kinnear responded angrily to Shearer’s comments in an interview in the Sunday Times, and highlighted the former England striker’s failure to keep Newcastle in the Premier League in the final eight games of the 2008-09 season, when he succeeded Kinnear after he had suffered a heart attack.

“What Shearer says is diabolical,” said Kinnear. This is a guy who hasn’t got a clue about coaching.” He added: “The last game of the (2008-09) season he came up with the master idea of playing Damien Duff at left-back. Damien is one of the best left-wingers in the business, but can’t tackle. And we went down with an own goal from Damien.

“Shearer keeps slagging me off. He is being disrespectful to me. I am entitled to fight back.”

The interview was his first in print since returning to Newcastle, following on from two colourful and controversial interviews on television and radio where he made a number of erroneous claims, mispronounced the names of several players and claimed he had “more intelligence” than Magpies supporters.

Kinnear apologised to Newcastle fans for the latter remark.

“I regret what I said about the supporters,” he said.

“There are 10% I’m never going to win over, that is the point I was trying to make, but I regret what I said and if I offended any Newcastle fans I apologise.”

Kinnear’s appointment immediately created speculation around the future of Pardew and also of influential chief scout Graham Carr, who both now report into him. But Kinnear insists he will not be interfering in first-team matters and believes his job may be under bigger threat than the former Charlton manager’s.

“I will have the job of over-looking the reserves and the youth team and see where we are progressing, as well as being chief advisor to (chairman) Mike Ashley,” he said.

“If things are going wrong at the club I am accountable.”