The Sports Corner

Bullen’s Banter: Is Al the man to fire up the Toon army?

Alan Shearer is reportedly a step closer to the managerial hotseat at Newcastle after ex-Magpie and England midfielder Rob Lee stated that he was ready for the role. 

Shearer is a Geordie hero after his 10-year spell as a player, which saw him break the Newcastle record for the amount of goals scored.

A mark previously held by the legendary Jackie Milburn.

Immediately after his retirement in 2006, he was earmarked for the manager’s job but decided to delay his coaching career and work as a pundit for the BBC. However it seems that Shearer is finally ready to manage his beloved Newcastle United.

Would this be a suitable appointment?

Newcastle are a club in turmoil scrapping for points in a desperately poor season so far, despite draws with both Chelsea and Manchester United. If Shearer was announced manager, being thrown in at the deep end is an understatement, as he would have to come to grips with the role quickly to save the Magpie’s season.

The thought of Newcastle United playing in the Championship is sobering to say the least but the club is plagued with problems from boardroom level to on the pitch.

Mike Ashley’s will he or won’t he in terms of selling the club is disrupting progress at the club that has consistently underachieved in recent years. Speculation on Michael Owen’s future is also a key area that Shearer will need to address if he is to become the boss.

So why appoint Shearer?

Well he is a Tyneside idol, famous images of the Angel of the North being draped in a Shearer shirt outlines his status in the North-East, plus he would have a major morale boost for the fans whose attendances have been slipping despite their extraordinary passion and loyalty to the Toon Army.

Finally though, he will have a good rapport with the players, some of which he played with in his time at the club. Maybe Owen would think twice if his former strike partner Shearer became the boss.

On the other hand, fantasy and reality are two different concepts.

The notion that a Shearer-led Newcastle would result in a surge up the table and settling of disputes is just unfeasible. Many legendary players are immediate candidates for managerial jobs at the clubs for which they starred for. When Sir Alex Ferguson does finally retire, there is no doubt that Roy Keane will be considered a potential successor but it simply does not work.

Newcastle needs a strong character at the helm to take decisive action: If Owen wishes to move, let him. If Ashley is unsure about his position, make him sure. If players are behaving unruly becomes a persistent problem at St.James Park, then discipline them.

All in all, Newcastle United needs a complete makeover.

Now talk of Shearer coming to Newcastle is premature to say the least, as Joe Kinnear is suddenly in charge.

He was named ‘interim’ boss after the unpopular sacking of Kevin Keegan which ultimately means he is keeping the seat warm. Joe has shown some fire though, openly criticising the media earlier in the season over inaccurate club reports, demanding a new deal to the end of the season, and recently submitting a request of transfers to bolster his squad. Kinnear is ready for a scrap to keep his job.

A more sensible solution would be for me to have an experienced man at the helm and Shearer as his number 2. This way he can benefit from the positives and negatives of becoming a manager before making the giant step up. Talks of reforming with Kevin Keegan would be extremely popular for the fans but it is through rose-tinted spectacles. 

It’s become obvious that the top job at Newcastle is not as desirable as it once was. Harry Redknapp turned it down and I believe bosses such as David Moyes would prefer to stay at their smaller but more successful clubs. The appointment of Kinnear was particularly baffling since he was dismissed from Nottingham Forest for struggling in the Championship in his previous job. 

Therefore, although it seems inevitable that ‘Big Al’ will one day reign supreme at Newcastle United, I for one would question the timing of his appointment, if it was this season.

I’d suggest an experienced manager for the Magpies whose coincidentally most recent successful period was under the great Bobby Robson.

If pressed for a nomination, I would choose Steve Coppell with Shearer as his understudy although this would have to be decided by the boss. Coppell may be a surprising choice but his record speaks for itself and as a proud Palace fan, I’d say he deserves the chance.