Shearer: No Toon return
Alan Shearer has ruled himself out of the running to become the next manager of Newcastle United, after conceding he could not work under the club's current management structure.
Kevin Keegan prematurely ended his second spell at the St James' Park helm this week, citing an inability to work alongside executive director (football) Dennis Wise - and Tony Jimenez, the club's vice president.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley will be well aware that appointing fans' favourite Shearer would go a long way in appeasing a disgruntled Toon faithful, but the former old boy has no intention of taking the post.
While conceding he would one day like to manage, Shearer insists the current situation at Newcastle would not tempt him back to football.
"I would like to be a manager at some stage in my career, but that means controlling the players that go in and the players that go out," he told the BBC.
"I don't think I would be comfortable working within a structure with a director of football who was picking and choosing the players for me."
Everton manager David Moyes and former Juventus coach Didier Deschamps have been installed as the bookmakers' favourites for the job, but Shearer insists he is in the dark as to who would take the role.
"I don't think there will be a shortage of people who want the job, but your guess is as good as mine," he said.
"I know the fans are very unhappy at the moment. They have voiced their opinions and they are more than entitled to do that because without the fans there is no Newcastle United.
"They are angry, hurt, and disappointed and everyone feels for them, me included because we all want the same thing - success at Newcastle United because we are all supporters.
"It's going to be a big task for them because the fans are very angry. There are going to be a million names thrown around and they are going to have to make a decision quickly, before the next game."

Wolves 1-4 Arsenal - McCarthy
Wolves 1-4 Arsenal - Wenger
Blackburn 3-1 Portsmouth - Allardyce
Aston Villa 5-1 Bolton - Megson
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Redknapp
Man City 3-3 Burnley - Coyle
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Bruce
Man City 3-3 Burnley - Hughes
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Sunday 8th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Hull vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs Man Utd |
| Monday 9th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Liverpool vs Birmingham |
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Liverpool vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Birmingham vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Burnley vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Wolverhampton |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Arsenal |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Everton |
| Sunday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Wigan |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Portsmouth |
| Wednesday 25th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Everton |
| 20:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Hull |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wolverhampton 1 - 4 Arsenal | |
| Man City 3 - 3 Burnley | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Portsmouth | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Bolton | |
| Wednesday 4th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 1st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 0 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Portsmouth 4 - 0 Wigan | |
| Bolton 0 - 4 Chelsea | |
| Stoke 2 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool | |
| Burnley 2 - 0 Hull | |
| Everton 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Man City 2 - 2 Fulham | |
| Liverpool 2 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Bolton 3 - 2 Everton | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 11 | 27 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 11 | 25 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 11 | 25 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 12 | 22 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 12 | 21 |
| 6 | Manchester City | 11 | 20 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 11 | 18 |
| 8 | Sunderland | 12 | 17 |
| 9 | Stoke City | 11 | 16 |
| 10 | Burnley | 12 | 16 |
| 11 | Fulham | 10 | 14 |
| 12 | Wigan Athletic | 11 | 13 |
| 13 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | 13 |
| 14 | Everton | 10 | 12 |
| 15 | Birmingham City | 11 | 11 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 11 | 11 |
| 17 | West Ham United | 11 | 10 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 12 | 10 |
| 19 | Hull City | 11 | 8 |
| 20 | Portsmouth | 12 | 7 |
Sunderland fan Lucinda Gittins was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
With Didier Drogba in frightening form, Paul Merson expects Chelsea to beat Man Utd on Sunday.
Aston Villa and Tottenham made their Champions League aspirations clear as Arsenal also won but Man City were held by Burnley.
Chelsea go into the match with Man Utd at Stamford Bridge in arguably their best form of the season.
Arsenal maintained their recent fine form on Saturday as they eased to a 4-1 victory over Wolves.
Kevin McDonald's late equaliser ensured Man City's winless run continued as Burnley claimed a 3-3 draw.
Super sub Jason Roberts came off the bench for Blackburn to score two and kill off Portsmouth 3-1.