Shearer: I'm no number two

Following Alan Shearer's meeting with Kevin Keegan on Thursday night, the man who brought the striker to Tyneside announced that he won't be filling the vacant position of assistant manager after all. Shearer's comments after the meeting suggest that there may have been a grain of truth in the suspicion that the two couldn't work together after all: "We're very similar people, very opinionated and at times you might need something different in a number two". Better they acknowledge that now, I suppose.

Further talks are planned, though, with Keegan remaining keen on getting Shearer involved in the coaching set-up if a "worthwhile" role can be found for him (presumably his current position as club ambassador isn't exactly deemed "worthwhile"...). And the desire to have some familiar faces around the club isn't limited to just Shearer - Keegan's admitted: "I would like to encourage the old players to come back". That might explain the presence of John Beresford and Robbie Elliott in the crowd for last weekend's game against Bolton, as well as Sir Bobby Robson and Sir John Hall. Presumably we won't be seeing the likes of Peter Garland and Darren McDonough anytime soon, though...