Profitable Group will go with Shearer if NUFC bid is a success

Jul 11 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

THE Singapore-based Profitable Group would install Alan Shearer as Newcastle United’s new manager "within days" if their bid for the club is successful.

The Far East investment company were the first to go on the record about a firm bid for the club yesterday when former England midfielder Steve McMahon – now commercial director for Profitable – revealed that he expects a decision "by the end of the week".

And The Journal understands that Profitable’s plan for United would see Shearer given the manager’s job as soon as possible, while McMahon would take a hands off "overseeing role" at the club.

That would suit Shearer, who would have no problem working with McMahon and is desperate to begin work re- shaping United’s demoralised and dispirited squad.

He saw United target Frazier Campbell join Sunderland yesterday and while there is no guarantee that the England Under-21 man would have opted for a spell in the Championship rather than join the club’s North East rivals, Shearer’s interest had turned the Manchester United man’s head.

So far, the club has claimed that two bids have matched Mike Ashley’s asking price of £100m but McMahon did not say whether that was the size of the offer tabled by his consortium.

Profitable had been privately written off by United sources but the group has always insisted that it is in the running to take over at St James’s Park.

And while there are said to be other consortia in a stronger position to wrestle control from discredited owner Ashley, McMahon insists that their bid should not be dismissed lightly.

"We’ve had a bid, it’s under serious consideration," McMahon told Singapore-based newspaper, the Straits Times.

"It’s a strategic move and it’ll be great for the group and for Newcastle. The value (of buying the club) is awareness.

"We can turn what is a disaster at the moment into a success. By the end of the week, we’ll know if we’re successful or not."