Shearer can save Magpies, says Duff

Jul 21 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

DAMIEN Duff has declared Alan Shearer is the only man who can bring an end to the farce at Newcastle United which is threatening to derail the Magpies’ promotion bid.

Like every United fan, Duff is sick and tired of waiting for an end to the takeover saga and has once again warned the delay in appointing a manager could prove to be fatal for the team’s chance of challenging at the top of the Championship.

The Republic of Ireland international has not shifted in his desire to remain at St James’s Park next season, despite the uncertainty which has strangled the life out of the club over the summer.

But he admitted the players are being pushed to breaking point by the lack of progress regarding the sale of the club – and revealed nobody was sure whether they will be a Newcastle player when the transfer window shuts at the end of August.

“It is a hard situation to be in,” said Duff, who scored in the 7-2 friendly win over Darlington on Saturday.

“I don’t think anyone has ever known a situation like this in football before so I don’t need to say any more than that, do I?

“I still want to stay, but it’s not up to me. That will be up to the new manager when he comes in because he will have his own ideas about what he wants to do with the team.

“There is most likely going to be big changes, but the start of the season is just three weeks away so we need him in now, not three or four weeks’ time. It’s not rocket science.

“The new players will need to be bedded in and others will need to be moved on, there is so much that needs to be done. On top of all that, we need to make sure we have a good start to the season in the Championship because we want to get back into the Premier League as quickly as we can.”

And Duff is keeping his fingers crossed that it is Shearer who eventually gets the job of trying to repair the damage which has been done by relegation and the subsequent attempt by Mike Ashley to sell the club. “For me it definitely has to be Alan Shearer,” said Duff. “The eight weeks I had with him, I enjoyed them thoroughly. It was unfortunate we didn’t stay up, but it was the most enjoyable eight weeks I’ve had.