Alan Shearer – I don't want Boro manager job

Oct 22 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

ALAN Shearer is not interested in becoming the new manager of Middlesbrough despite the apparent collapse of Barry Moat’s Newcastle United takeover.

Shearer has been waiting all summer for Moat, who was the chairman of his testimonial committee, to complete a deal to buy Newcastle from Mike Ashley, but now believes that hope is a forlorn one.

The former Newcastle skipper has reluctantly turned his attention to other possible opportunities and, while he is not in the running to succeed Gareth Southgate on Teesside, who was sacked late on Tuesday night, he is looking for another management position while continuing to work as a pundit for the BBC.

Shearer would have loved to have had the chance to continue the job he started at Newcastle after taking charge for eight ultimately unsuccessful games last season.

But Shearer appreciates why Chris Hughton is keen to turn his caretaker role into a permanent position now that Ashley is willing to offer him that long-term security.

Nevertheless, United fans would have been distraught if Shearer had emerged as a front runner for the manager’s job at one of their local rivals and a club which sits just one point behind them in the Coca-Cola Championship following the Magpies’ back-to-back defeats at Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe.

A source close to Shearer said: "Alan has not shown any interest in the Middlesbrough job, but he is starting to look around and he will keep his options open.

"He wanted the Newcastle job and he has waited a long time, but it hasn’t been offered to him and now he will wish Chris Hughton all the best and move on to other things.

"The news that Chris Hughton is set to be offered the job permanently has just confirmed what he already suspected. He doesn’t think there is any chance of a takeover going through now."