Shearer on road to hardest job of all

Sir Bobby Robson, of course, knows him better than most. But the former Newcastle manager was surprised at the news when I caught up with him in Singapore today.

"Yes, I think he could be a manager one day," said the man who led England to the World Cup semi-finals in 1990. First of all, he's a great guy. He's got a tremendous personality and I think he has the leadership qualities that are so important in management. Of course, he's got a status that players will look up to automatically. He's honest, straightforward-and direct. He knows what he wants and he doesn't shirk difficult decisions. I think, for instance, that he was right to retire from international football when he did.

"He's an enthusiast, he works hard and if he gets some experience behind him and has the right people around him he could be successful."

Another former England centreforward who went into management, Sir Geoff Hurst, said today: "Alan has all the right background for management and if he gets the right advice I see no reason why he shouldn't make a success of it."

Shearer stressed today that despite his change of heart at club level he had no plans to make himself available for England again. "That was the right decision when I made it many years ago and I think that I've since proved it was the right one," he said. Shearer has made no secret of his admiration for Bobby Robson and regretted that his England debut in 1992 came two years after he had left the job.

But he quickly learned the harsh facts of life at international level under Graham Taylor in the European Championship in Sweden in 1992.

In Euro 96, with Teddy Sheringham at his side, he rose spectacularly to the challenge with five goals in five matches for Terry Venables.

He scored two more for Glenn Hoddle in the World Cup in France 98 and finally waved goodbye to the three lions under Kevin Keegan in Charleroi in 2000 - - a total of 30 goals in 63 matches in the white shirt. The former England captain confirmed today that the persistence of current Newcastle manager Graeme Souness and chairman Freddy Shepherd had persuaded him to play on for one more season.

Newcastle, who are in the semifinals of the FA Cup and the last eight of the UEFA Cup, are well placed to end a 50-year drought without a major trophy.

Shearer said: "The last two or three months have been great and I hope we can go on to bigger and better things.

"The spirit in the camp is fantastic and I want to be part of something which is happening here. It was a tough decision for me but I believe it's the right one for everyone concerned."-Shearer has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season and needs only 10 more goals to surpass Jackie Milburn's 200-goal all-time club record.

But his nine years at Newcastle are noticeable short of one thing - medals.

A Championship winner with Blackburn Rovers in 1995, he was hoping that his £15million transfer to Newcastle would produce a large haul of domestic and European trophies.

He's unlikely to admit it, but I often wonder whether he has ever regretted turning down the opportunity to join Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, where he would probably have won the Champions League title and a host of domestic honours.