Alan Shearer open to Blackburn manager talks

 

Former Blackburn striker Alan Shearer has said he would be open to talks about becoming the club's manager.

Shearer scored 131 goals in four years at Blackburn, following a record £3.6m move from Southampton, and helped them win the Premier League title in 1995.

Shearer's goals

  • Highest ever Premier League scorer: 260 goals (Andrew Cole second on 187)
  • Premier League top scorer: 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97
  • Record for most goals in a 42-match Premier League season: 34 (shared with Cole)
  • Record for most goals in a 38-game season: 31 (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
  • Golden boot winner: Euro 96 - five goals

Speaking on BBC's Football Focus, the 42-year-old said: "Have they tried to speak to me? No. Have I tried to speak to them? No.

"With my history at Blackburn, I would speak to them absolutely."

He added: "It's a strange one at Blackburn, I'm sure they had a plan with Steve Kean but it's now a tough situation. Whoever they appoint, they have to make sure it is the right choice.

"I think things would have to change whoever goes in at Blackburn."

Shearer, who also scored 30 goals in 63 England appearances, formed a formidable partnership with Chris Sutton at Rovers, scoring a Premier League record 34 goals in the title-winning season.

Former Blackburn title-winning defender Graeme le Saux

"It sounds like Alan Shearer would quite like the job. He's leaving the door wide open. If the owners (Venky's) are going to look at appeasing the fans then anyone linked with the club through the success that we had in the 90s would be a good starting point. But the fundamental problems with the club go far deeper than that. It's important the Venky's learn from the mistakes they've made and get in a proper structure of professional people. That goes all the way through the business. The manager is then part of that system."

However, he has only had one previous coaching role since retiring from playing for Newcastle at the end of the 2005-06 campaign.

Shearer swapped working as a pundit on the BBC's Match of the Day to take over at Newcastle for the final eight games of the 2008-09 Premier League season while permanent manager Joe Kinnear recovered from heart surgery.

However, he was unable to stop United from being relegated and with Kinnear unfit to return to work, Chris Hughton was promoted from the coaching staff to take over as manager.

In June 2011, Shearer confirmed that he had unsuccessful talks with Cardiff over their then vacant managerial post, which was eventually awarded to Malky Mackay.

Kean quit as the Championship club's manager eight days ago, with his assistant Eric Black taking charge on a caretaker basis.