SOCCER:The prospect of Alan Shearer joining forces with Kevin Keegan at St James' Park increased yesterday when Newcastle United's new manager said he would relish employing the man for whom he once paid £15 million.

"I would love to have Alan back and we will definitely talk," said Keegan. "If there is a role for Alan which he wants, I will definitely speak to him about it. I haven't spoken to Alan yet as I've concentrated fully on Saturday's game (against Bolton)."

Keegan and Shearer have not talked for around a year but the indications are that a relationship which had become strained may yet be poised for an unexpected rapprochement. Chris Mort, Newcastle's chairman, stressed that Keegan has carte blanche when it comes to assembling his bootroom. Asked whether he would welcome Shearer's arrival, Mort replied: "We're going to leave it up to Kevin. We're going to be guided by him and we'll be comfortable with whatever he decides."

Mort denied that the club's much publicised managerial "shortlist" was a mere ruse designed to camouflage his and Mike Ashley's pursuit of Keegan.

"It was not a smokescreen, it was not an elaborate game," said the chairman, claiming that he and Ashley, Newcastle's owner, were sufficiently pessimistic about the chances of Keegan returning that they gave alternative candidates serious consideration.

Indeed, informed sources claim that Mark Hughes, the Blackburn manager, was Newcastle's "backstop" option and had been lined up to fill the vacancy in the event of Keegan's interview with Ashley on Wednesday morning not proceeding according to plan.

"We asked lots of people whether Kevin would come back and we wondered if we would be able to get him back; we weren't going to be comfortable saying 'it's Kevin Keegan come what may'," admitted Mort. "And we didn't just want to see if Kevin would come back, we wanted to talk to him about Newcastle United. We needed to discover whether he had the enthusiasm, and he has."

Keegan's handshake on the job came at the end of a tense six days which began on Thursday last week when Newcastle's returning manager says he was initially contacted about the position. It was the day after Allardyce's sacking but, confusingly, Harry Redknapp, the Portsmouth manager, believed he was Ashley's first choice and insists Newcastle offered him the job 24 hours later, on the Friday night.

Mort denies this. "We sat down and talked to Harry," he explained. "We talked to him in the same way we talked to other people about what the job would entail. He asked what the financial aspect would entail and that aspect of it was appealing.

"It was quite clear, though, that he was very comfortable in Sandbanks in the south of England and Portsmouth are the right club for him."

Mort explained that sacking Allardyce was "very difficult" but "Sam just did not feel like the right man for Newcastle United".

He added: "Kevin is right for this club because of the style of football he plays and also because he's capable of delivering winning football. He's done that before and, frankly, I think it's good he's had a break for a couple of years. He gives it 150 per cent and he's come back with renewed desire."

Mort also played down suggestions that the replica-shirted Ashley was overly influenced by the supporters he mixes with at games and in the city's Bigg Market bars. "I know the fans are very happy with the appointment but it's certainly not a fans' appointment. It's one where we think Kevin is the right guy for this club."

Guardian Service