Shearer keen on return to Blackburn Rovers

LONDON - Alan Shearer has shown keen interest in taking over as the new boss of his old club Blackburn Rovers.

Alan Shearer would jump at the chance to become the new Blackburn boss. overs’ new owners yesterday rubbished reports that Diego Maradona was a candidate - and hinted that stand-in boss Steve Kean could get the job if he impresses over the next few games, The Sun reports.

The former striker is quietly waiting in the wings just in case owners Venky’s are lured to bring in the former Ewood Park hero back to his old club.

“We are not making any choices now and when the time comes we will give Steve two to three months to prove his mettle. Suppose he turns out to be good, then he continues as the manager - it is as simple as that,” said Venky’s chairwoman Anuradha Desai.

“The option is open for Steve, it is very clear. He has been given the time and if he does well and proves himself, there is no doubt in our mind he would be the manager forever. Then we will not look at anybody,” she added.

If 43-year-old Kean, who is the interim coach, fails to impress, then Shearer would be a perfect fit for the post of manager required by the owners.

Moreover, Shearer, 40 is 16 years younger than Sam Allardyce, who was unceremoniously sacked on Monday.

“If the right opportunity came up and it was right for me and right for whoever the club is, I would consider it,” explained ex-Rovers star Shearer earlier this year.

The job went to Paul Ince after he rejected the chance to manage Blackburn two years ago.

But a determined Shearer is now determined to erase the memories of his ill-fated stint in charge of Newcastle, when he was unable to save the club from relegation to the Championship.

Further commenting over suggestions that former Argentina boss Maradona was being lined up for the post, Desai said: “He is not being considered, not now and forever for the future. I can assure you we are having nothing to do with Maradona.”

Allardyce, however, refused to hit out at the Rovers board last night for ending his two-year stay.

“My time at Blackburn, and with the fans in particular, was very important to me. Attendances increased while we were here. You are looking at around three and a half thousand extra fans sometimes. Most other Premier League clubs have seen their attendances drop, whereas ours have increased,” he said. (ANI)