Newcastle warned off renewed Redknapp bid
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Newcastle have been told they will be wasting their time making any more bids for Harry Redknapp. The 60-year-old manager has already rejected one approach from Portsmouth's Premier League rivals.
Newcastle - thrashed 6-0 by Manchester United yesterday - are looking for a successor to Sam Allardyce and Redknapp was their first choice. However he decided to stay at Fratton Park, where chief executive Peter Storrie says he has "a job for life".
Storrie said: "Harry has made it perfectly clear he has made his decision, he wants to stay at Portsmouth. "That is the end of the matter. He has made it plain it is not about money so Newcastle can continue to offer him what they like. "We only allowed Harry to have a conversation with them as it brought the matter to a head. "It is a disruptive time for anyone to have done this in the middle of the transfer window.
"I can understand why Newcastle wanted him as he is one of the best managers in the Premier League. "But Harry knows he has a job here for as long as he wants it. He can see there is the potential to go forward."
Meanwhile, former Newcastle owner and chairman Sir John Hall rates ex-Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier ahead of Redknapp. Hall said: "I am pleased that Harry has dropped out. -
Former Newcastle boss Graeme Souness admits he would return to St James' Park 'in a heartbeat'.
Harry Redknapp yesterday turned down the role following Sam Allardyce's exit - and Newcastle have been told by Portsmouth they will be wasting their time making any more bids for the 60-year-old.
But Souness, who endured a difficult spell from 2004-06 as Magpies boss under Freddy Shepherd, admitted he would be happy to return to Tyneside under new owner Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Mort.
Asked on Sky Sports 1 if he would be interested in going back, Souness said: 'With [there now being] a different chairman, most certainly.'
When pressed on whether he would take the job if it was offered to him, he added: 'In a heartbeat. It is a big club, one of the big clubs out there.
'It has got the potential to be one of the best. But it's not a quick fix, and whoever goes in there is going to need certainly a minimum of three or four years.'
Newcastle spent vast sums on transfers during Souness' tenure - including the signing of Michael Owen from Real Madrid - but the Scot refuted the suggestion he was fully backed by then-chairman Shepherd.
'I would argue that point because at the end of the day my first choice was (Nicolas) Anelka and (Luis) Boa Morte.
'I was told, when I spoke to the people in Turkey, when Anelka was for sale at that time, that he could be bought. But I was told he wasn't for sale and couldn't be bought.
'So instead of us spending the £12million there, we bought Albert Luque for £10million and Michael Owen for £16million.'
Asked whether those were his decisions, Souness said: 'No. I was told Albert Luque would cost £2million.'
Redknapp yesterday decided to stay at Fratton Park, where chief executive Peter Storrie says he has 'a job for life'.
Speaking on Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme, Storrie said: 'Harry has made it perfectly clear he has made his decision - he wants to stay at Portsmouth.
'That is the end of the matter. He has made it plain it is not about money so Newcastle can continue to offer him what they like.
'We only allowed Harry to have a conversation with them as it brought the matter to a head.
'It is a disruptive time for anyone to have done this in the middle of the transfer window.
'I can understand why Newcastle wanted him as he is one of the best managers in the Premier League.
'But Harry knows he has a job here for as long as he wants it. He can see there is the potential to go forward.'
Former Newcastle owner and chairman Sir John Hall, meanwhile, rates former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier ahead of Redknapp.
Hall said: 'I am pleased that Harry has dropped out.
'None of the fans I have spoken to were behind him. They did not feel he was any better than Sam.
'I have a high regard for Gerard Houllier and he could do a job at Newcastle. He did well at Lyon.'
But Hall poured cold water on a potential partnership between two Geordie icons Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer.
'Alan is the most dedicated professional I have ever met,' he said.
'He will probably be a tremendous manager but I do not think he would be prepared to come in yet.
'Kevin has maybe had his time in football and is now doing other things.'
Hall is confident owner Ashley and chairman Mort can turn things around.
Former Bolton boss Allardyce was already in place when they arrived and Hall said: 'I have a certain sympathy for Mike Ashley and Chris Mort.
'Ashley and his team are dedicated to the club. He has just come into the game and it takes time to get into the passion of the club.
'However I cannot understand the timing of Allardyce's departure. I would have let him stay until the end of the season.
'The players let Allardyce down. The displays have been abysmal - probably some of the worst I have seen in 20 years.'
Blackburn boss Mark Hughes has now been installed as bookmakers' favourite for the Newcastle job.
But ahead of his side's match against Bolton, the former Wales manager told Sky Sports 1: 'All this speculation has been going on for quite some time, but my focus today is obviously on getting a result for Blackburn Rovers, as it always is.
'I don't really want to be talking about speculation that has nothing to do with me. It's a case of getting the lads focused and that's what we're trying to do.'
I can see many Newcastle fans suffering from a heart attack.
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sry 2x post.
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Graeme Souness . . . I will probably put him as the man who destroyed Liverpool...
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DIDIER DESCHAMPS is the shock new name at the top of NewcastleÂ’s wanted list.
SunSport can reveal that the former Juventus and Monaco boss is due to be interviewed by Magpies owner Mike Ashley on Tyneside today.
Deschamps captained France to World Cup triumph in 1998 while a player.
Since then he has put together a highly impressive CV as a top coach.
He guided Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final, which they lost to Jose MourinhoÂ’s Porto.
Deschamps then went to Juve, after the match-fixing scandal saw them relegated to Serie B.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder saw the Turin side return to the top flight in just one season before leaving and has been out of work since the start of this campaign.
Agents working for Newcastle have arranged for him to fly to England and he has now become one of the front-runners for the St JamesÂ’ Park job after Sam AllardyceÂ’s sacking last week.
Deschamps speaks very good English and is keen to get back into management. -
Sky Sports News understands that 'informal discussions' have taken place regarding Gerard Houllier taking the Newcastle United job.
The former Liverpool manager has emerged as a leading contender to replace Sam Allardyce after Harry Redknapp opted to stay at Portsmouth.
Houllier is currently working as the French Football Federation's technical director, but the organisation's president Jean-Pierre Escalette would not block a move to Newcastle.
Escalette admitted he was 'not surprised' that Houllier receives offers, although there has been no firm proposal from the Magpies.
According to Sky Sports News, business associates of owner Mike Ashley have held 'informal discussions' with Houllier's representatives.
Opportunity
Houllier would now 'welcome' the opportunity to discuss the vacant position with Ashley and Newcastle chairman Chris Mort.
Reports also suggest the ex-France national team coach would be willing to work alongside Alan Shearer at St James' Park.
A 'dream ticket' of Shearer and former boss Kevin Keegan has been mooted, but Houllier could now be an option to groom the Toon legend for the managerial hot seat.
Newcastle have not commented on the latest reports, but are understood to have spoken to representatives of several candidates. -
Houllier gets Newcastle go-ahead
Gerard Houllier has been given the green light by his current employers to succeed Sam Allardyce as Newcastle United manager.
The former Liverpool boss, who is currently the French Football Federation's technical director, has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the vacancy at St James' Park in recent days.
FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalette told the Daily Express: 'I would not stand in Gerard's way if there was something else he wanted to do. I am not surprised he gets offers.
'He turned one or two down to rejoin us and they were better financially than we could offer him.'
Sources on Tyneside have suggested the Houllier's name is on a short-list of candidates to replace Sam Allardyce, and that he could form a partnership with Geordie hero Alan Shearer.
Houllier would certainly fit the profile drawn up by the club in the immediate aftermath of Allardyce's departure last Wednesday evening with his immense experience and proven track record.
However, the city's evening newspaper, the Evening Chronicle, is reporting that he and 37-year-old Shearer, who has never been too far away from the top of the betting in the last week, would be happy to work together.
The former Magpies and England skipper has found himself touted both as the man to take over in his own right, or in partnership with Kevin Keegan, with both options receiving popular support.
But whether Shearer and Keegan, the man who paid Blackburn £15million for his services back in 1996, would be willing to work together seems uncertain.
But the Houllier-Shearer option is one which was received warmly on Tyneside as the news emerged with the prospect of a combination of a high-class manager and a man long touted as a future saviour meeting approval.
Shearer was diplomatic as he arrived back on Tyneside from his holiday in Barbados on Tuesday morning.
Asked if he wanted the Newcastle job, he replied: 'Am I wanting it? One day, hopefully.'
Questioned further about the possibility of him linking up with Keegan, he said: 'I haven't spoken to Kevin for a long time. We will have to see.'
Shearer was not the only significant figure in the Newcastle saga arriving back in the country today with owner Mike Ashley due back from a trip to Hong Kong.
However, in his absence, chairman Chris Mort has continued to work behind the scenes in the wake of Harry Redknapp's withdrawal from the race to succeed Allardyce.
Club insiders insist several candidates are under consideration - Blackburn's Mark Hughes continues to be mentioned - but with a must-win Premier League clash with Bolton to follow Wednesday night's FA Cup third round replay against Stoke, time is of the essence. -
Newcastle manager blow
lan Shearer and Kevin Keegan both want to be the next manager of Newcastle - but the Geordie 'dream ticket' DON'T want to work together.
Shearer has let Toon officials know he is keen on the post despite the fact owner Mike Ashley is worried about his lack of experience and wants a wise head installed alongside him.
And Keegan has also made contact through third parties to say he would be up for an emotional return to the club which he built into title contenders. However, friends of both Toon legends claim they would not be willing to team up. That would leave the way clear for Mark Hughes to quit Blackburn and take over.
"Alan won't be a No.2 to anyone and he is not keen on even being with Kevin Keegan just to get in the door," said a friend of both men.
"Kk is also interested in being number one with his own backroom staff, people like Terry McDermott, and he would not be too happy about having Shearer with him."
Newcastle say they have drawn up a 'formal list' and a senior source added: "The process is very much on-going. They are meeting people on a shortlist and only after meeting all of them will they be in a position to appoint."