Newcastle United Football Club

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52193

Dowie plays down Shearer talk

21 May 2009 - 08:35:00

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Newcastle United's assistant manager Iain Dowie has played down rumours suggesting that Alan Shearer has already agreed to remain in charge at St James' Park next season.

The Magpies face a final-day battle for survival, hoping to win at Aston Villa and move above either Hull City or Sunderland and out of the relegation places.

That, says Dowie, is the only focus of the Magpies players and staff until after the weekend.

He said: "I have said from the first minute we got here that we have taken decisions that are right for the long term of this football club.

"Maybe that has been perceived as we're staying for the long term, but I don't think that's the case. Alan came to me and said 'it's an eight-week job'.

"As far as I'm aware that eight weeks ends on Monday, nothing's changed.

"Although it will be a matter for Alan to sit down and talk about it if that's what he wants to do.

"But all our focus is on Sunday and keeping the club in the Premier League."