Source: Eurosport
Shearer happy to put faith in Owen
Alan Shearer's first act as Newcastle boss was to name Michael Owen in the starting XI and tell him he can score the goals to keep the club up.
The Magpies' record goalscorer officially took over on Thursday for the final eight matches of the season after accepting an SOS call at the weekend from owner Mike Ashley.
Newcastle are third-bottom of the league, two points from safety having won once in 12 games, and in real danger of dropping out of the top flight.
Shearer takes the reins from previous caretaker boss Chris Hughton, who himself was standing in for Joe Kinnear as he recovers from a triple heart by-pass.
He met the squad for the first time this morning at the club's Benton training ground and made of point of telling Owen exactly what plans he had for him.
The England striker, whose absence from Fabio Capello's national squad has provoked much discussion, is the club's top scorer with 10 goals this season.
Injuries have restricted the 29-year to just seven appearances since the start of the year but Shearer believes a fit Owen can be Newcastle's saviour.
"I spoke to Michael and a few of the players to try to remind them of the standards and the qualities they possess but most importantly what they think of themselves," said the 38-year-old, who stressed he was only in charge until the end of the season.
"It is well known Michael has had his fair share of injuries but his goalscoring record is fabulous and I think a club in this position needs goals.
"We have a great goalscorer to get us that. He is fit and trained this morning very well for two hours so we hope he is fit for Saturday and if he is he will start."
Shearer may be new to life on the other side of the touchline - he has completed all but his FIFA Pro Licence - but that was a piece of man-management straight out of Terry Venables' book.
"I remember in Euro 96 when I hadn't scored for however many games. A month before the tournament Terry Venables said to me 'You'll be starting the tournament'," recalled Shearer.
"I always remember the belief and confidence that gave me. It was a great piece of man-management and that stuck out for me.
"All players are different but everyone loves to be told they are a good player and how well they are doing."
The former England captain plans to use his contacts to tap into a vast wealth of knowledge to cover any deficiencies of his own.
Shearer has played for the likes of Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Sir Bobby Robson, Glenn Hoddle and Venables and plans to make the most of what they taught him.
"You go through your playing career and you tend to pick up the good things from the good managers," said Shearer, a legend on Tyneside having scored 206 goals in 404 appearances during a 10-year spell at his home-town club.
"I've had some very good and experienced ones which I have learned a lot off. Even in the two or three hours this morning I've tried to pass on one or two things to the players that I remembered when I was a player.
"I'll speak to Kevin, Kenny, Bobby, Terry, Glenn Hoddle and then we will see after that.
"I think it is important I try to tap into all the experience I can - I'm going to need it."
Shearer has brought in former Crystal Palace, QPR and Coventry manager Iain Dowie as his assistant, having played with him briefly at Southampton, and he will organise most of the coaching sessions.
"I'll make mistakes, I'm pretty sure of that, but I have someone next to me who will tell me if he thinks I'm doing the wrong thing and that is very important for a number two," the new boss added.
"I am inexperienced in this job but I have to learn"