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General Sports News

Newcastle plan Shearer talks

Author: Craig Williams
Date: 25/05/2009

Newcastle United hope to reveal whether Alan Shearer will stay on as their manager before the end of the week.

Shearer failed to keep the Magpies in the Premier League during his eight-game reign after Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa confirmed their drop to the Championship.

Shearer admitted 'big mistakes' had been made and that 'major changes' were required to revitalise the Magpies and managing director Derek Llambias has revealed that initial discussions about the future will begin this week.

The football betting odds still have Shearer as the favourite to be in the Newcastle hot-seat when the new season gets underway.

Departed manager Ricky Sbragia has admitted the closing weeks of his Sunderland tenure had been 'a nightmare'.

Sbragia successfully kept the Black Cats in the Premier League despite losing 3-2 to Chelsea on the final day of the season, but decided to step down as manager in the aftermath of the narrow escape.

Meanwhile, the Black Cats have confirmed they will not be taking up an option to sign striker Djibril Cisse on a permanent basis.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is confident that Rio Ferdinand will be fit for Wednesday's Champions League Final encounter with Barcelona.

The defender missed Sunday's 1-0 win over Hull City sparking fears that his two-and-a-half week calf injury absence could keep him out of the European showpiece in Rome.

However, Ferguson has allayed fears the Ferdinand will be absent from his team-sheet against Barcelona.

Swiss official Massimo Busacca has been selected as the referee for the final.

Elsewhere, Gary Neville has been handed a surprise recall to the England squad for next month's World Cup double-header against Kazakhstan and Andorra.

The 34-year-old Manchester United captain, who has started just 13 Premier League games this season, could now become the most-capped England full-back of all-time.

Neville's international career had appeared over after 20 months in the wilderness, but he will now equal Kenny Sansom's full-back record of 86 caps should he feature in either game.

Cricket captain Andrew Strauss has urged England to maintain the momentum gained from a crushing one-day win over West Indies.

England eased to a six-wicket victory in the second one-day international in Bristol on Sunday.

With the first ODI at Headingley having been rained out, England hold a 1-0 lead going into the series finale at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Jenson Button has dismissed suggestions that he cannot fail to win this year's Formula One world championship following his sensational start to the season.

Button coasted to a fifth win from six races this season after leading team-mate Rubens Barrichello to a Brawn GP one-two in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

However, Button is refusing to admit that his 16-point lead in the drivers' standings means he will now be crowned champion when the season ends in November.

"You're putting in a bit of negative energy by saying I can't lose," he warned.

"I have an advantage over the others, but it's all to play for and not mine to lose. I wouldn't put it like that.

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