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— Alan Shearer began work as Newcastle manager on Thursday, taking charge of his first training session as he tries to save the Magpies from relegation.
The former England striker, who is one of the all-time fan favorites at St. James' Park, was hired for the last eight games of the season with the team 18th in the Premier League and in danger of going down for the first time since 1989.
Hours before he was due to face the media in his first news conference, he arrived at the club's Benton training ground to conduct a practice session with the players ahead of Saturday's difficult home game against third-place Chelsea.
Newcastle announced Shearer's appointment on Wednesday, when he said he was looking no further than the rest of this season.
"It's a club I love and I, just like many thousands of people, desperately don't want the club to go down and I will do everything I can to try to prevent that," he said Wednesday. "I believe I can help it along with the players. There is a nucleus here that can get this club out of trouble. They are very good players lacking confidence and it's up to me and the staff to get the best out of them."
Shearer, who has no coaching experience, will be assisted by former Northern Ireland striker Iain Dowie, who has been manager at Queens Park Rangers, Crystal Palace and Coventry.
Shearer scored 206 goals in 395 matches for Newcastle, and he is the fourth manager to take charge of the ailing club. Kevin Keegan quit in September after disputes with owner Mike Ashley over transfers and other appointments to the management team. Joe Kinnear took over but then had health problems and the team has recently been run by assistant manager Chris Hughton.
Newcastle has not won the league title since 1927 or the FA Cup since 1955.
