KEVIN KEEGAN insists Newcastle United skipper Alan Shearer will go on "kicking his critics'' until he hangs up his boots at the end of next season.

Former Newcastle boss Keegan, who as England manager oversaw Shearer's international swansong at Euro 2000, is adamant the Geordie striker is still equipped to do a job for his country.

But Keegan believes Shearer timed it right when he called it a day with England - and will do so again when he signs off at Newcastle.

It will be 20 years ago a week tomorrow - when Newcastle visit Southampton, a former club of both men - since Keegan retired at 33, the age Shearer is now.

Keegan bowed out with a goal in Newcastle's 3-1 win over Brighton at St. James' Park as United celebrated promotion to the old First Division.

Shearer, for whom Keegan paid a then-world record £15m when he lured him to Tyneside from Blackburn Rovers nearly eight years ago, will retire just short of his 35th birthday.

But Manchester City boss Keegan predicts one huge last hurrah as Shearer, currently on 173 goals for Newcastle, chases Jackie Milburn's club record 200 haul.

Keegan said: "Take Thierry Henry out of the equation - because he's the best centre forward there is by a million miles - and Alan is still right up there.

"There will be people trying to tell him not to retire at the end of next season. They'll tell him it's too early and he'll regret it. Reconsider your decision, they'll say.

"I will not be one of them and knowing Alan he won't listen to them. He's made his decision and will stick with it. It was the same with England.

"I could have played on but I decided to go out at a time I felt I was on top of my game.

"Alan wants to go out at the top but yes, there will be goals left in him, plenty of them I'm sure.

"He's a proud man and still thinks he can do it at the highest level. He wouldn't want to carry on and reach a point where he didn't think that.

"For Newcastle, he's irreplaceable. He's his own man and realises what it takes at this level. He wants to go out when he's still at the top - that's Alan Shearer.

"He has my full respect and always has done. Could he still do it with England? Of course.

"But I remember before Euro 2000, people were saying he was past it. They're the same people who say he should be playing international football now. It's strange, isn't it?

"I was England boss and was criticised for picking him then. They said he was finished. No-one's saying that now. They want him back in the England team. But that was a good decision for Alan and it's that criticism that drives him on. He keeps kicking the critics.''

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