ALAN Shearer last night delivered a blow to all Newcastle United fans hoping their former skipper would one day return to the club as boss.

Shearer has always kept his cards close to his chest during his playing career at St James' Park as to whether he would eventually take the manager's reins when he retired.

The club's newly-crowned ambassador has never ruled anything in or out when he was quizzed about his future in the past. But when he blew the whistle on his illustrious playing career at the end of last term's campaign to announce he was taking a year out to work for the BBC, it revealed he was keeping his options open.

A career in the media may not be the only reason why he might not take a seat in the United dugout in the future.

One obstacle preventing Shearer taking his first managerial role at the club he supported as a boy could be ruining the special relationship he enjoys with the United faithful.

The 35-year-old has been hero-worshipped on Tyneside ever since he moved from Blackburn Rovers in a £15m deal ten years ago, and he may be thinking 'why spoil a good thing if things go wrong?' as they invariably do as a manager.

United's record-breaking striker is in Scotland this week taking his UEFA A Licence coaching badge. But Shearer, who already holds the UEFA B Licence, would need to complete the UEFA Pro-Licence if he harboured serious ambitions of managing his home-town club, or indeed any club in the Premiership.

European football's governing body has insisted that those with aspirations to manage in the top flight must hold the Pro-Licence qualification.

Current boss Glenn Roeder does not hold the certificate but has received special dispensation from the Football League to take charge of the club while on the one-year course.

Roeder was recently awarded a two-year contract by chairman Freddy Shepherd for his sterling work in his caretaker capacity after he turned around the Magpies' ailing fortunes last season.

Roeder's contract at the club ends the year Shearer will have completed his Pro-Licence course (2008), if he chooses to do it.

But fans hoping this would pave the way for Shearer's return as boss could be disappointed. Yesterday's comments at Glasgow Rangers' training ground revealed that this isn't necessarily the case.

"Whether you go into management or not I think you'd be better off having your qualifications than not having them," said Newcastle's goalscoring legend.

"If you need them then obviously they will come in handy. But in regards to coaching or management I couldn't really tell you (whether I will). I'm just here to get them done just in case I need them."

Roeder, meanwhile, has no intention of allowing Peter Ramage to join newly-promoted Watford.

The Newcastle boss, aware of newspaper speculation linking Ramage with a move to Vicarage Road, said he is a big fan of the versatile defender and insists he is staying at St James' Park.

Roeder could unveil Portsmouth coach Kevin Bond as one of his backroom staff today after receiving permission to talk to Harry Redknapp's right-hand man yesterday.