Former England captain Alan Shearer says he is not ready to become manager of Newcastle United, who sacked Graeme Souness on Thursday.
"Let me say here and now that I do not want to be the next manager, the time is not right for me or the club," Shearer, who plans to retire as a player at the end of the season, was quoted as saying in Friday's Sun newspaper.
"It is flattering when people even mention your name and the job as manager of Newcastle," added the 35-year-old Newcastle striker, who equalled the club's scoring record of 200 goals last month.
Shearer, whose name had been thrown into the hat as future manager of his hometown club, will assist caretaker Glenn Roeder, the head of Newcastle's youth academy who has been put in temporary charge, for Saturday's home match against Portsmouth.
Newcastle are 15th in the 20-strong Premier League.