EXCLUSIVE: TOON ROEDER
Newcastle set to hand Glenn the job..full-time
By Alan Nixon
News report from the Mirror.
NEWCASTLE United are ready to stun football by appointing Glenn Roeder as boss in a new-look set-up at St James' Park.
Toon have been linked with some of the top young managers in the country since sacking Graeme Souness in February, but caretaker chief Roeder will be offered the job if he can take the club into the UEFA Cup.
He has insisted he does not want the job permanently, but now the former youth academy boss is close to being officially promoted after impressing chairman Freddy Shepherd with his cool head since taking charge.
The Geordie plan is for Roeder to be installed alongside a senior partner in a 'director of football' role - with Lyon chief Gerard Houllier top of the wanted list. Roeder is emerging as the leading candidate because of his good run of results - and snags with potential long-term replacements like Martin O'Neill.
The one-time West Ham manager will be offered the job if Newcastle finish the season in a European place. He could even get the nod if they finish the season in style but just miss out.
They face Sunderland today with stand-in bosses Roeder and Kevin Ball going head-to-head in a game where the winner will have a much improved chance of becoming their clubs' full-time managers.
Newcastle are six points off Blackburn in sixth place and a storming finish could transform their season.
Former Liverpool boss Houllier may be tempted to come back to England and his experience would help Roeder, whose only short-coming is his lack of expertise and experience in the transfer market.