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Yep, hes retiring.. end of next season as i thought..
ALAN SHEARER, the greatest English striker of his generation, last night confirmed he will retire at the end of next season.
Shearer, 33, expects to sign a one-year extension to his contract today that will tie him to Newcastle United until May 2005.
The Newcastle captain had always claimed he did not want to play beyond his 35th birthday, and his new deal will take him to within three months of that date.
Shearer, widely touted as Sir Bobby Robson's likely successor, yesterday refused to rule out a managerial career in the future - although there is no provision for that, or any coaching work, in his contract.
He said: "This will be my last contract. I don't think saying that will come back to haunt me.
"I've always said I'd retire at the top and this is where I want to finish my career.
"We've been talking about the extension for some time. I'm pleased it's been agreed, and I'm confident I can get it done before Saturday's game.
"I haven't made any firm plans for the future; I'm keeping my options open.
"I definitely haven't ruled out management, but there's nothing in the contract regarding management or coaching.
"I enjoy my media work. I enjoy going to football matches, and the media work keeps me involved with the England scene because I get to go to all the games.
"People will say there's a career in that for me, and maybe they're right. But maybe there's a career in something else for me."
Robson believes Shearer, who was on the verge of quitting Newcastle in 1999 before Ruud Gullit left and was replaced by the former England manager, is correct to quit in 2005.
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