Shearer turns down Blackburn approach over vacant manager's job

The former England captain, a heroic striker in Blackburn's 1995 Premiership title triumph, claimed he had too many other commitments on the go, including his contract as a BBC Match of the Day pundit.

The Match of the Day presenter team. Left to right: Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson

His surprise decision leaves MK Dons boss Paul Ince as the clear favourite to succeed Mark Hughes, who left Ewood Park for Manchester City last week.

Shearer, 37, made his declaration from the MOTD pundits' sofa at half-time during last night's game between Switzerland and Turkey.

'The situation was, and is, that I was very flattered to have got a call off John Williams at Blackburn,' said Shearer.

'He asked me if I would like to be included on a shortlist for the manager's job, which I politely declined because of a lot of commitments, one of them this one.

'But I am very flattered to have been asked and I thanked him for that. He has made two great decisions in his last two decisions for the managers (Hughes and Graeme Souness) and I am sure he will go on and make a third one and I wished him good luck.'

Asked by MOTD host Gary Lineker if the time was still not right for him to launch a career in management, Shearer replied: 'No.'

The decision hands the initiative to Ince, who flew back to England this week after a family holiday in Portugal.

Like his former England colleague Shearer, Ince said he was 'flattered' to be linked with the vacant Barclays Premier League job after impressive spells in League Two with Macclesfield and MK Dons, who were promoted as champions and with whom he won the Johnstone Paints Trophy last season at Wembley.

But the 40-year-old former West Ham Manchester United, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Wolves midfielder insisted there had still been no approach from Ewood Park.

'I've not spoken to Blackburn,' Ince told BBC Radio's 5 Live.

'There's nothing concrete. It's flattering to be linked with any job, especially in the Premier League, so it goes to show that I have done OK in my management career.

'I'm not sure what the situation is and in the next two or three days I'll probably have a better idea of what's going on. 'I believe in time I will get to the Premier League, it's just a case of when I want to take that leap. At the moment I'm enjoying my time in Milton Keynes.

'We had a wonderful season last year and as I sit here I am preparing for  next season, so we'll see what happens.'

MK Dons already knew they face a battle to hold on to their highly-rated boss. Leicester City are also interested, with Foxes chairman Milan Mandaric making his admiration public, but Ince has refused to be drawn on a move to the Walkers Stadium, fully aware of Blackburn developments.

Zenit St Petersburg manager Dick Advocaat is another coach thought to be on the Rovers shortlist.

Other candidates include former England boss Steve McClaren, who is anxious to return to management and Sam Allardyce, who has been out of work since he was fired by Newcastle last year. Even the Tyneside job was not enough to tempt Shearer into a management hot-seat.