Keegan ponders Magpies vacancy

Hughes remains the bookmakers' favourite to replace Sam Allardyce as United manager following Sunday's refusal to rule himself out of the running, but with Rovers chairman John Williams insisting, "We have had no contact from Newcastle whatsoever", Keegan's side-stepping of questions has left the door ajar for a possible return to Tyneside.

When asked outright whether he would welcome an approach from club owner Mike Ashley, Keegan told Sky Sports News: "I really don't know, you're asking a lot of questions I can't really answer. I'm not ruling myself out or in or anything. It's a club I love, that's what I am prepared to say, everyone knows that, and it's a club I've managed before."

That Keegan, still only 56 years old, is even willing to entertain the idea of taking the reins at St James' shows the depth of his feeling for the club.

Just three months ago he appeared to rule out his ever returning to top-flight management, saying: "I don't think it will happen. I think my life has gone in a different direction. You never know, I mean I do get offers to go back into football, but I made a decision that I would come and do something different with my life."

Less-than-successful spells with England and Manchester City appeared to have doused Keegan's passion for management, but it looks increasingly likely that an approach from the United hierarchy could be the spark to rekindle his fire.

Whether his appointment would be alongside or instead of Alan Shearer remains a mystery, although with neither man yet to rule themselves out of the equation, fans' hopes of a Geordie-legend double act remain intact.

With first choice Harry Redknapp having already chosen to stay at Portsmouth, Hughes, Keegan and Shearer appear to head an ever-decreasing list of possible candidates. Another contender is Gerard Houllier, who was on Monday night given the green light to succeed Allardyce.

The former Liverpool boss, who is currently the French Football Federation's technical director, has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the vacancy at St James' Park in recent days.

His current employers have confirmed they will not deny him the opportunity to take the job if offered it, with FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalette telling the Daily Express: "I would not stand in Gerard's way if there was something else he wanted to do. I am not surprised he gets offers."