Soccer Central

According to BBC Sport, Alan Shearer is all set to be appointed as the new boss of Newcastle United until the end of the season. Shearer played for Newcastle for 10 years between 1996 and 2006, scoring 148 Premier League goals during his time with the club.

Newcastle is currently 18th and fighting for survival in the Premier League, and Mike Ashley will now be hoping that Shearer will be able to guide the club to safety.

Chelsea is Newcastle’s next opponent in the league, and the game will take place on Saturday at Newcastle’s St. James’ Park.

Alan Shearer has a lot of work to do if he’s to save Newcastle this season, and Michael Owen’s fitness will no doubt be crucial to the clubs success or failure. Owen has scored 10 goals in all competitions this season; 8 of which have been scored in the Premier League. He’s an important part of the team, but injury has limited him to just four appearances in 2009, and this has therefore been a huge problem for the club.

Alan Shearer has a lot of work to do if he’s to save Newcastle from relegation this season, and with Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Tottenham still to play; it’s vital that points be gained in the games against fellow strugglers Portsmouth, Stoke, and Middlesbrough.

A late goal from Jai Reason this evening meant that relegation candidates Woking suffered a home defeat against the promotion hopefuls Cambridge United. Reason is currently on loan from Ipswich, and will no doubt have been pleased with his 82nd minute winner.

Reason actually scored a late winner against Mansfield on March 10th, so although he’s only scored two goals since joining the Cambridgeshire club in February; his goals have been worth 6 points to United, and Cambridge is now second in the league, five points clear of Torquay.

Cambridge came second last season, losing in the play-off final against Exeter. The club will be hoping to go one better this season, once more reaching Wembley, but this time winning.

The England team today showed off the new classic style shirt as Slovakia was defeated 4-0 at Wembley. Heskey got the team off to a flyer in the 7th minute with his first international goal in six years, and there were then three more goals scored late on in the second half as England continued to press.

Wayne Rooney grabbed two, Frank Lampard the other, and three strikers were injured in the process. Heskey was the first to leave the field twelve minutes after scoring, and he was replaced by Carlton Cole. Cole was unable to finish the half though, and spent just 19 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Peter Crouch. Crouch made it to half-time, and lasted a fair percentage of the second half also; in the 74th minute he too had to come off though, and Michael Carrick was his replacement.

The win was brilliant and Wayne Rooney was the best player on the pitch; it was very worrying that so many strikers were injured though, and Rooney was the only forward that finished the match fit. Darren Bent has now received a call-up as a result of England’s mass injury problems, and he may now start in the game against the Ukraine on Wednesday.

David Beckham broke England’s outfield caps record in playing the second-half, and even provided an assist for Wayne Rooney in his 109th appearance for England. Beckham wants to play in the 2010 World Cup, and if he continues to perform as he has been, then I see no reason why he shouldn’t do so. David Beckham has always been an excellent player, and whilst he isn’t getting any younger; he’s still a quality performer, and his set-pieces are still a joy to behold.

Although just a friendly game; this was still a brilliant win for England, and will no doubt fill the team with a lot of confidence going into the game against the Ukraine next week. I doubt England will win again so comfortably on Wednesday, it was nice to see the team do so well tonight though, and Fabio Capello will no doubt have been incredibly impressed with the performance.

Gerard and Rooney formed a fantastic partnership this evening, and if they can combine again so strongly against the Ukraine then that really will be absolutely brilliant to see. England’s next task is to maintain a 100% win record in Group Six, and I’m currently feeling quite confident that the team will do so.

Aldershot striker Junior Mendes has joined Stevenage Borough on loan until the end of the season. The journeyman striker started out his professional career with Chelsea back in 1995, and Stevenage now becomes his twelfth professional club.

Mendes has been with Aldershot since February 2008, but has found his starting opportunities limited since signing for the club. He now takes the step down to the Blue Square Premier hoping to help Stevenage achieve promotion, with the club currently chasing the play-offs.

Mendes may make his Stevenage debut tomorrow as the club hosts fellow play-off hopefuls Oxford United. Stevenage has scored 59 league goals so far this season, and Junior Mendes will now be looking to strengthen the sides attack, and help the club improve its goal difference which currently stands at +14.

Stevenage Borough is now undefeated in 22 games, and the club hasn’t lost a competitive game since December 2nd.

Dexter Blackstock, who started his career with Oxford United, has joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Queens Park Rangers until the end of the season. Blackstock signed for Rangers for a fee of £500,000 from Southampton in 2006, but has struggled this season to hold down a regular place in the first team.

Nottingham Forest is presently struggling for survival in the Championship, 3 points from safety with the second worst goal difference in the division. Blackstock has scored 12 so far this season and could well prove to be a huge help to Nottingham Forest in the club’s quest for survival.

Blackstock goes straight into the squad and is available for Forest’s game against Barnsley on April 4th.