Deschamps Enters the Frame As Newcastle Widen Their Search

Didier Deschamps has emerged as a surprise contender for Newcastle United's managerial vacancy. The former France and Chelsea midfielder and Monaco and Juventus manager was installed among the favorites for the job by bookmakers last night but it is understood there has been no direct contact between Deschamps and Mike Ashley, Newcastle's owner, or Chris Mort, the chairman.

Instead agents and representatives on both sides were thought to be seeking mutual verifications of intent yesterday with one sticking point thought to be the lack of a French school in Newcastle for Deschamps' children.

Associates of Ashley and Mort have held "informal" talks with Gérard Houllier, the former Liverpool and Lyon manager. Houllier, now the technical director of the French football federation, is in the United States on business but Mort and Ashley - the latter newly returned from a trip to Hong Kong - were understood to be interviewing a candidate yesterday.

Although Blackburn's Mark Hughes remains a strong contender for the position created by Sam Allardyce's sacking, it is believed Ashley and Mort have decided to observe standard business practice and speak to several managers before reaching a final decision. Having had their fingers badly burnt by Harry Redknapp's rejection and his renewed commitment to Portsmouth on reputedly much improved terms, they are also determined to keep the process as discreet as possible.

While Newcastle's former manager Kevin Keegan appears to enjoy strong support from the Toon Army - he topped a poll commissioned by the Evening Chronicle, commanding 42.3% of the vote as against Alan Shearer's 14.6%, Hughes's 9.7% and Houllier's 7.2% - the former England coach is thought to be an outsider.

Meanwhile Shearer returned from a holiday in Barbados, pausing on his way through Newcastle airport to quash suggestions he might form a double act with Keegan by saying he had not spoken to his former manager for "a long time". Asked if he coveted the vacancy at his old club he replied: "One day hopefully." With Newcastle sources continuing to stress that previous managerial experience is imperative, Shearer's chances of persuading Ashley to gamble on him seem minimal.

Mort has outlined the criteria he and Ashley expect their new manager to satisfy. These include fluency in English and "to have the team playing with the right balance of winning football and stylish football"."There are some clubs where it is essential that the team tries to play football with some flair and this is one of them," writes Mort in his program notes for tonight's FA Cup replay at home to Stoke. "It is only the great managers that can combine style with winning. But if the team is not trying to play football 'on the carpet', as Sir Bobby Robson recently described it, I think they will struggle to win over the followers of Newcastle."