In the northeast of England today, an entire city is unified in joy. Newcastle, a city that bleeds as one for Newcastle United, just found out that Alan Shearer, a Newcastle living legend, will take control of the club that they prioritize on a level no other city does.

A living legend he may be, but still he is a risk for owner Mike Ashley. Shearer, while having years of experience with top-flight football from his years playing for Blackburn Rovers (where he won the premier league title), and Newcastle United, Shearer has no experience managing a club. After he hung up his cleats, there was speculation that he would take over as manager of Newcastle, but Shearer stated that he would not take any other job outside of a select few if he were to work as manager. Even with his lack of experience, the Toon has been calling for him to be given the top job practically since the day he retired from playing.

To the Geordies, Alan Shearer is a hero, but in the case of management, fans turn on heroes when they are not successful. The true judge of the decision to hire Shearer will be how long his good reputation with the fans will remain. The relegation of a team is not the end of the world. If he should fail to keep the team in the Premier League, it is possible that the Geordies will accept that his task was out of his possibility to grasp. Acceptance by the fans would allow him time to bring the team back into the top flight, and then build a stronger side from there. Should the fans continue to support him, Mike Ashley could be tempted to keep him on and even give him the full resources.

Over the next couple of seasons, Shearer would have the chance to prove his worth in a managerial situation. Bringing Newcastle United back into the Premier League would give him time to know the team that has changed significantly in the few years since he was a player for Newcastle. After a year of learning what makes Newcastle effective, if he is as talented a manager as he was a player, Newcastle will be ready to make a strong showing in its first year back. However, should the fans turn on him, none of this will be possible.

Shearer can be great for the club because, at least from the start, he will have the fans on his side and he will bring attention to the team, even from those outside of the Toon. To guarantee that he keeps the fans on his side, however, his effect on the team must be almost immediate. Newcastle is in the relegation zone with only eight games left to play. They must start against Chelsea, and then go on to play other strong sides such as Tottenham, Portsmouth, Liverpool and Aston Villa.

This means that unless Newcastle wins its two games against other teams in the relegation battle, Stoke City and Middlesborough, Shearer may not be able to save the team from relegation. So the question remains; should he be fired and lose the respect of his fans if he can’t manage the task of pulling Newcastle out of the relegation zone?

Not necessarily, but that does not mean that it won’t happen. If the Geordies should turn on Shearer, then Mike Ashley will have no choice but to find a more experienced and accepted manager.

Some patience from the fans and the owner, as well as impressive showings on the field, can make Shearer the club’s greatest legend since Sir Bobby Charlton. Should the fans lose patience, or if he cannot cut it as a manager, it could create a stain on the memory of his time at the club.

Either way, Newcastle made a bold but most likely extremely savvy decision to move for Alan Shearer.