LONDON, June 25: Former England striker Alan Shearer said on Sunday he will consider joining his country's coaching staff in the future.

Shearer, 35, insisted Steve McClaren, who takes over from Sven-Goran Eriksson after the World Cup, has yet to officially offer him a role in the national team's backroom staff.

But the former Newcastle and Blackburn star, who recently completed his UEFA A coaching licence, would be interested in coaching with England if the timing was right.

Shearer, Newcastle's record goal-scorer, only retired at the end of last season and is determined not to rush back into the game straight away.

He revealed McClaren is keen to speak to him and told the BBC's Sportsweek: “I had the briefest of calls from Steve McClaren a few weeks ago asking if he could speak to me after the World Cup.

“Nothing at all was discussed, and I said yes he could ring me, and that is how it was left so I was staggered to wake up to the stories in the newspapers.

“Everybody knows I am doing my coaching badges, and in the future it could interest me, but I am quite happy with what I am doing at the moment.

“I have always said I would like a bit of time out.”

McClaren is currently Eriksson's assistant and he accepted the chance to succeed him after the English Football Association failed in an attempt to persuade Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to take the job.

Former Middlesbrough manager McClaren has also spoken to Terry Venables about the ex-England coach joining his staff next season.—AFP