There is only one question that troubles the mind of a man on his way to interview Alan Shearer: "Why am I doing this?" Shearer has been interviewed so many times, been asked the same questions so many times, given non-committal responses so many times, that trying to get beyond the public iron curtain even he calls "Shearer-speak" is like trying to knock him off the ball.

So a journey to meet Shearer does not fly by optimistically, and on the bright morning of Wednesday, August 26th, in particular, any hopes of an insight into his thoughts appeared futile indeed. At about 9.0 that morning Kenny Dalglish was sacked - sorry, let go - by Newcastle United and, as the press gathered outside the gates of Durham County Cricket Ground, where Newcastle train, the arrangement with Shearer seemed about as likely to happen as Ruud Gullit becoming the new manager.

Yet both did. Shearer agreed to proceed with the interview and Gullit arrived within 48 hours. Mind you, it has taken 14 weeks for the former to be completed, but that is no fault of Shearer's. In that time he has seen Dalglish replaced by Gullit, Newcastle exit the Cup Winners' Cup and the League Cup and slip down the Premiership. There have also been two underwhelming England matches against Sweden and Bulgaria. Then there has been the constant speculation about his future.

One soon learns from talking to Shearer that speculation and hypothetical propositions are his least favourite things in football. On that August morning, for instance, it seemed timely to inquire if he fancied the vacancy, given his expressed desire to go into management, but the answer was a nervous laugh followed by terse diplomacy: "I don't know what's going on here today, so I'm not going to say anything."

In a broader discussion about the state of the game, however, Shearer was interested and interesting. He thinks the proposed European Super League is "wrong" and "for the sake of money", and he held up Wimbledon as the example to aspire to, not AC Milan. Revealing a previously well-hidden Corinthian spirit, Shearer talked of Wimbledon's "romance", and in a further unexpected use of language a month later he spoke of Newcastle's plight being "not the dream sold to me by Kevin Keegan".

For a man who left school with one qualification, a Grade 1 English Oral CSE, perhaps a circumspect use of English should have been expected, and on Thursday, as part two of the interview developed, the subject of Shearer's vocabulary arose.

Inevitably the conversation had turned to his future. Last Sunday, Shearer once again stated his intention of staying at Newcastle despite all the newspaper stories to the contrary. It was, as he said in exasperated tones, "the third time I've had to put that out. What more do I have to do? I said it in August when Kenny was still here, I said it in September when Ruud first came, now I've said it again. Hopefully now I've put all that to bed."

Well, yes and no. One emotion conspicuously absent from all of these statements has been Shearer's desire to stay. He has not actually said that he wants to. "Is there a difference between saying `I am staying' and `I want to stay'?" he asked. Yes. "Well, that's your opinion. I said I was staying at the club, I don't see why saying `I want to stay' makes any difference."

Well, it might be a sign of commitment. Besides, did he not understand the speculation was logical because it is obvious that the greatest striker of his generation is looking worryingly unfulfilled?

"The club is unfulfilled, not just me," he said, "and I'm part of this club. It might have been logical, but all I can do is come out and say `Look, I'm staying', and if that doesn't kill off the rumours, then . . ."

As he wearily acknowledged, it will probably not, although when the conversation moved from the immediate future to the longer term and management, Shearer said: "My plan is to continue playing at the highest level for as long as I can."

And would that entail another playing contract at Newcastle United (the present one expires at the end of the season). "I would sincerely hope so," he said. When a new contract runs out he would only be 31.

"That's my plan anyway. I wouldn't like to go down the leagues - no disrespect - because I've always played my football at the top, that's all I've known."

But as a prospective manager, would it not be better to experience some lower division football? "I don't know. Time will dictate that. It will all roll out once I have finished playing. At what age that will be I don't know, where that will be I don't know. I sincerely hope it is here, I want it to be here."

Smiling, he emphasised "want". And after that? "Time will dictate whether I should or shouldn't go into management, but it interests me.

"It doesn't interest me now and it didn't interest me at 25 or 26 when I was offered the job at Blackburn, so two or three years later . . . playing is hard enough. I don't see a problem in player-management when you're 32 or 33 and you're looking to bow out, but, when you're at your peak, I don't see it's right."

Having turned 28 only in August, Shearer is definitely at his peak. It is just that Newcastle are not, although in the past seven days there has been a discernible improvement in the atmosphere around the club.

It is as if during the radiantly bad display at Everton the club bottomed out, could get no worse. Then Duncan Ferguson arrived, scored two against Wimbledon on his debut at St James' Park last Saturday and on Wednesday all the players went paint-balling.

It was Gullit's idea and it worked. For the first time in months the Newcastle squad was unified, so much so that Shearer said: "This football club, when compared to last week, is completely different. It could be different again next week, but let's hope it continues to go like this because there has been a buzz about the place and everyone seems to be lifted.

"It's amazing what one win does. Duncan has come in and made a tremendous start, the confidence and belief are flowing again. The next few games are important for us."

Gullit, said Shearer, deserves credit for the growing optimism. "I think he has brought a belief, a confidence. There is an aura around him and I think now we will be tougher to beat. That isn't to say we weren't under Kenny. Ruud has brought his continental ideas into coaching and the lads have been very impressed. They are good and we have a laugh, which is important."

Revival is not a word Shearer used, but he nodded in its direction and, though it feels premature to say so, a win at Middlesbrough would confirm that, with the status of their number nine sorted at last, the smile might just be returning to Newcastle United and Alan Shearer.