Llambias rejects Shearer criticism

Published Feb. 2, 2011 9:10 a.m. ET

foxsports

Newcastle manager director Derek Llambias has hit back at Alan Shearer over his criticism of Andy Carroll's sale to Liverpool.

Former star striker Shearer found the £35m departure of star striker Carroll on Monday "staggering" given they had brought nobody in to replace the 22-year-old, and after reassurances he would not be sold.

But Llambias said in The Sun: "Do I care what Alan Shearer has to say?

"When he ran this football club [in 2009] we were relegated after picking up just five points from his eight games in charge."

Shearer called for the money received for Carroll - a British record transfer fee that was quickly broken when the Merseysiders sold Fernando Torres to Chelsea for a fee believed to be around £50million - to be reinvested in players in the summer.

But Llambias insisted: "[Owner] Mike Ashley has only ever put money into this football club. He has never taken a single penny out.

"And he won't take a single penny of this £35m either - all the money will go to the club and we are already working on identifying transfer targets for the summer."