Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd was unrepentant yesterday over his decision not to let Bobby Robson manage England.

The Toon chief continued to claim that the FA had wanted Robson's services until next summer and not just for one game.

The FA have denied they asked whether the Geordies would be prepared to release Robson for up to seven fixtures.

But Shepherd claimed: "As far as we were concerned they wanted Bobby's stay with them to run until the end of this season.

"By the time England play Greece in June that will have taken in seven matches."

Shepherd wouldn't comment on whether Newcastle's response would have been the same if the FA had only requested Robson for next month's friendly in Italy.

Newcastle have already taken an "unpatriotic" hit from some quarters after Leicester and Manchester United agreed to release Peter Taylor and Steve McLaren for the game.

But Shepherd refused to criticise the FA over the way the issue was apparently mishandled. "Everything was done correctly, although I think chief executive Adam Crozier got a bit of a shock when we said no," he revealed.

"Good luck to Leicester and Manchester United. What they do is up to them and what we do concerning Newcastle is up to us.

"I can only repeat that our first, last and only priority is to this club and our fans.

"Managing Newcastle United is the hardest job in club football and managing England is the hardest job in football so how can one man do both?

"We had to get it all sorted. We could not let the situation roll on and that's why I spoke to Bobby after Saturday's game.

"There was a lot of straight talking from both sides but there were no problems and it was a very friendly meeting.

"I told Bobby I could understand his point of view but I didn't agree with it. Now I hope he can get on with the job of managing Newcastle."

It was business as normal for Robson on the training ground yesterday.

Newcastle said the 67-year-old boss had nothing to add to his weekend comments.

But fans and players were clearly more than happy that he would continue to commit himself 100 per cent to the club's cause.

Alan Shearer said: "I'm delighted. From a selfish point of view I wouldn't have even wanted him to take the job part-time because we all know what would have happened if he'd got a few good results under his belt.

"The clamour would have been for him to carry on and we don't want that."

Mark Jensen, editor of 'The Mag' fanzine, agreed. "The last thing we wanted was Bobby Robson splitting his time between Newcastle and England. Why should we suffer because of England?" he said.

"I think Freddy Shepherd has done himself a lot of good in supporters' eyes by being so strong."

Former Sunderland bosses Denis Smith and Malcolm Crosby have both played a part in the development of new England coach Steve McClaren.

Smith said yesterday that he wasn't in the least surprised by McClaren's fast-track elevation from Oxford to England in just eight years.

Smith was his manager for two seasons at the Manor Ground, where McClaren was youth and reserve team coach before moving on to Derby and Manchester United.

Crosby was also on the coaching staff after leaving Roker Park in 1993.

Smith revealed: "Steve used to soak up ideas like a sponge from both of us.

"He was always on the lookout for anything he could jot down and use on the training ground.

"Steve was on the staff when I arrived and I didn't know much about him.

"But the board wanted to keep him. He was highly-rated by them and I soon found out why.

"He was desperate to learn all the time. He was always asking questions and everything he found out would be noted and analysed.

"He will have taken bits from me, Crozzer, Jim Smith and Alex Ferguson as part of his education.

"He has an open mind and the England lads will find that he'll mix with them and they'll know what he's talking about.

"I'm delighted because he's a super lad and he wants to be the best."

l Bobby Robson has targeted PSV Eindhoven defender Ernst Faber as he gets back to rebuilding work at Newcastle.

Faber, 29, is a free agent in the summer and well-known to former boss Robson.

The experienced Dutchman, known for his big game temperament, has not played since February because of a knee problem. But Robson is preparing to snap him up if he proves his fitness.

The Newcastle boss, who has extended the trial period of Argentinian defender Pablo Paz by a further week, is on the lookout for reinforcements after agreeing to sell Laurent Charvet to Manchester City for £2m.

Charvet is set to complete the deal today even though full-backs Warren Barton and Andy Griffin are currently on the injured list at St James' Park.