 He described it as one of the most important decisions of his career and Newcastle United chairman Freddie Shepherd is adamant he has given the fans exactly what they want by appointing Glenn Roeder as manager. Roeder was officially unveiled as Graeme Souness' successor yesterday to bring to an end three months of wild speculation regarding Shepherd's intentions. And although the Magpies have been linked with the likes of Martin O'Neill, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Gerard Houllier, Sam Allardyce, Ronald Koeman and Alan Curbishley since Souness' departure in February, United's chairman claimed his mind had been made up by the support Roeder had received from the fans. As a former Newcastle defender and captain, Shepherd believes his new manager has the sort of special affinity with the supporters that enabled Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson to succeed at St James's Park. "The support of the fans is very important," said Shepherd, who has handed Roeder a two-year contract. "The amount of text messages and emails we have had in support of Glenn run into their thousands. "The supporters have identified Glenn as the man they want. We have listened to them. This is what they wanted. This is what they have got. "Managers with a Geordie connection have a feeling for the club. Bobby nearly did it. He was here for five years and he almost achieved it. Glenn was here for six years, his kids went to school here. I view him as one of us. Newcastle has been his club for a number of years. He understands it." Roeder was also quick to stress his love for a club he played for 219 times between 1983 and 1989, years, he insisted, were the happiest of his playing career. He said: "I'm elated to have been given this opportunity, especially as I'm a former Newcastle player and a former Newcastle captain. The mood is one of elation. I'm looking forward to the future. "In the last three months we have turned the season around and got the sort of results this club expects to record. I want to carry that on over the next couple of years, carry on those results and get the club to the right end of the table, the end where it deserves to be. "Having been here before, I have a feeling for the club. I'm looking forward to working for them for the next couple of years. I always said that when I looked back on my playing career and the clubs I played for, that Newcastle was quite easily the best." Both men bristled with ambition as they sat next to each other on a stage at St James's Park yesterday morning, with Shepherd making no secret of his desire for a top six finish in the Premiership, while Roeder expressed his confidence he would be rewarded with a contract extension, not if, but when he achieves the success his chairman demands. Shepherd added: "We looked at other contenders, other applicants but Glenn has won the job with the results he has achieved. He is the highest-placed English manager in the Premiership this season and we felt he deserved the job. "It has to be top six for Newcastle, with the players we have got and the set up we have; the facilities, the stadium, the training ground. We would expect any manager, not just Glenn, to achieve that given the wages we pay here. We pay Rolls Royce wages and we expect Rolls Royce performances." And, although Shepherd denied that Roeder had merely been employed to hold the role while Shearer studied for his badges, he did add: "Is Alan Glenn's successor? I'm sure Glenn would want to have Alan involved. He's made that quite clear." | 
