Venables says no to Newcastle offer

(CNN) -- Former England national coach Terry Venables has turned down an offer to become caretaker manager at troubled Newcastle United.

Venables had talks with Newcastle, who have been without a manager since the departure of Kevin Keegan early this month but he told The Sun newspaper that he had rejected the offer, which was on a game-by-game basis.

"There is one reason and one reason alone why I've turned down the chance to take temporary charge at Newcastle - time," he told The Sun.

"Newcastle United means too much to too many people to take the job on a short-term basis. It demands total commitment and dedication from a manager who is prepared to throw himself heart and soul into the club.

"I didn't want the fans to think I'd gone up there just to pocket a few quid from owner Mike Ashley.

"I didn't want to move up to Tyneside and find myself surplus to requirements before I'd even had the chance to get my teeth into the challenge.

"The way the job was offered to me meant that I might be working at St James' Park for two months, two years - or two weeks. There was far too much uncertainty involved."

Venables, who has had spells in charge of Tottenham and Barcelona, was a leading candidates to become Newcastle manager when Bobby Robson was sacked in 2004, but the job went to Graeme Souness.

Venables worked in the north-east of England when he helped Middlesbrough to avoid relegation in 2002 when he was asked to assist manager Bryan Robson.

Newcastle lie second from bottom of the Premier League and went out of the League Cup on Wednesday night by losing 2-1 at home to Tottenham, the bottom club

That match was watched by 20,577 people, the club's lowest crowd in 16 years, which will not have helped owner Ashley's hopes of a quick sale.

Consortiums from China and Nigeria are reported to be considering bids but there has been no indication that anyone is willing to meet Ashley's asking price of more than £400 million ($734.7 million).

Venables's last job was as a part-time assistant to former England manager Steve McClaren. Both men departed last November of last year when England failed to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals.