Shearer told The Rest Is Football: "I'm not angry at all towards him. I understand how football works, I know what happens in and around the game.
“I probably understand his mentality. Do I like it? Do I understand it? Probably two different things. But I know what football is about and I know how it works, and obviously Liverpool have been into him or his agent.
“I just thought it might have happened next year and if it really is impossible for Eddie to turn him around and he says no, and it sounds like that is the case, I want him to be out now, you get your big money for him, whoever’s prepared to pay that and you get other people in, hopefully beforehand, and then you move on.
“As I said, no individual is bigger than any football club, and if he doesn’t want to be there, fine, get what you can and get him out and say thanks very much for the memories, off you go.”