This latest 'breakdown' has left me severely pissed off. It's not like we didn't see it coming. Listen, you arsehole, I don't want to hear about you 'defying the doctors' or 'playing through the pain'. It's not brave, it's not courageous, it's not clever. It's FUCKING STUPID. If you're in pain, you're FUCKING INJURED. He goes on about feeling the knee stiffen up, and then carries on training/playing. What did you think was going to happen? That the pain would just go away? And if he's too stupid to take responsibility for his own health, why won't one fucking idiot on that shambles of a training / medical staff do so instead? What other team would allow a player who hasn't kicked a ball in three months to play ninety minutes without even a run-out in the reserves or a spell on the bench? But of course this is Alan Shearer we're talking about. Our talisman, who defies the doctors and plays through the pain. WAKE UP YOU BUNCH OF INCOMPETENT FUCKING IDIOTS. Shearer - either stay OUT till you're FIT and able to EASE yourself back in, or RETIRE. Cort, Dyer, Shearer...how many more times are we going to hear these tossers say 'oh, it looks like he wasn't that fit after all. Sorry.'?
Sorry about the swearing - I'm fucking angry. You may have guessed.

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2001

Answers

no worries mate, a lot of people feel the same way but aren't going to verbalise it the way you have. I have always said that our dependance on Big Al has left us open, and this is the end effect. We might be lucky to see him again this season.

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2001

Can't disagree with a single thing you said, Dan. Nor with the way you said it. It's how I felt when the pig-headed fool played at Derby. Now I just shake my head and wonder if anyone will ever learn.

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2001

It takes a writer to articulate it so well.

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2001

But it ain't just Shearer, is it? If ever there was an opportunity to "ease him back", it was against Man Shitty. I mean, there was Shola, and Lua x2, and Gallie, and Dan the Man. At least one could have been sub (OK, so Shola started and KG was in midfield, but Glass was on the bench. But no, he was told/allowed to play 90 mins. And again at Goodison. Medical staff? My bliddy nurse could do a lot better - talking of which..................

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2001

Look out Keiron Dyer they'll be after you soon!

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that Dyer wants to leave the club to save his career from the Newcastle Physio's.

Come on terminate their contracts and hire some people who know what they are doing. Innefficiency to such a scale should not be tolerated.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Well maybe now the dosy get will realise he's not Superman!!!

Newcastle striker Alan Shearer left the training ground in tears on Saturday after a reoccurrence of the knee injury that forced him to have an operation earlier this season.

The omens look bleak and Shearer could now miss the rest of the season if a scan shows that he will need another operation.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Backpage headline in The Journal this morning:

Cort Set To Make United Return.

I won't bore you with the article, except these extracts:

"The news that Alan Shearer has broken down in training, and will see a specialist later this week, only serves to emphasise the importance of Cort's return in time for the visit of Boro at the weekend".

"Cort had been earmarked for a substitutes role on Saturday but may now be required to start what would only be his fourth game in a B&W shirt".

Of Cort's possible appearnace in tonight's Reserve game v Liverpool, it adds:

"Of course, Shearer's injury leaves Robson with a classic dilemma - should he hand Cort the much-needed match practice he requires ahead of this weekends derby clash, or should he protect his most expensive signing from posssible injury in a match of limited significance?"

This is typical of the cavalier, muddle-headed thinking that seems to pervade the Club.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

In fairness to Big Al I can recall him and Robson repeating the surgeons advice for rehabilitation which included gems like "expect the knee to feel sore after a workout" and "the knee will probably sieze up at first, this is normal and will ease in time"

Anyone draw paralells to Black knight scene from the Holy Grail; "tis but a flesh wound" & "I've had worse"

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

IMHO this decision comes down to Robson and it is his mis-management in this department that is costing us dearly.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Can't see it making much difference whether Cort starts for the reserves and conks out or starts for the 1st team 5 days later and conks out.

He's either fit to come back now or he isn't, in which case he shouldn't be considered for either game, cos I can't see him being that much more ready in another 5 days.

I'd give him the match practice in the reserves - the sooner the better we find out if he's still a crock, IYAM.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Cort should be given half an hour tonight and if he's OK half a game on Saturday same goes for Dabizas in a few weeks time. Ease him in or he'll join Dyer and Shearer on the out for the season list due top the incompetance of the medical staff. It's not really Robsons fault, It's the people who advise him on the fitness of players such as Paul Ferris.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

From the Ronnie:
And he admitted today in an exclusive interview: "I went from ecstasy to agony in 24 hours.

"On Friday I was bursting with pride when I was made a Freeman of the city in front of my family and all my team-mates and the next day I was destroyed when my knee flared again in training. To say I've been unlucky with injuries is an under-statement.

"All I can do now is wait and pray. I'll be seeing the specialist again either late today or tomorrow and I honestly don't know what he's going to say."

Shearer, out for two months when he underwent an operation on the same knee, revealed the background to his shock setback when he told me: "No one else was involved in the incident.

"It was very early in the game. I put all my weight on my left leg as I went to shoot with my right foot against Stevie Harper. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my knee and came off straight away as a precaution.

"Ironically the specialist was at the ground for a reason unconnected with me and he had a look straight away. He told me it was too early to make an accurate diagnosis, the knee needed to settle down for two to three days. "It was very painful on Saturday night but it's eased a little today. It's not 100 per cent by any means and I can only hope.

"I'm absolutely fed up. I was in the clouds and the next moment I was down to earth. Football can kick you like that."

Have to say I do feel desperately sorry for the man. But perhaps this big, heaping dose of reality will finally make him and the medical staff see some kind of sense?

Scuse me while I clean off these rosy specs...

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Gotta say, when he hecked his ankle all those years ago, we should have taken the right steps to ensure that we had cover for him and would never have to rush him back. Yet more medical incompetence from the club.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Reports are now across the Internet that NUFC have issued a statement which basically says a specialist has looked at it and they are monitoring the situation but refuse to rule Shearer out of the game against Boro on Saturday.

Fecking joke!???!!!

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

nnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg :-|

So who's gonna start the 'Sack the medical staff' chants?

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

If I was there I would!!

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

It's amazing! I can come to work and Newcastle can still depress me without even playing a game! What is he fecking thinking? does he think he can save this season by himself? Now he has made all our games that much harder, good job Al, next time stay in bed.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

"........ they are monitoring the situation, but refuse to rule Shearer out of the game against Boro on Saturday".

For once I'm virtually speechless - what they are effectively saying is ".....if we are fortunate enough for this not to be simply a warning, and not after all a serious setback, then we are more than happy to consider playing him on Saturday to see it that will do the trick, and finally knacker him for the rest of the season - and if it then turns out to be really serious, possibly end his playing career".

Another triumph for objective management at NUFC. Tossers!

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

.....and again. (I am closing the html tag, honest. Why does it do this?)

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

Right, my mate at True Faith has e mailed me to tell me that he has heard something about Shearer's injury that is so awful that he daren't repeat it in case it's true.... I'll try to pry the full story out of him but I must say, my heart sank a bit.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

.......that's funny (well, it's not actually!) - the Toon apparently believe he might still play on Saturday. Either that or they're telling us a pack of porkies, of course!

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

I'm still in favour of placing Wor Jackie's statue in the opposition's penalty area and trying to bounce the ball in off it. Can't be any less mobile than Al, surely? The dirty buggers can tackle him all day. Probably get metal fatigue or rivet strain knowing us, mind, and it would take more than a quick rub with some Brasso and a Brillo pad to put that right.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

I really don't want to see Big Al playing this weekend...it's just too stupid to play him when he's not fit, partly cos he risks getting further inuries but also because he adds nowtm unfit, to the team.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

Who was it who supposedly heard Paul Ferris saying Cort's career might be over? You sure he wan't saying Shearer? :-(

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

You sure someone's not talking bollocks!?

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

Just flown in to the Golden City today ...yeeaaah:-))...but am immediately met with, seemingly, confirmation of what was still a horrendous "maybe" when I left HK.

Oh, God. Agree with just about everything that everyone has said.

I'll start it, Ciara........"EXECUTE the the Idiot Quacks "....and what the hell does Bobby have to say about all this, let alone Ma'dumbkopfBoy ? It has to be asked - who has the last say about these matters ? Is Bobby just very badly advised ?

Maybe this will be the last straw and the club will immediately get a fine Club Doctor and medical team in at last:-)) (Hang on - this jetlag's a bad'un...Schreach, can you send your Nurse over...I seek urgent oblivion.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

OK Mr cynical here - if he's injured and career over - How much insurance do we get ? Is it still 15Million smakaroonies ?

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

I'm just taking a break at work and catching up with certain bits. I - like so many of us - can't understand this career threatening injury that might let him play on Saturday. Is it on a timer? Laughing stock, again and again and again.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

I think if Shearers career was over, then we'd know about it. I sounds as if he's come back too soon and the injury is a bit inflamed casing him discomfort. Surely it would be best to leavehim out of the next game and give him 30 minutes in the reserves next month, progressively doing a bit more each time he plays. The same goes for Cort and Dabizas. Asking them to play flat out for 90 minutes after an injury is stupidity.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

AS was supposed to be seeing a specialist this evening for the third time this week. Team talk carries the following:

HOPE FOR SHEARER

Alan Shearer's decision to withdraw from a practice match on Friday could well have saved the rest of his season.

The former England striker felt a twinge in his troublesome knee and realised that he should no longer continue. He may well miss Saturday's visit of Middlesbrough but Bobby Robson thinks that could be as bad as it gets.

"Obviously we were very concerned when it appeared that Alan had suffeerd a reaction to his knee. But the swelling has gone down and we are led to believe that he doesn't have a serious problem."

Shearer himself is determined not to miss any more games at this critical stage of the season - "There is still a lot to play for and I want to be involved," he pledged.

If he doesn't have a problem then I wonder his knee has swollen up? I'm saying nowt more on the subject.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2001

On the IC newcastle site Robson is saying they didn't bring him back too early. Something like Alan declared himself fit. Since when do we ignore the specialists on the declaration of a player.

Shearer was really flogged before he went under the knife so surely it must have been pretty obvious that he needed time to get back.

-- Anonymous, March 16, 2001

So Bobby is all too happy to listen to Cort's specialist, but not Shearer's. Or does Shearer secretly have a degree in Sports Medicine, so acts as his own specialist? Put your sunglasses on Bobby, you're blinded by the light off Shearer's bald heed.

-- Anonymous, March 16, 2001

...........or maybe where the sun's shining from??

-- Anonymous, March 16, 2001