Why is there this wave of unpleasantness and amnesia towards Shearer? Didn't he score the goals that virtually kept us in the PL last season? According to YBR he did,so do we write all that off because he's injured or become a Freeman or had a new haircut or does the Sky commentary or what? I get the feeling that I've turned over 2 pages and missed something. I remember the feeling when he signed. I remember the feeling when he first appeared for he fans. I remember how choked I was when he signed my kids autograph books. I haven't changed my opinion of him at all. I don't think there is a forward like him in the PL, despite his 'lack of pace'. What is going on? Can someone let me into the secret that so many must know.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Answers

hate to blather on but:

shearer had surgery in january, he returned ahead on schedule, the doctors said he could play on but the knee would seize up now and again, it did. he leaves the training field in tears (of frustration?)

i'm not a medical person but reading between the lines here, shearer is buggered, he has a chronic condition (ie its not going to get better). surgery wont help.

its not a big surprise, he's been playing since he was 17. he's had 2 potentially career ending injuries and several other fairly major setbacks. he's played when injured with the help of pain killing injections. he's played summer & winter apart from when he was completely knackered. he's played up front (the hardest position on the pitch) he's played hard. he can't be compared to other 30 year old players, his legs are gone.

now, just imagine the above has at least one or two grains of truth. do we want to build a team around this bloke and his 2mil per wages.

thx alan its been great just sorry you didn't join us a few years earlier

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

GB As I'm at work, I'll keep this brief. Yes I would still build a team around him principly because nobody inspires the team or the crowd like he does. Nobody. And that's because he's special. That's because he IS one of us. Only a geordie truely knows what the Number 9 shirt means. He's proud to wear it and it shows. Worth £2 mill a year? Yes. Why not? Keep the faith.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Alan Shearer can still play a part in the team for the next season(s) but he's got to accept that he will be asquad player who is selected on merit, not on a former reputation.

If the weekend reports are true then the first player we should be going for is Henrik Larrsson. A superb player being wasted in an awful league. We could get him for about £13m. Granted we would need to buy other big names to attract him here but if the money is there then is no excuse.

Larrsson for the toon. Howay the lads!!

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Does anyone seriously believe Alan Shearer would expect to be selected on anything other than merit?
C'mon guys, be serious.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

see comments on other thread

the best.

end of story

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

Dont get me wrong Clarky, I love Alan Shearer. I feel so sorry for the lad for what he has gone through during the last 4 years. I actually feel quite guilty because I dont think coming to the toon waas the right move for him. Let down by Keegan and abused by dalglish and Gullit..at least he is truly appreciated by Bobby.

There is the problem though. His importance to NUFC is overplayed. We have shown that we can play well without him, therefore he must continue to produce the goods to be in contention. I dont doubt the integrity of Big Al but I do wonder whether he thinks himself to be worthy of automatic selection.

We have to ask...is AS to be the next manager of NUFC or not? And if so then are the club mollycoddling him just to keep him sweet? I think we ought to know.

Alan Shearer is a marvellous player and an even better man, but no one is bigger then the club. Obvious words I know but words that should never be forgotten. We have to rebuild on a massive scale. For AS to be a part of the new NUFC he may have to adjust his thinking...as will the rest of us.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

I've said something similar on here several times Andy, it was a dreadful career move for AS coming here. What he gets no credit for; however, is in sticking it out and honouring his initial contract. It shows to me just how much he feels for the Club.
I've always felt that in the equivalent position I would have said "forget it, I'm off" - as indeed many of us expected him to at that time.

I feel quite certain that Alan understands better than anyone that he has to perform to maintain his place, will know when his time is up, and will accept it graciously like the man of integrity he is.

You're right regarding the scale of the rebuilding necessary on the playing front, and also right in suggesting that the medium-term planning in this regard needs to be predicated on AS not being in the equation.
I only hope his body allows him to finish his career on a high, and not simply wither away prematurely through the accumulated impact of the serious injuries he has suffered.

I believe the Club succession plan is indeed for Alan to take over from BR, provided Bobby is around for another couple of seasons.
Despite the usual suspicions, that of course will not have been Shearer's decision. However, I'm quite sure he would love to have the opportunity. Would he succeed? Who knows, but what are the alternatives and what are the chances of them proving successful? Which would really be the higher risk appointment? What happens if Bobby leaves early? Who knows?
A transitional appointment might be made with AS initially as Assistant Manager. My real concern here is over the credentials of the possible internal transitional appointees, the most likely of which is Mick Wadsworth.

Whatever happens in the future, Alan Shearer has served this Club with distinction, and IMO deserves rather less of the ill-informed sniping that he gets.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001

I dont think (I have no proof of course) that AS himself expects to be an automatic selection from week to week. He is above all else a professional. He works hard on the pitch and in training and has something that some of the other players lack....commitment to playing for the toon. For these reasons alone he is selected week in and week out. He sets a good example for the other players.

I would expect that he would take not being selected as most professional players would..with disapointment but with a determination to work harder to win his place back.

Please lets not take the man for granted. One day when he is gone we will be saying how great he was for us.

-- Anonymous, March 19, 2001