29th April 2005
By
Gaz Pearson
The alleged text message saga between Craig Bellamy and Newcastle
has once again put us on the back pages for reasons other than what
is happening on the pitch but it does raise a pertinent question.
Although no one can deny Shearer holds hero status on Tyneside and
you can't condone what Bellamy said, if indeed he did send the text
messages, you just cant help wondering whether Shearer is "past it".
In his prime, Bellamy couldn't lace Shearer's boots. Shearer was a
world-class striker, something the little Welshman can only dream
of emulating. Even two or three years ago the No.9 was still as good
as anything in the Premiership. But now the time has come, especially
in regard to next season, to question whether or not Shearer warrants
an automatic start. There will be those of you who feel he should
start every game and yet there are those who may unwillingly agree
with the context of Bellamy's alleged text messages and admit to Alan
being well past his best.
Does Bellamy offer more to a team than Alan Shearer? Well for leadership
and reliability Shearer wins hand downs. However, the game has changed
so much in this country over the last five years, the tempo has increased
ten-fold and with Shearer being played as a lone striker in Souness'
current formation he offers very little at present. He hasn't even
reached double-figures in the league this season and that says it
all.
Craig Bellamy was on fire before his public spat with Souness led
to him being booted out of the club. He was banging goals in right,
left and centre and who can forget his late winner in the amazing
4-3 win over Manchester City at St. James' Park? His pace and determination
are breathtaking and an asset to any club. He has never once criticised
the fans or the football club. It was the management and staff he
rebelled against.
Souness may have tried to restore dressing room harmony by loaning
out Bellamy to Celtic but for whose sake? The sake of himself? The
sake of a certain Alan Shearer who you could argue dislikes Bellamy?
The sake of Freddy Shepherd's big boss act? Yet did the sake of Newcastle
United and the fans ever come into it? Of course he shouldn't have
feigned an injury (if he did) but should Dyer and Bowyer still even
be at our club after what they did?
Shearer is and will probably forever be a legend at Newcastle but
as time goes on and the more he pushes himself the more likely it
could all go pear shaped for him and the club. If miracles happen
on biblical proportions next season and we do go on to win something
then critics such as myself will be rightly eating humble pie and
I would be first in line for a slice because I pray that we do win
something next time round. However, maybe he should have retired this
season and made way for new, young blood to come in? Football has
changed and Alan must come to terms with the fact that for Newcastle
United to be a success we need the main man to be preferably a younger
version of himself, not a 34 year-old well past his sell by date.
Whoever comes in next year will no doubt be second choice striker
and this shouldn't be the case.
Shearer is past his best now sadly and he is in a way, holding us
back. By all means he must stay at the club in some capacity but the
time to step aside, away from the front line is now, if we are to
be successful next season. As for Bellamy, he is long gone. As a player
he has everything we need at the club but character wise he's exactly
what we don't need. Character wise Shearer is everything we need,
yet as a player, he's not the answer. It's time to move on to move
forward. Shearer and Souness must accept this and so must we. |
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