By Henry Winter

The Daily Telegraph
February 7 1997

Glenn Hoddle yesterday introduced the human element into next week’s England versus Italy World Cup qualifier by revealing that Alan Shearer would lead out the hosts alongside Paolo Maldini, writes Henry Winter.

The pair, distinguished internationals both, will exchange pleasantries in the centre-circle and then spend 90 minutes trying to get the better of each other. To the winner, perhaps, the overall spoils.

Their pending duel, skilled Serie A defender against barnstorming Premiership attacker, represents a microcosm of the anticipated wider engagement. England, on their home patch, are expected to take the initiative, to seize the moment in the pursuit of qualification for France 98. Italy, heading back to their cultured roots with new coach Cesare Maldini, will defend deep and hit back like a cobra. Shearer can lose the toss to Maldini Jnr but he must not lose the head-to-head.

By selecting someone who leads from the front, Hoddle has astutely, perhaps inspirationally, played an ace. The Italians respect Englishmen like Tony Adams, who stands down as captain, but they fear Shearer, who missed the Georgia game through injury. The world’s most expensive player, a man who finished as the premier European in the rankings of world player of the year, is probably the one white-shirted warrior they have most misgivings about. It may take more than Maldini Jnr to stifle Shearer.

“The first player that any opponent is going to be talking about is Alan Shearer,” Hoddle said at Bisham Abbey yesterday. “He’s got an effect on the Italians anyway. Goalscorers of that ilk will have that respect. If you make him captain as well, that adds power to your arm, as long as it doesn’t affect him as a player, which it hasn’t done.”

At the start of his England stewardship, Hoddle appointed Shearer, a role model as well as established international, as captain. “My main concern was that the goals might dry up if he was given that extra responsibility,” Hoddle continued. “He scored in Moldova and got the two goals against Poland so it was never going to be a problem. Hopefully it has made him a better player. Alan has this tremendous ability, on and off the pitch, to handle things. He has the respect of his fellow players, the opposition and referees.”

Shearer said: “It’s always an honour to play for your country. To lead the team as well at such an important time as this makes you even prouder.”

Hoddle’s stated intent was to give Shearer three games as captain but injury to the Newcastle man allowed Adams to re-acquire the armband. So, would Italy be the third of Shearer’s matches? “Hopefully if it goes as well as it has in his last two games as captain I won’t have to reassess the situation,” said the England coach. Shearer for the millennium? Don’t bet against it.

But how did Hoddle tell Adams and Shearer? “Basically, ‘Alan you’re captain, Tony you’re not captain’. Tony’s reaction was like a captain - no problems at all. He understood. My decision is no detriment to Tony, Paul Ince or Gareth Southgate and David Seaman - who could have all shaped up as my captain. In an ideal world you would like four or five captains on the pitch and if Tony and Paul are fit next Wednesday we will have that situation, right through the spine of our side.

“Over the years I have looked at the Continental situation, where people like Maradona, Platini and Cruyff are always the first to be given the armband. Not because they’re the best captains as such - they’re probably playing in the wrong position to be the best - but they’ve got this instant respect that’s needed at international level.”

Shearer is not even captain of his club, Newcastle United, who are led out to the theme-tune of Local Hero by Peter Beardsley or Robert Lee.

“Club captaincy is different,” Hoddle said. “It’s similar to club management compared with international management. You need someone for a short period of time, not day in, day out. Alan has got that gift.”

He also has a back problem and is not expected to resume full training until Monday. And Shearer was not alone in missing training yesterday. Adams (ankle), Paul Gascoigne (calf and ankle), Ince (thigh), Lee (groin) and Seaman (knee) all require attention from England’s busy medical staff. “There are six influential players there who need another two days’ treatment and rest,” said Hoddle. Ince, Gascoigne and Adams give him most concern.

Tales from our friends in the north that Gascoigne had withdrawn from the squad were dismissed by Hoddle. “I don’t know where the rumours come from. He has not pulled out, although he is a doubt for the game.”

Gascoigne’s leg has only recently come out of plaster and the inevitable muscle wastage needs addressing. Such has been the number of injuries to his midfielders that Hoddle has called up Jamie Redknapp, Liverpool’s elegant ball-user.

A scribe from the land of Machiavelli pondered whether all these injury scares were genuine. “They are not smokescreens,” Hoddle countered. “Everyone can see Tony Adams’s situation, Gascoigne has been in plaster, and Paul Ince has not been playing. We don’t do things like that.” Given England’s current misfortune with injuries, any red herrings would swiftly come down with salmonella poisoning.

On the plus side, it was encouraging to see West Ham’s Rio Ferdinand continue his education at Bisham Abbey, along with another promising youngster, Neil Clements. Ferdinand, Les’s cousin, is a central defender who treats the ball as a friend, not a foe. A future international, Rio did not look out of place during England’s touch-skill sessions yesterday. But Rio is England’s future. The present is in the very assured hands of Alan Shearer.