 |
Site Features |
|
9 Days of Shearer: What Others Have to Say
By Jonny Hall 03 May 2006
He's Newcastle United's greatest ever goalscorer and over his time as a professional football playing for Newcaslte, Blackburn, Southampton and England he has picked up alot of admirers. Here is what football's biggest names and many others have to say about Shearer over the years:
"In Premiership terms he is the best. I'd always said when he was in his prime at Blackburn and the first few years at Newcastle, I'd always said there was one player I would pay to go and watch and I meant that, it would have been Alan Shearer." - Andy Gray
"The best Premiership striker that I've seen in the time since the Premiership began. His record is so far above anyone else's, it's ridiculous." - Matthew Le Tissier
"The fact is that the most difficult thing is to score goals and Alan has done that year in year out. I think he has been the stand out figure definitely." - Alan Smith
"He was the man that I used to regularly watch. I'm a different type of player obviously but that doesn't mean you can't learn different things from him." - Michael Owen
"It is difficult to put into words. You just need to look at his record and that tells everyone how great a striker he is. I think great is a word that is used far too frequently in our football today but Alan is a great centre forward." - Les Ferdinand
"In my time at Newcastle he was everything I thought he would have been. He was supportive on and off the field, he got goals, made other people play, just a general top professional in every sense of the word." - Graeme Souness
"It is fitting for him because of the contribution he has made, not only at Newcastle and Blackburn, England and Southampton but to football in general. For him to get a little bit back is great. People may still have a dig at him for the lack of medals he has collected but no one will take this way from him (the record)." - Kenny Daglish
"Certainly Jackie had the pace, a beautiful strike of the ball. You could never fault Jackie Milburn. Looking at the game in total however, Shearer's all round game is better." - Jack Hixon
"He's broken Milburn's record in less games which is tremendous. To me he is the ultimate professional; to me he is the best. People who lived in the past are possibly going to say Milburn was the best but to me today Alan Shearer you are the greatest centre forward that has been at Newcastle United." - Sir John Hall
"Getting somebody to take over from Alan Shearer at Newcastle United is like getting somebody to take over from Pele with Brazil. It is next to impossible. Alan's great strength is, purely and simply, that he scores goals. As his team-mate you just know that, if you can get a ball into the box and he is there, he is 99.9% certain to put it in the back of the net. The quality is invaluable. Even Patrick Kluivert, who has proved him to be a World Class player with Ajax, Barcelona and Holland over the years, failed to live up to Shearer's standards last season." - Kevin Gallacher
"The relationship between Alan Shearer and the city of Newcastle is so unique. You ask yourself as you the streets and hear people chant his name and wear his name in print of their backs if it is possible for one single person to be this worshipped, in this day and age. I want to describe how a modern day hero is created and how one person can become a superman and an icon for a whole city." - Jenny Linstrom, Swedish cultural studies student on her next assignment
"As Lord Mayor, I was delighted when he broke Jackie Milburn's goalscoring record. All citizens recognise what he has done for the city's image, both nationally and internationally. We look forward to honouring him in an appropriate way." - The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Coun David Slesenger (2006)
"Alan Shearer is a great footballer, a great sportsman and a great man. Let's hope he can make it back on the pitch, at least for the last game of the season." - Newcastle North MP Doug Henderson (2006)
"I just think he was the best we've ever had and it's going to be a great shame if it's the end. Saying that, scoring a goal in his last-ever game against our greatest rivals is a fitting way to go." - Lindisfarne drummer Ray Laidlaw (2006)
"The biggest testament for me with Alan is he chose Newcastle instead of Manchester United. He let his heart rule his head with United because he could have won medals with Manchester. For me, that's the type of man he is. He's loved pulling on that black and white shirt, as I did. But he was born in Newcastle, which made it extra special. Every goal he scores in that shirt you can see the elation in his face. They are the medals he wants." - Mick Quinn (2006)
"I've got mixed feelings but it's poignant that his last game could be a win against our biggest rivals. I'm disappointed, on the other hand - especially because of the way he's been playing recently. Yesterday was nothing other than fantastic, and I'd hate it if Sunderland fans started claiming they'd ended his career. It was Roy of the Rovers stuff, scoring a goal then getting injured in a local derby - and let's only hope he can make an appearance at his testimonial." - Steve Dale, chairman of Wallsend Boys' Club (2006)
"Alan is the professional's professional. The great thing about Alan is that he's had some serious injuries. It takes a lot of determination and will to get back from serious injuries but he has done it a number of times. That's the hallmark of someone who has great courage. There are no hard feelings that he turned Manchester United down. Football is football. I'm sorry he didn't join us but there you are. Alan's a centre forward. In an era when the game is changing in terms of terminology of what a player is, he's a centre-forward in the tradition of the British game. It's not easy for the lad because as the changes of game have come along the roles of players have changed, but he's never changed as a centre-forward. The memory of Alan is his percentage of shots on target. If there was an opportunity to have a strike at goal he would get it on target. That was a great asset he had and stood him apart from other centre forwards." - Sir Alex Ferguson (2006)
"He is a great player and I have a lot of respect for him." - mackems Julio Arca (2006)
"For me, it was fantastic to play in the same team as Alan, particularly as he had just arrived at the club for a staggering £15m from Blackburn. That was a magical time for Newcastle fans who at that point genuinely believed we could win the Premiership. In the end we finished second that season and went through to the Champions League, which I'm sure a lot of people would snap your hand off for now. But Shearer's goals have illuminated St James' Park during his time there and he has always done that where ever he has played. So, if the game at Sunderland was to be his last, then we can only appreciate what he has given to Newcastle." - John Beresford (2006)
"I am looking forward to playing alongside Alan Shearer who I have great respect for as a footballer and a person." - Patrick Kluivert (2004)
"He was my hero as a kid and a big influence on me. It was a dream come true to meet him and to be on the same pitch as him." - Wayne Rooney
"He has had an operation to repair torn ligaments and without putting an exact figure on it, he will be out for a wee while. It will be months rather than weeks, but exactly how long we don't know yet." - Former Toon manager Kenny Dalglish on Alan Shearer's ankle injury (July 1997)
"The lad has got absolutely everything. England have had many great strikers over the years who have excelled in certain parts of the game but there is no chink at all in Shearer's armour, even to the point of magnificent mental strength. He works so hard. He's not afraid to put himself around physically and won't be intimidated by aggressive tactics. He is a clever player, who is capable of understanding tactical instructions and then carrying them out, even if it means defensive duties. He is not just after the glory of scoring goals. You see him running to the wings, demanding the ball, searching for space, especially down the right, where he crosses the ball in as good as any winger in the game. Not only will Alan score from close in. He can score from outside the box, he takes free-kicks and he scores with his head, his right foot and his left foot. There are no real weaknesses.
Many people forget he has suffered setbacks and responded. Look at the build-up to the European Championship, when his place in the team was being questioned because he hadn't scored for some time. His answer was to finish as top scorer. That's mental strength. That's character. Don't forget he's returned from a serious knee ligament injury and then had two hernia operations in the last seven months. He is a formidable force. Every manager in the world would want him - with a possible exception of the Brazilian coach, because he has quite a few good players himself. We are the envy of every other country." - Former England manager Glenn Hoddle on Alan Shearer
"Alan can become the greatest English striker of them all." - Geordie and former World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton on Alan Shearer
"I would compare him to Careca who is the only striker who would keep me awake the night before a game." - Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta on Alan Shearer
"I have been keeping an eye on Alan Shearer for a long time and I like his style very much. He can shoot from any position and his goalscoring record is excellent." - Italian football legend Paolo Maldini on Alan Shearer
"He was the one player we all wanted at United." - Steve Bruce
"Bastards!" - sunderland fans the day we signed Shearer.
"I wouldn't swap Alan for ANYONE - and that includes Ronaldo and Weah." - Former team-mate David Batty on hearing how Alan Shearer finished behind those two strikers in the world player of the year awards
"He's the kind of striker you want - someone who gets three chances and scores three goals. There's not a lot in the world can do the same." - Former team-mate Phillipe Albert on Alan Shearer
"A jack-of-all-trades who, in defiance of the proverb, has mastered them all." - Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith on Alan Shearer
"What a player. What a man. What a signing!" - Kevin Keegan sums up Alan Shearer
"This is the big one we wanted. Even with the great players we've got, we know that this guy is going to improve them. This is a signing for the people of Newcastle. It's lovely to see a Geordie like Alan coming home." - Kevin Keegan on Alan Shearer's signing (August 1996)
"This is a great day for the club. This club is going places and Alan, together with all the other players, is an investment for the future. It is very difficult to improve on the squad we have, but I'm sure everyone today will agree that we found the right player." - Sir John Hall on Alan Shearer's signing (August 1996)
"Shearer is a very physical player and a very clever player. He uses his body well and protects the ball very well." - Former Tottenham manager Christian Gross is worried about Shearer's physical presence ahead of a NUFC Vs Spurs match
"Alan Shearer personified the English mentality like no other during the Euro 96. His fighting spirit and his will to win made him the star of a strong English team. All through the tournament, the whole nation pinned its hopes on his shoulders. It was time for Europe's most prestigious trophy to come home. His biggest strengths were his inimitable heading and his marvellous right foot. In scoring 5 goals – two of which came in the 4-1 win against the Netherlands – and one in the semifinal against Germany – he won the tournament's Golden Boot." - A UEFA Committee on Alan Shearer's performances during Euro 96
"History has a tendency to rosy up the memory of players and matches from the past. While Jackie Milburn is a legend, Alan Shearer has earned the right to be ranked up there with the very best. Fifty years from now when memories are fading, all that will be left are the record books. Shearer has equalled and bettered so many records in the hardest aspect of the game – scoring goals. He's done it in his homeland and been so consistent, he scores season after season. Without doubt, there hasn't been a better No9. - Former Newcastle No.9 Malcolm Macdonald on Alan Shearer
"The best bit of business ever done!" - Newcastle Chairman Freddy Shepherd on paying all that money for Alan Shearer (August 1996)
"The biggest deal in football history was wrapped up in an hour and a half." - Kevin Keegan reveals that Alan Shearer was so eager to join Newcastle, that the deal was over and done with in no time (August 1996)
"Alan jumped in his car, headed for the ground and drove round and round St. James' Park." - Local journalist Alan Oliver reveals how Alan Shearer, on a return to Newcastle to visit his parents while a Blackburn player, took in a bit of sightseeing of his own
"I shudder to think where Newcastle would be without Alan Shearer." - Sir Bobby Robson on Alan Shearer
"If you get the ball across goal he is going to be there to put it into the back of the net." - Sir Bobby Robson on Alan Shearer
"You can rely on him to put the ball in the back of the net and if you had to put your house on any one player taking an opportunity in a game, he is the man." - Robert Lee on Alan Shearer
"Alan is not particularly quick but he usually reaches balls clipped over the top. He is not particularly tall but he scores frequently with his head. For someone who isn't particularly skilful, Alan can drop his shoulder and drill a 30-yard right-footer past a keeper." - John Barnes on Alan Shearer
"Alan has lots of qualities, on and off the pitch, and one of them is certainly his determination. That's possibly his biggest asset." - Kenny Dalglish on Alan Shearer
"He is almost the perfect centre-forward for the English game. he closes people down, he can hold the ball up, run with it, he's good in the air and he's dangerous inside and outside of the box." - Chris Waddle on Alan Shearer
"Alan has everything; attitude, presence, confidence, influence, character and ability." - David Batty on Alan Shearer
"I think he's up there with any centre-forward have ever had. He's an absolute legend." - Graeme Souness on Alan Shearer
"Alan Shearer is a great striker. I'm a big fan of his." - Ronaldo on Alan Shearer
"Same old Shearer, always scoring." - Newcastle fans on Alan Shearer
"He's been phenomenal. He's our main man, our Captain and our talisman." - Shay Given on Alan Shearer
"At his peak I felt Shearer was as good as there has ever been." - Former Newcastle player Len Shackleton on Alan Shearer
"His leadership, his professionalism and his attitude are all magnificent." - Newcastle Chairman Freddy Shepherd
"In the last 10 years, Alan Shearer has been unquestionably the best - head and shoulders above everybody else." - Jimmy Greaves on Alan Shearer
"Everybody knows his talent, he is the kind of player I would want in my team." - Brazilian and world football legend Pele on Alan Shearer
"He is very special." - Marco Van Basten on Alan Shearer, commentating on Holland during Euro 96
"No-one can teach him anything, he already has it all." - Gianluca Vialli on Alan Shearer
"He leads the attack with courage and quality. He's a superb team player and an inspirational captain. As a player he is up there with the very best, with the Lofthouses, Lawtons, Linekers and any other great striker you care to mention." - Sir Bobby Robson on Alan Shearer
"He's a natural leader who conducts himself in a totally professional manner on and off the pitch. Alan has the respect of players at club and international levels and he's a fine role model for youngsters." - Kevin Keegan on Alan Shearer
|
|
|
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
