NUFC Forum

a Dublin radio station football show (Newstalk Off the Ball) featured a good interview with him today and the subject of Shearer came up

I'll gladly put it up if I'm allowed to

but if not and you want to hear it then pm me

I wanna hear it. PM mate.

Will do. Should be ready in about 30 mins.

Same please, quite interested

Same here!, would be very interested what he said.

PMs sent, sorry about the delay and hope I didn't miss anyone

btw I prefer to use yousendit as it's spam free so bare with me if I run out of links

thanks very much! much appreciated.

Yeah, I'll have a listen to that, too, please.

Well nothing to revealing there!, at least nothing I think everybody didn't know already.

well he did deny the stories that he didn't live in Newcastle himself after moaning about not being able to attract players to the North East

Can you not just stick a few quotes in here ?

Also it's only fair really https://www.newstalk106.ie/off_the_ball.htm

it's a fairly long interview but I'll try...

first he talks about AC Milan and Holland, then about the impact of foreigners in the Premiership, some stuff about how Cantona paved the way for him but how he felt the Premiership was so much easier and he felt he could play well every single week etc etc.

Newcastle bit sounds a bit silly in print, such is the nature of the interview

RG: it's very difficult to attract good players there because not many players want to go up to the north, they go to London and big cities, so it's very difficult to make that happen... it's a sleeping giant, it's there , and there's very nice people up there, so therefore I dunno when it's gonna happen - it's going to be always difficult for them but I hope they do
NT: You were criticised for not living there at the time, I mean you say it's difficult to attract players and you as manager...
RG: ah you know I lived there...
NT: You did?
RG: Yeah I lived there!
NT: We thought you lived in Amsterdam...
RG: No I didn't How can you do that? It's not possible. I lived there.
NT: You dropped Alan Shearer for one match...
RG: Yes
NT: You're not allowed to do that up there, obviously nobody told you...
RG: I know I know but it was the best thing to do at the moment, and eh, I didn't regret it I was only unlucky we lost the second half when lost the game 2-1 we were one nil up and doing well, and eh my point is if u wanna do this there's some barriers u have to break, and if u don't do that, after that, you'll remain in the same state as where u are now... and it's gonna be difficult again, like I said to to attract good players to that area
NT: what was Shearer like - we hear that he was a bit overbearing, a little bit dominant maybe...
RG: I think that Shearer was a good... great player, goalscorer, and of course I wanted different things from him but because I think he can't do it I can't ask you to do things that u can't, and eh therefore, there was differences in opinion - I played in Europe at the highest level so I knew what I needed to become better than we were, but u need everybody's help...
NT: U don't think that was forthcoming at the time?
RG: No, it was difficult for him
NT: Do u think he'll make much of a manager when he eventually stops speaking on the television?
RG: I dunno (pause) I dunno (again pause) I dunno
NT: what do u think u need to be a good coach?
RG: you need luck, u need to mingle very well with players. You're a psychologist more than a coach. You can invent all kinds of exercises whatever you like but it's all about the players, babysitting everyday...

then he goes on to talk about Rijkaard and Mourinho and also laughs off comparisons between his situation with Shearer and Van Basten's with Van Nistelrooy.

From that it seems that Gullit does talk about Shearer as if hes just another footballer, like he didnt have the ability to achieve what gullit did, which to be fair is pure and utter bollocks!!!

Once again fair enough Gullit. I have respect for him, he gave it a shot and has always been honest about his opinions.

I personally think its fair enough to say your opinion but the way he talks about shearer (from that article) is soured by his dislike for him! I dont think its a very professional opinion and it appears to undermine Shearer.

Eh? Can you point out the quote that 'undermines' Shearer because I'm not getting that at all. He seems to be trying to be pretty diplomatic from where I'm standing.

Although only hinted at in the interview, his point that the team needed to move away from purely focusing around Shearer was always fair (if slightly suicidal), and was something Robson also eventually struggled with.

I just got the impression that he was talkin about shearer like he wasnt really anything special. "i played in europe at the highest level", is a kinda im more than he ever is or was attitude. I just think there is a bit of bitterness in what hes saying. at the same time tho the reporter did try and put the words in his mouth!

Fair enough, there is certainly bitterness and regret that his drive to change things in his eyes fell on deaf ears, and I guess he is just clumsily saaying that his past glories as a player should mean that the team should have respected his ideas a bit more.

Good to see that he recognises that he was hamstrung by being utter shite at handling his players. :thup: :lol:

Gullit went about things the wrong way and was acting out his ego more than anything else, and he picked the worst possible spot to try and show who was boss, but fundamentally he was right in that Shearer probably did need taking down a peg or two - both from Shearer's own personal point of view, and from the board's view of his standing at the club.

Thanks Kinaldo for a bit of the transcript. But why do you only give the link by PM? I mean it's nothing shocking!

well we can't even post youtube links here so I never really know

but at the risk of a ban, here ya'll go

https://www.yousendit.com/download/MLniCAMvBId5TA%3D%3D

I thought there was a ban on football; not on every link? That'd be really harsh. Else you can always put "Copyright Newstalk Off the Ball" along the link.

Thanks anyway. Gullit is a legend

Why can't these Irish say GGGGGGGGGGGGGGullit; they say Hullit :roll:

Nice interview though; enjoyed it :thup: