By Alan Smith (former Arsenal striker)

The Daily Telegraph
February 4 1997

Ask yourself what is Alan Shearer’s forte and you may find yourself momentarily puzzled. That is because he can do everything. A jack-of-all-trades who, in defiance of the proverb, has mastered them all.

The cannonball shot - ably demonstrated by his first goal in Sunday’s hat-trick against Leicester - is complemented by excellent heading ability. Newcastle’s £15 million No 9, at 5ft 11in, is by no means a giant but he uses upper body strength to manoeuvre a defender out of position before climbing to thump home one of those familiar headers. His bravery in these situations is reminiscent of the old fashioned type centre forward. He is the modern day Nat Lofthouse.

I had the dubious pleasure of being on the same pitch when Alan Shearer first introduced himself to the football world back in 1988.

Arsenal travelled to Southampton for a match in which the young centre-forward was making his debut. After 50 minutes we trailed by three goals and the confident 17-year-old from the North East had helped himself to a hat-trick.

But it wasn’t just Shearer’s goal-scoring ability that caught the eye. He knew how to back into defenders, his first touch was always spot on and an awareness of those around him belied his years.

After the match I remarked to my Arsenal team-mates that this lad was heading for the very top. They agreed he had talent but were not altogether convinced that he would become the world beater I predicted. As the young Geordie’s career progressed and the goals continued to flow, I wasn’t slow to remind the doubters of my prophetic words in the dressing room that day at The Dell.

Shearer’s hat-trick against Leicester typifies the man’s abilities. The rocket free-kick to open his account confirmed that the power he generates in a shot is perhaps without equal in today’s game.

Training with him in the England squad I noticed the sheer ferocity with which Shearer strikes the ball, a fact readily endorsed by David Seaman. If he doesn’t score, a goalkeeper will invariably be called on to make a save because the shot is usually on target.

When discussing the Premiership’s top strikers, certain attributes always spring to mind. Les Ferdinand has pace and power, Ian Wright can produce a goal out of nothing and Teddy Sheringham is one of the most intelligent forwards around.

At 26, Shearer has pace aplenty, though I think this may start to dwindle somewhat as he enters his thirties. His muscular frame, more in the Mark Hughes mould than the lithe build of Wright, is not really built for speed. But, as the legs slow down, the multitude of other qualities can compensate.

Off the field, a detached attitude can give an impression of arrogance but this should only be expected. Aren’t being single-minded and having a certain selfish streak pre-requisites in the make-up of any great player?

Some of Shearer’s one-liners in television interviews have obviously been learned at the Kenny Dalglish School of Media Relations (though it has to be said the Newcastle manager himself is much more amenable these days).

This inclination towards bluntness backfired on Shearer recently at the launch of England’s new kit. In response to a question about the unfortunate timing of the launch, coming as it did just after Christmas, he commented “Well, that’s life isn’t it?”

I’m sure this did not endear him to the thousands of mums and dads whose offspring were now saddled with out-of-date kits. However, footballers are not trained in the art of diplomacy and, in having to field such questions, the Football Association had placed the England striker in an awkward position.

Shearer’s goal-scoring rate is now looking phenomenal after a slow start at Southampton, where he scored only 23 goals in 118 League games. His career total now stands at 155 goals in 278 League games. At international level he experienced a blip in fortunes when the goals dried up in the 11 matches prior to Euro 96 but his goal record for his country is now continuing to look more impressive with each cap. Thirteen goals in 30 internationals is not yet a record in the Gary Lineker class but he has time on his side.

Shearer remains the most complete striker in England at the moment and his presence for England is vital in the important World Cup qualifying tie against Italy next Wednesday. His faultless ability and unshakeable attitude make him one of the few players a manager can afford to just sit back and admire.