‘Alan Shearer disliked me before I even joined Newcastle – they still begged me to stay’
By Callum Altimas
11 – 14 minutes
Alan Shearer is a Newcastle United legend and the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer could do no wrong in the eyes of the St. James’ Park faithful during his time with the Magpies. Having spent time with Southampton and Blackburn Rovers, the Englishman decided to head home and join his boyhood club in Newcastle, turning down the chance to play for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in the process.
His decision to move to the Magpies over the Red Devils is one he never regretted, but it was also a major coup for the club and as such, you’d expect the team to have done whatever it took to keep him happy. They weren’t afraid to step on his toes, though, if they felt it was the right thing to do and that proved to be the case in 1998. Just two years after Shearer moved to Newcastle, the club was looking for a new manager and ultimately went with Ruud Gullit.
The move was a surprising one as rumours circulated that Shearer didn’t like the former Chelsea man and they clashed during the Dutchman’s stint in charge of the club. Despite this, the Magpies went to great lengths to keep Gullit happy and wanted to keep hold of him as he’s since revealed.
Alan Shearer
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Alan Shearer Blamed Kenny Dalglish for ‘One of the Worst Decisions Newcastle Ever Made’
“Kenny, Freddy Shepherd and others went and tried to do everything they could in their power to stop the deal going through.”
Shearer’s Opinion of Gullit
The former manager addressed the situation
alan shearer newcastle
Just two games into the 1998/99 Premier League season, Gullit was named manager of Newcastle, but it wasn’t a move that made everyone at the club happy. In fact, Shearer had already formed an opinion of the Dutchman and, despite Gullit’s status as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, it wasn’t a positive one. There were rumours circulating that the style of football the coach wanted to play with wouldn’t suit the striker and it got their relationship off to a rocky start. During an appearance in the BeIN studio, talking to Richard Keys and Andy Gray, Gullit discussed his time with Shearer and explained why they weren’t on the same page. Via quotes from Geordie Boot Boys, he said:
“Before I came there was already rumours that I didn’t want to play with Shearer and Shearer was upset about it. I didn’t even speak with him about it. I had a feeling that we didn’t get along just because of these rumours, not because I didn’t want him.
“The thing is, I needed to play a certain football that was associated with Chelsea. We wanted to play the same kind of European style of Chelsea. Therefore I wanted a little bit more of Alan. I asked him that because he was the best player.”
The issues meant his time at Newcastle was doomed before it even begun.
Gullit’s Newcastle Stint
He was in charge for just over a year
Ruud Gullit
Having a tumultuous relationship with your best player is almost certainly a recipe for disaster for any manager. That proved to be the case for Gullit, who took charge of Newcastle just two games into the 1998/99 campaign, but only managed to stay in the job until the beginning of the next season, leaving five games into it. During his only full season in charge, the Magpies finished 13th in the league, a repeat of the previous campaign.
During his time in charge, though, his relationship with Shearer only got worse and the straw that broke the camel’s back came early in the 1999/2000 season when Gullit made the decision to drop the striker ahead of a huge derby match against their chief rivals, Sunderland. The gamble didn’t pay off and the Magpies lost the contest 2-1. Shortly after, the former Chelsea man decided to leave his role as manager at St. James’ Park, but the club tried to convince him to stay. Via quotes shared by the Mirror, he said:
“We were 1-0 up against Sunderland and it was raining like hell. And then in one moment, they had a pass up front and the ball went in the pond, everybody went past it, and then they chipped it out over the goalkeeper. Then you feel, ‘OK, this is maybe not for me’. I went to the board, and I said, ‘Look, I don’t think this is for me’ – and they begged me to stay. Freddy Shepherd [chairman] and I became friends because of that.
“I said to him, ‘Look, I don’t need the money. I just want to end the contract, I’m very thankful for what I could do, but this is not for me. This is not the way to do it’. I knew that I could not change the environment in that moment. I knew exactly what was going on, but I didn’t have the power to change that. Alan Shearer, in that moment, he was not doing the things that we needed him to do to play, and he understood that as well. Alan is a great striker – I needed him to do a little bit different to make it work.”
SHEARER’S STUNNING VERDICT! The 3 Words That Sum Up This Brentford Star’s INCREDIBLE Display vs Newcastle!
Alan Shearer, the legendary Premier League striker, has delivered his verdict on the thrilling clash between Brentford and Newcastle. Despite Brentford’s narrow loss, one player’s incredible display caught Shearer’s eye, prompting him to sum up the performance with just three words.
So, who was the Brentford star that impressed Shearer so much? And what were the three words that the Newcastle legend used to describe the player’s breathtaking display?
According to Shearer, the player in question was none other than Brentford’s midfield maestro, Christian Nørgaard. The Danish international was everywhere on the pitch, controlling the tempo of the game, winning crucial tackles, and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.
And the three words that Shearer used to sum up Nørgaard’s incredible display? “Totally Dominant Performance”. High praise indeed from one of the greatest strikers in Premier League history!
Shearer’s verdict has sparked a lively debate among fans, with many agreeing that Nørgaard was the standout player on the pitch. Others have pointed out that Brentford’s narrow loss was a testament to the team’s resilience and determination.
One thing is certain, though: Christian Nørgaard’s incredible display has earned him a place in the spotlight, and Shearer’s endorsement will only add to his growing reputation as one of the Premier League’s top midfielders.
What do you think? Did Nørgaard deserve Shearer’s praise? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!
