BBC Sport

SHEARER BLASTS CRITICS

Saturday, 17 June, 2000

England skipper Alan Shearer hit back at the English press after scoring the winner against Germany in Charleroi.

Shearer, voted man-of-the-match after netting the only goal of the Euro 2000 tie, made it clear that England still had to finish the job against Romania in their final Group A match on Tuesday.

A draw would do to send England into a quarter-final with Italy.

Shearer was determined to settle a few scores with the Fleet Street critics who had predicted an England defeat - rather than their first win over Germany for 34 years.

England players leapt into the air to celebrate their victory at the final whistle and Shearer said: "You saw our reaction at the end of the game.

"We had to calm down in the dressing room and realise that we've won a game - but that's how much it means to us.

Out of order

"And we're well aware of how much it means to the people back home. And anyone that said we don't know how much it means is out of order.

"We feel that one or two people didn't want us to win, because there's one or two stories already written.

"But I'm pleased to have scored, I'm pleased to have captained England to a victory against Germany - but the hard work starts again."

Given his mediocre performance in the 3-2 defeat to Portugal last Monday, which sparked an angry outburst from the press, Shearer asked whether the win was just what the Newcastle ace had needed.

"England needed it more than anything else, forget about myself," he replied.

"And as I said, there'll be one or two disapppointed tonight that I scored. But I'm actually delighted and so's the team.

"But we have to do it again, and I'm sure we can."

Anticipating some of the carping that might yet surface from the critics, he added: "I'm sure that some people will turn round and say that 'it wasn't a great German side'. But what you get off them is 100 percent.

"You have to work hard. You had to go out there and earn the right to win tonight and that's exactly what we've done."