TIMES ONLINE

Shearer set for one last hurrah

1st April 2005, by George Caulkin

ALAN SHEARER has saved the first U-turn of his impeccable career until the final moment. He could not be persuaded to return to the England shirt he graced for so many years but clearly the lure of his hometown club has proved stronger. Newcastle United supporters will be delighted with his decision to play on for one more season.

Months of relentless badgering have paid off spectacularly for Graeme Souness, who can chalk up this notable achievement as the first trophy of his managerial career on Tyneside.

Shearer turns 35 in August, but goals have not deserted the leading English centre forward of his generation, in contrast to Michael Owen, whose laboured efforts to score against Azerbaijan on Wednesday were observed by Shearer from his BBC vantage point at St James’ Park. The Newcastle forward has summoned 18 goals from 30 starts in what was intended to be his swansong as a player and, with his change of heart expected to be confirmed at a press conference today, the sight of that right arm being raised in celebration will not be confined to history for a while longer.

Brooding silence was the initial reaction from within St James’ Park. While Souness has long spoken of being “more than confident” that Shearer would delay his retirement and Freddy Shepherd, the chairman, had expressed similar sentiments, there was consternation that details had been leaked ahead of schedule. A dramatic announcement had been planned, but few fans will care that some thunder has been stolen.

Defenders, too, will be wincing in anticipation. The former England captain may have lost a yard of pace in recent years, but his physical presence remains painfully intact and it is now surely beyond doubt that he will eclipse Jackie Milburn’s scoring record for Newcastle. With 191 goals, Shearer is only nine short of the total set by Milburn, who is universally regarded as the club’s most celebrated player.

That position may change if Shearer was finally to bring some silverware to the club he supported as a boy and Newcastle still have two opportunities to do so before the end of May. With an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United to come and a quarter-final date with Sporting Lisbon in the Uefa Cup, this could yet transpire to be a momentous season. They have not won anything of note for 36 years.

It could also save Shepherd a fortune in the transfer market. With Craig Bellamy certain to leave Newcastle this summer, Patrick Kluivert failing to provide evidence that he is worth a weekly wage of £67,000 and with Shola Ameobi performing as if disaffected, Shearer’s departure would, potentially, have left the club without a striker worthy of the name.

It is also a triumph for Souness. The manager has endured a testing few months since replacing Sir Bobby Robson but, having taken on Bellamy and led the team into the latter stages of two knockout competitions, he has enhanced his reputation by persuading one of the game’s most stubborn individuals into performing a volte-face.

There have been moments when Shearer has wavered in the past. Under pressure from Sven-Göran Eriksson, he once came close to a return to international football, but he finally decided not to put his injury-ravaged body through more torment.

While Shearer’s relationship with Robson was not without its sticky moments, Souness has been unstinting in his praise for the striker and a coaching role at Newcastle has been discussed. At present, there is also a long-term broadcasting contract with the BBC to consider, but Shearer has yet to determine whether to concentrate on that or move into management. Whether he will come to regret his long goodbye is open to debate.

Shearer is determined to retire at the top and although few wish to hurry him off the stage, that desire may now be threatened.