Times Online

Sense of a fresh dawn as Alan Shearer
has immediate effect

2nd April 2009, by George Caulkin

Something stirs on Tyneside as presence of new manager on the touchline makes sullen players chase every ball with enthusiasm

With legs slightly apart, index finger resting on his cheek and the letters AS emblazoned on his white sweatshirt - smart work by the club's official embroiderer - Alan Shearer stood on the touchline of Newcastle United's training pitch. He has a piercing, unforgiving stare, but if looks can thrill, then they certainly did; in front of him, sullen footballers looked invigorated, chasing every ball, every tackle.

He has that effect, does Shearer. He did as a player - the demands for excellence, the rousing presence in the dressing-room, the refusal to let standards slip - and he will do so now. If there is less dewy-eyed romanticism about his arrival than there was for Kevin Keegan, it is because Shearer's personality is different; even his emotional decisions are calculated. “I wouldn't be here if I thought there wasn't enough ability in that squad,” he said.

In a city forged from heavy industry, a region based on effort and football, Shearer stirs something. His presence alone has ensured that St James' Park will be crammed to capacity tomorrow against Chelsea - on Wednesday, before his appointment was confirmed, the ticket office had fielded 5,000 telephone calls - and a club who had been infiltrated by defeat are reborn.

But he has more than a steely glare and statements of the obvious. Away from the cameras, he possesses wry humour and a quick mind. He knows Newcastle and he knows players. During his first training session yesterday morning, he did not gravitate towards his former team-mates and good friends; Michael Owen, Nicky Butt and Steve Harper were not granted special privileges.

Instead, there was an arm around the shoulder and words of encouragement for Xisco, the Spanish forward, whose transfer from Deportivo La Coruña last year prompted Kevin Keegan's departure and whose spell on Tyneside has been wretched. There were chats with Jonás Gutiérrez, whose form has dived alarmingly, and José Enrique, a left back with talent but brittle confidence. Iain Dowie, his assistant, dominated vocally; orchestrating a loud and lively session (Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood, the coaches, were involved, but more peripheral). There were dribbles around poles, sprints, possession games, an emphasis on movement, communication, high tempo, sharp passing. “You're tired, but go again,” Shearer barked in the dazzling sunshine. “Go again.” Later, he praised his new charges.

“The response has been fantastic, although not surprising,” Shearer said. “I came in this morning, saw all the players, spoke to them and the staff and the training was superb. They have set standards we want them to keep to. I said to them afterwards, ‘If you keep that determination up, we'll be OK.' We have a massive fight on our hands, but we'll give it a good go.”

Dowie elaborated. “From minute one, even in his first phone call, Alan projected a positive aura,” he said. “He knows that I'm a tracksuit manager, that I like to get involved in the coaching. We have a very open and frank relationship, which works very well. We've brought Paul Ferris on board, who is similarly minded, very bright and a trained barrister - I could have done with him a few years ago.

“Make no bones about it, I'm here to shape the team that Alan wants. In training, I'm very hands-on, but Alan chipped in with some very good points at crucial times. I can take away all the mundane things, the stuff which drives you mad as a manager, so Alan doesn't have to worry about that. It's very important that Alan can be single-minded about team selection and performances. There was a sense that it was a fresh dawn.”

There needs to be; Newcastle this season have been groping in a long, dark dusk. “I feel the pain the fans have been going through,” Shearer said. “I always enjoyed my football, but I've been watching Newcastle over the past few months and for whatever reason, they haven't been enjoying it. They came in today and had a buzz about them, smiles on their faces.”

AS has answered the SOS. It was a substantive start and impressive, too.