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Shearer sets World Cup finals as goal Alan Shearer, the England captain, yesterday revealed the ambition that will fuel his drive to recover from a serious ankle injury. Shearer, who damaged ankle ligaments while playing for Newcastle United against Chelsea in an Umbro Cup match last week, aims to be the leading goalscorer during the World Cup finals in France next year. The forward will be on the sidelines for several months as Newcastle's Premiership campaign begins. He also will miss England's World Cup qualifying matches against Moldova and Italy. "Before this injury I had set myself two targets for the next 12 months to help Newcastle to win at least one trophy and to finish as top scorer in the World Cup finals in France," he said. "Both of those are still possible. Newcastle have a quality squad and will be up there challenging for the top honours by the time I'm fit to play again. The same applies to England. There are plenty of good strikers capable of helping us qualify for the World Cup finals. But whoever replaces me must remember that he is only getting the No 9 shirt on loan." Shearer, who suffered cruciate knee ligament damage during his Blackburn Rovers days and has had three groin operations since joining Newcastle, is refusing to allow his latest injury setback to affect him adversely. "I'll be back for Newcastle for their bid to win something and I'll be raring to go for England next summer, when I intend to finish top of the goal charts at the World Cup finals, just as I did in Euro 96." Arsenal's home matches in the Uefa Cup this season will be televised
on Channel 5. The station will also broadcast Chelsea's home games in
the Cup Winners' Cup, Aston Villa in the Uefa Cup and Newcastle's
Champions' League qualifying round second-leg match against Croatia
Zagreb on August 27. |