Shearer's first win lifts United out of drop zone
May 12 2009 By Mark Douglas, The Journal
ALAN Shearer hailed the "big performances from his big men" as Newcastle United took a giant step towards Premier League safety.
But while professing himself delighted with the contribution of both players and supporters on a stirring night, Shearer has warned that it will take two more displays like it to avoid dropping into the Championship.
Shearer tasted victory for the first time in his embryonic six-match managerial career last night after goals from Steven Taylor and substitutes Obafemi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands cancelled out Habib Beye’s numbing own goal for Middlesbrough at a frenetic St James’s Park. Martins’ goal was his first contribution of the evening, arriving barely more than 60 seconds after Shearer had summoned him from the bench – an impact that the Newcastle boss admits had him shaking his head in disbelief.
And while he admitted that key moments went United’s way during an enthralling 90 minutes, the Newcastle boss felt his side thoroughly merited their victory.
"It’s a magnificent feeling," a delighted Shearer said. "The players were brilliant. I asked them to show me courage and determination and they showed me that. I say courage and I’ll repeat it because it would have been easy for them to feel sorry for themselves after going one down. But there were some big performances from some big men out there. I thought we fully deserved the win. I thought we were very, very good.
"I said to them in the dressing room afterwards – enjoy the feeling, enjoy the feeling of being out of the bottom three because we’ve been in there a long time. And then I told them to make sure we don’t go back in the bottom three now.
"They showed me what they’ve been showing me on the training ground, that is why I’ve always had belief in the players to get out of it. I really believe we will get out of it. But we’ve won one game tonight – there is still a long way to go.
"Will we need another two wins? Your guess is as good as mine, I don’t know. But I’ve asked the players for three massive performances and they’ve given me one.
"There is another big performance needed by the players against Fulham.
"But the good thing for us now is that it’s in their hands again and that is great. With the way things went and the results went it’s been a great weekend – but now there are two more big weekends to come for us." As well as praising a performance which was Newcastle’s best of the calendar year, Shearer felt the supporters played their part on an uplifting night for United.
"The fans were brilliant. I said to the players ‘What a great arena it is to get a result in’," the Newcastle boss said.
"They stuck with us when we went one down. It would have been easy for them to turn on us at one down, but they didn’t.
"It will give us confidence and belief now. We’ve been in a rut for a while - now we’ve got a chance to kick on and with the ability and belief they’ve got now they should be capable of kicking on." Martins took the plaudits for the goal which provided Newcastle with their breakthrough, but Mark Viduka won man of the match with a superb display against his former side.
And Shearer – who has made rehabilitating the Australia international one of his key priorities – was fulsome in his praise for a player whose Newcastle career looked finished before he took over. "Mark Viduka was brilliant. Everything we put into him stuck," Shearer said.
"Even with ten minutes left he had the energy to cause them problems. A fit Mark Viduka can produce performances like that – that’s why the medical staff have worked so hard with him and why we’ve made such an effort.
"Can he play against Fulham? It shouldn’t be a problem playing two games in five days. We’ll do little bits and pieces with him this week now but I don’t see why not."
