Shearer provides hope for Newcastle's future

Apr 3 2009 by Stephen Brown, The Journal

AT 3.21pm yesterday, a couple of hundred Newcastle United fans got what they came for. Proof, and with it, hope.

Appearing at the top of the stairs in front of Main Reception in the bowels of the Milburn Stand, Alan Shearer took their applause and, satisfied at having seen the Magpies’ new manager with their own eyes, the crowd dispersed as swiftly as any lingering fears of a monumentally ill-judged April Fools’ joke.

Proof and hope.

Earlier, the fans congregated outside Shearer’s (the bar, not his house) donning leftover testimonial masks which The Back Page were flogging at three quid a time.

And elsewhere on Strawberry Place, a burger van was doing its first bit of Thursday business in years, a reminder, were it needed, of United’s recent decline.

From Uefa Cup semi-finalists, and Champions League regulars before that, not to mention Premier League contenders and FA Cup finalists… to this season’s sorry mess.

Hence the SOS to one half of SAS. Hence, yesterday, the spotlight back in Newcastle.

With extra security manning a packed Press conference populated by all the media big guns (and Garth Crooks), there was not a biscuit to be had.

That many of the 20 or so cameras in attendance were streaming the event live across all mediums is a sign of the times. Another, significantly, came in the shape of our sister paper the Evening Chronicle’s front page from the summer of 1996, mounted on the back wall of the media room.

‘Shear joy as United net Alan’, it read, and history has repeated itself.

As of 2.36pm yesterday, we had the evidence in front of our own eyes.

Having conducted the introduction of a man “who needs no introduction”, Derek Llambias dropped the shoulder stage left, prompting Shearer to joke: “See what you’ve done – you’ve frightened him off already.”

Plenty might think ‘If only’.

But to be fair to Newcastle’s MD, he has served his purpose this time.

He put the call in to Shearer on Saturday, won him over on Sunday and had the answer he wanted by Monday.

Confirmation was delayed while Shearer negotiated a sabbatical from the Beeb, a job he loves, sitting in a comfort zone which he simply could not bring himself to remain in while his true love perished before his eyes.

So now to business.

Talk was of a “massive fight”, in “difficult circumstances” and “facing it head on”.

The message to the fans was of 100% commitment to the cause, 24-7 for eight weeks. He is saddened by United’s plight and would be “devastated” to see them slumming it in the Championship.

The inference was clear. He understands, and shares, the supporters’ pain. So he has eight games, no more. He says he’ll be judged on those eight games, but he won’t.

Others will, but he won’t.

He says it will be easy, job done, to stand down, but it won’t be.

The clamour for his retention will be relentless and seductive, and an admission that the “powers that be” will decide their next step in the summer, hinted with subtlety at Shearer staying on.

That was the only moment his guard was down. Oh, that and when ambushed by the question: “Would you have done this for anyone else?”

After a long pause and with the measure of a politician weighing up the likely reverberations of his response, he said: “No.”

All told it was exactly what you went there expecting.

Heartfelt, yes. This is a proud Geordie, if, from Gosforth, a posh one. But nowt sensational. That’s not Shearer’s way.

The significance was that with every word, indeed even in silence, Shearer oozed cool, calm authority.

Contrast that with Joe Kinnear’s first media meet-and-greet.

That was – and is – Kinnear’s way, and you can see the fuzzy logic.

Hammer the Press and get the dressing room onside.

Except it only worked partially, and only for a while.

The door remains ajar for Joe but what United need and now have is an authoritative presence. Order where chaos once reigned.

And bringing it with wisdom belying his inexperience.

The more he played down his status as “Legend”, the more you realised it was less about diffusing the pressure on himself and killing the “Shearer’s the story” angle, and more about ensuring he is not a distraction, that Newcastle United does not become a sideshow, neglected in his shadow.

It’s about the players, he said, and with a dose of man-management gleaned from El Tel circa Euro 96, he insists they ARE good enough.

He will also draw on Messrs Keegan, Dalglish, Hoddle and Sir Bobby. Oh, and Terry Mac. And now, of course, Iain “not pretty but fresh” Dowie.

The Presser ended around 3pm.

Outside, awaiting proof and hope, the party continued to the tune of “Shearer’s coming home”, “Walking in a Shearer wonderland” and – I still love this one – “Shoes off if you love Shearer”.

“Let’s hope they’re dancing on May 24,” he said.

And thereafter?