Alan Shearer plays down talk of a disciplinary crackdown at NUFC

May 8 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

ALAN Shearer has played down talk of a disciplinary crackdown at Newcastle United – but admitted that his players are on notice that the days of ‘coasting’ are over.

Shearer has jacked up fines for late-comers, made players eat together and implemented extra training sessions for injury victims since taking over in an attempt to instill basic standards of discipline at St James’s Park.

He has also made a high-profile example of troubled midfielder Joey Barton, suspending him ‘indefinitely’ for a furious dressing room outburst following his red card at Liverpool.

It has contributed to a portrait of Shearer as a strict disciplinarian but the Newcastle boss scoffed at suggestions he is ruling with a rod of iron, insisting no professional football player should be late for a 10am training session.

It all paints a depressing picture of drift and indiscipline under previous managers.

And while Shearer neglected to criticise former regimes, he is intent on returning the club to the standards that were in place when he performed with distinction as a player under Sir Bobby Robson and Kenny Dalglish.

In particular, focus has been trained on an address he gave to the players last week when he told the squad in no uncertain terms that he expected them to respect the club and the city as long as they played for Newcastle United. The approach has been popular with most of the players.

While Shearer has yet to yield his first win, he believes that maintaining standards of professionalism and discipline will give his team more of a chance of surviving in the top flight.

“I’m not interested in what’s gone on in the past to be honest, but I was aware of things, of discipline, or lack of it,” he said. “People have said I’ve come in and tried to instill discipline and rule with an iron rod but that’s not the case, not at all.

“We’re a professional football club, you have to be professional and that’s all I’m asking. It’s important for players to come in and feel relaxed, to enjoy training and have a smile on their face – but it’s also very important to be disciplined and professional in what you do.

“After all, it’s a professional sport and we’re all getting very well paid for it.

“There was a fine system in place, I’ve increased that for whatever reason, make your own mind up. I’m just asking players

to be on time for work and I don’t think that’s too much of a problem, particularly when it’s 10 o’clock in the morning.

“I’m not asking anyone to do anything ridiculous, not at all I’m just asking for common sense, to be in on time for training to adhere to the standards that Bobby Robson asked me or Kenny Dalglish asked me and for meetings, that’s it.”

Barton’s suspension was again a hot topic as Shearer began the build-up to Monday’s critical Tyne-Tees derby against Middlesbrough, but United’s boss played a straight bat to enquiries about the controversial midfielder.

Barton has been asked to stay away from the training ground ‘indefinitely’ and, sensibly, Shearer chose to steer the conversation away from a topic that will not be resolved until United’s top-flight future is known.

“We’ve said about the Joey thing, he’s suspended until further notice so I can’t really go into things other than what we’ve already said,” Shearer said. “I’ve got far more important things to talk about. It has not affected out build up and the mood has been good and I have been encouraged.”

Meanwhile, Shearer has confirmed that Damien Duff is line to take over from the injured Jose Enrique at left-back.

“I don’t think we’ll have a natural left-back on Monday. We’ll have Damien Duff available,” he said.