Frozen pitches could foil Shearer

[Scottish Mag 3]

Newcastle United forward Alan Shearer is having his return from a calf injury hampered by the cold conditions hitting the country. Newcastle United take on Bolton Wanderers this coming weekend and caretaker boss Glenn Roeder had hoped to give the forward a workout in training with the rest of the squad. However the Newcastle United training pitch was frozen solid and Roeder is not yet sure if Shearer is fit enough to face Bolton Wanderers.

 

“We had hoped to give Alan a full training session with the rest of the squad yesterday,” said Roeder, “But all our outside pitches were frozen, and while our all-weather pitch is first class, the players don’t find it the same. As a result Alan did not get the workout both he and we wanted, and now we’ll have to see how things materialise today. But while we’ll now have to wait until after today’s session, our physio Derek Wright says that he feels positive Alan will be fit.”

 

Meanwhile Robbie Elliott is hoping Newcastle can give another body blow to Bolton. Sam Allardyce’s side have been dumped out of the UEFA Cup however bounced back with a win over Fulham last weekend. A Newcastle United win would close the gap on Bolton and strengthen their European bid. Elliott, who set to make his fourth consecutive start, spent four years at Bolton before returning to St James’s Park in the summer of 2001 admits he enjoyed his time there.

 

“It’s always nice to come up against your old club and friends – my time at Bolton was four of my best years. They always come up here and give us a battle. Sam Allardyce is fantastic as a manager, and he’s not scared to try new things. If they work he will keep them and not ditch things. I enjoyed my time there, and a lot of that was down to him,” said Elliott.

[MattM4 0]

This is turning into the same situation as last year. When Shearer missed the whole Xmas period.

[catmag 337]

I'd rather he wasn't rushed back this weekend if he really isn't going to be fit. Too many of our players have suffered recurring injury through doing exactly that. I hope Roeder will be a bit more sensible than Souness was in this department. I still maintain that Taylor should never have been on the pitch when he clearly wasn't recovered from his shoulder injury....