Shearer targets top 6

[Scottish Mag 3]

Alan Shearer has insisted Newcastle must strive to return to the top six in The Premiership.

 

The Magpies endured a season of frustration last term, with the club fighting a battle at the wrong end of the table, and manager Graeme Souness is under pressure to turn things around.

 

Shearer is one of just three strikers on The Magpies' books, as Souness has failed to replace departed pair Craig Bellamy and Patrick Kluivert, but the former England international says the aim has to be to break back into the top six.

 

"We have got to get into the top six," Shearer told Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek. "There's no European football, which is disappointing, but if we are honest that could work in our favour.

 

"Last season we did not have the squad to play so many games and get through them.

 

"Playing Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday was tough. We have to finish higher than we did because last season wasn't good enough for a club of this size.

 

"Everyone knows we will need more additions, six or so went out in the summer and we have only had three arrive which doesn't add up."

 

Michael Owen is one striker on Souness' wish list and Shearer would love to renew his partnership with the Real Madrid man, having played alongside the 25-year-old on the international stage with England.

 

"Michael Owen would be an improvement to any club in this league, and that includes Newcastle," he added. "I would enjoy playing alongside him again.

 

"I have made no secret of the fact that I think he is a top, top player and his record suggests that.

 

"Anyone who wants to score goals should look no further than Michael Owen. Our manager would love him and he would be a great asset but I feel Michael will have a few options.

 

"I had great times with him for England and he can score goals in any league in the world. He has done it in the Premier League and La Liga, but there will be a few after his signature despite one or two denials."

[Tooj 17]

when Shearer and Owen paired together for England to be honest i never thought it was a great partnership

[Brock Manson 0]

when Shearer and Owen paired together for England to be honest i never thought it was a great partnership

8513[/snapback]

 

Would you rather have Owen and Chopra?

 

I think top 6 is a bit optimistic but I think we could have a shot at a european place, depends whether the management gets its act together.

[wykikitoon 20145]

Id rather have Wor Al aiming high like this than saying a top 10 would be ok. Its when he comes out with "Aye top 2" then I would be worried.

[Tooj 17]

when Shearer and Owen paired together for England to be honest i never thought it was a great partnership

8513[/snapback]

 

Would you rather have Owen and Chopra?

 

I think top 6 is a bit optimistic but I think we could have a shot at a european place, depends whether the management gets its act together.

8566[/snapback]

nah i was just referring to the so-called "great times" they had at England

[James Westfall 0]

Jonny2J has a point. They were crap when paired together for England and you always got the feeling Al resented Owen. But now now he's shot himself in the foot by helping to force his legs (Bellamy) out of the club, he sees Owen as the man to do all his running to help him crawl his way to the goal record.

[kitty-sniper 0]

i think its a disgrace that in one season the clubs expectations have fallen so dramatically. A club of this size should be aiming top 4 weather realistic or not. top 6 is not good enough for 52,000 fans a week simple as. he's saying that finishing behind spurs or everton who, this time last year were a mile away, and yet he is not justifying why we should aim so low by supporting souness the cretin. 6th doesn't hold an automatic european position least we forget.

 

if i was in a room with him i would persist until he justified the new objectives. He's a cancer to this club.

Edited August 8, 2005 by kitty-sniper

[LeazesMag 0]

Shearers chance of a top 6 place, and his medal last season, evaporated when he ganged up with his manager to get rid of his striking partner. He probably realises it by now too.

[Renton 21626]

Amazing we have Souness, Shepherd, and players like Dyer at the club yet some refer to Shearer as a "cancer".

 

He's made a mistake staying on, that's for sure, especially when we have fans that can call him that, but it shouldn't be forgotten what he has done for this club, and he is still the most respected individual associated with this club.

[kitty-sniper 0]

i've never refered shearer as a club cancer till now but if he has the gaul to stick up for the manager AND to accept we've gotten worse as a team then he is most defiantly one.

[S Norman 4]

I really fear for Shearer not to become that for Newcastle what Souness is for Liverpool, from a legend to a public enemy. I hope he's not gonna be our next manager.

[kitty-sniper 0]

he's already started to sour in my opinion ever since he defended souness and said this filth

[Renton 21626]

i've never refered shearer as a club cancer till now but if he has the gaul to stick up for the manager AND to accept we've gotten worse as a team then he is most defiantly one.

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Personally I think that's a bit strong. Not that I don't agree with some of your sentiments, but that its a bit disrepectful considering what he's done for us.

 

He's in a very difficult situation after all, and anything better than a top 6 finish now is just pie in the sky, even with Owen. He could say we are aiming to win the PL, but would get justly criticised for it.

[kitty-sniper 0]

true maybe its a bit harsh, but i'd still an explination provided by the big man anal

[wykikitoon 20145]

Im fucking sick of peoples short memorys of Shearer.

 

The bloke has and is still a legend at this club.

 

Granted he only got 7 goals in the PL last season but that wasnt all his fault. He was injured for a large bulk and he had shite partner in Shola and a too similar partner in Kluivert. Bellers went off. Robert wasnt botherd about putting in decent corners or crosses nor was the other players in midfiled.

 

Shearer is now having to change his game to become a "Liniker" style player, ie stay with 30 Yards of goal. We need Parker, Emre, Boeyer, Dyer, Milner etc etc to do the running for Shearer. Get the ball in midfield, pass to Al. Shearer is the best player in the EPL for holding the ball up and sending it into the wings. Then these players need to try and get the ball into Shearer, whom 8.5/10 He gets the ball on target.

 

We cannot have this smacking a ball from defence to Shearer and him heading the ball onto nobody as its gonna get us nowehere.

 

So come on have some respect for one of the finest players every to put on the Black and White shirt.

[kitty-sniper 0]

i agree with pretty much every word you say, but i do not have short memories of shearer, i'm part of the shearer generation so to speak, grown up as my hero he has, but if shite spouts out of his mouth like this then i won't be so tolerant.

[LeazesMag 0]

Shearer has been a great player and is a true Newcastle supporter, no doubt about it.

 

However, if the tales of Bellamy texting him are true, it is worrying for the picture it paints. It paints a picture of a club run by a clique, and Bellamy, despite being a major player, was not part of this clique. So much for a club pulling in the same direction.

 

It is also worrying because, with a view to any managerial aspirations he might have, he should not be party to a club run like this. If he thinks its alright, he has all the qualities required to be a disaster, and a bad man manager.

 

Surely over the years he has played under enough top managers to realise the Souness way of booting out players he can't be bothered with is not the way to do things. I may have it completely wrong, the stories of the text message may be completely wrong, but if Shearer helped to get rid of his partner he showed appalling and worrying judgement and shot himself in the foot into the bargain, when he suffered the "worst night of my career" in Lisbon, because I for one have no doubt we would have gone onto the next round at least if Bellamy had played in that game, witness the bother Dyer was causing until he went off.

[MrBass 2651]

Has it ever occured to those who are currently slating Shearer that he may have felt that he had to publicly back Souness because of the crap that was spouted about him when our last two managers got the boot?

[wykikitoon 20145]

Has it ever occured to those who are currently slating Shearer that he may have felt that he had to publicly back Souness because of the crap that was spouted about him when our last two managers got the boot?

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Dont be silly "Anal" is an old cunt now

[kitty-sniper 0]

Has it ever occured to those who are currently slating Shearer that he may have felt that he had to publicly back Souness because of the crap that was spouted about him when our last two managers got the boot?

9459[/snapback]

 

 

of course, but then he should at least put some pressure on the manager. hands up here weather you'd be happy if we finished 6th, cause he's saying thats is what we should be achieving this season. Would you call 6th place job done, no its a dissapointment no matter how you think we'll do, i doubt you'll be happy unless realistically we finish 4th. I would not call it a successful finish finishing any lower. The wages we pay, we need CL football and the fans we generate need it too, to say 6th is a good finish is unacceptable imo, when bobby faced the sack last year for finishing below 4th.

[snakehips 0]

Has it ever occured to those who are currently slating Shearer that he may have felt that he had to publicly back Souness because of the crap that was spouted about him when our last two managers got the boot?

9459[/snapback]

 

 

of course, but then he should at least put some pressure on the manager. hands up here weather you'd be happy if we finished 6th, cause he's saying thats is what we should be achieving this season. Would you call 6th place job done, no its a dissapointment no matter how you think we'll do, i doubt you'll be happy unless realistically we finish 4th. I would not call it a successful finish finishing any lower. The wages we pay, we need CL football and the fans we generate need it too, to say 6th is a good finish is unacceptable imo, when bobby faced the sack last year for finishing below 4th.

9599[/snapback]

 

 

*raises hand*

 

I would be ecstatic if we finished 6th next season, and I am being totally honest.

 

I am quite worried at the moment and would happily settle for 6th now.

[kitty-sniper 0]

Has it ever occured to those who are currently slating Shearer that he may have felt that he had to publicly back Souness because of the crap that was spouted about him when our last two managers got the boot?

9459[/snapback]

 

 

of course, but then he should at least put some pressure on the manager. hands up here weather you'd be happy if we finished 6th, cause he's saying thats is what we should be achieving this season. Would you call 6th place job done, no its a dissapointment no matter how you think we'll do, i doubt you'll be happy unless realistically we finish 4th. I would not call it a successful finish finishing any lower. The wages we pay, we need CL football and the fans we generate need it too, to say 6th is a good finish is unacceptable imo, when bobby faced the sack last year for finishing below 4th.

9599[/snapback]

 

 

*raises hand*

 

I would be ecstatic if we finished 6th next season, and I am being totally honest.

 

I am quite worried at the moment and would happily settle for 6th now.

9606[/snapback]

 

 

then thats worring for the club. you may expect us to finish 6th, but would you really rejoice us finishing 6th, as a success.

[snakehips 0]

Yes, I'd be ecstatic.

 

The football last season was absolute crap. I could not see what Souness was trying to do.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get to any pre-season games so I cannot say if anything has improved; however, I have never put much emphasis on pre-season games as anything to go by for the following season so I doubt I've missed much.

 

I want us to succeed. I want us to finish higher. I want us to steamroller teams with neat, passing football. Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening.

 

We finished a crappy 14th last time and to finish 6th next season would mean (to me) that we were moving in the right direction.