This article originally appeared in Future Sport magazine. Click here to read the 2021 edition.
Alan Shearer’s career needs no real introduction: he’s the greatest goal scorer in Premier League history (260, in case you were wondering); has captained his country; is idolised by his hometown faithful and is now a regular fixture in the Match of The Day studio. So when Future Sport had the opportunity to speak with Shearer we wanted to know what it takes to work in football, what effective leadership looks like and if he thinks anyone will break that impressive goal scoring record…
On Match of The Day…
I was fortune that I went from one dressing room when I retired in 2006 at Newcastle into another with Gary Lineker and the pundits at the time. You see a whole different side of the game – I never understood the analysis and how the pundits got to those decisions. You don’t just rock up on a Saturday at 6pm, watch half an hour of football and talk about it at 10.30pm. We’ve got to be in to watch the first games at midday, watch the other games at 3pm, make notes for the editors and then you’ve got to rehearse. Being on the inside and playing football to now being on the other side, I’m one lucky lad.
On working with Kenny Dalglish and Bobby Robson…
When I first signed for Blackburn I was a young player trying to make my way into the game. So to have someone like Kenny Dalglish who had been there, seen it, done it, delivered at Celtic and Liverpool and been on the biggest stages and won trophies, to work alongside him and learn from him was brilliant for me to get to a different level. On the other side, when Sir Bobby Robson came in at Newcastle I was really struggling. I had sort of lost my way in the game, I wasn’t enjoying it and I was becoming one dimensional. Then Bobby came in and said something simple with the advice – I was too easy to play against; I was coming towards the ball all of the time instead of spinning in behind. At his first home game as manager we beat Sheffield Wednesday 8-0 and I scored five. I was then back enjoying football and scoring goals, and Bobby took us from fighting relegation to the Champions League – he was a genius at man management.
On leadership…
I think everyone leads in different ways; some guys are shouters, some guys do it the quiet way. But all leaders have to produce when your team needs you and then you have to be relied upon to deliver when it matters, that’s what good leaders do. Whether you are quiet or aggressive in the dressing room you also have to know who you are dealing with. The manager nowadays, because of the sums of money players are being paid, their manmanagement style is more important than the coaching side of things because you’ve already got very good players and you have to mould that team. Getting the best out of your players every single day, every single year, it’s not easy. It’s difficult to stay at the top and that’s why a lot of clubs now have a director of football, whereas when I first came into the game in 1988 the manager did everything. Nowadays the manager can coach and get the best out of their players.
On which manger he’d like to play for now…
It’s obvious but it would be Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. The way these guys play on the front foot and try and get as many balls into the box. Look at some of the players at Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, and at Liverpool when you’ve got those balls coming in from the full backs… for a forward to play in that system you’ll get so many chances. So it would be those two managers and those two teams because of how they play.
On the best defender he’s played against…
Tony Adams. We had some great battles; he kicked me and I kicked him. He was a leader, a captain, a winner and he was playing in a very, very experienced team and back four and he delivered. In terms of other positions, Zinedine Zidane was just incredible. When I went up against him for England some of the things he could do with a football was just ridiculous. Left foot, right foot, touch, technique, control, he was just amazing.
On his Premier League goal scoring record being beaten…
I’m sure it will be beaten one day, but I do enjoy seeing my name at the top of the list! Sergio Aguero could do it, Harry Kane could do it, their records are phenomenal. I don’t want it to be beaten but I’m sure it will be one day and when it does I’ll be the first person to shake their hand.
On his career as an elite goalscorer…
I gave everything, worked extremely hard and was very fortunate and lucky to be paid to play football. I would have played football anyway even if I wasn’t a professional, so to get to the level that I did, it was because of determination, attitude and hard work. The easiest part is getting to the top, the hardest part is staying there. Everyone knows who you are, what you’re good at and what you’re not so good at. They all study your game and how to stop you, so the most difficult part is staying at the top.
On getting opportunities to work in sport…
It’s hugely important that when you have an opportunity that you grasp it with both hands because you might not get many in your lives. Don’t take any short cuts and give it your best because you don’t want to look back in ten years and wish you could have done something different or worked a bit harder. Everyone’s given an opportunity for a reason, so go out and grasp it.
