Greed and a ‘lack of respect’ for Sir Bobby led to him leaving the club, says Shearer
LEGEND ‘SAVED’ TOON STAR’S CAREER
ALAN Shearer believes a “lack of respect” from young players, an “unrealistic” rise in expectations and the influence of agents led to Sir Bobby Robson’s sacking at Newcastle United.
The former England manager was dismissed by Freddy Shepherd in August 2004, something which the ex-United chairman would later refer to as “like shooting Bambi” due to the subsequent public reaction.
Sir Bobby had guided Newcastle to Champions League qualification on two separate occasions, while in 2003/04 United finished in fifth place and reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup.
But, in Shearer’s opinion, expectations had been raised to undeliverable levels by Sir Bobby’s success on Tyneside, and the Magpies were never going to be able to sustain that unless Newcastle matched the spending of the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.
“We took on Europe’s elite and were giving it a right good go,” Shearer told The Daily Mail during an interview discussing the new film about the former Newcastle and England boss, Bobby Robson: More Than a Manager, in which the ex-United striker features. “It was an incredible achievement and it gave everybody at the football club hope. It gave everyone belief and enjoyment. “But people expected and demanded that it happened every season and that was unrealistic. “Unless he was going to get the funds the big clubs were going to get. That is where Newcastle fell short.” Kieron Dyer has repeatedly spoken of his regret at the way in which the younger players within the United squad treated Sir Bobby in the months leading up to his dismissal. And ex-Newcastle captain Shearer believes egos, greed and agent influence all culminated in a lack of “respect” being shown to Sir Bobby. “There were young players who had issues. He tried to sort those issues out, as did I as captain,” Shearer added of the weeks leading up to Sir Bobby’s sacking. “But it was becoming a very difficult period. Players were on so much money and not showing him and the club respect, which he found difficult.
“More often than not, young players were turning up late. Agents had more say in the game than ever before and it was an uncomfortable situation. Football doesn’t wait for anyone unfortunately, but [when he went] it was a sad day.”
Although Sir Bobby’s Newcastle tenure eventually ended in disappointment, the former Barcelona manager had an immediate impact on bottom-of-the-table United when he arrived in September 1999.
In Sir Bobby’s first match as manager, the Magpies hammered Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 at St James’ Park – with Shearer netting five times during the rout.
“I scored five goals, we were back on the right track and it was all thanks to Bobby,” Shearer recalled of the hammering of Sheffield Wednesday.
“He had an aura about him. He had a personality that was lovable, that was engaging and open. Man-management is probably more important than coaching and, if you like the guy you are working for, then you’ve got half a chance of being successful.”
Those man-management skills proved crucial in prolonging Shearer’s Newcastle career, with the exEngland captain admitting he was close to leaving his boyhood club before Sir Bobby arrived. Predecessor Ruud Gullit and Shearer famously clashed, with the Dutchman having regularly benched the striker during his tenure, but Sir Bobby immediately restored the forward’s confidence. Telling Shearer to focus on finding the back of the net, rather than coming deep to receive the ball, Sir Bobby helped revitalise the striker – who went on to become the Magpies’ all-time record scorer after staying for another seven years. “If it wasn’t for him I would have left the football club. That was the reality of the situation,” the 47-yearold, who is out in Russia as part of the BBC’s coverage of this summer’s World Cup, said of Sir Bobby’s arrival at St James’ Park.
“He saved my career. I didn’t know where to go, what to do, what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. He instantly came in and saved my Newcastle career. I remember him pulling me in to his office. He said: ‘I have watched videos of you, I’ve studied how you are playing, I’ve studied your body language and I wanna see you smiling again.’ He told me, ‘I have watched you playing and everything is going away from goal. You have got to go the other way, run towards goal.’
“It was as simple as that, but I hadn’t been told it before. He did save my Newcastle career, without a shadow of a doubt.”
Bobby Robson: More Than A Manager is being broadcast at selected cinemas
Players were on so much money and not showing him and the club respect, which he found difficult Alan Shearer