I get goosebumps every time I hear an NUFC home crowd
LASCELLES TELLS SHEARER ABOUT LIVING HIS DREAM – AND OF RAFA’S PERFECTIONISM
ALAN Shearer met Jamaal Lascelles for the BBC’s Premier League show – and the meeting of skippers saw the United legend quiz the Magpies’ current captain on his leadership philosophy, the club’s approach to the FA Cup and more in an interesting exchange.
Lascelles is the youngest skipper in the Premier League but he is an impressive character. And with Shearer as the inquisitor, there were some interesting revelations about his relationship with Rafa Benitez and how he tries to extract more from his teammates. He even touched on the bust-up with Mo Diame which made headlines last month.
Here is the full transcript. You can watch the programme, which was first broadcast last night, on the BBC iPlayer. Alan Shearer: “I’m told it could be very different because you could have been a basketball player?” Jamaal Lascelles: “I actually grew up playing basketball. My dad put a basketball in my hand at a young age and I was playing at a good level for Derby and then East Midlands and I had trials for England as well. It was a pretty good standard but I’m glad I chose this sport!” Shearer: “Are you settled at Newcastle? It wasn’t an easy start for you.” Lascelles: “No, there were plenty of ups and downs and it took me a while to find my feet here but everything’s been positive. I have had to work hard. Growing up at Forest and Stevenage was a massive learning point for me. I was 17 and that helped me become a man. I was playing under-21 football at Forest and then went to a League One team. It’s about winning and losing and if you aren’t pulling your weight they will really tell you.
“After I did that little loan spell and I came back to Forest, I’d really grown.” Shearer: “Southampton away, you were quite opinionated. Do you think Rafa might have looked at that and thought, ‘I like what I’m hearing, I’m going to give him a chance’?” Lascelles: “It was definitely a turning point for me because before that I was in and out of the team. I was on the bench. Coming on against Southampton, I said what I had to say. After that we went on a pretty good run and we were quite unlucky not to stay up.” Shearer: “The youngest captain in the Premier League – how does that sound?” Lascelles: “It sounds crazy when you put it like that. I don’t really see it like that. I’m 23. The manager trusts in me. I’ve got good people around me; the fans are really supportive and you know at the start I thought to myself, ‘This is going to be a massive task and I’m going to feel a lot pressure’. I do but because of everyone around me it’s really helped and I’m quite thankful for that.” Jamaal Lascelles “I was lucky enough to play for Newcastle for 10 years and six or seven of those years were as captain. It’s a good feeling when you walk out at St James’ Park and hear that crowd with the armband on.” Lascelles: “It’s phenomenal stepping out on that pitch. Every time I get goosebumps. “The other week Alan Shearer with the banner of me as well: I had to look twice, that was crazy. “I thought, ‘There’s no way that’s me.’” Shearer: “Tell us a little bit about Rafa, because when I look on the touchline, he’s screaming.” Lascelles: “He’ll be doing that on the touchline but I guarantee you he’s the calmest man in the stadium. Every single day we’re doing technical work, tactical work. He’s a perfectionist. The minute someone does something wrong in the session, he’ll stop the whole session and correct it. “He won’t get mad at you but he’ll say calmly and advise you. He’s a great manager. I think I have improved so much working under him – not just in football but man management, to be a better captain and leader. He’s someone I look up to and I really do appreciate everything he’s done.” Shearer: “Does he treat you any differently as captain?” Lascelles: “Yeah. The other day I didn’t really train very much because we were in his office discussing things all session.
“He will tell me to act a certain way, tell the boys to stay positive and get the dressing room going. Even if I do something wrong, even if I’m a bit too harsh on somebody, he’ll be like, ‘Listen, you might not be able to do that to him because of the type of character he is’.
“So he’s taught me how to speak to other people; some people might need a pat on the back, and some people I can have a go at.” Shearer: “What did he say to you when you had the training ground bust-up then?” Lascelles: “He’s seen worse. I just didn’t like what I saw.” Shearer: “As captain you’re entitled to do that.” Lascelles: “Yeah, of course. If we fall out, we fall out. If it gets to blows, it gets to blows but I’ve got to do my job – that’s why I have the armband. I guess I can be a bit hands on but I’m still learning. I’m only 23. I’ve got a long way to go in that sense.” Shearer: “You’ve just signed a longterm contract that suggest you’re here to stay and like what you see.” Lascelles: “I want to give my all for the shirt and hopefully try to take this club as high as we can because this club is a top club. Even if results don’t always go our way we’ve got a group of players who are trying their best and definitely with this group of boys they all get that. Shearer: “A bit of an FA Cup run would be nice as well. I was lucky enough to go on a couple of Cup runs and we had thousands of people lining the streets when we lost. I want to be alive when Newcastle actually win a trophy so give it your best shot if you could!” Lascelles: “We’ll try our best. We always do, no matter what game you play in.” Shearer: “You have been in the same England team as Eric Dier, Michael Keane... Can you see yourself making the next step up to the full England team?” Lascelles: “It would be nice to get a full call-up but there’s a lot of competition in my position – wellestablished Premier League defenders. I will let my football do the talking – try to keep getting good results and doing well for the team.
“For me it’s about staying consistent. I’ve had a few games but I’m not going to live off them.” Shearer: “Is it that big a difference between the Championship and Premier League, standard-wise?” Lascelles: “100%. The main thing for me in terms of the difference is concentration-wise. Teams can open you up whereas in the Championship you can get away with it a bit so we have to work very hard. We know we’re not a Manchester City but what we will do is work every game, work hard for each other.” Shearer: “The big difference is the quality of strikers you’re playing against, week in and week out here. Football is a job but you have to love it. Do you enjoy defending?” Lascelles: “I love it. I love coming in every morning, training, seeing all the boys and coming in every morning. It’s every boy’s dream isn’t it?”