Can Alan Shearer save Newcastle?

One of the true giants of English football have experienced tough times this season and Newcastle are on the verge of getting relegated to the Championship. The club faced big problems ever since Kevin Keegen walked out early in the season and all the turmoil at the club has affected the players. However, club legend Alan Shearer accepted the offer to try and save the team from relegation in the remaining eight games and I am sure that every Newcastle fan was delighted with the news.

Even when Kevin Keegan left the club, Alan Shearer was mentioned as the possible replacement but the former England striker ruled himself out of contention, stating that he didn’t want someone else choosing the players that will join the club. Joe Kinnear was brought to replace Keegen but he faced big problems during his reign as plenty of players were out with injuries and the situation didn’t get better as the time went by. The team struggled to escape the relegation zone and things only got worse. Joe Kinnear was forced to temporarily leave the post due to his health problems and assistant manager Chris Hughton failed to get the best out of the team. The atmosphere in the team was very poor and it seemed that Newcastle would not be able to avoid relegation despite possessing good enough team to even fight for Europe. However, Alan Shearer surprised everyone by accepting the offer to manage the team for the remaining eight games and I am sure that his decision to take over the reigns wasn’t an easy one as Shearer does not think highly of current owner Mike Ashley, but he just couldn’t see the club he loves fall apart.

Alan Shearer faces an uphill task as his team are two points adrift of safety with just eight games to go, but the biggest problem is likely to be difficult fixture list. Newcastle will play Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa among others and they will have problems ensuring survival. However, I am sure that Shearer’s appointment will have a positive effect on the team and that if anyone can save them at this point, it is Alan Shearer. The legendary striker first wants to quickly build the team spirit and he has set some ground rules. He banned all nights out after the home games; told the squad that they must stay after every training and have a lunch as a team; said the players that anyone who wasn’t happy with this regime is free to go. Shearer is determined to rule with an iron fist and that is probably the only way at this moment.

One thing is sure, Shearer has the backing of the fans and players and the good atmosphere can help a great deal. I have no doubts that Newcastle have enough quality to stay in the Premier League and this is the right time to show it. Shearer’s arrival could be just the boost they needed and I hope that Newcastle will stay up for the sake of football, if nothing else. The club with a proud history and a large fan base deserves to stay in the top tier of English football but we are yet to see if they will be able to prove their quality on the pitch. Their mission starts on Saturday at St James Park when they host Chelsea and we can all just wish them luck on their journey.

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