If you are a fan of English football, you probably know who Alan Shearer is. He is one of the greatest strikers of all time, and the record holder for the most goals scored in the Premier League with 260. He also played for the England national team, scoring 30 goals in 63 appearances. He is now a popular football pundit for the BBC, and a potential candidate for the next manager of the England football team. But how did he become such a legend? And what are his chances of leading England to glory? In this article, we will take a look at his life and career, and his strengths and weaknesses as a manager.
Alan Shearer was born on 13 August 1970 in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city with a passionate football culture. He grew up playing for Wallsend Boys Club, a famous youth team that produced many professional players. He was spotted by Southampton scouts when he was 16, and joined their academy. He made his debut for Southampton in 1988, and scored a hat-trick against Arsenal, becoming the youngest player to do so in the top division. He quickly established himself as a prolific goalscorer, netting 23 goals in 118 games for Southampton.
In 1992, he moved to Blackburn Rovers for a then British record fee of £3.6 million. He formed a deadly partnership with Chris Sutton, and helped Blackburn win their first and only Premier League title in 1994-95. He won two consecutive Premier League Golden Boots, scoring 112 goals in 138 games for Blackburn. He also made his debut for England in 1992, and scored his first goal against France in Euro 92.
In 1996, he fulfilled his childhood dream of playing for his hometown club Newcastle United. He joined them for a then world record fee of £15 million, rejecting offers from Manchester United and Barcelona. He became an instant hero for the Magpies, scoring on his debut against Manchester United. He led Newcastle to two FA Cup finals in 1998 and 1999, but lost both times to Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. He also captained England in Euro 96, where he won the Golden Boot with five goals and reached the semi-finals. He played in two more major tournaments for England: the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, but retired from international football after the latter.
He continued to play for Newcastle until 2006, despite suffering several injuries that hampered his form and fitness. He became Newcastle’s all-time top scorer with 206 goals, breaking Jackie Milburn’s record of 200. He also broke Bobby Charlton’s record of 249 goals in the top division, finishing with 260. He retired at the end of the 2005-06 season, receiving a standing ovation from both Newcastle and Sunderland fans in his final game.
In 2009, he briefly came out of retirement to become Newcastle’s interim manager for the last eight games of their season, after they sacked Joe Kinnear. However, he failed to save them from relegation, winning only one game out of eight. He has not managed since then, but has expressed interest in returning to management someday.
So what are his strengths and weaknesses as a manager? His strengths are his vast experience and knowledge of the game, his passion and leadership skills, his popularity and respect among players and fans, and his connection with Newcastle and England. His weaknesses are his lack of managerial experience and qualifications, his limited tactical nous and flexibility, his high expectations and demands, and his loyalty to Newcastle that may prevent him from taking other jobs.
In conclusion, Alan Shearer is a legend of English football, who had an amazing career as a player and a pundit. He is also a potential manager for England, who could inspire them to success with his charisma and determination. However, he also faces some challenges and risks that could hinder his managerial career. Whether he will become England’s next manager or not remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: he will always be remembered as one of the best strikers ever.