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Alan Shearer explains why players have and haven’t made it at Newcastle United

7 years ago
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Alan Shearer has been talking about the players who have and haven’t made it at Newcastle United.

The Newcastle legend says that it is as much to do with being able to handle the pressure, as it is having the ability.

Shearer has seen ‘some very, very good players at Newcastle on the training ground, yet some have been found wanting when running out in front of the Newcastle fans on a match day.

The former number nine saying that this is when you ‘find out who your characters are’.

As for Rafa Benitez, Alan Shearer has once again repeated that it was ‘brilliant’ for Newcastle that he decided to stay – ‘a real coup’.

After two defeats in the opening two games, Shearer says Newcastle have ‘turned it around spectacularly’, with 15 wins, one draw and a single defeat in the next 17 matches in all competitions.

Alan Shearer speaking to Coral:

“It (St James Park) is a superb atmosphere. That can work either way because the demand here, certainly in the first 15 or 20 minutes of every game, is for you to attack and score goals.

“If you haven’t scored within the first 15 or 20 minutes, then you can feel the other team start to grow in confidence. You can hear one or two little moans and groans around the stadium – but in the main, to have 52,000 backing you…

“Their desire to win a game here, their desire for success, is just unbelievable because they’ve just been starved of it over the years.

“I’ve seen some very, very good players at Newcastle on the training ground but when they come onto the pitch, in front of 52,000 and they demand you come out and play, then that’s when you find out who your characters are.

“When it’s not going well for you, then you see the guys who have got a bit about them and still demand the ball, want the ball, and are prepared or not scared to make mistakes.

“It was brilliant for Newcastle to keep hold of him when they were relegated, because of who he is, what he is, what he’s achieved, what he’s won.

“For Newcastle to keep hold of him in the Championship was a great coup. They’ve not disappointed, they had a tough start of course and lost their first two games, but they have turned it around spectacularly.

“They’re enjoying themselves, they’re top of the league, and we all want, well I do,  and hope they’re back in the Premier League where they belong.”

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