At 46, Alan Shearer is exactly twice as old as Paul Pogba. Yet they have something very important in common. More than 20 years ago, on 30th July 1996, the English striker moved from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United for a then world record transfer fee of £15 million.
1/6th of the amount Manchester United paid for Pogba. In a sense, he understands Pogba’s dilemma, accepting that he didn’t think he was worth that much in 1996. The English Premier League legend is currently in Mumbai as part of a collective who hope to strengthen the football ecosystem in India.
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Here are excerpts from his insightful interview with a select few journalists.
Alan, first time in India, you follow Indian football?
Yeah, my very first time in India, it’s going to be short and sweet. Today and tomorrow, then I’ll be back home on Sunday. It should be good. Well, I am not an expert on Indian football, I obviously know of the Indian Super League. But I can tell you my experiences of the Premier League.
If you compare the English Premier League in 1992 to today, the strides have been enormous. I said in 1996, when I was the world’s most expensive footballer, that there wouldn’t be a better time to be a footballer. How wrong was I? It just keeps on improving and getting better. I do believe we are the best league in the world.
Blackburn Rovers aren’t having the best of times. Your thoughts on the Indian owners?
I think it’s hugely important that the owners and the club have to be on the same page. It’s very sad to see where Blackburn are now when you compare where we were from 1992-1996. We won the league in 94-95. Now look at them, struggling to maintain their Championship status.
There’s been a lack of investment, understanding, there’s no rapport between the owners and the fans.
That should never be the case. I am hopeful they can secure their Championship status, it can’t continue to stagnate otherwise the worst will happen. The fans don’t seem to be getting any answers. Year after year it’s been a struggle for Blackburn. You see empty spaces in the stadium and it’s not a pretty sight.
But you can’t blame the fans. It’s like you pay money to go see a good concert, if it doesn’t work, you’re not going to go again.
You reckon Leicester City should have fired Ranieri?
I was really surprised, because of what he achieved, he should have been given the opportunity to turn it around. I didn’t need the sacking of Ranieri to see that the players were not with him. I could see it 3-4 months ago; the players weren’t putting in the same amount of effort as they were last season.
You can’t fire 20 players but you can fire 1 manager. It was amazing how the attitude changed against Liverpool on Monday. The players didn’t want him any longer. I think they will remain in the Premier League, they have enough for that.
What’s your take on the astronomical transfer fees of today’s time?
What is justified in football? Football sometimes is not part of the real world. When I was the world’s most expensive player in 1996, I remember people saying there’s no way I am worth that. But that’s the way football has gone.
But now China are the biggest players. It’s only a matter of time before the world record fee is broken again. It is only going to get better. Football is a business. That’s the way you have to look at it, clubs want to make money.
Also Read: Alan Shearer - One of the best strikers in the Premier League
What can India learn from the Chinese league?
My friends tell me that football is never going to be the number one sport in India. Cricket will always have that tag. That doesn’t mean we can’t work to make football bigger and better. I find it difficult to see how China will be able to sustain paying the amount of wages to players.
The difference between China and the ISL is that when the ISL signed a lot of big players, those players were on their way out of football. They were in the later stages of their career. China are getting players who are at the peak of their careers. I don’t see that as the right way forward because that’s instant results.
I think it’s about growing and getting the youth involved. It’s not a quick process.
How important is it to have good football infrastructure?
I didn’t have great stadiums when I started. I had a tiny back garden with some tiny grass on it, or the roads. I didn’t have any great facilities when I was a kid but I love the game. If we can tell kids how great football is, you don’t necessarily need great facilities. I never had it, which probably made me a better player and a better person.
As kids, you certainly don’t need infrastructure but you have to start somewhere.
Are you surprised that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still at the top, aged 35?
He hasn’t surprised me with his ability, I knew he was hugely talented. What has surprised me is the number of games he’s played. I retired just before by 36th birthday but I had three serious injuries in my career so I could feel myself getting slower.
It’s not his goals that are impressive. It’s his hunger, his desire to play every week because I know what it’s like at this age. It’s difficult to get out of bed and go to training every day, because you have guys in their prime who are also kicking it- like Martial, Rashford, Lingard.
Who’s going to be top scorer at the end of the Premier League season?
Costa! It all depends on who stays it. If they’re all fit, I think Costa because he hasn’t played European football this season. It has been of benefit to them, they’ve looked fresher than any other team. I think Costa will get more chances to score than anyone else.
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What’s your view on the expanded World Cup, 48 teams from 2026?
I think it’s for finance, when we go to a World Cup Finals, it should feel like that. Only the biggest and best teams should be there. By adding those extra teams, you’re decreasing the standard of football.
Do you reckon an English club could reach the semi-finals of the Champions League?
Well I don’t think Arsenal are going through (laughs). Manchester City will have a very good chance, I think their return leg against Monaco will again produce goals. Leicester are obviously full of confidence now.
They scored a goal against Sevilla and put in a good second half performance, something they hadn’t done in a long time. It won’t be easy for Sevilla at Leicester. But I don’t expect any English club to win the Champions league this year, we’re not that good. My tip would be Juventus.
