Alan Shearer revisits decision to retire from England duty to give his all for Newcastle United – Intriguing | OneFootball

Alan Shearer signed for Newcastle United back in summer 1996.

Having the best player in the Premier League, arguably the World, choosing Newcastle United, was very special.

The fact he was also England’s talisman, main man, centre-forward, simply added to it.

England Captain? Even better.

However, when less than four years after joining Newcastle United, Alan Shearer made this decision, well it was a whole other level.

Yes, Alan Shearer, England centre-forward and captain, announced he was retiring from international football.

Issue 135 – June 2000

The greatest striker the Premier League has ever seen, saying that after the 2000 Euros, he would no longer be playing for England.

Alan Shearer explained at the time that he had made this decision, so that he could ensure he’d play for as long and as productively as possible for Newcastle United.

Now the Newcastle and England legend has revisited that moment, included in a larger article by him, talking about how it feels when you have to make such a massive decision…

Alan Shearer talking to The Athletic – 4 December 2022:

‘I took it into my own hands and announced before Euro 2000 that I would be retiring from international football at the end of the tournament.

It turned out to be a great decision, the right decision, because it got me six more years playing at the highest level with Newcastle United, without the extra travelling and training and the extra games and all the other stuff that happens on the periphery of representing England. If it was just about playing games, I might have been able to get through it, but it wasn’t. During those breaks, I had to rest up and get my body right.

As it happened, I was asked to come back under Sven-Goran Eriksson, but that only emphasised I’d made the right call. I was playing well and scoring goals for my club, but both would have been diluted if I’d spread myself more thinly. I was always of the opinion ‘get off the stage while people are shouting for more’. I did that with England and I’d like to think I did it with Newcastle, too, albeit I was on my last legs towards the end.’

Alan Shearer and childhood dreams:

‘I had a few dreams as a boy: play football for Newcastle, represent my country, walk out at Wembley.

All of a sudden, you realise, “F…ing hell, I’m never playing for England again.”

I’m not angling for sympathy, just trying to explain. I was lucky, blessed.

I had an eight-year international career, I won 63 caps and scored 30 goals and, if at the end of all that, I didn’t win anything on the biggest stage, well, exactly how many people do?’

We will never know what would have happened if Alan Shearer had continued to try and continue to give his all to Newcastle United AND England, but what we do know, is that NUFC certainly felt the benefit.

Alan Shearer actually had an injury impacted season straight after those 2000 Euros, which naturally badly affected his goals return for Newcastle United.

However, overall, he didn’t do too badly once retiring from England duty…

Alan Shearer final six seasons for Newcastle United after retiring as an England international:

2000/01 – Total 7 goals (5 Premier League, 0 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 0 Europe)

2001/02 – Total 27 goals (23 Premier League, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 0 Europe)

2002/03 – Total 25 goals (17 Premier League, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 7 Europe)

2003/04 – Total 28 goals (22 Premier League, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 6 Europe)

2004/05 – Total 19 goals (7 Premier League, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 11 Europe)

2005/06 – Total 14 goals (10 Premier League, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 2 Europe)

Alan Shearer had turned 30 between playing his final England match and the start of the 2000/01 Newcastle United / Premier League season.

As you can see, after retiring from the international side, he scored another 120 goals for Newcastle United, including 84 in the Premier League.

It must have been so hard for Alan Shearer to do BUT I think fair to say, if he had continued with England, then very unlikely that he could have ended his playing career with the kind of goals totals he managed with Newcastle United, or when it came to his overall Premier League total with all clubs.