Megson - Shearer to have impact

02 April 2009 14:27
Gary Megson expects Alan Shearer to have an immediate impact at Newcastle United, but insists the players remain the most important factor.[LNB] Magpies legend Shearer has been appointed the club's manager for the final eight games of the season with the brief of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.[LNB]Megson was part of the supporting cast for another Geordie favourite's homecoming last year when his Bolton Wanderers side drew 0-0 at Newcastle in Kevin Keegan's first game back in charge.[LNB]The Bolton boss believes Shearer's presence will lift the players and is surprised to see Newcastle battling to stay in the top flight.[LNB]Capable"I think the people who ran it before could have done that as well," said Megson on Sky Sports News when asked if he thought Shearer would keep the Magpies up.[LNB]"They have got top-class players, it's a huge football club with a massive squad. They have spent an awful lot of money on the squad itself and it really shouldn't be in that position anyway.[LNB]"Certainly Alan Shearer going in is well capable, but it's not purely and simply about him. What Newcastle have recognised is the impact Alan will have in the short term.[LNB]"I think there's only himself and maybe Kevin Keegan that could have had the same impact, but it's not just about the manager.[LNB]"Although the manager is important, it's the players that are important. Kevin's first game against ourselves ended up 0-0 and they didn't win for eight games, so it's always about the players you've got."[LNB]Favourite sonNewcastle face Chelsea in Shearer's first game on Saturday and Megson predicts a feverish atmosphere at St James' Park against the title hopefuls.[LNB]He added: "Obviously it will change the entire atmosphere at St James'. We found ourselves right in amongst it a year ago when Kevin was given the job.[LNB]"His first home game was against ourselves and it really does have an impact on a football club of that size and that stature when one of its favourite sons comes back.[LNB]"It will completely change Newcastle for a couple of months."[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports