Megson: Shearer will have impact

02 April 2009 14:15
Bolton boss Gary Megson expects Alan Shearer to have an immediate impact at Newcastle, but claims the players remain the most important factor.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.Megson was part of the supporting cast for another Geordie favourite's homecoming last year when his Bolton side drew 0-0 at Newcastle in Kevin Keegan's first game back in charge.The Bolton boss believes Shearer's presence will lift the players and is surprised to see Newcastle battling to stay in the top flight."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."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."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."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."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."Newcastle face Chelsea in Shearer's first game on Saturday and Megson predicts a feverish atmosphere at St James' Park against the title hopefuls.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."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."It will completely change Newcastle for a couple of months."[LNB]

Source: Eurosport