Roeder: Shearer's still the best

Ken Dyer13 April 2012

Glenn Roeder is the latest Premiership manager to support the campaign to bring back Alan Shearer for next month's World Cup finals.

The West Ham manager, whose side face Shearer's Newcastle at St James' Park tomorrow, has added his voice to those of Bobby Robson, Glenn Hoddle and Graeme Souness in calling for the striker to return to the national team.

Roeder believes Shearer would be a certainty for Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad had the striker not decided to retire.

He said: "Alan looks as good as ever to me, if not better. He personifies all that is good about an English footballer. He is strong, both physically and mentally. He is an old-fashioned type of centre-forward but one who still has no peers in the modern game.

"I am sure he would be going to Japan if he still wanted to be involved with England but, knowing the sort of person he is, I would think there is absolutely no chance of him changing his mind.

"There is also little chance of him taking things easy tomorrow. Newcastle might be assured of a Champions League place and Alan has passed that landmark of 200 Premiership goals but I am sure he will give it everything."

West Ham are desperate to hang on to seventh place.

"That's been our goal for a few weeks," Roeder said. "Despite the defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday, we still think we can do it."

Roeder, however, will be without Sebastien Schemmel. The French full-back landed awkwardly in the first half at Highbury and Roeder said: "He has damaged a ligament in his foot and a flake of loose bone has also shown up on the X-ray. It is quite a nasty injury

"We will put him in a protective air boot for a month and then he will need a month's rehabilitation. But there is no reason why he should not be fully recovered by the time we start pre-season training." Roeder, although disappointed to lose 2-0 at Highbury, had no complaints with his team's effort.

He said: "I was pleased with all of them. We defended well when we had to and players such as Christian Dailly and Ian Pearce have done particularly well.

"There were people who said neither were good enough but Christian has played every game and has forged a good partnership with Tomas Repka.

"Ian has had some nasty injuries and it's been like having a new player around since he came back. He deserves a change of luck."

While Shearer has called time on his England career, the striker said today he believes the future is bright for the national side.

He said: "It will be very tough for England at the World Cup and I think a more realistic target will be to make a real impression at the European Championships in Portugal in 2004.

"But that doesn't mean to say England can't win it because they have some truly world-class players like Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, David Beckham and Paul Scholes.

"They are playing very well as a team and I think all the signs are very encouraging for England.

"But because of the climate and because of the age of the side it may come a little early for them."

England will be travelling to the Far East on the back of a gruelling Premiership season and Shearer, who scored 30 times in 63 England appearances, added: "That's been the case in England for years. You expect it and it isn't going to change. You have to be able to deal with that."

As for his tournament favourites, Shearer confessed: "You have to look at Brazil. I'm not too sure about Argentina - I think England can do very well against them in the group. But I would have to stick with Brazil or France to win it.

"Don't get me wrong, I'd love it to be England. I will be sitting in my armchair watching and I will be as rooted to the spot as everyone else."

Newcastle v West Ham
3pm, tomorrow, St James' Park

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