Alan Shearer names the player he believes would have single-handedly kept Newcastle United up in 2009

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Newcastle United fans will remember Alan Shearer for his fantastic eye for goal.

Not many fans will remember him for his stint as manager of the club, however.

Alan Shearer came back to Newcastle during a time of need. Newcastle were fighting to stay in the Premier League and had just eight matches to do it.

Unfortunately, Newcastle were relegated that season but came straight back up under Chris Hughton. Life on Tyneside clearly also rubbed off on the former Newcastle boss. Hughton said Newcastle ‘is always with him‘ despite managing several clubs after leaving the Magpies in 2010.

Shearer, he did not have the time or the manpower to keep the club in the Premier League, despite the likes of Michael Owen still playing for the club at the time.

Now, Shearer spends his time doing punditry for various outlets. He enjoys the football Newcastle play now under Eddie Howe this season. Shearer has praised Howe for tactical changes that have taken them out of a slump which they endured at the start of the Premier League season.

While Shearer’s time in management was short and something fans would rather forget – there was one man who could have completely changed things that year had it not been for injury problems.

Shearer credits Mark Viduka during Newcastle stint

Mark Viduka was Sam Allardyce’s first signing at Newcastle in 2007. He scored his first goal for the Magpies against his former club Middlesbrough.

Injuries hampered his time at Newcastle but he also played under club legend Kevin Keegan during his second reign at the club alongside Owen and Obafemi Martins, who claimed to be one of the fastest players ever.

Viduka was at Newcastle during Shearer’s stint as manager. However, he was injured, but Shearer was keen to use him to help fight against relegation.

In 2022, Shearer spoke to former Newcastle man Michael Bridges for Optus Sport where he was asked who his favourite Australian footballer was.

“I’m going to go with Mark Viduka,” he said.

“What I liked about him as a player was when I went to Newcastle as a manager he was left on the scrapheap. The previous manager had forgot about him.

“He was injured, we were coming to the end of the season and he was a no-hoper. I went into the dressing room and said to him ‘We have eight games left, it’s up to you. You might just be fit for the last game. If you score one goal that keeps us up, could you imagine?'”

“His attitude was amazing, he worked his socks off. He got fi with four or five games to play.

“If I’d have got in there (to Newcastle) a month earlier and got him fitter and got him working the way he did for the last few games I’m fully convinced we would have stayed up because he would’ve made a difference.”

Bridges seconded Shearer’s comments in a separate Optus Sport conversation. He said: “Alan Shearer believed Mark Viduka alone could’ve single-handedly kept Newcastle in the division because of his ability. That coming from a Newcastle No.9 with 260 goals in the Premier League – that is kudos of the highest level.”

Although Viduka’s time at Newcastle was shortlived, he still made an impact on fans and players alike. Viduka made 38 appearances for Newcastle, scoring seven goals. In 2022, Viduka was named in the Australian Team of the Century. He could now be seen an an inspiration to Newcastle’s young Australian attacker Garang Kuol who looks to have settled on Tyneside after spells out on loan.

Shearer’s view on Alexander Isak

Like Viduka, Shearer has been full of praise for Newcastle’s star striker Alexander Isak. The Newcastle legend may be getting worried about the number of goals he has been scoring as of late as he slowly moves closer to Shearer’s tally.

Shearer referred to Isak as ‘world-class’ after he scored a brace in Newcastle’s 3-1 win against Southampton. The Swede has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season and bagged five assists.

Isak now sits on 48 Premier League goals, exactly 100 behind Shearer’s tally at Newcastle.

Newcastle are hoping to tie Isak down to a new contract which would see him become the club’s highest earner and don the iconic number nine shirt that Shearer wore for his 10 years on Tyneside.