Ian Wright has now shared what his relationship with Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer is really like behind the scenes amid his imminent exit from Match of the Day.
It’s a sad day for Match of the Day as Wright recently announced his exit from the show, but the legendary striker was very grateful for the opportunities it gave him.
On his podcast Wrighty’s House, the former Arsenal man couldn’t find enough words to praise Shearer despite having their differences on the pitch during their careers.
Wright and Shearer became the ultimate Saturday night duo
Many football fans now claim that Match of the Day is not what it once was, and rightly so with the emergence of technology and streaming services that has killed the magic of watching the highlights on a Saturday night.
However, Shearer and Wright’s chemistry, alongside the professional Gary Lineker, worked wonders for the show and was one of the highlights of the football season.
Now, with Wright announcing his exit, it looks to be a new chapter for the iconic BBC show, but there will be concerns that it could go the same way as the recently cancelled Question of Sport.
Regardless, Wright was very appreciative of the opportunities working on the show gave him and the relationship it allowed him to build with Newcastle’s biggest hero.
On his podcast, Wright said: “He’s hilarious man. To be behind the curtain with someone like that, I’m not joking, we were there the other day and the way he has to walk through the crowd. If they see him it’s over. But he wants to walk up, to get the vibe, to get the energy and it was brilliant.
“But him, as a friend now, somebody who I am not joking, I gave him side eye when we were at England but he was like a monster. So to be able to now be able to say me and Al are tight and me and his family are tight. It’s a beautiful thing.
“This is why sometimes you see the messages saying I can’t believe you lot are so close and tight now because when we were playing and professional we were doing what we had to do, but now we are grown men, have gone through what we have gone through, and we are friends now.
“And I have to say he’s better than me at golf, which is annoying, he gets on my nerves in that respect!”
Wright has always been a great pundit for Newcastle
Because of his brilliant relationship with Shearer, it’s clear to see that Wright has also developed a love for the North East and has often spoken very highly of the club and the team in the past.
He may be an Arsenal legend, but the pair have become such a great duo over the years that you almost feel like he’s been adopted into the Newcastle family and never has a bad word to say about the Toon supporters.
There are few like Wright now who bring great analysis but also have the charisma to keep you entertained, so he will be a big miss for the Geordies.
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