( 03 April 2009 )
English Premier League football News
Hiddink wary of 'Shearer effect'
Shearer insists he will only be in charge until the end of the season.
Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink says his side will be facing a revitalised Newcastle when the sides meet at St James' Park on Saturday.
Former Magpies striker Alan Shearer has been appointed Newcastle manager for the remaining eight games of the season in a bid to save them from relegation.
"Everyone knows their situation, there will be a reaction from the team and the crowd," said Hiddink.
"We can expect a tight game and a lot of fighting spirit from our opponents."
Shearer has only a short period of time to rescue Newcastle, who are currently in the relegation zone of the Premier League and two points from safety.
Newcastle, who have won only one of their last 12 matches, have a tough run-in beginning with title-chasing Chelsea.
Hiddink has suffered twice at the hands of Shearer the player - when England beat Holland at Euro 96 and when Newcastle knocked PSV Eindhoven out of the Uefa Cup in 2004 - and believes his appointment will give Newcastle a big lift.
"You have to respect the decision that has been made by whoever is in charge and there is always a reaction when something happens in a club. It was the same here," added Hiddink.
"I respect him very much. I know him as a player. He is quite a personality and will have an influence on the team. There will be a hectic atmosphere on Saturday. It forces us to give everything we have.
"I cannot judge whether he will stay longer than eight games, that is not my big problem. But it is always good to have big players making a transition to a manager.
"But he will not play and I will not play. It is not a game between managers. The instant input and change in the dressing room will give their players a lot of energy and that is an extra aspect of the game we have to deal with."
Chelsea skipper Frank Lampard says his side must not let the vociferous reception that is sure to greet the 38-year-old affect them.
"You can imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like," said the midfielder.
"Alan Shearer is regarded as a god up there - and quite rightly so after what he achieved for the club.
"He will definitely get the Newcastle fans going and he will get the Newcastle players going."
Lampard's comments were echoed by Blues captain John Terry , who says they are intent on making it an unhappy return to St James' Park for Shearer.
"The title race is still not over for us and we will be going there to hopefully upset him in his first game in charge," said Terry.
"Alan Shearer is Newcastle through and through and him taking over as the manager is going to give them a massive lift.
"But it is down to us to go there, show what we are capable of, which we have been doing a lot of the time recently, and get a result."
Newcastle have not won in their last five outings, and have not won at home since the 2-1 victory over Tottenham on 21 December.
But Chelsea have the best away record in the top flight, despite the 1-0 loss at Tottenham on 21 March, and Lampard is looking for his team to turn in a repeat performance of when they faced Manchester City on Robinho's debut for the club.
The Brazilian forward scored a deflected free-kick to give City the lead, but the Blues dampened the sense of optimism at Eastlands by coming back to win 3-1.
"We had the same scenario when we went and played Manchester City just after they signed Robinho," recalled Lampard.
"But we have to react to the atmosphere and we have to try and get a result to put us back on track after the Tottenham game."
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the appointment of Shearer will have a positive effect on Newcastle.
"It's a bit of mental doping for the whole Newcastle area," said Wenger. "It will give them belief and give them hope again.
"Having played Newcastle recently, I believe they have a good side that look to be capable of getting out of relegation trouble.
"They will be in it now until the last game of the season but he can help them to give that fraction of belief again to win games."
Asked if it is possible for a manager to come in and totally transform the club within eight games, Wenger said: "No, that is not a manager anymore, that's a magician.
"But what a manager can do in the short term is to work on the mental side and give a psychological lift."
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce believes the high regard for Shearer on Tyneside gives him the best chance of leading Newcastle out of the relegation zone.
Allardyce spent eight months at the St James' Park helm before leaving the club in January 2008 amid criticism of the playing style adopted by his team.
Newcastle were 11th in the Premier League when the two parted company.
"It's easier for him because of his status and I think his support from everyone at Newcastle will be 1000%," said Allardyce.
"Alan's obviously hoping that extra spur from him going in and the fans' reaction will spur the players on to do better.
"His legendary status gives everybody a major lift and if that gets a better performance out of the players, then it works."
Everton manager David Moyes helped tutor Shearer for his Uefa A-licence qualification, one level below the top Pro licence.
"He was a good pupil. For many people who come in the hardest part is the organisation and the planning," he said.
"You don't need to tell them where to stand and where to run because they have been doing that all their life.
"It is being able to tell other people how to do that and communicate, but Alan was fine, he was very good at that."
by bbcnews.
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