Barrett's Banter: Shearer? St James’ prank? (From Echo)

Barrett's Banter: Shearer? St James’ prank?

9:55am Thursday 2nd April 2009 in Sport By Adam Barrett

WHEN I found out yesterday that Alan Shearer was taking over at Newcastle United I initially thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke.

I wasn’t expecting it all and it certainly took me by surprise.

He’s had chances to go back there in the past when the club was in a much better position and turned it down so it’s a little bit strange he’s going there now when they are in deep trouble.

But him going there will give the place a huge lift and will also get everyone together which is what they need.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Shearer so he I really hope he does well there and would like him to keep them up.

Newcastle are a massive club but they’re struggling at the moment and it’s certainly a big job he’s got on his hands there.

Coaching is still something that interests me and it’s certainly what I want to go into once I decide to retire as a player.

Hopefully that’s still a few years of because I’m still fully focused on my own career but football is all I’ve ever known and it’s where I want to stay.

I’ve sat in on coaching seminars with Ricky Duncan and was planning to do more of my badges this summer.

That may now have to wait as my wife is expecting our second child — but I would love to eventually work with coaching kids around the Southend area. That’s ideally where I would like to start and then maybe I could go into management.

You never know what might happen in football and I know I must learn my trade but one day I could certainly see myself as a manager somewhere.

TOWN TO BE TOUGH TEST

HUDDERSFIELD Town were one of the fancied teams this season so our game there on Saturday is going to be a real test. The pitch is never the best up there and at this stage of the year I’m sure it will be very bobbly with hardly any grass.

We have to win to keep alive our slight chance of getting into the play-offs because I don’t think draws are really any good now. We carried on our good run against Hartlepool last Friday and we played very well in the first half.

They came back into more after the break and, fair play to them, because we certainly had to work for the win. We had the weekend off which was a welcome break after so many games.

But a lot of the lads come back in on Monday saying they would rather have been in for training after being dragged around the shops by their wives and girlfriends!

LADS SAY TRES BIEN DORIAN

IT was brilliant to see Dorian Dervite play both games for France Under 21s.

He played the full 90 minutes against both Estonia and England without conceeding a goal. Dorian is very patriotic, which is great to see. He was right behind France during the Six Nations and took a bit of stick when they got hammered by England.

He will have been very proud to have played for his country — but it will be good to have him back with us this weekend.