Alan Shearer on the Premier League's US growth: ‘I've seen fans queue for miles'
Alan Shearer was nearly 30 when he experienced for the first and only time something that is now commonplace, and at much younger ages, for most global football stars: Playing in the United States.
It was, to say the least, a completely different scene than today. Shearer's Newcastle United, then led by Sir Bobby Robson, played DC United in a friendly at RFK Stadium in July 2000 – a game the local United won 3-1 thanks to goals from Jaime Moreno, Carlos Llamosa, and 'Sneaky' Pete Marino.
Shearer, who came on as a second half substitute, recalls the game as 'not too serious,' but it's a moment he looks back on as he considers the remarkable growth in popularity of football in the US in the intervening quarter-century. Particularly, he notes, for the Premier League.
'I've seen them queueing for miles along the block at silly o'clock in the morning, whether that's to look at the Premier League trophy, whether that's to come and meet the ex-players or the people at the football clubs that are that are there or whether it's to watch the games with everyone else,' Shearer says. 'It really is a brilliant atmosphere and I've seen it grow from years ago to what it is now and it's been great to play a small part in that.'
These days, Shearer's stateside trips are far more common, as he travels to promote the Premier League's annual Summer Series. The pre-season friendlies rotate through a selection of US cities each year, and this time around they include Manchester United, Bournemouth, West Ham United and Everton playing in Chicago, Atlanta, and the New York/New Jersey area.
'I understand that it's going to be very difficult for it to be the No 1 sport [in the US] and maybe it never will be, but I think from where football was in the 2000s when I went … it is phenomenal, it really is,' Shearer says. 'Sport is something … that brings everyone together. I guess you've got a lot more sports in your country for your people to look at than we have over here, but that hasn't stopped football growing exponentially.'
Whereas Newcastle's friendly aginast DC drew about 17,000 to the cavernous RFK Stadium, summer friendlies between European teams of all types have drawn much larger US crowds in recent years. Recent attendance figures for the summer friendlies represent a dip from their heyday in the late-2010s, but many of the largest attendances in the last five years have come from Arsenal – who have finished second in the last two Premier League seasons and are looking for a way to hit another level under Mike Arteta.
'I mean, it doesn't take a genius to work out that every attacking stat in terms of shots, goals, xG, everything for Arsenal in four positions is down from what it was last year when they finished second. Then they finished second again,' Shearer says. 'Whoever's decision it was, whether it was the manager, or whether it was the top brass whose decision was it to go into the season without having a striker, it's cost them dearly because they've never really put up a serious fight to Liverpool.
Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson
Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer
after newsletter promotion
'Is it as simple as buying a striker? It's not as simple as that, but it wouldn't not have helped them if they were to get someone who's going to get them 25 goals. When you look at Erling Haaland, apparently he's had a really poor season. He got 31 goals. And you look at Liverpool with Mo Salah and what he's done in terms of assists and goals, something along the lines of 47 goal involvements. Arsenal never had that.'
Assuming they do improve their attacking output, Arsenal will be among an unprecedented nine teams in the Premier League to take part in European competition next season – all of whom Shearer believes have a chance to make a deep run in their respective competitions. Naturally, he believes Newcastle could turn heads in their return to the Champions League.
'Newcastle know that they got to Champions League two years ago, but then really struggled with injuries. Having said that, they got some great results. They sampled what it can be all about,' he says. 'St James' Park is a really tough place to come for anyone. I don't care how good you are, how experienced you are. PSG found that out two years ago when they came to Newcastle and got done, big style.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Michelle O's latest Barack hate... Lizzo's big fat Ozempic lie... and why one-eyed Caitlin Clark should quit: KENNEDY's wicked weekly roundup
Cat fight! If you thought the success of the WNBA meant women's athletics had finally progressed beyond sexy mudwrestling and lingerie football, think again.
Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Montemurro unveils new-look Matildas squad with big names to miss matches against Slovenia and Panama
Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has given Australia's next generation of football talent the nod as he plots a path to the 2026 Asian Cup. Montemurro has cast a wide net for his first Matildas team and named 14 A-League Women players in a 33-strong squad for games against Slovenia and Panama. Matildas captain Steph Catley, forward Caitlin Foord and midfielder Katrina Gorry will not feature in the four-game window, with the trio taking leave. Turning to the ALW is no surprise, given Montemurro's intimate knowledge of the domestic league. The former Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City coach says the four-game window in Western Australia will help the Matildas rediscover their identity. Australia's national women's team have slumped to their equal-worst position, down to No.16, after disastrous Olympics and SheBelieves Cup campaigns. 'When you have this amount of time, you can start to infiltrate some good ideas and make a statement in terms of the way we want to play,' Montemurro said. 'We still want to win football matches. We still want to show you who we are as a footballing nation. 'But more importantly, to really instil some identity, and really instil some belief in this team that you know going forward.' Reigning Julie Dolan Medallist Alex Chidiac and Victory striker Emily Gielnik return to the national team after being overlooked regularly by Tony Gustavsson and Tom Sermanni. Cortnee Vine remains on leave after Montemurro flagged reaching out to the North Carolina Courage winger. Vine, who shot to stardom when she scored the winning spot-kick in the Matildas' epic quarter-final penalty shootout at the Women's World Cup, hasn't played for the national team since the Paris Olympics. But Montemurro remains confident Vine will return to the Matildas at some point this year. 'She just feels that she needs a little bit more time to come back, and we respected that,' Montemurro said. 'From my perspective, she's definitely in sight after this camp and beyond.' Brisbane Roar midfielder Tameka Yallop remains sidelined with a leg injury, while recent debutant Kahli Johnson has been ruled out with a thigh injury. In their place, Montemurro has handed Roar forward Grace Kuilamu and Western United's Adriana Taranto their first call-up. They join five uncapped players who have been selected, while 16 players have fewer than 10 senior international appearances. Vice-captain Ellie Carpenter returns from personal leave, with Mackenzie Arnold, Hayley Raso and Sharn Freier returning from injury. Midfielder Jacynta Galabadaarachchi, yet to find a new home after her time at Portuguese club Sporting CP came to an end, also returns to the Matildas for the first time since June 2022. 'She's one of these talented players that, in one-on-one situations, is something a little bit special,' Montemurro said. 'It'd be great to just see where she's at.' The Matildas face Slovenia on June 26 and 29, then Panama on July 5 and 8, in Western Australia. AUSTRALIA'S 33-PLAYER SQUAD: Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold*, Chloe Lincoln**, Sally James**, Teagan Micah, Jada Whyman* Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Charlotte Grant, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy*, Winonah Heatley*, Alexia Apostolakis*, Jessika Nash**, Courtney Nevin, Natasha Prior, Jamilla Rankin Midfielders: Kyra Cooney-Cross*, Alex Chidiac, Emily Van Egmond, Clare Wheeler*, Chloe Berryhill**, Amy Sayer, Jacynta Galabadaarachchi**, Alana Murphy, Adriana Taranto**
Reuters
39 minutes ago
- Reuters
Rays' Hunter Bigge 'in good spirits,' still in hospital after foul ball to face
June 20 - Tampa Bay Rays reliever Hunter Bigge remains hospitalized after taking a foul ball to the face while seated in the dugout during Thursday's game, but team officials received some encouraging news Friday as early medical evaluations offered positive signs. Rays manager Kevin Cash and president of baseball operations Erik Neander visited Bigge on Friday and shared an update prior to Tampa Bay's home game against the Detroit Tigers. "Getting to see Hunter and talk to him, he was in good spirits," Cash told reporters. "Not a ton of information other than that. But for me personally, witnessing and watching what took place (Thursday), to see how he was today, and being able to interact, things were heading in a really good direction." Bigge, who's currently on the injured list with a lat strain, was sitting on the benches at the front of the dugout when he was struck on the right side of his face by a foul ball off the bat of Baltimore's Adley Rutschman during the seventh inning. He had to be taken out of the dugout on a stretcher but gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was loaded on the medical cart. "It's a horrifying thing to have happen," Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said. "But definitely gotten some good news from the staff and guys that have been able to stop by and go see him. What we're hearing is fantastic news for how scary the incident was last night." After starting his major league career with the Chicago Cubs last season, Bigge was traded to the Rays in July. In 32 total big-league games (including one start), Bigge is 0-0 with a 2.51 ERA and one save. --Field Level Media
