England want Shearer to return

Last updated : 07 December 2003 By Martyn Elliott

Shearer is in fine form and proves week after week that the likes of James Beattie, Darius Vassell and Emile Heskey are simply not in the same class as him.

So for Grip and Sven-Goran Eriksson, the prospect of pairing Shearer with Wayne Rooney, or even going for a three-man frontline also including Michael Owen, must be very appealing.

Grip told The Guardian: "He's the best goalscorer in England, that's for sure. Michael Owen is struggling with injuries so Shearer is a good option.

"He knows that he can be there if he wants to be. The decision is his.

"Since he decided not to play for England, he has had a little bit more time to recover from all the matches you have here. You can see the result. It's a pity for us, I must say.

"He has to think about it or perhaps just say 'No, I have already decided'.


"If you look at it from a goalscoring point of view, you have an English striker on top form, it's logical. The decision is his."


However, while the rest of the country would like to see our captain back in the England team (despite giving him nothing but grief when he was the national captain) I can’t imagine the notion being too popular amongst United fans.

There is no doubt that the club has benefited from Shearer’s decision to call time on his international career and the idea of our number nine returning from Portugal with an injury or too jaded to find his best form at the start of next season is not something anyone wants to have to consider.

You can’t blame the England management for trying though, after all no opponent would relish facing an in-form Shearer being supplied by David Beckham.