Differences in two great world cup strikers One, Martin Palermo 37 plays for his country with such pride it brings a tear to the eye. His recall goal that put Argentina into the finals was the stuff of legend. His Goal agaisnt Greece so fitting of a great man.
The other is Alan Shearer 39, who bottled international football at the age of 30 and now sits on a sofa with a pen commenting on football matches for BBC. When England where in desperate need of Strikers for the World Cup 2002 a plea was put to the Geordie Coward who shunned it, saying he wanted to spend time with his kids and concentrate on winning nothing with Newcastle UTD. What a hero...
1 day your just gunna have to come to terms with the fact that he IS the North Easts greatest ever sporting export. In the meantime I have a great video for you to watch... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1urq4Vb0XM&feature=related"]YouTube- Gazza Fog On the Tyne[/ame]
Fair play for originality. You're the first and most definitely the last person who will ever compare Alan Shearer and Martin Palermo. But then there's a reason for that...
The legend that is Martin Palermo!! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD93d2Blkhc"]YouTube- Martin Palermo misses THREE Penalties IN ONE GAME![/ame]
In all fairness Shearer did retire too early imo.. I'm a makem but I can still appreciate that he did the business when he played.. As for Super Kev... he was never gonna get picked... regardless of his scoring record.. something which appears to be happening again to us in the form of Darren Bent..
Shearer's not the only one to retire early from the international game - Paul Scholes anyone? Or the dummy-spitting Carragher? He retired from football full-stop at the age of 37 anyways, and to be perfectly honest I don't think he could have gone on much longer. He wasn't up to it internationally at that age. Very few players are that fit into their late 30s. The only England forward I can think of who came close to Palermo in terms of age and fitness was Teddy Sheringham (36 the last time he played for England). I know from listening to some of the factoids being dropped before the match that David James set the record at this tournament for the oldest player at 39, so it doesn't sound like people can get much older than that and keep playing on an international level, even as a goalie. Besides, if Shearer was still playing (and had even been picked for the squad), no doubt Pike would be slating him for being too old and jumping up and down for the mackem's new saviour (Darren Bent) to be in the team instead
Think he's the oldest ever World Cup debutant. Roger Milla was 42 when he scored in '94 or something.
René Higuita international goals = 8 Sooper Kev Phillips, Palermo & Darren Bent total international goals = 9
Lets not get silly here soopa K had a good few season no one can deny that but he is not in Shearer class.
when i hear geordies on sky sports news talking about how we're going to bring back the glory days i cringe, i imagine sunderland fans do the same when they hear mackems trying to compare kevin phillip's golden boot to alan shearers whole career, no?
