Come and get me, England, for one last ride to glory

The Interview - Alan Shearer: If only Eriksson had asked earlier. But, yes, the talisman is for turning. Alex Hayes hears a rejuvenated striker open the door to his return

Ask England fans what single ingredient the national team most lack at the moment, and their answer will nearly always match that given by four of the last five international managers: England need Alan Shearer. Well, they may just be in luck, because two-and-a-half years after he last played for his country, Shearer needs England, too.

Speaking at a hastily convened media gathering, the Newcastle striker gave the first hint since hanging up his international boots after Euro 2000 that he might be ready to reconsider his position. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss England," he said, totally out of the blue, when asked a question about Michael Owen, "because I had some great times. I still think I can do a job for England. In fact, I know I can do a job for England. Retirement has benefited me, but I miss England."

An unusually candid Shearer continued: "It's just because I've had so many great nights with England that you don't throw it away lightly and you don't forget about it. I wish I could have more."

Asked whether he might, therefore, be persuaded to change his mind and come out of retirement at the age of 32, Shearer laughed nervously. "Well, I haven't yet," he said, before adding, "but then I haven't been asked the question. Obviously, I've met Sven Goran Eriksson [the manager] a few times, but I've never spoken to him about it [playing for England again]." The fact that Eriksson has never so much as broached the subject with Shearer is rather baffling. It also goes a long way towards explaining why the striker is so reluctant to re-offer his services publicly. "I haven't really thought about it," was his coy response when asked whether he would welcome a call from the national manager. "I've not had time, but then I've never had a chat with Sven about England."

Shearer is media-savvy, and there can be no doubt that the timing of his revelation is highly significant. Next Saturday, Eriksson announces his squad for the Euro 2004 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Turkey. With two of the Group Seven matches already played, Shearer knows that he must act quickly if he is to re-enter the international fold in time for next summer's finals in Portugal.

The possibility of his representing his country again has been given further credence by the news that he is not looking to play beyond next season. "I've got another year left on my contract," he said, "and I'd have to see after that. I've never said anything about wanting a new contract. All I know is that I'll finish at the top. I've promised that much to myself." The European Championship, of course, is the second biggest tournament in the game.

Shearer's credentials remain excellent. He has scored more than 20 goals in two of the last three seasons and, but for Arsenal's Thierry Henry, would be in line for the Player of the Year award this year. Perhaps more importantly still, Shearer is the target man that England, and in particular Owen, need in order to thrive. Whereas Emile Heskey has strength and pace, Shearer has strength as well as touch and vision. No centre-forward can hold up the ball, let alone bring the rest of the team into play, anywhere near as well as he can.

Having taken a prolonged rest from the international scene – his last game was the ignominious 3-2 defeat by Romania at Euro 2000 – Shearer is undoubtedly as fit and strong as at any time in his career. "I feel great," he confirmed. "I haven't had any problems with the knee for years and the ankle has been no problem. I feel good and sharp and fit."

But will Eriksson make the call? Sir Bobby Robson, Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan have all said that they would. "If I was Sven Goran Eriksson," Venables said last month, "I would definitely be trying to talk him out of retirement. It's at least worth a try, because he's back to his best and he's looking better than most of the alternatives at the moment. I don't know what he would say, though. It could be it's the rest from internationals that's done him so much good." One would think that the Swede must, at the very least, make preliminary enquiries.

It is ironic that Shearer is being hailed as the answer to all of England's problems. In the months leading up to his final bow in the Low Countries under Keegan, the public seemed to be clamouring for his departure. He was, they said, too one-dimensional a player to lead the England line. Time, though, is a great healer, and just as the fans have accepted that they miss Shearer, so too Shearer has realised how much he loved playing for his country. "I still feel strange when it's an England match," he admitted. "When England play, the manager gives me a couple of days off. That is good, but it does feel a bit strange."

For a player who specialised in bland interviews for years, Shearer has certainly changed his style. No one was better at stonewalling questions, particularly when he was captain of his country. But age, fatherhood, TV appearances as a Sky Sports pundit, and working with one of the most media-friendly managers in the game, have all contributed to Shearer's mellowing. Indeed, if Shearer does put on an England shirt again, it will owe much to the influence of his club manager. No one is more patriotic than Sir Bobby and, unlike the bosses of Manchester United and Arsenal, you can be sure the 70-year-old will not be trying to dissuade his captain.

Shearer is the first to confirm that he has found a new lease of life under Robson's stewardship. He also admits that, despite the fact he will be 33 in August, he is still learning the game. "You never stop," he said. "I think there are always things you can get better at, and hopefully I am learning from Bobby. I'm playing for a club with a tremendous buzz, with a bunch of players going somewhere. I'm enjoying my football as much as I ever have, there's no doubt about that."

Robson has transformed the fortunes of Shearer, but also Newcastle. When he took over in August 1999, the club were in the relegation zone of the Premiership. Today, they are fighting for the title, as well as battling for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions' League. "Tuesday night shows how far we've come," Shearer said of the 2-2 draw away to Internazionale that leaves Newcastle in third place in Group A. "That was one of the best nights I've ever had as a professional. We go to the San Siro, get a draw, and we're disappointed: the progress we've made is remarkable.

"We were the better side, but we made a mistake and let them back in. That's normal, because we're still learning at this level. We're getting there. All in all, it's been a great Champions' League ride and we've all enjoyed it. I'm keeping everything crossed that we stay in."

Shearer will have to untangle himself a little if he is to cause the competition's only unbeaten side any trouble in the all-important final game on Wednesday. Barcelona have struggled in their domestic League, but have waltzed their way into the last eight. "Barça are a great side," he said, "and it will be a fantastic game. We've done well to give ourselves a chance of qualification [Newcastle lost their opening two second-phase matches] and we have to go for it. This is the best squad I've been in and we've got to believe in ourselves. We're not at the level of Arsenal yet, but by buying players like Jonathan Woodgate, we're showing that we're determined to give it a right good go."

Shearer has come to epitomise everything that is good about this Newcastle team, but he is quick to share the praise with the other players. "The big thing is that our younger players are getting better and better," he said. "I'm not surprised how well the likes of J J [Jermaine Jenas], Lomano [LuaLua], or Brian [Kerr] have done, because I see them in training every morning. I know what good footballers they are. What impresses me, though, is that they all want to learn to get better; they all want to stay behind after training. It's a good sign."

Shearer will be leading by example on Wednesday, looking to defeat Barcelona at St James' Park, while keeping a nervous eye on Bayer Leverkusen's progress against Internazionale. "Football can be a weird game sometimes," he said, "and I hope it's weird this coming week." Should Shearer do the unthinkable and come out of international retirement, the next few days could be very weird indeed.

Biography: Alan Shearer OBE

Born: 13 August 1970 in Newcastle.

Club career: Southampton (1988-92, 158 games, 43 goals); Blackburn Rovers (1992-96, 169 matches, 130 goals); Newcastle United (1996- present, 263 matches, 144 goals).

England career: (63 caps, 37 goals). Debut 19 February 1992 v France. Scored hat-trick v Luxembourg 14 October 1998. Retired from international competition after Euro 2000.

Honours: In his first season with Newcastle United he was PFA Player of the Year and made England captain.

Also: Moved from Blackburn to Newcastle in 1996 for a then world-record £15m. In 1995-96 he recorded 30 goals for the third season in succession. Awarded an OBE in 2001.