John Carver: "Mitrovic Is The Nearest Thing We've Had To Alan Shearer Since Alan Shearer"
Glowing praise from Newcastle's former head coach...
Former Newcastle United head coach John Carver thinks new £13 million signing Aleksandar Mitrovic is stylistically the closest striker The Magpies have had to Alan Shearer since the club's record goal scorer retired nine years ago. Speaking on Sky Sports' Goals On Sunday, the former United gaffer was full of praise for the former Anderlecht man but did see some disciplinary problems in his future. Carver said: "He's an old-fashioned centre-forward & he's the nearest thing we've had to Alan Shearer since Alan Shearer." This is spectacular praise indeed for Mitrovic when you consider some of the strikers United have had in their ranks since Shearer decided to call it a day in 2006. Demba Ba and Loic Remy were fantastic in their own right for The Toon during their respective spells at St James' Park - but neither were really the sort of physical 'number nine' Big Al used to be... Carver also told of how the Serbian international was one of the players the club was looking at when he and Steve Stone were at the helm - which shows how much homework Graham Carr et al do for each signing they make. Even though Carver thinks Mitrovic's playing style will be a hit in the Barclays Premier League, he also thinks the 20-year-old's characteristics will land him in trouble. "As sure as eggs is eggs he (Mitrovic) is going to get a red card," said Caver. No one can blame Geordie John for coming to this conclusion as United's number 45 has received two yellow cards in two substitute appearances. After being booked inside five seconds of his debut against Southampton last week, Mitro was in the book 90 seconds after coming on during Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Swansea.