Football Daily - When Shearer met Haaland

Episode Date: January 17, 2025

After Erling Haaland signs a new long-term deal with Manchester City club - listen back to when the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer met with the striker on the eve of his debut season back in 2022. Haaland talks about the relationship with his father, and wanting to be a better player than him from a really young age. He says he has the ability to improve ‘everything’ in his game, and highlights the importance of meditation to his game.The original version of this podcast was released on 6 August 2022.

BBC Sounds music, radio, podcasts The Football Daily Podcast Listen on BBC Sounds Great to meet you thanks very much how's Manchester treating you and have you settled in?

Yeah, thank you for meeting me yeah, it's going good a lot of new things a new country of course but it's good the lads are nice and the people around is nice so I'm enjoying so far

We've seen the pictures of you as a baby in the Man City kit what are your earliest memories of playing football? I remember as young as I can that I wanted to become a footballer I think because of my father I told myself early that I wanted to become a footballer.

I think because of my father, I told myself early that I wanted to become better than him. That's what I wanted to say or what I said to myself really early. Getting the players up on my wall, the posters and so on. I remember having fun, you know, me and my cousin always going down, down playing in the hall and on the pitch and everything. And in the end, it's a beautiful game because you can do so much so easy around everywhere, you know. Me and you could stand here playing football, you know,

and that's also something I like about it. You mentioned your dad I played against him lots of times he kicked me many many times over the years so you can thank him for that what what kind of influence has he had on you you mentioned as soon as you saw him you wanted to play football. Yeah of course about he kind of printed football in my head quite early but also in the end he didn't put any pressure on me about playing football it was my choice

it was quite obvious every time he came home from the trip he'd bring me to New Jersey but yeah about this I think he he printed good mentality about different old things that I still think it's really important

to a day now about different kind of small things that was from before and and so on so so yeah I think a lot on mentality kind of things Was he a factor also on you moving here because it's been well reported

you had a choice of so many huge clubs all around Europe. Was he a factor in you coming here? He's been helping me a lot about different kind of choices. But in the end, he just wants to put things in front of me in the best way. And in the end, it's about me and my feeling and how I see myself in this club and that was the one that was the one thing

that kind of triggered me you know so in the end it's all about me with help from my father my team around me yeah

I had a move when I was similar to you age 22 from Southampton to Blackburn which was a British record transfer fee at the time. I didn't really feel any pressure at all.

I sort of enjoyed that. I've only met you for the first time today, but it looks to me as if you have a similar mentality. You enjoy pressure, you enjoy people talking about the necessity for you to go out and score goals. Is that right? Yeah, and in the know, in the end, we just want to enjoy playing football,

enjoy what our childhood dream was, you know. And, of course, there will be people talking about you, especially you as a striker. You don't score this, you don't score that. You know, then the talk's called. But in the end, you cannot choose what people say what people read what people think about you this is something you just have to to live where they will live with and yeah I kind of enjoy it I have to say

yeah it looks as if you do that where is it where is your motivation come from At first, when I was young, as I said, with getting better than my father and getting as good as I can. And now there's something inside me that I think of football all the time. You know, getting better and what I can do better and these kind of things. And I don't know where it comes from, but it's there, you know. I don't know how I got it or whatever, but it's there.

When I went down to Southampton as a youngster, I was by no means the best footballer. But I think I worked harder than anyone else, particularly on my finishing. So if we can talk about goals, can you sort of describe what scoring a goal means to you, particularly at the top level? It's a good question because when I score a goal, it's just something inside you that's... You always had that feeling? Yeah, always.

When I was younger, I was scoring as many as I could. And still, it's this feeling. And also this kind of... When you celebrate your first goal, it's like, oh, this is what I want to do again. I get this often. Scoring one, oh, imagine doing this again. And also this thought

about you see someone score a hat-trick on Saturday oh man it would be nice to do this next week you know so this is also something

this feeling is yeah it's I cannot describe it because you know what I'm talking about but a lot of people do not know what I'm talking

about you know do you work on your finishing in training? Do you spend hours after training? Does the manager have to pull you off or the coaches have to take you off the training ground because you've done too much? Do you always do that? Or has that always been a part of what you're training? Yeah, I think I've always been shooting a lot.

In the end. Scoring goals is the most fun thing about it, you know. And when I came to Molde, actually with Ole Gunnar, he was talking about my headers and said, you cannot even head. I agree with him, you know. And then me and him and Mark Dempsey also, he was assistant coach then. We did every single day crosses and headers.

And I think, you know, it's important to do a little bit every day. It doesn't have to be 500 shots, but just a couple, you know, to get it in. And in the end, it's about shooting where the keeper is not standing and hitting the goal, you know. But also to get these kind of just, you know what to do. When you're here, shoot there. When you're here, shoot there. And you've mentioned the incredible feeling of scoring goals.

We both know what it's like to miss chances as well. I know when I missed chances, I didn't sleep at night. I didn't sleep for that night, the next night and I couldn't wait to start the next game again so I can rectify and put that right is that what you feel as well I mean we all do it, it happens to us all you know that this will probably happen to me again

you know this will happen and that's football and then it's about as you say you don't sleep well I never sleep good after games but it's about, as you say, you don't sleep well. I never sleep good after games, but it's also kind of motivation to score or to do something in the next game after, you know, when you miss something like this.

And this is also when you score two goals, oh, I want to do it again. So it's actually no matter what happens, it's motivation, and that's what also is good about it, you know. But, of course, it's not a good feeling it's the worst feeling ever you know what do you need to work on what do you keep need to to keep on improving yeah i think i can improve everything do you you know i miss chances with my left foot all the time i just did i did now last weekend you know so i have to improve my left foot my

right foot my headers you headers there's so many things and that's what's also so nice about the game you can always improve no matter how old you are you can get your full potential out I can get my full potential out for example in 10 years and that's what's also nice about it

but there's a lot of things I can get better on if we talk about finishing I have to get much better with my right foot, with my headers. This is something I will work on and I will get better. It's also important. Is that one of the reasons also for coming here? Because of Pep, the way he can improve players and does improve players? Yeah, and I'm still young.

I'm still going to develop and I have to develop the right way. I think I will develop really good here That's also why I'm here and also to perform. It's it's a good mix between developing and performing This is two really important things City's very different now to what it was when your dad's Was your dad was playing do you do you recognise then to now? Of course it's special when he played here, you know, it's a bit special, you know, of course, you know, seeing old clips of him, it's really nice and also the thought of that he actually played in Premier League is nice. But it's different times, yes, as you say,

and in the end it's the Premier League, it's England, this is also, it's different times yes as you say and in the end it's the Premier League it's England this is also it's been a dream of me playing here and it's yeah

what can I say it's going to be nice does he give you any advice? yeah of course we talk we talk a lot of football he's also a football freak

he watches all kinds of games you know so of course a little bit here and there and he also always talked to me about... Does he tell you after games though, if you haven't done things so well, does he tell you that you didn't do that right or you could have done that better?

He comes sometimes with, you know before I played Liverpool at Anfield with Salzburg in the Champions League he said, just for your info, I've been scoring at Anfield before so I have more goals on Anfield than you you know you know so it's a bit of it's a bit of fun yeah good what's the most important aspect of a number nine maybe to be ready because you know you will get chances

you know it's about being ready for the next section and don't think of the last one. I think this is a really important thing because you never know when you can get the ball across, deflection, a rebound. So I think the next situation is really important. And what about the mental side of the game? I read that you work on meditation and things like that. Yeah, you know, as a striker, I think it's really important to, when you're in the game, to don't think too much, you know. If I'm going to go into the next game thinking about

my miss, the chance I missed last game, it's not good. You have to go into the game hungry. It doesn't matter what happened before. If you scored three goals, if you scored zero goals, if you haven't scored in a while you have to go into the game with the same mentality and I think about not thinking too much about it as you said, you didn't sleep for the next couple of days it's difficult

and then it's about trying I think that gives you an edge though doesn't it? if that is true, then there's something right inside you it's about finding it as motivation and not some negative kind of going to training like this you know it's about coming into training like this you know you want to be the best in training today you know and this is also something that helped me a lot this meditation outside the pitch is to just kind of let go on the negative thoughts

or whatever you can call it and use it as motivation. I was going to say that. Take us into your mind. What gives you the edge? Has it been mentally strong? I think you have to be mentally strong today with so much else going on outside the pitch. So I think you have to have extremely good focus. You have to be strong in your head because it's not easy.

Being a footballer, everybody thinks it's easy. We just spoke about how I'm really tired now after the training. It's coming in every day wanting to become better and to try to do your best and to be ready in every single game. Physically, you look in great position in terms of the fitness and everything that you've got. Will that be a test for you in the Premier League? Are you ready for that? Yeah I think I'm ready. You know it's going to be more physical?

Yeah it's a really physical league, the tempo is amazing, something I also like. It's a really physical league. The tempo is amazing. Something I also like. It's going to be tougher for sure, but I feel I'm ready. My body is ready. And a good duel is always nice. You like to battle then? It's good to have a little bit of pain here and there. It's good to get something on your ankles or whatever. It's good to feel a little bit. It's important as well.

Is a goal, a game achievable in the Premier League? I cannot talk too much about this. I have to speak as less as possible and let others do the speaking and try to settle in as quick as possible and to deliver as quick as possible. Before you came back to the Premier League, what was your view of it? I always watched the Premier League, so really high intensity, you know, every game is living its own kind of, and also so many nice games to play, so many nice stadiums to play in different atmospheres. And you can say it easy, I'm just really looking forward to be in it, you know, from watching outside my whole life to finally be in it.

It's really nice. Did you speak to Bellingham and Sancho before coming back and playing here? Yeah, of course, we spoke a little bit about it. And we are a bit the same, you you know my father was 10 years in in england so so he brought me up in a kind of a bit english banter way you know so we have a lot of the same funny kind of things not taking yourself too serious i think it's really important and to to try to to have fun with with each other and and these kind of things it's really important important. Looking on from the Premier League, were there any players that when you were growing up that you

admired? You don't have to feel under pressure by the way. You can say whoever you want. You can say it was. No, the thing is so many good players played there. Every game, there was always one. Me, of course, as a striker

I watched more of the on the strikers, you know, and the people that scored most goals, you know, that's mostly the people I like the most, you know, so you're a good candidate there with your goals there, I have to say. But, yeah, in the end, it was about me and watching the people that scored a lot of goals you know i know when i was your age and people asked me this question and i always um said no i didn't have any targets at all but i did i had a target of about 20 goals once i got to 20 goals have you got any targets i have

the answer exactly the same as you said i this is uh something i if i have I will keep it for myself and I will not tell anyone I wouldn't blame you for that give us a little bit of an insight you've not been here long but what's it like working with Pep? yeah it's nice it's demanding and I understand

the success in this club when I've been here for I don't know how long I've been here for a month or something circa now and I understand the success behind it, how hard the backroom staff are working, the physios, the trainers, how much they demand from you and everything and also the players, you know, they demand from me, they demand from all the others and this is really nice seeing so far

I have to say it's nice I think I was quoted last sometime during last season saying that a centre forward

in the Man City's team should be looking to or could be looking to score 30 to 35 goals am I wrong in saying that?

you know I will not talk anything about this this has to be your words The Football Daily Podcast on BBC Sounds you know, I will not talk anything about this. This has to be your words.