He was a great player and has become the very best commentator.

Not really.

I think he has really grown as a commentator. What I've always liked about him as a player is what he made of what talent he had. I think he has brought the same to the commentary.

He started at my club Southampton playing with Matt Le Tissier and was completely over shadowed by Le Tissier (who was sublimely skillful - Shearer has admitted in interviews Le Tissier could do things with the ball he never could...). The manager when Shearer arrived said he "...couldn't trap a bag of cement."

But what he had he turned into one of our greatest players in terms of goals and effectiveness.