MICHAEL CHOPRA has the potential to emulate his hero Alan Shearer, but for the next month the Newcastle United striker knows he has a job to do at Vicarage Road.

Ray Lewington's admissions over Watford's lack of goal-potential have been well documented, but, in the England Under-20 striker who signed on loan on Tuesday (March 25) he hopes to have found a short-term solution.

For a 19-year-old, Chopra's pedigree in front of goal is impressive. A consistent scorer for the Premiership side's youth teams in recent seasons, he is Newcastle's leading Reserve hit-man this campaign with eight goals to date.

Furthermore, his club form has been replicated on the international stage with goals at every England age level f

rom Under-15 to Under-19.

Lewington is acutely aware that Hornets fans will be looking for Chopra to make a big impact in opposition penalty areas, but he said: "We don't want to put pressure on him. First and foremost, we want him to enjoy himself here. It's a good experience for him.

"Hopefully, he will do a good job for us. There's goals there and I think it's very exciting that we got him. He's going to be a very good player."

However, the expectancy levels do not unduly alarm Watford's new striker.

"Pressure comes along with football and you've just got to take it," Chopra said confidently. "I've scored goals at every age level for Newcastle and England. You've got to keep on working hard, and, hopefully, if I get the chances I'll take them."

Asked if he had any worries about throwing a player who has made only three first-team substitute appearances in at the deep end, the Hornets boss replied: "No. Put him in the penalty box and he'll have a go. We'll look after him as well. So there's absolutely no pressure on him."

Lewington admitted "there's a lot more" to Chopra than being an out-and-out scorer, but he soon returned to his acquisition's biggest strength.

"He's one of those rare breed. He's in and around the box all the time. It's something we've been crying out for for a little while, particularly with 'H' (Heidar Helguson) and the amount of balls he wins in the air. He (Chopra) picks off the scraps and that's the type we need."

Watford had to fight off a number of clubs to get Chopra, but Lewington admitted he thought he'd originally got his man in February.

"We actually asked Bobby Robson before the Sunderland game," explained the manager. "We thought we'd got an affirmative from Bobby, but he said that he couldn't. That was when (Craig) Bellamy and Shearer were both suspended so that held it up for a little bit, but, thankfully, Bobby has given him the chance to come and we're very grateful to him."

This previous approach may have been kept from a player who was only aware of Watford's interest "a couple of weeks ago", but he said: "I watched Watford in the FA Cup. The team has done very well, they play a lot of good football and hopefully I can bring them some goals. I am really impressed with the club. Ray's been very helpful since I met him.

Asked why he made the move, Chopra explained: "It's to get experience, and hopefully I can help Watford to progress up the league and hopefully progress through to the FA Cup Final.

"Because they are in the Semi-Final it does help, but my agent knows Terry Bryne and he knows that Terry will look after me, and he's helping me to get along with Watford."

Would Chopra have still come to Vicarage Road had the Hornets not reached the last four of the cup?

"I think I would. Because they're in the Semi-Final, it does mean a lot, but I just wanted to come here to play first-time football."

Chopra also has the big occasion experience of playing in the Nou Camp to call upon if he is selected for the FA Cup Semi-Final, having made one of his three first-team appearances in Newcastle's 3-1 defeat at Barcelona in December.

"That was my debut for the Champions League as well," added Chopra. "I think there were 55,000 there, but just to be there was unbelievable a great experience."

Although he signed a new three-year deal at St James' Park in November, Chopra describes himself as a "fringe" player currently, and it was the thirst for first-team football that convinced him to drop down to Division One, even though Newcastle are challenging for the Premiership title.

"It is difficult and it isn't," was his reply when asked about leaving his home town club when they might be on the brink of glory. "Because I am not playing football I'm not involved. I just want to be playing first-team football, and to come Watford I am going to get experience. You have just got to concentrate on your own career.

"But it's (Newcastle) a great club to be around. All the players are on a real high. Everybody's really buzzing and hopefully they can keep challenging for the title over the next couple of months and couple of years."

And then there are the similarities with Shearer. As well as playing for the same club, in the same position and in the same business of scoring goals, the pair also went to the same school, Gosforth High.

"He's me hero," Chopra freely admitted. "I haven't played alongside him yet in the first team, but hopefully I can in the next couple of years if he's still around playing. Hopefully, he can keep on doing what he's doing now and scoring goals.

"He's unbelievable. Before I came here he was telling me 'good luck, all the best, show them what you can do'. He's a great lad to be around you've just got to look at what he's done.

"I have learned a lot from him. In training you've just got to watch and see what he does and hopefully you can put that into your game."

Chopra also has the utmost admiration for Newcastle's septuagenarian boss.

"He's an unbelievable manager. In training, he's having a kick about with the lads, and joins in with all the exercises and does the weights.

"He's done it in Barcelona. He's worked with people like Ronaldo, Rivaldo, so you've just got to look at what he's achieved with them. Look at them now, he's made them into better players, and hopefully he can make me into a better player."

Although he sees his long-term future at St James', Chopra admitted: "I've just got to take each game as it comes along. Watford's my team now so I'd better do well for Watford."

March 28, 2003 12:30