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Jonjo Shelvey finds embarrassing comments on Steve Bruce have now come back to bite him

2 years ago
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Jonjo Shelvey was one of those Newcastle United players who absolutely humiliated themselves when Steve Bruce became NUFC Head Coach.

Embarrassingly saying how much better it was with Steve Bruce, than when Rafa Benitez had been in charge.

Danny Rose exposing the truth of the situation, when on loan from Spurs he said he couldn’t believe how few days were spent on the training pitch, with Steve Bruce giving the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and the rest of the squad (as well as Bruce himself…) so many days off work.

One of those really embarrassing interviews that Jonjo Shelvey did (see below), was as recently as February 2021 when Newcastle under Steve Bruce were on a run of two wins in sixteen games, which eventually became two wins in twenty one matches: ‘One thing he [Steve Bruce] says, is that even if you are not having a good game, you work your socks off. He’s big on the stats side of it and how much we run and things like that. If you don’t run for him, you’re not playing next week.’

Hmmm, this running thing, we didn’t see an awful lot of that from Jonjo Shelvey under Steve Bruce, yet he was his main man, undroppable…maybe even the player having it too easy as he knew for sure he would play regardless.

Amusingly, Jonjo Shelvey has been interviewed (see below) today after a couple of weeks of life under Eddie Howe and his coaching staff, the midfielder now declaring: ‘The first week, we would train and I would be in bed by 8pm – I was knackered! But for fitness and sharpness, he has given us an extra 5% and a rocket up our backsides. He has been spot on.’

Well, imagine that, going from Steve Bruce training to Eddie Howe training, Jonjo Shelvey is struggling to cope with it and is knackered after training. However, clearly feeling the benefits with a much improved and running around a bit performance against Brentford.

Another previous interview to reference with regard to Jonjo Shelvey, was when Matt Ritchie back in May 2020 gave us a brilliant insight into life under Steve Bruce and why somebody like Shelvey might just be enjoying it a little but too much…

Ritchie (a little over the top…) claiming that the midfielder had the ability to play for the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona BUT enjoyed playing golf three times a week instead of focusing full on, on his football and training under Steve Bruce.

Rafa Benitez was notorious for working the Newcastle players hard and the results speak for themselves, what he achieved despite allowed zero net spend by Ashley in his time at NUFC. This current squad is clearly stronger than the one Rafa had and has had £125m+ net spend on it under Steve Bruce.

With a better squad and now a decent level head coach in charge who has the players putting in the necessary days and hard work at the training ground, plenty of room for optimism under Eddie Howe now.

With potentially Jonjo Shelvey seeing his NUFC career saved and revived under this more professional new regime.

Jonjo Shelvey talking to Andy Sixsmith – 25 November 2021:

On Howe’s first fortnight:

“The first week, we would train and I would be in bed by 8pm – I was knackered!

“But for fitness and sharpness, he has given us an extra 5% and a rocket up our backsides.

“He has been spot on.”

On being singled out by Howe:

“It was lovely.

“I’ve never worked with him so for him to say that after one week’s training… It made me really want to repay him on the Saturday and continue repaying him for as long as he’s here.

“We’ve got off to a great relationship.”

On Joelinton:

“I was just happy for him to get that goal.

“He’s got the physique the majority of players dream of having and if he uses it in the right way, he can be unstoppable.

“He works his socks off so hopefully he can continue.”

On the relegation battle:

“There’s a lot in that dressing room to get us out of this situation.

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t be where we are; performances probably warrant it.

“But it’s only a matter of time before we get that first win.”

On Howe’s impact:

“He’s told us to get after the ball and press high up the pitch.

“It’s more exciting and enjoyable rather than just sitting back and defending.

“Obviously you don’t want to concede 3 at home and draw; it can be a danger.

“But it’s a lot more exciting and enjoyable!”

On Howe’s isolation:

“When I got the news, I was devastated for him personally.

“With being out of the game for a while, he’s brought that good atmosphere back to the city so I was looking forward to him getting a good reception from the fans!

“We just want him back ASAP.”

Jonjo Shelvey interviewed by Charlie Austin – 26 February 2021:

“The man [Steve Bruce] knows what he is doing.

“He’s been there and done it. He’s got the t-shirt.

“So as a football player, if he’s my manager, and he’s done all that and the way he is with me. I’m going to bust my balls off working for him, do you know what I mean, while he’s still in charge.

“Our gaffer has been spot on…he is the best man manager I have worked under.

“The way he manages people, like individuals, he knows how to speak to certain individuals and for me, as a footballer, that’s what I want to work with.

“One thing he says, is that even if you are not having a good game, you work your socks off.

“He’s big on the stats side of it and how much we run and things like that. If you don’t run for him, you’re not playing next week.”

Matt Ritchie talking to In The Box about Jonjo Shelvey – 6 May 2020:

“I have said to him so many times, he will tell you: ‘If you just got your head down and just focused solely on football, forgot about golf and whatever else he does…

“He’s mad, he will play golf like three times a week and I’m like ‘Jonjo, you can’t do that’, he’s like ‘no matey, I feel better.’ But that is impossible. What a player, what a player. 

“At Newcastle, he hits the longer passes and he’s the one we look to open teams up and create…but I feel like, and this is no disrespect to us at Newcastle, but if he was playing at Barcelona or Real Madrid, you can just imagine, he would just blow teams away with his ability.

“Obviously though, you have to have everything in the right place and he likes his golf too much, doesn’t he.”

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