Newcastle playmaker Jonjo Shelvey seems to have taken to Rafa Benitez as a manager ever since Rafa arrived on Tyneside last March.
And even though the new manager dropped the England International soon after he arrived at the club, Jonjo seems to have understood the reasons for that and while he didn’t like it – he was able to accept it and Rafa has already made him into a better player on Tyneside.
Jonjo Shelvey – become a different person at Newcastle
And Jonjo himself can take credit for that too since he lost weight over the summer and was super-fit when pre-season started on July 1st – so determined was he to do well at Newcastle – a club he seems to love.
And talking about love – Jonjo has admitted he’s a player that needed to be loved, but he also thinks he has become a different person and has matured quickly at Newcastle.
This is what Jonjo has said today:
“It’s been more physically.” “If you feel better physically fit, then you will be mentally better as well.”
“I am not the same person as well, because I have grown so much more. I feel more confident and fearless than what I was.”
“I have always been a confident person – you have to be when you have a bald head and have alopecia.”
“There will be times when I am not in the eleven, but Rafa has helped me understand that and, in terms of that, he is a very good manager.”
“I have probably always been a player who needs to feel loved, needs an arm round me.”
“As I am getting older, I have felt that’s a bit childish. That’s not the way to be in life. You don’t need someone to say ‘well done’.”
“You should know.”
Shelvey has alopecia which is a type of hair loss that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, which is where the hair growth begins.
He had a few traumatic accidents when he was young like falling down the stairs when he was a baby, which he believes could have caused the condition.
But Shelvey seems to have almost been reborn this season and he has a manager who sees the huge potential Jonjo has as a footballer and we are starting to see just what a good player Jonjo is.
Shelvey says he feels he needs to be loved – well he’s at the right place at Newcastle – where the fans will adore him if he keeps putting performances in like he’s produced over the last several games.
Shelvey could even be the outstanding player in the Championship this season.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
3 comments so far
nut meg
Oct 15, 2016 at 8:29 AM
Comment #1Rafa’s bingo V Brentford
Darlow
Anita
Lascelles
Clarke
Dummett
Shelvey
Hayden
Ritchie
Atsu
Lazaar
Gayle
Jib
Oct 15, 2016 at 8:38 AM
Comment #2Twenty years ago next Thursday
Jib
Oct 15, 2016 at 8:48 AM
Comment #3Apparently Ferguson’s “Wee club in the North East” will have the 7th biggest crowd in Europe this weekend
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/rafa-benitez-reacts-after-newcastle-sell-51-000-tickets-for-brentford-game-1-8182855