It doesn’t look like Jonjo Shelvey will make the England squad for the World Cup in Russia this summer.
But if England manager Gareth Southgate only looked at his form he should get into the squad.
It will be interesting to find out who the central midfielders will be for Russia and we’d be surprised if Sothgate picks Arsenal’s Jack Wilshire – but we suspect he may.
Jonjo Shelvey – in action against Chelsea on Sunday
Shelvey is making all the right noises and is still hopeful he can squeeze into the squad.
This is what Shelvey told BBC Sport:
“It’d be my dream to get called up into that 23 to go to Russia, I’d love it,”
“I get people coming up to me in the street and saying: ‘Have you heard anything? Have you heard anything?’ And, no, I haven’t.”
“The only thing I can keep doing is keep progressing and keep playing the way I’m playing.”
“The more people talk about it, the more it might happen.”
“But it might not happen. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing. I’ve ended the season really well, and that was the main thing that for me personally I needed to do.”
“From Christmas onwards, I’ve been really, really good. I’ve been putting in consistent performances but, as you say, it’s what will be, will be.”
“But, if it doesn’t happen, then I’ll go away, get refreshed and get ready for next season.”
“But if it does then I’d literally love it.”
Shelvey has had his best season ever at Newcastle and if he can keep control of himself on the pitch he can get even better next season under the continued excellent coaching of Rafa Benitez.
Comments welcome.
137 comments so far
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 9:54 PM
Comment #81Well said Nicky.
lochinvar
May 15, 2018 at 9:59 PM
Comment #82Villa with Geordie Bruce or Fulham with Geordie Mitro ?
Don’t need another London club and we might want Cairney and Mitro back so biting my tongue probably Villa ? But then again…
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:03 PM
Comment #83I think Bad Toast would be a good signing for 3 years if we had a sensible owner. If he would come. Which he probably wouldn’t. Although we would treat him much better than the Sporting supporters apparently.
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:04 PM
Comment #84If he missed the beatings I could probably fong him occasionally.
RUNAWAY777
May 15, 2018 at 10:08 PM
Comment #85What wrong sing in corner you never get away man that life enjoy
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:09 PM
Comment #86I’m getting a lot of applications to play in Fong the Beaver. I suppose we could make it a 50 piece ensemble with multiple cowbells. Let me think about it….
RUNAWAY777
May 15, 2018 at 10:10 PM
Comment #87Sing in the corner your not so clever youself did you forget pmsl
Aces-of-Eights
May 15, 2018 at 10:11 PM
Comment #88http://www.teamtalk.com/news/exclusive-newcastle-move-to-sign-chelsea-duo-on-loan
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:11 PM
Comment #89I don’t think Cairney is good enough for us now. We want something better. I think Ritchie should be moved on along with Mitro and Gayle. Could we get 10-12M for Ritchie from a Champo side? I would think so.
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:12 PM
Comment #90Would you like to sing in the Fong the Beaver corner sing? We need some strong vocal talent.
Nufc-83
May 15, 2018 at 10:13 PM
Comment #91Shelvey with vardy in front of him would destroy most sides. The pace and movement of vardy would be ideal for shelvey. We need to be looking at strikers who have similar movement to vardy and can actually control a ball when in behind (unlike Gayle).
Munster Mag
May 15, 2018 at 10:13 PM
Comment #92Villa knacker fans singing ‘where were u when u were shit’, at Boro fans, having just beaten them! Sorry but wtf are they like. Some of the fans in the stands looked angry ffs?? Miserable brummie bastards
Nufc-83
May 15, 2018 at 10:14 PM
Comment #93Cairney is a run of the mill midfielder who won’t do anything in the prem. let’s not even go there!
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:14 PM
Comment #94It would need to be very loud to cover up the bad guitar playing.
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:16 PM
Comment #95Well said 83. I’m definitely not going there! Harrumph!!!
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:17 PM
Comment #96Can you sing “Oh lord I lost my underpants and a Sunday afternoon tea party” sing mate? We will be doing that one a lot.
SPRINGY
May 15, 2018 at 10:18 PM
Comment #97The sad and annoying thing about shelvey and the england set up…shelvey has cleaned up his act recently been one of the best english midfielders in the league,and played the majority of the games,or at least been available for them games,but he will be over looked for a wilshire or lallana or someone else who has had a bit part season or showed little form this season just coz they are at a “big” club….hope im wrong coz he deserves the chance.
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:18 PM
Comment #98should read at a Sunday afternoon tea party of course….
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:19 PM
Comment #99Spot on Springy.
Aces-of-Eights
May 15, 2018 at 10:20 PM
Comment #100Apparently we have asked for kennedy and tammy abraham on loan
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:22 PM
Comment #101So 55-57M for Ritchie, Gayle, and Mitro is my cunning plan. That plus 30M from wor cheapskate owner would be a half decent transfer kitty. Rafa could really roll up his sleeves and get to work.
Bobbybee
May 15, 2018 at 10:23 PM
Comment #102The president of Sporting fancies himself a gangster. Not for one second do I think that was fans. He allegedly threatened some of them when it blew up. Coincidence? 🙂
Who will want to play for them now? Whether it was fans or hired thugs – not sure which is worse – why would any footballer go there to ply their trade? Madness.
So, could this be a business opportunity for Ashley? Failing business nobody will touch? Sell us, buy them dirt cheap. Makes sense to me, but then, I am desperate. 🙂 Does it show much?
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:24 PM
Comment #103Possibly Rafa could improve Tammy. And hopefully he could change his first name to something more manly. Like Geordie. Or Ragnar.
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:25 PM
Comment #104It does Bobby. But we would forgive you if we got Bad Toast.
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:25 PM
Comment #105I love me some Bad Toast…
Bobbybee
May 15, 2018 at 10:34 PM
Comment #106Munster, Villa fans seem to have forgotten they had to shut part of their ground last season. In reality they should be asking themselves where they were when they were shit?
GeordieTwo
May 15, 2018 at 10:35 PM
Comment #107Villa supporters have always thought too much of themselves. Possibly a good beating at Wembley will correct their attitude problem….
RobLeenio
May 15, 2018 at 10:38 PM
Comment #108Ragnar Abraham. His parents missed a trick there. never understood why they named him after a dead female country and western singer. It’s like Shirley Crabtree (Big daddy) and Marion Morrison (John Wayne). did the parents get name tags made up for their school jumpers expecting a girl and just think ‘well, we’ve got them now’…
Nicky the ball tosser
May 15, 2018 at 10:41 PM
Comment #109Loans are great. It means you have more to spend more on permanent quality. Some top notch permanent signings and Kenedy and Abrahams in on loan gets the highly prized Nicky the ball tosser koala stamp of approval, and really what more encouragement do you need than that.
Oldgit1
May 15, 2018 at 10:47 PM
Comment #110Sorry to pop your bubble Nicky, but you are only allowed 1 loanee from a club. So we will have to buy Kenedy and loan Abraham. Which ain’t a bad idea.
Oldgit1
May 15, 2018 at 10:50 PM
Comment #111Nice to see Chris hughton being given a three year contract, a true gentleman.
ShirebrookToon
May 15, 2018 at 10:52 PM
Comment #112When do ST renewals start?
ShirebrookToon
May 15, 2018 at 10:55 PM
Comment #113I’d rather we went for someone more prolific than wasting our time getting Tammy tap in on loan.
Kenedy on a season long loan with option to buy would be ideal.
SPRINGY
May 15, 2018 at 11:15 PM
Comment #114According to sky wilshire and hart understood to be not in england squad….if true…not a bad start!lol
jonnyshaw85
May 15, 2018 at 11:20 PM
Comment #115Munster Mag @ 90
I got the impression that the Villa fans were singing that to their own fans who ran into the pitch (not the Boro fans).
Nicky the ball tosser
May 15, 2018 at 11:54 PM
Comment #116Surely when they factor in wages it’s only for the following season, not the entirety of a 3 or 4 year contract. We don’t have all the current players future earnings sitting in the bank waiting to be used. Cash flow and all that jazz, but you do obviously have to be sure to have the money in the bank to cover weekly wages and the sundry other large bills associated with running a large epl football club. It’s surely a case of how much more or less do we have this year compared to last and how do we cut our cloth accordingly.
Bobbybee
May 16, 2018 at 12:40 AM
Comment #117I read that the average wage bill is 70m a season. Obviously some are way over that and others way under. No idea what ours is but we must be in the middle bracket surely. That’s before any other outgoings. That 125m soon shrinks, when you start. Ticket sales must cover any other outgoings surely?
Then there’s sales. Who goes and how much. What does that leave Rafa? Not a bloody clue. Enough to keep him happy though, as long as he gets control. Give him the keys to the castle ffs. Let him compete his project. Think of the Europe wide advertising. Sports Direct would be associated with winners. It makes so much sense – get it done. What a season it would turn out to be. Finish tenth, Rafa signs. Poxy transfer record finally broken. 🙂 Put your money where your mouth is and make us all happy…
…or sell up and eff off!! 🙂
lesh
May 16, 2018 at 3:09 AM
Comment #118Two days after the season ended, Brighton sign Hughton up for three years. Ashley’s been playing silly beggars with Rafa for a few weeks.
Brighton, a relatively small club, are showing us how to tie deals up quickly – yet again.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
May 16, 2018 at 5:22 AM
Comment #119Lesh…I am not saying Rafa won’t sign a new deal – I am actually still surprised he’s here, but just don’t put all your eggs in one basket…
…it’s really a hard sell to convince Rafa! I wouldn’t sign a new contract knowing what we know
Lindisfarne
May 16, 2018 at 6:36 AM
Comment #120Jonjo Shelvey will not be going to the World Cup as his presence on the bench is predicted not to be conducive, based on a previous episode with Roy Hodgson when he refused to play with the England U21/23s when asked.