Jonjo Shelvey released a statement following the game against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, apologising for his performance and thanking the fans for their support.
Eddie Howe was asked about the statement that Shelvey had put out in the most recent press conference. The boss spoke well of the Englishman and was very encouraging.
“He obviously felt the need to do that and I’ve got no problem with him expressing that in a good way,” Howe said.
“Jonjo obviously sets very high standards for himself and I think he’s maybe been a little hard on himself.
“I like the accountability and the responsibility, it shows the leadership of Jonjo.”
Shelvey can still hold his head high – he’s greatly improved this season
For much of last season, some Newcastle fans really struggled to see what Shelvey offered in midfield. He often went missing in games. This was a season where the Magpies were in a relegation battle.
In what would be Steve Bruce’s last match for the Toon, Shelvey was sent off in a 3-2 defeat to Spurs. This could’ve foreshadowed his future at the club when Howe arrived.
But, in fact, it’s been the total opposite. Howe took a liking to the midfielder early on and has been a key component of the midfield three. It’s the best we’ve seen Shelvey play in a long time for Newcastle. Some fans will have had a total change of heart on him.
He’s stepped up in important moments for the Magpies. One example was his winning goal as Newcastle defeated Leeds 1-0 away from home. Shelvey struck a free-kick which crept past Illan Meslier, as they took all three points.
The statement is a sign of how far both the 30-year-old and Newcastle have come. They beat Brighton on Saturday, who are above them in the league. Yet Shelvey still felt the needed to apologise.
It shows the character of the midfielder and how much he’s improved. There have been plenty of times he’s performed much worse last season than he did against the Seagulls.
No footballer is perfect and everyone has their off days. Newcastle fans won’t hold it against Shelvey that he didn’t play as well as he’s done in recent weeks.
In reality, he wasn’t really that bad, was he?
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