Bruno Guimaraes admits he almost told Eddie Howe that he couldn’t be Newcastle United captain.
Back in 2024, Guimaraes was named Newcastle team captain, replacing Kieran Trippier with the armband.
It was somewhat controversial at the time, with Trippier once seen as the standard-bearer in Eddie Howe’s squad.
Still, it was a decision that worked wonders. Guimaraes captained Newcastle to their first major domestic trophy in 70 years when they won the Carabao Cup.
It could all have been so different, however.
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Bruno Guimaraes almost asked Eddie Howe to be removed as Newcastle United captain
In many ways, Guimaraes was an obvious choice as Newcastle United captain.
Arguably the club’s most popular player, the midfielder plays like a Geordie on the field. He channels the passion of the crowd and is often seen celebrating tackles and the like.
Still, it was a difficult role for him to undertake. English isn’t his first language, despite his excellent command of it.
Speaking in a video posted on YouTube about a day in his life, the Brazil international admitted he briefly considered asking Howe to take the captaincy off of him.
Thankfully, he stuck at it, and the rest is history.
“The beginning was very hard,” said Guimaraes.
“Because you never know you’re ready until you know you’re ready. The beginning, I think the first two or three games, I lost a couple of hours imagining what I could do to affect the boys, to make them feel motivated for the game.
“At some point, I thought, I have to go the gaffer and say ‘I’m not for this role’.
“But, at the same time, I was like, if he gave me this opportunity I cannot say ‘No, I’m not ready’.
“I had to find a way. I turned things around, but the beginning was a little bit difficult for me to accept that I was made for this role.”
Why Bruno Guimaraes is one of Newcastle United’s best-ever captains
Newcastle’s list of captains through the years is impressive. They have boasted some truly brilliant leaders, namely Alan Shearer.
Still, Guimaraes shot to close to top of the list by lifting the Carabao Cup. Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles play important leadership roles too, but it was Guimaraes who stole the headlines with his iconic pre-match speech.
Shearer’s leadership will take some beating. However, Guimaraes has the trophy all of the other skippers in the modern-day era are missing on their CV.
For that reason, Guimaraes has to be considered one of the greatest captains in Newcastle United history.
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