Former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam has revealed that former teammate Jonjo Shelvey told him that moving to Newcastle was the ‘best decision’ he ever made, admitting that he loves life on Tyneside despite being a ‘London boy’.
Adam, currently at Stoke, had been speaking on MOTD2 Extra on BBC Radio 5Live and was discussing the perceived b’ig attraction’ to London or Manchester, using Shelvey as an example of someone he knows who doesn’t fall into that category.
It is claimed that there are ‘less-fashionable areas’ to play football, with Newcastle and Swansea mentioned as potentially difficult areas to attract players, however Adam suggested this may not be the case, stressing that the likes of Jonjo has told him on multiple occasions that him and his family love living in the North East.
Here’s what the Scot had to say on the matter on BBC Radio 5Live:
“I speak to Jonjo Shelvey, and he loves it up in Newcastle – and he’s a London boy. He says: ‘It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.’
“His family loves it, his kids love it, and it’s just different and I think a lot of the foreign players find it difficult because London is a big attraction, Manchester is a big attraction.
“But, listen, when you get an opportunity to go and play in the Premier League, it doesn’t matter where you play – Swansea, Newcastle, wherever – it should be a privilege and an honour to play in the Premier League.”
This is great to hear and a nice little insight from Adam, who will most likely know Jonjo from their time together at Anfield several years ago.
As Charlie says, it seems the London or Manchester attraction is bigger for foreign arrives, however it is good to hear that ‘London boy’ Jonjo Shelvey is settled in the North-East.
He’s clearly loving life off the pitch, and with that, hopefully he can begin to really find his feet on the pitch. He’s showed glimpses of what he can do this season, but given the ability we know he has in his locker, there could be much more to come from Jonjo during his time on Tyneside.
