NUFC star makes big Steve Bruce claim – & fires brutal dig at Chopra after ‘chat’ with teammates

Jonjo Shelvey believes Steve Bruce is ‘one of the best man-managers’ he’s worked with, saying he’s been ‘brilliant’ since he took the job at St James’ Park.

The Newcastle midfielder has also blasted Michael Chopra for the infamous claims he’s made about Bruce and the squad, saying he’s only trying to get his name in the paper following his ’embarrassing’ comments.

Here’s what Jonjo’s had to say to the Chronicle, starting with some high praise of Bruce – despite the fact he’s dropped him from his starting line up over the last 2 games:

“Steve Bruce is here now. For me he has been brilliant.

“The way he involves everybody is brilliant, even the lads who aren’t in the squad.

“He’s probably one of the best man-managers I have worked with.”

 “It is enjoyable and I want to see him do well.

“As a player he is putting his arm around you if you don’t make the team or make the squad.

“When that happens you want them to do well and stay here.

“Eventually he will stick by you because you’ve stuck by him.”

He may be an inferior manager to Benitez, but one thing he may offer that the Spaniard didn’t is that ‘arm around the shoulder’ that Jono refers to – something he seems to need from a manager and one thing he didn’t seem to get from Rafa.

While this is positive to hear, with Shelvey being another player to praise Bruce over the international break, it’s fair to say his man-management skills has never been questions – but instead his tactics and ability to get results.

Shelvey then responded to Michael Chopra’s claims last month about players not knowing what they were doing in Bruce’s system.

Not only does Jonjo suggest that few in the dressing room even knew of Chopra, he claims his comments were ’embarrassing’ and an attempt to get his name in the papers:

We had a chat in the dressing room.

“It was like: ‘Does anybody even know him?’

“I know he played here but he didn’t score loads of goals.

“It’s just people being busy to get their name in the paper.

“It’s just people who are bored. If they saw you – or Steve Bruce – in the street they’d come up to you and try to talk.

“It’s just embarrassing. People can talk but we need to stick together and keep it all in house.

“We have to do our media duties and that but you can see in recent performances that we are together.”

“The criticism the club are getting at the start of the season is just stupidity. It is embarrassing really.

“But the lads answered back against a very good Tottenham team.”

Chopra has responded to Bruce’s comments once again today, but hopefully Shelvey’s take on the matter can help but this tedious back and forth to bed once and for all.

I do believe Chopra is a passionate fan who generally wants the best for the club, but the timing and validity of some of his comments where questionable to put it mildly – although it must be said he was at least man enough to praise Bruce after our superb win at Spurs a few weeks back.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

2 thoughts on “NUFC star makes big Steve Bruce claim – & fires brutal dig at Chopra after ‘chat’ with teammates

  1. Steve Bruce Mike dog barks want Mike wants scit coach or manager what ever way u look at it the man is idiotic if he thinks he keeps us up looking forward to championship foot ball we need to get this idiots running our club out I will not give Bruce a chance villa did look what they went threw our club like brexit fcuked thank u Mike steve

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