Jonjo Shelvey claims Martin Dubravka will eventually move on from Newcastle United and land himself a “massive massive move to a top European club”.
It’s not exactly what we want to hear – one of our own talking up the idea of a big move away for our most important player this season – however it’s easy to see why he’s come in for huge praise.
The Slovak shot-stopper has been outstanding since arriving on Tyneside as a relative unknown for a modest fee of £4m in January 2018, with most fans considering him to be our player of the season so far – a notion Shelvey clearly agrees with.
Jonjo Shelvey speaking to In The Box and explaining why Martin Dubravka is in his dream eleven:
“I just went for people that I thought, I had played with, who really made an impact in the teams that I have played in.
“I have gone for Martin Dubravka (as goalkeeper), he came in two years ago and ever since, I don’t think he has missed a Premier League game.
“Literally outstanding and he is such a great shot stopper.
“He is also a great vocal person in the dressing room.
“The first game he played was against Man United and we beat them 1-0 at St James Park. He was unreal, I thought who is this, because he had come for cheap money.
“I do eventually think Martin Dubravka will get a massive massive move to a top European club.
“He is such a great lad as well and a great personality around the dressing room.
“I watch a lot of football and I had never even heard of him but he literally turned up and don’t know…just like an aura about him.
“He has got that bit of class.
“Even in training, he is first one in the gym and last one to leave, he does everything properly by the book. Superb.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“I was reading on Sky Sports, he has been the most valuable player to us (this season).
“He has been spot on.”
Dubravka has made more saves than anybody else in the Premier League so far this season, and is one of the few players in our team who could easily play for a top six club.
He is a terrific shot-stopper and cool customer who commands his box brilliantly, making him a likely target for several top clubs looking for a reliable goalkeeper this summer.
That said, should new owners arrive and show serious ambition, he’d be a players who’d surely keep his place no matter how many star players the Saudi millions may allow us to sign – he is that good.
Some of Shelvey’s other choices in his ‘Dream XI’ were questionable (he picked Jack Colback!, but having Dubravka in his side certainly won’t raise many Toon supporters’ eyebrows, with him showing once again this season just how good he is.
Hmmm. Jonjo.
Whilst I would wholeheartedly endorse his shot stopping abilities, there are serious misgivings about his semi-regular Gaffs, which have cost us dearly in certain games.
Before anyone thinks I am being over critical, I played in goal until the age of 54, laterly in a very competitive over 35s”veterans” league and managed to get as high as the Northern League. So as an ex-card carrying member of the Goalkeeper’s Union, it is not hard to pick holes in certain parts of his game. It is because of these basic flaws that I would disagree.
Whilst he is relatively young in ‘keeper’s terms, history shows that the the path is littered with “nearly” brilliant goalkeepers who never really trained on, or achieved their true potential.
Oh, and trust me, I really do for one hope he proves me Very wrong !
Kevin Lancaster(Quote)