Jonjo Shelvey does not have a bad word to say about Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.
The 33-year-old played under four different managers at Newcastle United, but Eddie Howe was without a doubt his favourite. In fact, Howe is Shelvey’s favourite manager of his entire career.
The former Toon midfielder has spoken glowingly about the Newcastle United manager, admitting that he knew straight away that something special was brewing on Tyneside as soon as Howe took charge.
That proved to be correct, with Howe ending Newcastle United’s trophy drought and qualifying for the Champions League twice.
Howe is legendary on Tyneside, but Shelvey has admitted there is a side to him that fans are perhaps unaware of.
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Jonjo Shelvey loved working with ‘aggressive’ Eddie Howe
Speaking on the Here To Compete podcast, Shelvey has shared details on what made Howe such a special manager to play for.
“I loved him,” he said.
“I don’t have a bad word to say about him. He was probably the best manager that I’ve worked under and I’ve worked under some very, very good top managers.
“You just run through a brick wall for him. He can be strict, he can be aggressive. Fans probably don’t see that side of him.
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“On the training pitch, every little detail he’s onto. For me, he was great and I just really enjoyed my time with him that I had.
“I could tell that something was going to kickstart and they were going on to bigger and better things.”
Eddie Howe praised Jonjo Shelvey in his first Newcastle United interview
While they only spent 15 months together at St James’ Park, Jonjo Shelvey was considered a key player by Eddie Howe.
That became evident immediately after he was hired as Steve Bruce’s replacement, with Howe heaping praise on Shelvey during his first interview as Newcastle United manager.
“I knew how good he was having played against him,” he said in November 2021.
“But then when you work with him you realise he’s an incredible technician and can play all sorts of passes, long and short.
“In terms of our philosophy he’s someone who’ll be very important to us.”
That proved to be the case, with only injury limiting the impact that Shelvey had on Howe’s Newcastle United team. He even kept Bruno Guimaraes out of the starting XI during the Brazilian midfielder’s initial few weeks on Tyneside.
Shelvey eventually left Newcastle United in January 2023, joining Nottingham Forest. Howe did not want to lose him, but allowed Shelvey to make the move that would give him and his family more security.
While his career has been curious since that moment, with Shelvey now playing for Arabian Falcons in the UAE, his impact at St James’ Park is still felt today.
Shelvey scored Newcastle’s winner against Leeds in January 2022, in what will always be remembered as a seismic victory under Howe. It was the win that really kicked off the revival and resulted in Newcastle avoiding relegation.
Since then, Howe has turned Newcastle United into trophy winners and Champions League competitors. Neither of those things would have been possible had it not been for that Shelvey free-kick.