I played 26 times for Newcastle United under Eddie Howe - now he's just helped me land manager role
Former Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey announced his retirement from playing last week.
Former Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has paid credit to Eddie Howe for helping shape his early steps into management.
Shelvey made over 200 appearances for Newcastle between 2016 and 2023 before leaving to join Nottingham Forest. He then spent 18 months in Turkey before briefly returning to England with Burnley and ending his playing career with Arabian Falcons in the United Arab Emirates.
And that’s where Shelvey has taken his first steps into management as he confirmed the end of his playing career to take up a full-time management role at the UAE side.
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Jonjo Shelvey on NUFC
And when reflecting on his time as a player, which also included spells at Charlton Athletic, Liverpool and Swansea City, Shelvey admitted Newcastle are the club he has the greatest affinity with.
"It's the club that I attach myself to the most," he told newcastleunited.com. "If there are any games on involving clubs that I've played for and Newcastle are on at the same time, I'll always choose to watch them.
"I loved my time there. I didn't want to leave and only left because of the security in terms of what Nottingham Forest were offering and what Newcastle couldn't offer. That's football at the end of the day, though, and there's no hard feelings.
"For me, it was great and even when I left, my wife and children stayed in Newcastle. I moved out to Turkey by myself and then I would commute to Nottingham and Burnley every day. My wife didn't want to leave and my kids were more than happy to stay because they were so settled.
"In terms of reflecting on my career, I'll always have great memories of Newcastle and it was the club where I felt the most happy and comfortable in my whole career. I'm very grateful for Newcastle."
How Eddie Howe helped Jonjo Shelvey land manager role
Shelvey’s gratitude extends to head coach Eddie Howe, whom he played 26 times under and played a key role in Newcastle’s relegation battle in 2021/22. Howe has often referenced Shelvey’s winning free-kick at Leeds United in January 2021, as a turning point that saw the Magpies survive the drop and carry the momentum on into the following season to finish 4th.
Upon taking up a management role in Dubai, Shelvey credited Howe for helping him get the job - albeit unknowingly.
"I've been thrown into the coaching side of it because our manager left, when the war started, to go on holiday,” Shelvey added.
"He asked me to fill in and the owners got wind of the feedback from the players. After the first session, they rang to offer me the job. I'd have to credit Eddie [Howe] for that one because I used the majority of his sessions!
"I really enjoyed doing the coaching side and I knew when I moved here, I was never going to play at a high level again so it seemed like the obvious next step and a one I'm really excited to get into.
"Throughout my career, whenever I had a good training session, I always jotted it down so I've got that folder, if you like, of training sessions and thought it would stand me in good stead when I got older.
"When I left Newcastle and started to get to the point when I moved to Turkey, I did a lot of coaching out there with the younger lads but when I joined Burnley, I finished off my UEFA B Licence and then cracked straight on with my UEFA A which I've finished."