Newcastle United icon and ex-goalkeeper Shay Given has waxed lyrical about the quality of current club captain Jamaal Lascelles.
The 24-year-old defender has been at the heart of the team’s success this season and played a major role in keeping them in the Premier League.
He is a no-nonsense centre-back that is integral to the plans of manager Rafael Benitez and he has formed a brilliant understanding alongside Florian Lejeune in the defence.
Given has raved about the brilliant leader Lascelles and even tipped him to sneak into England’s squad this summer for the World Cup in Russia.
“Lascelles is a young defender of course but he is clearly a leader both on the pitch and off it and he’s captain of Newcastle as well,” Given told 888 Sport.
“There are still a couple of places to be finalised [for England’s World Cup squad] and I think he could be one of them to get on the plane.”
OPINION
There is no doubt that Lascelles has been one of the outstanding players this year at St James’ Park and his team may not have avoided relegation without him. The defender has quickly become a firm favourite with supporters and is definitely a huge presence in the dressing room, despite his age. It is integral that he remains with the Magpies for many years to come and the defence is not a position that needs to be seriously strengthened going into the next season. Newcastle should definitely be beginning for some extra attacking firepower to score the goals for them, but Benitez has had them defensively drilled in most games. Lascelles is a vocal leader that keeps his back four well disciplined and has the quality to play for most teams in the top flight. A potential England call-up is an interesting suggestion raised by Given, but the competition is fierce ahead of the World Cup and his lack of experience may work against him when it comes to Gareth Southgate’s squad selection.
