Glenn Hoddle heaped praise on Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and revealed he would take him to the World Cup if he was England manager.
The 60-year-old drooled over the 26-year-old Magpies midfielder’s ability and claimed that he had clearly improved under Rafa Benitez this season.
“It might surprise a few people when I say I would take Jonjo Shelvey to the World Cup, as he is a maverick who hasn’t played in qualifying matches,” wrote Hoddle in his column for the Daily Mail.
“The one thing he provides which England lack, with Adam Lallana’s fitness in question, is a pass from midfield which opens doors. He can pick out players with a precisely-weighted ball over the top or a pass threaded through a group of defenders.
“Shelvey is a player you would bring on for the last 15 minutes. If you need a goal, he can unlock defences and if you’re winning and a team is attacking you, he has the ability to launch a quick counterattack and open a team up.
“My only worry is that sometimes he loses himself positionally but he’s improved in that regard under Rafa Benitez this season.”
Shelvey has made 31 appearances during the current campaign for Benitez’s side, scoring two goals, while creating two.
OPINION
Gareth Southgate would be to wise to listen to the advice of a former England manager as Hoddle knows what the nation expects at a major tournament. If the 60-year-old is stating that Shelvey would be a useful player to have in your World Cup squad, it’s worth noting. The 26-year-old may not have featured for England in recent years, but his performances this season more than justify a spot on the plane to Russia this summer. Everything Hoddle says about the midfielder is true and his passing ability could be lethal against even the best nations at the prestigious tournament. While it’s unknown what Shelvey’s chances are of breaking into England’s World Cup squad at the last possible opportunity, no fan will turn up their nose at him going. The 26-year-old used to have a questionable disciplinary record that caused his tremendous abilities to be overlooked, but that seems to be all behind him now.
