Newcastle United defender Emil Krafth has praised his teammates for creating a positive atmosphere in the dressing room.
The former Amiens defender opened up on his move to St James’ Park this summer, claiming everyone was made to feel welcome after Steve Bruce took charge of the Magpies.
Speaking in an interview with the Shields Gazette, the Swedish international revealed that all his teammates speak to each other and that there isn’t a rift between players.
“It’s an open team,” he said.
“Everybody talks to everybody. That, for me, is how it’s supposed to be. We’re a team, and we do this together. Everybody should talk to everybody. That’s how I feel.”
The £5million summer signing came into the starting line-up under Bruce after missing the Premier League opener against Arsenal and has cemented his place at right wing-back ever since.
OPINION
To go from a summer of players reportedly threatening an exodus [Football Insider], to a squad happy to be at the Magpies and bonding with each other in the space of a couple of months can only lead to praise being placed on Bruce’s shoulders. The Magpies’ boss must have created a real atmosphere in-and-around the training ground, and Krafth is in awe of that. The effect seems to have rubbed off on the Newcastle squad, who have bounced back from consecutive defeats to enter the international break with four points. Krafth himself has impressed on the right-hand-side of defence, making three consecutive starts. The 25-year-old has averaged a single tackle and 0.7 interceptions per game so far, but more impressively has averaged four clearances according to WhoScored – proving his ability to stand up when his side are under pressure in games. As well as that, Krafth has added a new dimension going forward, averaging 21 passes at a success rate of 81% – on top of averaging a shot once every three games [WhoScored]. An open and positive dressing room can only help Bruce and his Magpies’ squad to push on and continue their form after the international break.
