SHELVEY FIRED UP TO RIGHT MAGS’ WRONGS
CHAMPIONSHIP KICK-OFF LOOMS LARGE AS TYNESIDERS TAKE ON SOUTHEND TONIGHT
Jonjo Shelvey insists that Newcastle United’s players are NOT “feeling sorry for themselves” in the wake of relegation.
Instead, the midfielder says the squad is determined to right the wrongs of last season.
Rafa Benitez’s side will take on Phil Brown’s Southend United at Roots Hall tonight in their penultimate pre-season friendly (7.45pm).
Shelvey, signed from Swansea for £12million in January, says the mood is upbeat as the start of the Championship campaign on August 5 edges closer.
“I don’t think you can feel sorry yourself, and this certainly doesn’t feel like a club that’s feeling sorry for itself because of what happened,” said Shelvey, who scored in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Sporting Lokeren.
“We obviously deserved to go down because we weren’t good enough last year. It is what it is, and we are where we are, but it’ s down to us now to put things right.
“We’ve brought in some tremendous signings.
“It’s obviously another big plus with the manager staying. He’ll be giving it his best shot to try to get us out of the Championship.
“It’s down to us now to repay the fans for sticking by us.”
Wales midfielder Joe Allen is thrilled after joining Stoke City from Liverpool on a fiveyear deal for a reported fee of £13million.
Allen said: “I was really excited as soon as I heard of the club’s interest and it wasn’t a difficult decision for me to make. I am incredibly excited about my future here at Stoke City.”
Allen will fly out to link up with his new team-mates in Orlando today after becoming manager Mark Hughes’ second summer signing, a few hours after Egypt winger Ramadan Sobhi arrived from Al-Ahly.
Stoke have also tabled a £17million bid, rising to £20m with add-ons, for West Brom’s Saido Berahino.
Sunderland’s opening-day Premier League opponents, Manchester City, suffered a setback yesterday when their International Champions Cup friendly against Manchester United was called off due to an unplayable and unsafe pitch at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, China.
City will hope that Thursday’s clash with Borussia Dortmund in Shenzhen gets the go-ahead.