I'd do it again: Liverpool's Shelvey ready to risk another big-game red
26 Oct 2012 22:30
Controversially sent off against Manchester United a month ago the midfielder says he won't be pulling his punches against Everton
Fight knight: Sent-off Shelvey bickers with United boss Ferguson
Yet for Jonjo Shelvey, the memory of his red-card shame against Manchester United, andthe subsequent spat with their manager Sir Alex Ferguson is, perhaps, a moment he will always hold on to.
The Liverpool midfielder still smarts at the dismissal in September, in what was the biggest game of his career.
“The walk off the pitch felt like a mile,” he remembers of his departure under the accusing arm of the referee as it pointed towards the stand.
For all the pain of that moment though, the young England international is as emphatic in his belief it will help his career in the long run as he is that he wouldn’t pull out of the challenge on Jonny Evans were he to be in the same situation again... no matter the consequences.
That assertion is particularly pertinent on the eve of the latest Merseyside derby, because there are those who wonder if the 20-year-old can yet be trusted in the heat of one of the most explosive fixtures in English football.
“I still stand by my decision, that I wasn’t going to pull out of a tackle. If I had pulled out of one against Manchester United I would have hurt myself and the fans would have gone mental,” said Shelvey.
“It is part of a learning curve, and obviously it has taught me a lot.
“Football is becoming less of a contact sport and it’s a bit of a joke, really.
"How can you pull out of a tackle if the ball is there to be won? That is what fans want to see, but times have changed and we have to adapt.
“I understand that, and I’m glad that happened early in my career and against such a big team because it’s something I can take into the future.”
No regrets: Shelvey refuses to pull out of 50-50 challenges
Shelvey is a refreshing character in an industry that tends to stamp the personality out of its young participants and he is not afraid to voice a genuinely held feeling, even if it leads to controversy and trouble.
It most certainly did when he aimed a choice few words in the direction of Ferguson during his walk of shame in the 2-1 loss to United at Anfield.
The London-born midfielder apologised afterwards, but retains his right to air a grievance, even against one of the most powerful figures in the game.
It is, Shelvey says, something drilled into him by his dad Ricky:
“I saw him [Ferguson] in the fourth official’s ear so I shouted to him, ‘It’s your fault I got sent off.’
"I apologised afterwards because I knew I was in the wrong. I was walking back down the tunnel towards the car park and he was walking towards me.
“It was a bit awkward!
"I told him it was wrong and emotions got the better of me when it happened... but I still wouldn’t have pulled out of the tackle if it was there.
“He said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’
“My dad has always brought me up to respect people, but if you have your opinion and feel you are in the right don’t be afraid to say it.
“That counts in all aspects of life. You have to fear no-one except for our manager!”
That attitude has served Shelvey well in winning him an England cap at such a tender age, by providing the desire and passion to thrive at the top level.
But he is the first to admit it hasn’t exactly allowed his career path to run smoothly.
“I was at Arsenal when I was nine, but I didn’t like the manager of their Under-10s, so I went to West Ham,” he recalled.
“My brother was at West Ham, and my dad was a coach there, but at the time he didn’t think my brother was getting a fair crack so pulled him away from it.
“He told me he’d support me if I wanted to stay there, but I wanted to stick with my brother as he was a bit upset by it at the time.
“West Ham was the club I supported, so it was a hard decision. But I wanted to show loyalty to my brother, so I walked away from it for a year and played local football.”
He was soon back in the pro game at Charlton though, and as an 18-year-old, was surprised to see a certain Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish MBE watching from the stands.
From there, it has been a meteoric rise into the England squad and a first cap in the recent win over San Marino.
Thumb achievement: Shelvey has gone from parks player to England international
“I’ve gone very quickly from playing in a park with my mates to sitting next to Wayne Rooney at dinner with England. It was a bit weird,” he admitted.
“I was nervous and thought no one would talk to me, but Danny Welbeck broke the ice immediately by shouting over to me, ‘Hey you! Leave our manager alone!’
“They were all first class.
"My aim now is to be called up again for the Sweden game next month.
“In the end, it comes down to wanting to be a winner. A lot of games can be won on who wants it the most.
“That’s what my dad has tried instil in me.”
26 Oct 2012 22:30
Controversially sent off against Manchester United a month ago the midfielder says he won't be pulling his punches against Everton
Michael Regan
It is a dubious double most people would swiftly want to forget.Yet for Jonjo Shelvey, the memory of his red-card shame against Manchester United, andthe subsequent spat with their manager Sir Alex Ferguson is, perhaps, a moment he will always hold on to.
The Liverpool midfielder still smarts at the dismissal in September, in what was the biggest game of his career.
“The walk off the pitch felt like a mile,” he remembers of his departure under the accusing arm of the referee as it pointed towards the stand.
For all the pain of that moment though, the young England international is as emphatic in his belief it will help his career in the long run as he is that he wouldn’t pull out of the challenge on Jonny Evans were he to be in the same situation again... no matter the consequences.
That assertion is particularly pertinent on the eve of the latest Merseyside derby, because there are those who wonder if the 20-year-old can yet be trusted in the heat of one of the most explosive fixtures in English football.
“I still stand by my decision, that I wasn’t going to pull out of a tackle. If I had pulled out of one against Manchester United I would have hurt myself and the fans would have gone mental,” said Shelvey.
“It is part of a learning curve, and obviously it has taught me a lot.
“Football is becoming less of a contact sport and it’s a bit of a joke, really.
"How can you pull out of a tackle if the ball is there to be won? That is what fans want to see, but times have changed and we have to adapt.
“I understand that, and I’m glad that happened early in my career and against such a big team because it’s something I can take into the future.”
AP
Shelvey is a refreshing character in an industry that tends to stamp the personality out of its young participants and he is not afraid to voice a genuinely held feeling, even if it leads to controversy and trouble.
It most certainly did when he aimed a choice few words in the direction of Ferguson during his walk of shame in the 2-1 loss to United at Anfield.
The London-born midfielder apologised afterwards, but retains his right to air a grievance, even against one of the most powerful figures in the game.
It is, Shelvey says, something drilled into him by his dad Ricky:
“I saw him [Ferguson] in the fourth official’s ear so I shouted to him, ‘It’s your fault I got sent off.’
"I apologised afterwards because I knew I was in the wrong. I was walking back down the tunnel towards the car park and he was walking towards me.
“It was a bit awkward!
"I told him it was wrong and emotions got the better of me when it happened... but I still wouldn’t have pulled out of the tackle if it was there.
“He said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’
“My dad has always brought me up to respect people, but if you have your opinion and feel you are in the right don’t be afraid to say it.
“That counts in all aspects of life. You have to fear no-one except for our manager!”
That attitude has served Shelvey well in winning him an England cap at such a tender age, by providing the desire and passion to thrive at the top level.
But he is the first to admit it hasn’t exactly allowed his career path to run smoothly.
“I was at Arsenal when I was nine, but I didn’t like the manager of their Under-10s, so I went to West Ham,” he recalled.
“My brother was at West Ham, and my dad was a coach there, but at the time he didn’t think my brother was getting a fair crack so pulled him away from it.
“He told me he’d support me if I wanted to stay there, but I wanted to stick with my brother as he was a bit upset by it at the time.
“West Ham was the club I supported, so it was a hard decision. But I wanted to show loyalty to my brother, so I walked away from it for a year and played local football.”
He was soon back in the pro game at Charlton though, and as an 18-year-old, was surprised to see a certain Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish MBE watching from the stands.
From there, it has been a meteoric rise into the England squad and a first cap in the recent win over San Marino.
Scott Heavey
“I’ve gone very quickly from playing in a park with my mates to sitting next to Wayne Rooney at dinner with England. It was a bit weird,” he admitted.
“I was nervous and thought no one would talk to me, but Danny Welbeck broke the ice immediately by shouting over to me, ‘Hey you! Leave our manager alone!’
“They were all first class.
"My aim now is to be called up again for the Sweden game next month.
“In the end, it comes down to wanting to be a winner. A lot of games can be won on who wants it the most.
“That’s what my dad has tried instil in me.”
