Newcastle's Jonjo Shelvey faces last chance following Eddie Howe's show of faith

Few can dispute that talent that midfield player Jonjo Shelvey possesses but the former Liverpool man would no doubt be the first to agree that he perhaps hasn't enjoyed the sort of career at the highest level that his ability warrants.

The 29-year-old enjoyed time with both Arsenal and boyhood club West Ham United as a young player before moving to Charlton Athletic where he made his first team breakthrough.

His talent stood out by a mile at The Valley and that earned him a switch to Premier League giants Liverpool where he was tipped as a potential successor to club legend Steven Gerrard.

Unfortunately the central midfielder struggled to hold down a regular first team spot and left for Swansea where he spent two and a half years before arriving at St James' Park.

'An incredible technician'

New head coach Eddie Howe has hinted that Shelvey could be set for an integral role in his new look Newcastle side, hailing the player's technical ability.

He explained: "I knew how good Jonjo was, having played against him and watched him many times, but when you actually work with him you realise he's an incredible technician. He'll be someone very important for us as the season develops.

"Jonjo can play all sorts of passes, long and short. In terms of our philosophy and how we want to to play, he's someone who'll be very important to us."

'If he was playing for a Barcelona or Real Madrid, you could imagine he'd blow teams away'

The new Magpies gaffer isn't the first to tip Shelvey as a potentially huge player in the Premier League either.

Newcastle's Matt Ritchie also praised the ability of the 29-year-old in an interview with the In The Box podcast, via Goal, where he said that he wouldn't be out of place playing in El Classico, but only if he spent less time on the golf course.

Ritchie said: "For me, I've said to him so many times, 'If you just got your head down, focused solely on football and forgot about golf and whatever else.'

"It's true, though, isn't it? He's mad. He'll play golf three times a week, and I'm like, 'Jonj, you can't do that'. He's like, 'No, no, I feel better, Matty'. I'm like, 'That's impossible'.

"But what a player. I've been at Newcastle now for four years, and I've honestly seen him inside a box [rondo] no more than 10 times. That's how good he is - and we do boxes every day.

"This guy has the natural ability to just see passes, to receive the ball, to move the ball.

"I remember playing against him as a kid. I think he was 14 - we were playing Charlton Under-16s at Portsmouth - and I think he scored a hat-trick. He was unbelievable.

"Obviously, he's got his moves and he's ended up at Newcastle.

"He's that good. He's got everything, he's got the short one, and at Newcastle now, he hits longer passes and tougher passes and he's the one we look to to open teams up and create.

"But - and this is no disrespect to us at Newcastle - I feel like if he was playing for a Barcelona or Real Madrid, you could imagine he'd blow teams away with his ability.

"You've got to have everything in the right place, and he likes his golf too much, doesn't he?

"He says to me, 'I know Matty, but this is what I'm like, this is what I'm like'. Imagine if you wanted to. You could."

'I'll try to grasp the opportunity with both hands'

Based on Howe's comments, it seems that the 29-year-old could be in line for one final opportunity to fulfill his potential.

Shelvey spoke about how exciting it was to be at St James' Park in the aftermath of the completed £305million takeover, but admitted that he probably wouldn't be around long enough to see the club competing at the very top of the game.

He told the Daily Mail: "Those scenes outside the stadium were incredible.

"I was going to have a drive down, I wanted to get out there with a beer myself!

"That reaction at the stadium is unique. The fans have suffered a lot in the past, so I think what we saw was a release of frustration and relief that the deal had finally happened.

"Credit to the fans, too, because they have helped push this deal through. It gives us all so much to look forward to."

Asked about the ambition of playing Champions League football, he joked: "I probably won't be around when that does happen!'

"I know how long that could take, but to hear someone come in and say that, as a footballer, it makes you want to stay and fight for a place to be a part of it, those aspirations and goals.

"I've got 18 months left on my contract, so it comes down to me to show the people in charge what I'm about. I have to look after number one, it's my career.

"So it is nerve-racking, but I'm a positive person and I'll try to grasp the opportunity with both hands. There is excitement and nerves, I suppose."

Last chance

With just one and a half seasons to save his Newcastle United career it's be music to Shelvey's ears to hear Howe throw his support behind the player.

The midfielder is often criticised by supporters at St James' Park for the level of his performances with some calling him out for a lack of effort and poor decision-making.

In truth, it's probably just frustration with supporters able to see just how good a player he is capable of being on his day.

The responsibility is now with the 29-year-old to show supporters in Tyneside and around the UK that he's an outstanding athlete and not just another technically-gifted player who struggled to live up to his potential.