Julio Baptista – This is what Newcastle United have done for Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes | OneFootball

Julio Baptista has been talking about Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

The former Real Madrid and Roma star explaining why the pair have been able to make such an impact at Newcastle United.

The Brazilian duo integral to the League Cup win at Wembley, as well as the fact United are one of the favourites to qualify for the Champions League.

Julio Baptista won 47 caps for Brazil and also had a brief spell in the Premier League with Arsenal back in the 2006/07 season, on loan from Real Madrid.

The former Brazil international declaring, “Going from the south of Brazil to the north of England, it’s a huge change. Players need time to settle into the club and the country, and the city they’re in. If the clubs give them the right support, the players will meet their potential. I think that’s what Newcastle have done for these guys.”

I think fair to say that the arrivals of Joelinton and Bruno were handled very differently at Newcastle United.

Steve Bruce embarrassingly claimed it had been his final say on signing Joelinton for £40m, when in reality everybody knew Mike Ashley had insisted on the signing, the owner not happy when Rafa Benitez wouldn’t agree to the club paying £40m to bring in Joelinton. When Rafa was in charge, he had the final say on which players were signed, unlike his successor…

Joelinton had just had a very good breakthrough season with Hoffenheim, impressing in a role wide left.

Arriving at Newcastle United a few days after Steve Bruce was appointed, Joelinton was straight in the team from the start, played as a centre-forward…

As things fell apart under Ashley and Bruce and it ended up with a third Ashley relegation looking a certainty, Steve Bruce had increasingly left record signing Joelinton out of the Newcastle United team altogether.

Just when all looked lost for all of us who love Newcastle United, including Joelinton, we were saved by the departure of Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce, with the arrival of new ambitious owners and Eddie Howe.

Eddie Howe brilliantly turned things around after inheriting a total shambles, with one of his key masterstrokes using Joelinton as a midfield enforcer, who can also more than hold his own when helping the team play better football from that position.

As Julio Baptista says, giving players time to settle in new countries/leagues is often key.

Even though Newcastle United still in the middle of a desperate relegation battle, when Bruno Guimaraes arrived at the end of January 2022, the United boss gave him as much time as was needed to then get the best out of Bruno in the long-term.

A number of brief cameos off the bench then eventually saw Bruno make his first start for Newcastle six weeks later at Southampton, scoring a brilliant backheel volley to win the match. Whilst it would be April 2022 before Bruno made his first start at St James’ Park.

The brilliance of Eddie Howe helping to get the very best out of Bruno and Joelinton, as well as so many other players, both ones he had inherited and new signings.

Julio Baptista asked by Foot Italia; ‘How highly do you rate the Joelinton Bruno combination in the Newcastle midfield and why are so many Brazilian players like those two suited to the Premier League?”

“They are very good players.

“I think the kind of players that Brazil are sending to Europe has changed.

“Now, it’s not just technical quality, it’s physical strength and pace too.

“These two, they have great technical ability, but they also have the strength to succeed in the Premier League.

“Players now need to know what is required of the country they’re going to.

“Going from the south of Brazil to the north of England, it’s a huge change.

“Players need time to settle into the club and the country, and the city they’re in.

“If the clubs give them the right support, the players will meet their potential.