NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14: Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe gestures during the Newcastle United Training Session at the Newcastle United Training Centre on February 14, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Eddie Howe may have raised a few eyebrows when he handed Bruno Guimaraes the Newcastle United captaincy this summer, but it was a moved based on the Brazilian’s key influence in the dressing room.
The 26-year-old has been a pivotal player on the pitch since his arrival from Lyon in January 2022, but with leaders such as Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Fabian Schar already well establshed in the United side, the decision to hand the armband to the Bruno was a surprise to some.
You could argue, of course, that the likes of Burn and Trippier don’t need the authority of an official title to take charge on the pitch, but Bruno is relishing his new role. The playmaker is currently on international duty with Brazil and has spoken of his position at Newcastle, and revealed that those leadership qualitis are something he was ‘born with’.
“Yes, I do, I’m looking for it,” he told reporters in Brazil when asked if he enjoys the captaincy duties. “I’ve been very active in training, the locker room, meetings, trying to talk, motivate, understand, listen. I’ve always liked it,
“I was born with it, and I want to develop it in the national team. I love being here, playing for my country, I want to develop, but for the benefit of the team and not exclusively for Bruno.”
“A lot has been made of it. It’s not that big a deal internally.” he said. “Jamaal (Lascelles) is not going to be fit for a long period of time so he’s been promoted to club captain so he’s going to oversee the captain and is an incredible leader behind the scenes.
“Kieran and Dan in the leadership group continue to lead and Bruno has been promoted. It’s a healthy group, there’s more people in it. The players are on the pitch and have to lead. I’m probably making hundreds of decisions a week and you’re never going to get them all right. You’ve got to try and get more right than you get wrong. I think on the captaincy, it was about empowering Bruno and everyone else’s role remains exactly the same.”
