'He's our Pirlo' - Eddie Howe on Sandro Tonali's development and Newcastle future
MIDFIELD maestro. From Milano. But a match for Pirlo? Eddie Howe thinks so.
Sandro Tonali has been a revelation in the last few weeks for Newcastle United, dropping back into a deep-lying midfield role and looking every inch the £55m player the Magpies hoped they were signing when they prised him from AC Milan 18 months ago.
There are obvious reasons why it has taken Tonali longer than expected to start living up to his billing as a seasoned Italy international, but the fact he has got there despite the inevitable problems that accompanied his ten-month suspension for breaching betting regulations speaks well for all involved. Not, however, that Howe ever really doubted Tonali would eventually prove his worth.
The Newcastle boss watched the 24-year-old extensively prior to being part of the recruitment team that sanctioned his signing, and liked what he saw. There was the technical excellence and pinpoint passing. There was the creative vision from the heart of midfield. There was also the athleticism that has come to the fore so impressively in the last few matches. The more he watched, the more he was reminded of an Italian midfield great. And it wasn’t just the flowing dark hair that prompted the comparison.
“When I first saw Sandro play, there were definite links to Pirlo, without a doubt,” said Howe, ahead of this afternoon’s home game with Aston Villa. “And it's not just the hair. There's more to it than that.
“He's definitely got those similar qualities in terms of build and style, but I think the thing that set Sandro apart, for me, from anyone else was he could do all of those things technically and tactically looked really good, but it's his athleticism as well, his ability to run.
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“I think we've seen that in recent games from a defensive viewpoint now more than an attacking viewpoint, where he's sprinting to put out fires for us from a defensive viewpoint, nicking balls, intercepting balls, using his athleticism to track runners. I think he's been excellent in that respect and think that's really helped the team.
“Yes, there are the obvious ones (comparisons) in terms of his technique and his passing and everything else, but I think that's the thing that sets him apart.”
Tonali’s performances in the last month have led to renewed speculation over his long-term future, but within the Newcastle hierarchy, there is no desire at all to sell a player they have invested so much time and energy into supporting.
You would like to think that sense of loyalty would be reciprocated, with Tonali having benefited greatly from Newcastle’s backing during a time of extreme personal difficulty when he admitted to having gambling problems.
The Italian’s ten-month spell on the sidelines was a traumatic period for all involved, but Howe gained even more respect for Tonali because of the way he handled himself when he was unable to play.
“The best quality of Sandro, as I've said many times, is that he doesn't really give too much away,” said Howe. “So, even in this spell where he's playing superbly well – I've been really, really happy with how he's looked in the team – I'd still say he's the same Sandro that he was last year when he couldn't play and he was banned, in terms of his general conduct and feeling around the training ground.
“That's a quality that last year he brought to us. He was very low maintenance, a player that you can't use in games, but can only train. He was incredibly helpful to the players that were playing, incredibly supportive of them, and he's carried that on this year where now he's obviously available and playing very well, but those qualities still exist.
“He's still a very good team-mate, he's still caring about the other players. I can't speak highly enough of how he's conducted himself.”
Joelinton is back in the squad after suspension today, and is likely to dislodge Joe Willock from the side that started at Ipswich last weekend.
Newcastle (probable, 4-3-3): Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
