JONJO SHELVEY: I am not a little kid any more... now it's time to play proper football and earn another chance with England

  • Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is determined to fulfil his huge potential
  • The 23-year-old has one England cap but wants to get back in the squad
  • Shelvey admits criticism from Garry Monk helped him get back on track
  • Ex-Liverpool man is employing his own chef to help get fitter and slimmer
  • Shelvey has created the most chances in the Premier League this season 
  • He insists he will do himself justice if Roy Hodgson gives him a chance 

Jonjo Shelvey grapples at his waist and looks a little frustrated. The 'tyre', as he calls it, is not what it was but still is not as small as he decided it should be when he finally got serious.

The target is 10 per cent body fat and right now he's at 'about 11 or 12 per cent', a drop of two from the day earlier this eventful summer when he got together with his father and agent and realised things had to change. Euro 2016 was around the corner and Shelvey was leaving it a little late to make his run, the three men agreed.

But there was more to their conversation than excess baggage. 'I realised I'm not a little kid any more,' Shelvey says. 'I realised I'm 23, it's time to start playing proper football.'

Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey pulls off his trademark goal celebration during a Sportsmail photoshoot

Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey pulls off his trademark goal celebration during a Sportsmail photoshoot

Shelvey, pictured in action against Newcastle, has been in excellent form during Swansea's unbeaten start

Shelvey, pictured in action against Newcastle, has been in excellent form during Swansea's unbeaten start

The former Charlton and Liverpool man is getting his career back on track after a difficult 2014-15 season

The former Charlton and Liverpool man is getting his career back on track after a difficult 2014-15 season

Shelvey won his only senior England cap in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino in October, 2012

Shelvey won his only senior England cap in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino in October, 2012

WHAT'S SHELVEY'S 'HAROLD HILL' TATTOO ALL ABOUT?

Well, it's not a reference to the character of that name in Ian Dury's song 'This is what we find'!

It's nothing to do with comedian Harry Hill either.

Simply, that's where Jonjo Shelvey is from.

Harold Hill, near Romford in Essex.

He is sitting in the Liberty Stadium room that club staff call 'the crèche'. For the man who for so long seemed reluctant to grow up, the hope is that Roy Hodgson drops him a line on Sunday, either before or after Swansea host Manchester United. 

'It's strange,' Shelvey says. 'Every time a number comes up on my phone that I don't recognise recently I've been thinking, 'Is it him?''

There is an excitability about Shelvey, a knowledge he is in the form of his life and with none of the usual disclaimers.

He has created 13 chances in three games, which is the most in the Premier League, and, crucially, Shelvey has met Garry Monk's private ultimatum to prove he has 'the balls' to cut what he calls his 'stupidity'. 

In doing so, he has shown he is no longer the midfielder who followed a public dressing down from Monk for 'laziness' on December 26 with a four-game ban for clashing with Liverpool's Emre Can days later.

Monk told him to 'wise up' in person and through the press; behind closed doors Shelvey was left in no doubt the situation was serious. It is no accident that in the few games of this season Shelvey finally seems to have his brain and body on the same page. Those conversations with Monk were the tipping point.

Shelvey was sent off against Everton last season during  a goalless draw at Goodison Park

Shelvey was sent off against Everton last season during  a goalless draw at Goodison Park

Shelvey walks off after seeing red in November last year and he says he has grown up

Shelvey walks off after seeing red in November last year and he says he has grown up

Shelvey admits that he has had to cut out his 'stupidity' to fulfil his potential under manager Garry Monk

Shelvey admits that he has had to cut out his 'stupidity' to fulfil his potential under manager Garry Monk

The 23-year-old challenges Chelsea striker Diego Costa during Swansea's 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge

The 23-year-old challenges Chelsea striker Diego Costa during Swansea's 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge

Shelvey spent time Arsenal and West Ham before making his senior breakthrough with Charlton in 2008

Shelvey spent time Arsenal and West Ham before making his senior breakthrough with Charlton in 2008

Shelvey pulls off his glasses celebration after scoring the only goal against Southampton in February this year

Shelvey pulls off his glasses celebration after scoring the only goal against Southampton in February this year

JONJO'S QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Best player you have played with and against?

The best I have played with are probably Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney - they can do anything they want with a ball. The best I have played against is Luka Modric. You think you will put him on the weights here but he is stronger than you’d think and his brain is 20 times quicker than other people.

Who spends longest in front of the mirror?

Gylfi Sigurdsson. So much hair gel.

Last film?

Fifty Shades of Grey. It is not a bad film, actually. I also watch Frozen every day with my daughter.

Best practical joke you have seen in football?

At Charlton, Paddy McCarthy had done something to Greg Halford. Greg went and got some shampoo, conditioner, all sorts and just threw it all over Paddy’s Range Rover. Coated it completely. There were bits of food and yoghurt stuck to it.

'People forget I am only 23 but there comes a time when you can't literally go bad game, good game, any more,' he says. 'It has to be six good games in a row. That is what I need. There has to come a time in someone's career when you hit that consistency. I want that to be sooner rather than later.

'People were probably looking to me last season to really kick on and it just didn't happen for me. I think now is the time for me to do that.

'I have always been confident in my ability on the ball and I don't think anyone should ever doubt me in terms of that. But I know what people were saying last year in terms of picking up silly bookings (eight in the 2014-15 season). It was more just stupidity on my part and the gaffer came out and said his bit in the press and it was either going to go one way or the other.

'I could either say to him, "Whatever, I'm not interested in listening to you", and just sit on the bench, but I want to play football and the only way I thought to play for this man is to do what he is asking for me to do. I went away and used the four games I was banned to take a step back and work extra on the training ground. I've felt that I've been superb ever since then.'

Monk's 'bit in the press' was a surprisingly firm, and largely fair, condemnation of the daft shirt pulls and lazy fouls that had increasingly weakened Shelvey's game. With awkward timing, Shelvey was retrospectively punished for catching Can with an arm in his very next game and banned for four matches.

Shelvey knows that he must add consistency to his game after an up-and-down season in south Wales

Shelvey knows that he must add consistency to his game after an up-and-down season in south Wales

The Swansea star showed a glimpse of his talent with this brilliant goal against Southampton last season

The Swansea star showed a glimpse of his talent with this brilliant goal against Southampton last season

Shelvey admits that a talk with his father and agent during the summer has helped him hit top form again

Shelvey admits that a talk with his father and agent during the summer has helped him hit top form again

Manager Garry Monk had some strong words for Shelvey last season and wanted him to prove he had 'balls'

Manager Garry Monk had some strong words for Shelvey last season and wanted him to prove he had 'balls'

'The comments came out in the press the Monday of the Liverpool game (on December 28),' Shelvey says. 'We were in the hotel in Liverpool and I was a bit shocked in terms of it being out as he had not said anything to me that it would be in the press. I thought he would pull me aside, and say, 'I've said something', but he didn't. I don't blame him as he has benefited from doing it and so has the team and so have I. I can't fault him.

'I had a meeting with him at the start of this season with my dad and my agent and he (Monk) apologised for it coming out in the press before he told me it was. He said, "I did it to see if you had any balls about you and he said fair play, you have". Luckily I've shown I have got the balls that he asked for.'

Shelvey walked out of that July meeting with a four-year contract. By then he had already decided this was going to be a different kind of season on and off the pitch. Having got married in June to singer Daisy Evans - the mother of his 18-month-old daughter Lola Fleur - he says: 'My life is comfortable, settled. I spend my afternoons fixing toys, but I've only changed about 30 nappies in 18 months.'

They have bought a house and Shelvey is still in the process of interviewing chefs who will help him trim the tyre. 

Shelvey is looking to employ a personal chef as he bids to cut his body fat percentage from '11 or 12' to 10

Shelvey is looking to employ a personal chef as he bids to cut his body fat percentage from '11 or 12' to 10

Shelvey, pictured in action for England in 2012, is determined to break back into Roy Hodgson's squad

Shelvey, pictured in action for England in 2012, is determined to break back into Roy Hodgson's squad

Swansea and Shelvey welcome Louis van Gaal's Manchester United to the Liberty Stadium on Sunday

Swansea and Shelvey welcome Louis van Gaal's Manchester United to the Liberty Stadium on Sunday

Shelvey challenges Sunderland's Yann M'Vila for the ball during last week's 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light

Shelvey challenges Sunderland's Yann M'Vila for the ball during last week's 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light

'I am still not what I want to be,' he says. 'The chef was another thing I agreed with my dad in the summer.

'If you see me at home, I don't eat badly. If Lola is eating a chocolate bar and doesn't finish it I might just reach across and not let it go to waste. But that is not going to kill you.

'I don't think I have ever been under 11 or 12 per cent in my life in terms of body fat and the manager wants me at 10. It's going to take time but as long as I'm performing on the pitch I don't think he has a reason to pull me out of the team.'

That team plays United on Sunday - another audition for the other team Shelvey wants in his life.

'I want this,' he says. 'It is brilliant going away, playing with people like Wayne Rooney in training. I have one cap but haven't started an England game yet - I just want to start one because if I do I know I will do myself justice.'

That is what this season is all about for Shelvey.

 

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