Bruno Guimaraes makes Newcastle United trophy vow amid Pep Guardiola and Eddie Howe praise

Newly-crowned North East Football Writers Player of the Year Bruno Guimaraes is determined to kickstart the Newcastle United revolution by ending the Magpies long wait for major silverware.

The Brazil international followed in the footsteps of former Magpies stars Alan Shearer, Shay Given and current club captain Jamaal Lascelles when he collected the first individual honour of his time on Tyneside at the annual awards ceremony at Ramside Hall on Sunday night.

The delight on the former Lyon star’s face was all too evident as he received his award and provided a stark contrast to the emotional response he gave to United’s Carabao Cup Final defeat against Manchester United just seven days earlier. Despite their Wembley woes, the Magpies are still enjoying one of their most progressive seasons in recent history and could return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years by securing a top-four place.

Reflecting on the change in fortunes and St James Park and his own introduction to life on Tyneside, Guimaraes described the last year as ‘very special’ and revealed his ‘motivation’ was to secure major silverware for the Magpies, rather than collecting individual honours.

He told NewcastleWorld: “If we see what we did last season, we were a team that was fighting against relegation. Now we got to a final. Unfortunately, we didn’t get it, but now we’re fighting for Champions League. What makes me happy is knowing that this is just the first year. We have the potential to be a giant in the world. I’m happy and proud to be part of the revolution of the team, of the city, of everyone, because the city is about football. I can feel it since I signed for the club. This is very special for me.

“Yeah, I think about it (staying for a long time). When I signed (I thought) I would like to put my name in the club’s story. I think I’m doing it, but, of course, to get my name there, I need to win a title. I know what a title means for the club’s story. People grow up and they never see Newcastle as champions. My motivation here is to win a title for the club.”

United are still in the infancy of their development and their search for silverware under the ownership of the PIF-led consortium that took control at St James Park in October 2021. And although significant progress has already been made during the time that has passed, the Magpies hierarchy were given an indication of how far they have to go to become regular challengers for major honours over the last week.

Last weekend’s cup final heartache against Manchester United was quickly followed by a promising, yet ultimately fruitless display in a 2-0 defeat at reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime.

Guimaraes revealed he had received praise from City manager Pep Guardiola in the aftermath of the latter of those losses as the former Barcelona boss hailed the United star as ‘a good player’.

But it was the Magpies own manager that received praise from the midfielder, who believes Eddie Howe and United can go on to challenge at the top level of the game in the near-future.

Discussing the progress made over the last year, he said: “It’s too quick, but I think we have the players to do it. We have a good manager. I’m sure that in the future he will be the England manager, because he’s an amazing guy, an amazing manager.

“To be honest, this (the pace of progress), surprises me a little, but I’m so happy to be part of this. What made me happy is to know it’s just the first year. This club will be in the Champions League every year in the future.”

Should Guimaraes go on to enjoy success during his time at Newcastle, it will be a contrast to the difficulties experienced by the former Magpie that played a role in persuading him to move to St James Park.

The name Claudio Capaca is unlikely to conjure up too many happy memories for United supporters after he struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League - but perhaps his most important piece of work for the club has come 13 years after his departure.

“I spoke with Claudio Cacapa,” he explained.

“He was working with me when I was playing in Lyon. He told me some things about the club, the city. I always had the ambition to play in the Premier League. I know about the new owners, the new players, the new manager. I think I got the right decision to be here.

“He told me about the fans - the craziest fans in the world! - and the atmosphere at St James’ Park. He told me he played there before the new owners, and the atmosphere was amazing. He said: ‘You can imagine (the atmosphere) now with the new owners, the new ambitions. You can go there, you will take a big decision in your career.”

Magpies fans will already feel that decision was the right one to make.