I was team-mates with Joselu – I would never have predicted he’d be playing in a Champions League final

BACK in my Newcastle days, if you asked me to predict which of my team-mates would play in a Champions League final, Joselu would not have been top of the list.

In fact, it’s fair to say he’d have been nowhere near!

Rex

Getty

But I will be thrilled to bits to see Jos lining up for Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund in the biggest club game of them all.

As will everyone else who shared a dressing room with him a few years ago.

I was really buzzing for him when he came off the bench and scored those two goals in the semi-final against Bayern Munich.

He is one of the good guys, always smiling even when things aren’t going particularly well.

And let’s be honest, it wasn’t plain sailing for Jos when he was at Newcastle, after joining from Stoke.

He struggled for goals and was in and out of the side. But he never let his head go down and remained a popular figure in the squad.

He worked incredibly hard in training and, on the pitch, he was one of those forwards who never hid, did the dirty work and ran all day.

Back then, Newcastle didn’t create the amount of chances they have in the last two seasons.

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

After promotion under Rafa Benitez, it was a case of keeping it tight and ensuring we weren’t in the relegation zone.

Am I surprised Joselu has done so well since leaving Newcastle and heading back home for Spain?

Well, yes and no. He wasn’t a bad finisher at all in training. And on matchdays, his hold-up play, work-rate, football intelligence and ability to bring others into play was really good.

It was just the goals that were lacking a bit — six in 46 Premier League appearances.

But confidence is everything for a striker and he never really had any momentum during his two years with us.

Since hitting his stride with Alaves, the goals kept on flowing at Espanyol before he earned his dream loan move to Real Madrid.

Those two goals in the semi-final were no flash in the pan.

He won his first cap for Spain last year at the age of 33 — and has netted five times in ten games.

He is now earning his rewards for his professionalism, desire and work ethic.

Joselu’s Indian summer is one of the great football stories of recent times and, who knows, the best may still be to come.

As manager of Gateshead, I was fortunate to celebrate FA Trophy success over Solihull Moors at Wembley a few weeks ago.

Well, now it’s over to my old mate.

And, even if he starts on the bench, you wouldn’t bet against Joselu scoring the ­winning goal in the Champions League final.