Jamaal Lascelles has insisted Steve Bruce is a good fit for Newcastle United - despite the frosty reception on Tyneside for the ex-Sunderland boss.
Lascelles is still confident the Magpies can still make a good fist of life after Rafa Benitez.
Bruce took his first training session in Shanghai this afternoon and will meet the media tomorrow.
And Lascelles said: "Steve knows English football, he's got a decent record in the Premier League and the Championship and he is spoken of highly by the players.
"Whatever manager is in charge, the players have to cross the white line and you need heart, passion and desire to be able to do that.
"Hopefully we can bring a few new faces in as well."
Lascelles has also spoken about his respect for team-mates after starting pre-season without a boss.
He said: “I did think when we came back that it would be quite difficult not having a manager.
"I thought players could go off the rails and lose their heads and stuff but they have remained professional.
"We've got on with it but we need a manager.
"It's not the first time it's happened to us as a group but we haven't really had any direction.
"I'm looking forward to it, it's going to be a totally new challenge, new structure, new tactics, new instructions.
"It's frustrating because it always seems to be Newcastle this and Newcastle that and it always seems to be negative.
"People never have positive things to say about us as players.
"We're always being told we are not good enough or we are not doing something right.
"But as players we try to work hard and do the right things and that's all we can do."
