Newcastle manager Chris Hughton has said today that center-back Sol Campbell is almost fully fit, , and will be included in the first team squad for Blackpool on Saturday.
Sol Campbell – nearly fit again
Chris Hughton said today:
“Sol has had two reserve-team games and he has another two weeks of hard training so I would expect him to be involved against Blackpool at the weekend.”
“When you have a player who is as experienced as Sol, they know their bodies and they know when they are fit. Sol has worked extremely hard since he signed for Newcastle and he is almost ready.”
“I’ve been very pleased with the way he has trained and the work he has done to get fit as quickly as possible. He was a little behind everyone else because he got married in the summer and missed the start of pre-season, but he is in good shape now.”
“I don’t think it is a risk to include him in the squad for the Blackpool game because he knows how he is feeling. He is a big signing for us – and I know he can’t wait to play.”
The pending fitness of Campbell may have been an incentive to both Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson, because both have performed admirably this season, and it is debatable when Sol will make his debut for Newcastle.
He is almost certainly to be included in the starting side that plays at Chelsea in a couple of weeks time, in the 3rd round of the Carling Cup, where his experience will be a big plus for Newcastle.
Steven Taylor is still about 4 weeks away from returning from his shoulder injury and there promises to be tremendous competition for place sin defense in general since Danny Simpson is also due back in a few weeks from his ankle injury.
Hughton continued:
“We have signed Sol because he is an excellent defender with a vast amount of Premier League experience.” “He has been a positive influence already in training and he will add a huge amount to the squad.”
“But Mike and Fabricio have begun the season very well so we don’t need to rush Sol back. It is always better when you don’t have to rush someone into the team – and we don’t have to do that with Sol.”
Chris will certainly have selection headaches this season, but that’s a good problem to have as a manager, and we just have to hope he can keep all his players happy at the club.
Success on the pitch will help ensure that, and the lads have already made a very good start to the campaign.
Comments welcome.
5 comments so far
jesus was a geordie
Sep 9, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Comment #1I think so long as Hughton starts with the same 11, then the substitions in the 2nd half should include Campbell and Ben Arfa.
It’s important we give Willo and Colo a rest, so Campbell should definintely be used against Chelski. Ben Arfa needs games and after making all the right noises about the fans and the atmosphere, he needs a run out in front of what I expect to be a sell out crowd…Let him get a taste of what he can come to expect!
Solaidback
Sep 9, 2010 at 10:59 AM
Comment #2Ed man, you’re writting too many blogs at once, I’ve only just finished reading this one & see there’s aother one to read…. lol
Sol, Toite & Benny on at the 60min mark, something to scare the crap out of the Blackpool side, as we’ll already be 3-0 up.. lol
Toontastico
Sep 9, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Comment #3It really is gonna be tricky to pick a first 11 when all are fit, even down to the GK’s in Harper and Krul people are divided, this is great as it shows that there really is propper competition for places and with what is a young hungry squad with a v good team spirit this is great stuff.
I reckon if the next 10 people picked thier starting 11 you’d have 8 diff teams!
V Optimistic that this team can achieve a higher mid table position this year.
Captain Beefheart
Sep 9, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Comment #4Campbell is simply a stop gap because filthy greedy Steven Taylor is injured & refuses to sign up. He is not part of the future and must be used only to take the weight off Colo & Willo.
Besides, we cannot afford to make Sol a regular first team player, he’s yesterday’s player, and we need to build for the future the kind of long term settled defence Arsenal had pre Campbell (indeed pre Wenger as the short sighted one kept George Graham’s defence intact) with the likes of Dixon, Keown, Bould, Adams & Winterburn to call on.
Bao Zheng
Sep 10, 2010 at 5:20 AM
Comment #5Well medium rare apart from vilifying Saylor I think you have it about right. If the old trout Sol wants to milk this magic band he needs to fit in and that means as a support act rather than regular starter. On Saylor it seems to me he is going the same road as Jenas, potentially good footballer but at the same time troublesome spoilt brat. I would let him lick the decals of some other club . Wonder if he is actually injured?