The good news yesterday was that Mike Williamson played 45 minutes yesterday for Newcastle Reserves.
Mike Williamson – number 6 at Newcastle
And Mike Williamson was interviewed after his first game back yesterday afternoon by the Evening Chronicle:
“From my point of view, I’m fit for selection.” “I feel like my ankle and knee are OK.”
“I’ve had a couple of training sessions and that 45 minutes under my belt.” “It’s down to the manager – I’m just happy to be back.”“The opportunity’s there and I’ll do my best when I get a chance.” “It reminded me of my school days – it was windy and rainy conditions – but it was good to get outside.”
“You have ups and downs in any career, and injuries are part and parcel of this profession.”
When Williamson got injured last August at Scunthorpe, and it essentially meant that Newcastle had no cover at all at center-back.
So although it was hard to lose Steven Taylor for the season after the Chelsea game, it could have been much worse if Steven had been injured in early September.
And Newcastle did themselves no favors when they failed to bring in any center-backs in the summer transfer window as cover, although they did make a late bid for Birmingham’s Liam Ridgewell.
And Mike has also been out much longer than first thought, when he picked up the injury in the first half of that Carling Cup tie.
Williamson continued:
“At the time it was quite painful – it was my ankle and knee.” “I didn’t realise the length of time I would be out, but I had the scan and I was in a boot for eight weeks in the end.”
“I got 45 minutes under the my belt yesterday, and that was always going to be the exercise. I came off at half-time, and it was nice to be back and have the boots back on.”
“It has been frustrating, but I’m just glad to have that behind me, and I want to get as fit as I can.”
We don’t expect Mike to start the game on Saturday, but maybe if the game is safe he could come on for the last 15 minutes or so, to get a feel for things again, because we expect him to be on the bench.
It’s interesting that when he played at Scunthorpe United in August, he hadn’t played all season, and looked a little rusty, before he left the field in the first half with his ankle injury.
But once Mike gets back we have to look forward to him forming a good partnership with Coloccini at the back for Newcastle, as he had last season.
On Saturday somebody will have to partner Coloccini at the back, but it will be a lot easier than at Norwich City, because they will have the excellent Coloccini alongside them, with all his vast experience.
And we’ve heard Mike Williamson say many times how he has learned such a lot from the Argentine International and Newcastle’s captain.
We think it will be 26 year-old James Perch who will get his second start in a row and his 23 rd appearance for Newcastle against Swansea City on Saturday.
We need all 3 points on Saturday and things will be looking up again on Tyneside.
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
331 comments so far
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Comment #1selby mag if you are there
i am 28 from new delhi, india i support newcastle bcoz – there is no reason just love black an white.
why am i explaining 2 u
gorgonzola
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Comment #2We have lost the game if Perch plays you heard it here first
jayphoto
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Comment #3swansea have championship level strikers – perch is a championship level defender! Aslong as Collo plays we’ll be alright! Swansea have the worst away form in the league! We should be beating them! Tiote would be a great plus tho, they pass a lot, he;d break that up nicely!
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #4Read your “opinion” on Sh. Ameobi, have you followed Shola’s entire career with Newcastle? He has played as a squad player for over 10 years, he has consistently scored goals, created for others and been a loyal servant to this club. To suggest that HBA has come anywhere near the contribution that Shola has made for this club is ludicrous and if you believe he has then you need your head examined.
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #5I dont mind Perch to be honest. I was at Chelsea abd he did well. We need a physical presence at the back though. We would have owned Norwich if Tayls and Colo were at the back. Lambert just got his tactics right and they dominated our small defenders. We must play Colo and Kadar at the back, Perch for me is a 4th choice DM or RB never a CB, hes an a handy backup thats all!
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Comment #6So we have lost if Perch plays, even if he lines up beside Colo? You don’t have much faith in our captain then do you?
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:17 PM
Comment #7sure i have got my head examined. noting wrong. shola still crap
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:18 PM
Comment #8Pards wont play Kadar though we all know that!
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:18 PM
Comment #9perch was alongside colo against forest. need i say more
Selbymag
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:20 PM
Comment #10Indian Magpie – im just curious as to how your ideas on the club / players are formed.
Thanks for the explanation im happy to reciprocate but i know you dont care
GeordieGerman
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:21 PM
Comment #11Indian Magpie, go back to cricket. I’m fed up of reading your venom.
Sir Alan
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Comment #12The only reason why i can see Perch playing is because there strikers aren’t very tall- Sinclair, Lita, Dyer and he might be able to handle them for pace. Let Colo handle Danny Graham.
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:23 PM
Comment #13i dont like cricket
@selby no worries either way mate
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:24 PM
Comment #14i am very good cricket player, just dont like it as much as football
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:25 PM
Comment #15Indian…..I have been reading this blog for years and I have to say that the piffel you spout is second to none! Now I am a critic of Shola for alot of areas in his game but Crap he is not! He was outstanding against Norwich and against Chelsea and Totteham. He is an impact player these days and is clearly a leader in the dressing room. Do us all a favour wach some football and form some proper opinions not just the inane toss you come out with currently ….That is all!
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:26 PM
Comment #16watch *
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:28 PM
Comment #17see everyone,
you may not like me, you may even hate me. i do not like shola you may do. nothing against him as a person, but as a player i could do better. if i was born in england or spain i would be professional footballer
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:29 PM
Comment #18Well Indian, you are well and truly outnumbered by people who, perhaps, know a thing or two more about the beautiful game and Newcastle itself, so if they are telling you that your opinion is wrong, then take it as a fact, your “opinion” is wrong.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:30 PM
Comment #19Wow, delusional as well. Any shred of integrity you may have had has been lost now Indian.
boater
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:30 PM
Comment #20@Ruddy M. Your Shola comments are well made and well put, but when you’re dealing with someone who can comes back with ‘don’t care, Shola is crap’ or ‘shola is -10 out of 10’ as IndianM likes to say, you might as well move on – you aint getting anywhere.
Like I said, some of this lot would have been burning witches a few hundred years ago.. they just need a scapegoat, mob mentality. If it’s not shola it’s Perch or someone else.
If Perch plays – he plays. It’s not 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice.. but stop your bleating. Man U played a run of games with no central defenders last season.
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:31 PM
Comment #21ruddy how can you say that, take it from me i am better than shola on 1 leg
Thump
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Comment #22No, Indian. We’re just tired of reading your poorly thought out vitriol. You’re not trying to instigate discussion, you’re simply saying Shola “isn’t good enough” – he’s good enough to have spent his career at this club and he’s still chipping in with goals and assists.
You support Newcastle because we play in black and white? Juventus plays in black and white – go and support them.
Thump
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Comment #23I can’t talk for Ruddy but I can give a good guess as to why he can say that.
Shola is a professional football player. You are not. Hence, Shola is better than you.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Comment #24@boater It would almost be forgiveable if we were dealing with a teenager trying to have a debate with older people and failing but the guy is 28! haha well we all know that Shola may not be the most technically gifted player in the world but as I said he is one of the most loyal servants of the club, along with Harps, and deserves our respect. This season he has been fantastic as an impact player. The clear thinking of us know how valuable to the squad he is, the likes of Indian don’t know the value of loyalty because to them Newcastle is just a football club
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:35 PM
Comment #25fine keep rooting for shola, it took me 8-9 years to make that opinion, it wont change in a jiffy
GAZ09
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:35 PM
Comment #26All i want for Christmas is for Pardew not to play Perch anymore!
GeordieGerman
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:36 PM
Comment #27Indian Magpie, you could always send a video to Dennis Wise.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:37 PM
Comment #28I know that Pards knows his players a whole lot better than we do and that is the only explanation as to why Perch is getting chosen ahead of Kadar,jimmymagpie said that Kadar was distinctly average against Bolton reserves,well Perch is disticntly useless against anybody,honestly the air of gloom that overcame the Gallowgate end against Chelsea when he was about to come on,I think if it had of been Kadar people would of said nice one lets see what this kid can do.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:37 PM
Comment #29Thank you Thump couldn’t have put it better myself. 🙂
If you are better than Shola then hotfoot it over here and beg Pards for a trial, you’re only 28 you could bang them in for us for a good few years yet. That is, if you are as good as you say you are. My guess would be that you are a insecure man with delusions of grandeur who bigs up his ability over a keyboard, knowing full well the people you profess to have no idea how good/awful you are. I am better than Messi, I challenge you to disprove that.
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:37 PM
Comment #30how about graham carr
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Comment #31Indian…. You are not better than Shola on one leg….If that was the case you would be a professional footballer….and also a member of the Indian Paralympic Football team I suppose. Shola was at one point a very frustrating player for NUFC but in recent years he has strted to come good more often than not. You simply do not know what you are talking about….Learn!
Thump
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Comment #32You don’t understand, Indian. We aren’t having a go because you don’t like Shola, that’s absolutely fine and it’s your prerogative, our problem is that you use absolutely every opportunity to slag him off – often with very little justification.
You haven’t even said why he’s a bad player, your justification is based entirely on the fact that you’ve decided that he’s not good enough.
boater
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:39 PM
Comment #33Vuckic looked our best midfielder in pre-season – if he can’t get a game with so many out I despair. Abeid looks a prospect too – but I’ve seen so little of him. Without wanting to lay blame – Gosling was as much at fault for the result last week as any defender.. not just the errant pass, but the lack of discipline in his positioning.
Surely Cabaye can sit deeper at home, if it allows Vuckic a rare start?
I would also like to see Arfa on the wing. Ba sees more of the ball when we play 4-4-2, and someone Shola/Best to do his dirty work.
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:39 PM
Comment #34Ruddy,
i am not even going to try
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:40 PM
Comment #35Try what? explaining yourself? changing your opinion? talking sense? or behaving like an adult?
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:41 PM
Comment #36Indian are you for real!?!?!?! Guess what I am better than Pele while standing on my head!
Thump
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:42 PM
Comment #37Eh, Colo-Sus, I saw Pele playing football standing on his head and he wasn’t that good. Not a difficult performance to beat mate haha 😉
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Comment #38ruddy,
disproving that you are anyway inferior than messi
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Comment #39If only we all were as good as we thought we were…we’d be a regular little dream team capable of beating Barca haha alas we’re all regular joes who like a kickabout but have no ability worth talking about, just like you Indian.
Colo-Sus
Dec 14, 2011 at 1:43 PM
Comment #40Haha…..Indian how many runs did Shola score last season? How do you rate Cabaye as a bowler?