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
Munster Mag
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Comment #81IndianMagpie, will you ever shut up, you silly delusional tool. Ameobi played for the Toon with a didgy hip, when others would have hidden. He’s not the best in many areas of the game, but successive managers have all found positive things to say about him. Now go back to your one legged indian football.
WWJBD
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:11 PM
Comment #82Haha well I just finished work and had a read through this it did put a smile on my face haha 🙂
On topic I am very much looking forward to seeing Willo back playing a very solid defender and, imo, atleast on par with Saylor
He was a complete steal for us as we’ll 1mill wasent it? Honest Mike welcome back lad
GeordieGerman
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:11 PM
Comment #83Some nice photo’s of the lads doing the childrens hospitals.
http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/News/Gallery/0,,10278~2547364,00.html
ToonMauritius
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Comment #84Hi Lads, “to whom it may concern” we are not supporting any individual player, we are supporting a team “NewcastleUnited” with whatever player, even in the championship or any league. I know we desire to have big names in our team but thats not in our hands.
WWJBD
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:14 PM
Comment #85Hatem
It all apparently on hold until summer now and I don’t blame Simmo. Apparently he won’t be sold in Jan but summer is nut up or shut up for him.
Defenders tend to hit their top form at 27+ imo so I’d agree Simmo will just keep improving
boater
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:16 PM
Comment #86Ruddy/Selby – I have a feeling we will be better off on Saturday with a tweaked midfield, no matter who starts in defense- pains me to say it but Gosling and Cabaye looked our feeblest combination all season. I was always wary of the Vuckic hype but he looked fantastic in the early season, just sitting behind the strikers – big, strong and instinctive close control.
I still reckon Arfa out wide is an option- especially considering Obertan’s form. Plus Ba likes playing with an advanced strike partner to play off the defender’s shoulder.
Hatem
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Comment #87Yeah, WWJBD, clubs actually handling it quite well, a lot of teams would just ship any contract ‘bad boys’ for whatever they can get for them in Jan. I don’t see why he wouldnt want to sign for us, he’s in our first team, and he wouldnt cut the mustard at most of the clubs around our position in the league.
-Tendo-
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Comment #88Indian Mag – listen to yourself –
“and i am not a professional footballer bcoz i chose not to be 1” really?
You chose not be a footballer, instead you’d rather sit on a blog and slag a player off that you have probably only ever seen on match highlights or on TV. I have read this blog for about a year now but never commented, reading all your (extremely) childish posts about Shola is just embarrasing, are you really 28 because you really need to grow up…
Indian Magpie
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:21 PM
Comment #89okay lads c ya, long live shola, more evenings like this
planb
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:22 PM
Comment #90Simpson and perch cant tackle or head the ball so what use are they? get shot as soon as possible along with lovenkrands and the worst signing in the history of NUFC Alan smith a born again striker who thinks hes a holding midfielder on 65k a week nice work if you can get it.
Gash
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:23 PM
Comment #91Haven’t been on here for a while but was thinking slightly off topic. If Chelski were to give us Alex, Torres and 7 million would that be a fair exchange for Tiote. Basically a 30 million deal? I reckon MA would take that. If Torres finds his touch again , at 27 he has a resale value. Alex would fill in nicely with Colo for this season and at approx 3 mill would be a good purchase. The 7 million would buy a decent DM to replace Tiote and we could advance further in our quest for a trophy? Not that I want to see Tiote go but just a thought.
WWJBD
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:25 PM
Comment #92Hatem
Club handling it well? I’d disgree for me they would be handling it well if it wasent in the papers but hey ho haha
Its because of how little he is paid from what I’ve heard. He’s been a starter for 2 years has been solid but his pay isn’t in line with the rest of the squads so I hold no ill will towards him holding out for more money
boater
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:26 PM
Comment #93Ruddy – aye exactly. When Norwich had been made to play the ball to feet through the middle they got nowhere. So they played it like a cup game – through balls out wide, and whipping it in. For all our technical superiority (us scoring two premiership class goals) we couldn’t cope with them. It was exactly the same against Bolton and West Brom last year… they tore us apart from the wide positions. But it starts from the pass in midfield – and Tiote’s absence in those games.
Hatem
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Comment #94Yeah, hes defo being payed nothing compared to the other defenders, maybe aside Raylor
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Comment #95Simpson has a future at this club, even if the club signs another fullback he would be a more than useful squad player with the amount of experience he has. So the club really should hang on to him. I think he is holding out for the kind of wages first team players are on, and the club know that in the near future he won’t be a first teamer so maybe that is where the impasse has come from.
Hatem
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:28 PM
Comment #96Gash, they would never give Torres to us, and he wouldnt want to come
WWJBD
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #97Chelsea would never trade us torres, alex and money for Tiote who are u kidding? Tiote isn’t that good or needed
Also why would Torres come here?
GeordieGerman
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:29 PM
Comment #98Torres. smirk. ROFL.
boater
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #99Gash – Ashley won’t do deals like that. Like it or not, his philosophy is to scout young/ out of contract talent on the cheap. Whether or not he’s building longterm for Europe or grooming for resale – it’s impossible to judge so far. We will know more in January about his plans when big offers come in for Tiote and Krul.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #100@Boater my feeling exactly, if the balls were allowed to come into the box we were always going to struggle, however considering how far off the crossing players our fullbacks were I’m not sure if emphasis was put on that fact. The key battles weren’t going to be Perch/Holt and Morrison/Simmo it was going to be between the fullbacks and the crossers and for all those who felt Santon did well with the ball to feet, I wasn’t too impressed with his defensive display. He also looks way to light to compete physically. No doubt he is a great player in the making but he has a long way to go
planb
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Comment #101We let barton go for nowt a player who had his problems but always put a shift in on the pitch because he wanted 65k a week yet we keep smith who cant put a shift in on 65k a week whos running NUFC Ed miliband?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:33 PM
Comment #102Oh and the only Torres that is a possible signing for NUFC is Sergio Torres, (that bloke that plays for Crawley) haha
Gash
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:34 PM
Comment #103I know it sounds daft but………… Torres is in a rut. He needs t l c and nurturing back to form. He would be loved up here …. a real No 9. He improves , gets back his form, helps us stay near the top 6 and is there to atract other players next season. Yes he will want wages but we are in as a good a position financially as any other premiership club to take him on. And…. shirt sales would make MA a happy chappy too. Oh and who could we buy as a DM with 7 mill?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Comment #104Having watched Chelsea recently, and especially that kid Oriel Romeu I am more than convinced that Chelsea don’t need Tiote. That kid is a top top player in the making, fearless in a challenge, great passer of the ball, good at controlling the tempo of a game. His passing is better than Tiote’s and he will improve on the defensive side of his game in years to come. This guy is the business and will be Chelsea’s next Makelele, I’d be more worried about Manure coming in for Tiote than Chelsea.
WWJBD
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:37 PM
Comment #105Gash
Please tell me ur having a laugh with this Torres shout?
boater
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:39 PM
Comment #106Gash – Torres aint coming. We’ve just bought a new striker by all accounts – when Maiga and Ba come back, how are we going to play them all? Torres will go to Juve, PSG, Milan or Athletico not the toon.
For tiote’s replacemtn we will go for Brown or Ki at Celtic – reports were that is who Carr has been watching,
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:39 PM
Comment #107@Gash I agree totally on your views on Torres needing TLC to get back to his best, and he will, but it won’t be at NUFC or at any other club. Yes AVB may have lacked a bit of class the other week when he was having a go at Pards but he is a good manager who knows talent when he sees it. He knew from the off that Sturridge was immense and Ancellotti was going to let him go! AVB can’t afford to drop any more points which is why he can’t afford to play Torres, but rest assured he is in his long term plans. Torres will be firing at Chelsea before the end of the season, this 20mill cut price deal nonsense is all paper talk.
Gash
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:39 PM
Comment #108Like I said I dont want Tiote to leave I think he is a great player and asset to our club. But if MA sees a deal where he can make 7 million and appease the fans who want a striker annnd solve a central defence problem at the same time…. I reckon he’d be up for it.
planb
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:40 PM
Comment #109Torres for NUFC do me a favour the kids on 200k a week ashely would want a whole new squad for that money no its cheap foreign imports for us just like the crap ashely sells in his shops
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:41 PM
Comment #110No one in their right mind would let Torres, Alex and 7mill in cash go for one DM…it defies logic.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Comment #111Those “cheap foreign imports” have got us 7th in the league planb. I’d prefer Cabaye/Tiote to Barton/Nolan 7days a week. Buying English is overrated…just ask Liverpool.
Hatem
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Comment #112They wouldnt give Torres alone for Tiote
Sir Alan
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:43 PM
Comment #113GG, Good photos but how awkward does Ben Arfa look holding the baby!! haha
Gash
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:44 PM
Comment #114boater- Never say never. Just when we aarent expecting anyhting at the club…. something happens. Admittedly not always good happens but its not always bad. MA is a businessman first and foremost. He doesnt understand us as a set of supporters or people. But he does understand economics and P & L statements. If he sees a profit and its not a massive gamble …he’ll give it consideration……. Do you think he will read this…lol
WWJBD
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:45 PM
Comment #115Cheap doesn’t mean bad but they are still bargain buys
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:46 PM
Comment #116If he did he would surely be concocting a scheme to have “fans” like IndianMagpie sterilised…he wouldn’t want to think NUFC fans are idiots haha
Gash
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:47 PM
Comment #117Ruddy- here here, totally agree. This side will develop over the next 2-3 seasons into something we probably could only dream about. They say the best time to start a business is in a recession. The first real signs of business acumen as far as MA and NUFC have been this season. They look like they are starting to get things right at the club…. Rome wasnt built in a day remember
Willo
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:49 PM
Comment #118Has Best fallen off the face of the earth? If he’s still alive I vote best to start and Shola to come on when defenders are tired in the last 25-30 minutes. Sammy starts wide left with Jonas moving right to cover Raylor who moves across to take RB Santon to LB as he can hold his own and form a partnership with Sammy for years to come. Perch 🙁 with Colo at CB. If you want Abeid put him on the bench and if things go well bring him on for 15 at the end along with Vuckic. He’s simply not ready yet, even if the opposition is Swansea and not a Manchester club.
Overall,
Krul
Raylor Colo Perch Santon
__Tiote(Vuckic)Cabaye
Jonas____________Sammy
_______Best BA______
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:50 PM
Comment #119@Gash I totally agree in waiting to see the fruits of our labours develop, not only do we buy young,cheap and foreign but we have improve youth recruitment drastically over the last number of years. We could see an Arsenal style academy develop over the next few years, or Manure’s academy that created the class of ’93…maybe we could be talking about Newcastle’s “Class of 2015…” haha delusional day dreaming but hey it’s nearly Xmas we’re allowed to have our head in the clouds haha
GeordieGerman
Dec 14, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Comment #120Sir Alan, HBA has no kids and with all those tubes I’d be a bit nervous as well. At least he has a smile on his face.