Mike Williamson Edges Closer to fitness... but on his way out?!?

I truly hope this is a typo, as I'm sure it is, but have a nose at the bottom of this article!

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newc...n-set-for-first-team-comeback-72703-29875138/

That set aside, it will be great to get Willo back. I've been a big supporter of his and he works beautifully with Colo, epecially when defending set-peices.

Article:


Mike Williamson set for first-team comeback
by Lee Ryder,
Evening Chronicle
Dec 1 2011

MIKE WILLIAMSON is hoping to be back in action for Newcastle United in time for the hectic festive programme.

The big defender has not played since August when he damaged his ankle at S****horpe United in the Carling Cup.

However, Williamson hopes to be back in contention within a fortnight.

And this will provide Alan Pardew with a timely boost as he goes into one of the busiest periods of the Premier League calendar.

Williamson said: “I will be looking to play in a few reserve games first to get myself back up to speed.

“I will keep on just working hard to earn my place.”

Pardew was sweating on the fitness of Fabricio Coloccini on the eve of the Magpies’ trip to Old Trafford last week, after the Argentine went down with a back spasm in training.

United’s medical team managed to resolve the situation in time for the Toon captain to play in the 1-1 draw.

But former Nottingham Forest defender James Perch was braced to play against the Red Devils, with defensive cover thin.

Even out of favour reserve-team centre-back Tamas Kadar was drafted into the first-team pool for the first time this season in Manchester.

Perch is very much looked at as Newcastle’s utility man these days and has appeared in the last two top-flight fixtures.

However, Williamson was considered Coloccini’s partner at the heart of defence last season for long periods, keeping out the then transfer-listed Steven Taylor.

Williamson is itching to get back in the thick of things at the club’s Benton base, and could even be pencilled in for the December 13 behind closed doors game with Bolton Wanderers if things go well with his comeback.

The big defender has a contract until 2016 at St James’ Park and has no intention of seeing his career out with the Magpies.

He started his career in the lower leagues with Wycombe Wanderers and Torquay United, before plying his trade at Watford and Portsmouth ahead of his 2010 move to Newcastle.

 

From the context, it must be a typo. He's got a 5 year contract. It most likely means he has no intention of sitting on the bench for 5 years and will subsequently do his best to oust Taylor, or that he doesnt plan to retire here.

 

he's not good enough imho. nice bloke, but not a premiership defender

 

Reads like a typo. It would've been bigger news otherwise.

 

Yeah this.

 

Well sure, that was my initial reaction as well. Just the thought of only having Perch or youth as cover is a tad frightening!

I would hope he does plan to retire here though really, he certainly has enough of the fan-base on side?

More of a side-line anyway for convo. I posted to let people have the update on his return.

 

Ask Lee on twitter

 

Good to have him back, worried without him that we are bare on cover at the back!

 

So I'm guessing you are forgetting the start of last season when he was different class consistently then?

 

Perch is very much looked at as Newcastle’s utility man these days and has appeared in the last two top-flight fixtures.

Perchino is our utility man! Why doesn't he have a 5 year contract instead!

 

Must be a typo but it is an amusing one. If he's so determined to go, why doesn't he get himself a twitter account..........................

 

Disagree . Don't get me wrong, I appreciate his work ethic and he's a decent squad player, but he's a yard short of pace, is positionally atrocious imho and it's no surprise that our win record last season when he didn't play compared with when he did play is a figure in the same ball park as Alan Smith, James Perch and Sol Campbell(granted the last 2 didn't feature enough for a conclusive analysis ) compared with people at the other end of the stick, the likes of Barton, Nolan, Jonas and Enrique who the statistics suggest were integral last season. That said, maybe he can/has improve/d like danny guthrie seemingly has.


edit, actually smith's is easily the worst

 

At the start of last season, up until the Bolton game, he'd looked class beside Colo, but after that his performances went all shaky.

 

I like willo as cover but imho he is not as gifted as either saylor or collo with the ball at his feet.
From seeing him last year he is strong in the air but whenever he played the ball it was just a hoof upfield.
One of our strenghts this season is that we have been trying to play from the back and keep hold of the ball.

 

Typo, should be every.

Ever wondered why some blokes with massive noses become centre halves?

 

he has been / will be good cover when fit, but with taylor/colo playing the way they are, that's all.......

 

this

while saylors on form, itll need an injury for him to break into the team. but he's a class above our next best!

 

Willo isn't great. He's ok, and good as cover, but not good enough as a starter. Just look at our defence now Saylor has found form with Colo and Krul is at his best. It pisses all over last seasons back four with Williamson in it. He's not clever enough for the league. He just gets it (if he can) and blasts it in the opposite direction. There's no intelligence when it comes to playing out the ball.

 

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Disagree, I think he's Prem quality (just not our first choice)