Kyle ready to go extra mile for new deal
KYLE Mcfadzean admits he needs to work harder to earn a new contract at Coventry City.
The centre-back bounced back to form at the weekend with a solid and determined display to help the Sky Blues earn a clean sheet and valuable three points in the 2-0 St Andrew’s victory over Brentford.
That was a far cry from the previous match against Norwich City when he held his hands up to a mistake for one of the Canaries’ goals when he lost possession to star striker Teemu Pukki. Mcfadzean, who joined City in the summer of 2019 on a free transfer from Burton Albion, will be out of contract in the summer, with no option in the club’s favour to extend that for a further year.
Asked about his contract situation as it stands, the defender, who turned 34 at the weekend, said: “I have got to work harder to get one. I think I have done all right up to now but obviously that stupid mistake the other night didn’t help, so I need to get back on it.
“I’ve obviously had Covid and been off for ten days but I need to fight like everyone else and start getting back on top of it.”
Asked if he feels the onus is on him to prove himself further to manager Mark Robins during the remainder of the campaign, he said: “Definitely. I think we all have to. Obviously it’s not a nice situation to be in because I have got a family and a little girl on the way.”
Rugby Reporter
JACK Willis’ intention to record a documentary on his rehabilitation from a major knee injury has been welcomed by his Wasps boss.
The England flanker suffered the setback shortly after scoring a try against Italy in the Six Nations and is awaiting surgery before learning how long he is likely to be on the sidelines.
Scan results confirmed the 24-year-old hadn’t ruptured his ACL but damage to other ligaments and cartilage will lead to a long period out of action.
The 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership player of the season has been down the rehabilitation road before having suffered an ACL rupture to his right knee in 2018, as well as fracturing his left ankle.
Aside from a brief return that lasted 168 minutes across three games in early 2019 before his ankle issue resurfaced,
Willis missed the best part of 16 months of action – ruling him out of
England’s tour to South Africa in 2018 as well as the Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup the following year. Faced with another gruelling recovery period, Willis reached out to his Instagram following of more than 20,000 people as to whether they would be interested in him recording a documentary of the process. He was met with an almost unanimous vote of approval and he also asked for suggestions as to what to call the project. Wasps head coach Lee Blackett, who has been at the club throughout Willis’ time within the senior ranks, believes it is a project that will be beneficial for the player.
“I think at this moment in time it gives him something to do and a real goal,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing for Jack to do.
“When he spoke to me about the idea, I said I think it’s a great idea. I think it would be a good watch as well. If everything goes well he’s going to have to fake some things to make
some drama in it! Get some onions and start crying and get emotional about something and make some setback up! Hopefully he doesn’t have any!”
Willis, whose younger brother Tom is also a professional player at Wasps, has used time spent out of the sport due to injuries and Covid-19 enforced breaks to gain plumbing qualifications as well as set up his own property finance and search agency business, Rockcap, with retired ex-wasp, Alex Lundberg.
“I think it’s really good, especially these long-termers [injuries], to have something outside of rugby,” added Blackett.