Wilson hitting the ground running in his bid to make World Cup squad
TOON NO 9 IS PUTTING IN THE WORK AS HE STAKES CLAIM TO ENGLAND PLACE
NEWCASTLE United already have a number nine who, in the words of boss Eddie Howe, is an ‘outstanding goalscorer at this level.’ It begs the question then: Can Callum Wilson stay fit?
Wilson is certainly doing his bit. The striker has been working most days during the summer and even plans to move his family up from the south coast to ensure he is spending his days off doing recovery sessions at the training ground rather than travelling hundreds of miles each week.
Wilson is desperate to hit the ground running and the 30-yearold’s dream of making a late push for the World Cup will work in Newcastle’s favour at a time when England are crying out for something a little different in reserve.
The Three Lions after all scored just one goal in four Nations League games last month and that was a penalty from Harry Kane.
Kane has, unsurprisingly, led England’s goalscoring charts since the Euros last summer but the only other strikers to have found the back of the net for Gareth Southgate’s side in that time are Tammy
Abraham (two) and Ollie Watkins (one).
If Wilson can fly out of the blocks in the coming months that will at least give Southgate something to think about.
Southgate (below) knows Wilson well after handing him his England debut nearly four years ago – but the former Bournemouth man has not played for his country since 2019.
It will require an almighty effort to get back into contention but Wilson will relish that challenge at a time when Southgate will be a more regular presence at St James’ Park as he keeps an eye on Kieran Trippier and Nick Pope.
Pope, of course, is one of a number of signings Newcastle have already made this summer after Howe strengthened his defensive and goalkeeping departments. While Newcastle will step up their search for firepower in the coming weeks it is a little telling, so far, the Magpies have not spent the bulk of this summer’s budget on a readymade frontman.
Newcastle were previously quoted eye-watering fees for proven Premier League frontmen like Everton star Dominic Calvert-lewin and paying those sorts of prices would have made strengthening the team as a whole that much more difficult.
Certainly, when it came to potentially spending upwards of £60m on Sven Botman, Matt Targett and Pope.
Newcastle have instead targeted younger options up front, such as Stade de Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, who would not have been as expensive as a Calvert-lewin had he not rejected the club. Regardless of whether it is Ekitike who comes in – Newcastle are looking at alternatives after encountering issues with the player’s camp – Howe wants to bring in a goalscorer who can support and learn from Wilson rather than replace him.
Wilson has been far and away Newcastle’s top scorer in each of the last two seasons after all.
When you consider he has missed 32 league games in that time, that is all the more impressive but also a timely reminder how Newcastle desperately need others to ease the reliance on him.
Chris Wood had previously hit double figures in each of his four full campaigns with Burnley and will surely better his haul of two goals for Newcastle in the second half of
Wilson will relish the challenge at a time when Gareth Southgate will be a more regular visitor to St James’ Park
last season – but the Magpies will need a new signing to come in to share the burden.
Whatever happens, though, it looks like Wilson will still be Newcastle’s main man in a muchimproved side which will, finally, create chances for one of the best matchday finishers in the division.
Howe is well aware of Wilson’s injury history but the Newcastle boss was encouraged by how sharp the number nine looked when he eventually returned to action last May and believes he can stay fit – even if it will be ‘a challenge for him and for us to find a way of working which keeps him in prime physical condition.’ Central to that will be a good pre-season.
After joining Newcastle just five days before the start of the season in 2020, which was far from ideal, the striker then felt undercooked a year later because the Magpies did not do enough ball work in the build-up to the new campaign.
That will be different under Howe. Yes, there will be a lot of disguised running and double sessions but footballspecific fitness will quickly be built up through large training games as well as testing friendlies against decent opposition. That will be important for Wilson, in particular, to ensure he is robust enough to handle another tough season – and that sort of preparation served the 30-year-old well the last time he had a preseason under Howe in 2019.
Wilson went on to miss just three league games that season and two of those absences were due to suspension. Clearly, this backroom team know Wilson’s body better than most after working with the number nine for the best part of seven years at Bournemouth and Newcastle and it works both ways – as friend and former Bournemouth captain Tommy Elphick explained.
He told The Chronicle: “With the injuries he’s had as well, he will know the way Eddie works.
“They will all have been given programmes off-season to follow quite strictly and there will be no hiding place.
“You will quickly find out who has been sticking to them and who hasn’t and that will be very important to the manager because he will want to hit the ground running from day one.”