Wilson replacement may be close to home, says Bluebirds boss
CARDIFF City manager Mick McCarthy does not believe he has to go out seeking a replacement for Liverpool-bound Harry Wilson, instead insisting he has the “perfect” replacement already within his ranks.
In what is likely to be Harry Wilson’s penultimate Bluebirds game, he struck a sensational hat-trick in the 4-0 drubbing of Birmingham City last weekend.
McCarthy dubbed it one of the best you will ever see and went on to say that there is no reason Wilson could not go back to his parent club and really challenge for a starting spot at Anfield next season.
Whether or not that comes to fruition remains to be seen, but it is almost certain that Wilson’s future does not lie in the Welsh capital next year. The 24-yearold himself made no bones about the fact he wants his future resolved this summer.
It means the Bluebirds will have the task of filling that sizeable void next season, with Wilson having contributed seven goals and 12 assists across a very steady campaign.
The Wales international has been nailed-on first choice in that position this season and rightly so, with others having to wait patiently in the wings for their opportunity.
But next season it appears some already in the ranks will get a clean run at it, with McCarthy not particularly interested in splashing what would inevitably be quite a bit of money given it is considered a premium position.
Instead, he thinks there is one player already with the Bluebirds who has all the weapons in his armoury to fill Wilson’s shoes next term.
“Jonny Williams is a perfect replacement for that,” McCarthy said.
“Rubin Colwill is as well, actually, that’s where he played in the under-23s and he’s more than capable of that.
“Is he Harry Wilson? No, he’s not, because he’s not been to Hull and Derby and Bournemouth and Cardiff in the Championship.
“But Jonny, certainly, has got the ability to do that. So I’m not actively going out seeking for one of those.”
The fact McCarthy feels he does not have to look elsewhere almost confirms that Williams will be at the club next term.
The Wales international has found game time hard to come by, having been stuck behind Wilson in the pecking order for the most part, and has struggled to really make an impression in the little time he has been afforded.
Williams was signed back in January on a short-term contract only until the end of this season. However, there was an option to extend for a further year and although there has been no confirmation to suggest that has happened, McCarthy has all but confirmed that deal has been done.
It is also notable that McCarthy has not mentioned Lee Tomlin in the above, instead name dropping the impressive Rubin Colwill, who will no doubt go from strength to strength after turning out impressive back-to-back performances in his first two starts in a Cardiff City shirt.
Quite where that leaves Tomlin is anyone’s guess, at the minute, but we appear to have a much clearer idea of where Williams will be playing his football next term.