Carver ‘won’t hide’ as Toon seek escape
MIKE WILLIAMSON has hit back at John Carver’s accusation the Newcastle United defender deliberately got himself sent off at Leicester.
Carver made the remarkable claim Williamson had fouled Jamie Vardy on purpose to earn a second booking and two-game suspension in an ‘easy way out’ of an increasingly fraught relegation battle.
But Williamson, angered at the pubic suggestion, defended his reputation in the clearest terms and apologised to Newcastle supporters.
‘There was absolutely no intent to hurt Jamie or get sent-off, but I recognise that I should have been more composed and measured in my determination to win the ball,’ he said in a statement. ‘I can genuinely say that I feel privileged to play for this football club. I would never do anything intentionally to hurt the team or its supporters.’
That incredible frisson between player and head coach is evidence of how Newcastle are descending into deeper turmoil while falling down the table.
The club is in a desperate state and Carver’s position for the final three games will come under scrutiny after an eighth defeat in succession and his scathi ng assessment of his squad.
Carver questioned the desire, commitment and quality of his team and made the astonishing admission his players may not be listening to his instructions.
Captain Fabricio Coloccini argued it was not true to suggest the side had given up, adding: ‘We are trying everything to win.’
Newcastle is a club torn apart, with supporters singing venomous chants against owner Mike Ashley, and verbally attacking players as they boarded the team bus following the 3-0 loss to Leicester City. ‘Spineless cowards,’ a group of fans shouted.
Newcastle have not picked up a single point since February 28 and are in very real danger of slipping into the Championship. They lie two points above 18th-placed Sunderland having played a game more.
Expectations t hat Steve McClaren would leave Derby to take over the head coach role this summer have swirled around the clubs for weeks, possibly undermining Carver’s position among Newcastle’s players. Carver (left) conceded: ‘If I’m honest, I have to admit there’s a chance they’re just not listening to me. That might be one factor of many. You have to consider it. But it might be a lot of other things — we might not be good enough, we might not have enough desire to want to defend in the box or score at the other end. I’m not going anywhere until someone comes to me and tells me otherwise. I’m not going to hide from anyone.
‘I had a quick chat with [managing director] Lee Charnley but it was nothing serious. He was basically just asking how I was and how I was feeling. It was a nice, calm conversation.’
There was nothing calm about the way Carver accused Williamson of getting sent off on purpose, while he also said Daryl Janmaat had been ‘stupid’ to pick up a second yellow card in added time. The pair will miss the home match against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, with Paul Dummett suffering a hamstring injury at the King Power Stadium to leave Newcastle’s defence decimated.
Leicester are an entirely different proposition, now just a point behind Newcastle after their fifth win in six games. Ulloa’s early header and second-half penalty sandwiched Wes Morgan’s goal.
It drew a line under Nigel Pearson’s outburst where the manager called a journalist an ostrich. Asked if the squad had provided additional support in light of the negative focus, Pearson replied: ‘Apart from having Ostrich burgers at the training ground? There’s been a bit of banter.’