BRUCE ’ S BIG CALL
Gaffer says Wilson is his linchpin
STEVE BRUCE has named Newcastle’s key man this season – and it’s not new arrival Joe Willock.
The United boss reckons striker Callum Wilson, the newly-crowned No.9, will be the man to keep fit and firing if the Toon are to prosper.
Bruce says Willock will add running power, and claims Allan Saint-maximin is “worth the admission fee alone,” but believes Wilson is the true match-winner
Wilson wants a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad and Bruce says he has trained through the summer to avoid the hamstring injuries which interrupted his first season on Tyneside.
The 29-year-old scored 12 goals in 23 Premier League starts and three sub appearances last term. He also weighed in with six assists, and was involved in 58 percent of all Toon goals when he played.
Bruce said: “He scored 12 goals in 26 appearances. By those stats alone you can see how crucial he is. It is vitally important he stays fit. Since last Christmas he has had two or three hamstring problems, which is a concern. He has worked tirelessly in the summer to ensure he builds that strength.
“When you are explosive like he is, you are prone to it. Allan Saint-maximin is the same. He is crucial to us too.
“This season we need our big players available. For too long last year we didn’t have them available and we struggled without them. Even the big clubs miss the biggest and best players.”
Wilson says he was inspired by watching England at Wembley during the Euros, and came back to training “starving for success.” He said: “Missing 15 starts last year is a
little bit disappointing but we’re working on that this year to make sure I can get as many games in as possible.
“My conversion rate was good so if I’d got another 15 games in that would have taken me closer to 20 goals.
“That’s the plan this year: to play as many games as possible for Newcastle and stay clinical when I get a chance.”
The former Bournemouth hit-man, who has four England caps, went on: “I’m looking to get back in the England set-up.
“My ambition is to focus on Newcastle and make sure I’m playing consistently and then see if an England chance arrives off the back of doing well here.”
Toon gaffer Bruce is convinced he can guide Newcastle to higher than last season’s 12th place in the Premier League.
He added: “That has got to be the aim of everyone, hopefully we have enough depth. We started well and finished well but we had an awful couple of months.
“Can we be more consistent? Can we be fitter? Can we slowly improve? I think so.”
By his goal and assist stats alone you can see how important Callum is. It s vital he stays fit