"We will finish in a very safe place," says Callum Wilson, who also reveals on the Super 6 podcast why he chose Newcastle over Aston Villa when signing from Bournemouth in the summer
Wednesday 3 March 2021 12:31, UK
Callum Wilson joins Laura Woods and Adebayo Akinfenwa, as the latest Premier League star to sit down with the Super 6 Podcast.
Wilson signed for Newcastle in the summer, in a fee of around £20m from Bournemouth. The striker has had a great debut season with Steve Bruce's side, scoring 10 Premier League goals and creating five.
Wilson was withdrawn against Southampton on February 6 and is currently out for around another month. He chats to the Super 6 Podcast about choosing Newcastle over Aston Villa, who impressed him the most at England, and where he thinks his side will finish this season.
There were plenty clubs in the hunt for Wilson's signature during the summer, and who wouldn't be? The England international had scored 41 Premier League goals in his career so far but found himself in the Sky Bet Championship with relegated Bournemouth.
On why he could not turn down the move, the Newcastle frontman had this to say...
"For me, having the opportunity to go back to the Premier League again, I was so grateful for that. On the same day Newcastle was agreed, Aston Villa was agreed as well," Wilson explained to the Super 6 Podcast.
"It is a tricky one. I spoke with both managers. I wanted to have the opportunity to go and see both clubs, similar to how I did it with Norwich and Bournemouth. I broke down the pros and cons of both clubs on a sheet of paper, similar to how I make my big decisions.
"I looked at squads, I looked at everything. Nobody could have predicted how Aston Villa's season was going to go, nobody could have predicted how Newcastle's has gone so far.
"For me, when Newcastle came around, there is such history of the club, as an iconic club, the number nine - I keep in touch with Alan Shearer from time to time, so there is a connection there.
"I thought I could go up there, prove to everyone at such a big club who Callum Wilson is. For me, that was what I was relishing. I watched 'Goal' as a kid, it gave me goosebumps and stuff, even though the film and the way it was made was not the best! The story behind it was what always got me."
Could Santiago Munez actually have played a part in Wilson's move to Newcastle?!
Listen to the latest Super 6 podcast here
Wilson made his England debut against USA on November 15 2018, marking it with a goal in the 77th minute to complete a 3-0 victory.
When training in the camp, Wilson was impressed by a certain individual in his team, and was almost reunited with him in the summer.
"I would say Ross Barkley. I don't come up against him in a game; you see the strikers as they are in your position, doing what you are doing, you see the defenders because you're playing against them week in, week out.
"Whereas with Ross I'm not really head to head with in terms of trying to tackle, defend against or take on, or even doing a finishing session with. When I was there watching the finishing and him involved with the training, he was in and around me and I thought 'he's a serious player'.
"His finishing - left foot right, foot - was a joke. I was making sure mine goes in, keeping it on the floor. Everything with him was top corner, I was thinking 'this is a different level here!'
"The way he carries the ball, the way he was dribbling. You go in there and you know who is good, and everyone is above average to be at that level, but you don't realise how good you are until you actually train with them, and for me that was where I was taken aback by Ross' ability.
"Playing with him at training and at international level, for me as a striker, he'd be a great person to play with at club level - he'd help you score goals and things like that. I didn't even realise he was going to go on loan from Chelsea, otherwise I would have said to (Steve) Bruce that you have to bring him up here, he is unbelievable."
Asked about Barkley's loan to Aston Villa and whether it would have swayed his decision, Wilson said: "I'm with Newcastle through and through. My decision was made, that was regardless of who was going where. I am a Geordie now!'
Listen to the latest Super 6 podcast here
Since Newcastle's win over Southampton, the Toon have been winless in three, albeit earning a point against Wolves after defeats by Chelsea and Manchester United.
Their next three matches, West Brom, Aston Villa and Brighton, will be pivotal in securing Newcastle's Premier League status, but Wilson has no such worries for the rest of the campaign.
"We will finish in a very safe place! I am not sure on which position, I'm not sure on a number, but I don't personally want another relegation on my CV. I will do everything in my power to make that not happen.
"Like I say, I am working extremely hard, double, triple sessions, I am actually due another session in a minute! I am going to make sure I am back and making this season a success after last year, because that ended in relegation. I ain't having back-to-back relegations, I ain't that guy.
"I am going to come back firing on all cylinders - I need to make sure I hit the ground running straight away, because the team needs goals and I need to help out. I am doing everything in my power to do that," Wilson assured the Super 6 Podcast, and more importantly, to the Newcastle fans out there.
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Round 39 Fixtures:
Burnley vs Leicester
Sheffield United vs Aston Villa
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United
Bristol City vs Bournemouth
Stoke vs Swansea
Sheffield Wednesday vs Rotherham
