After admitting recently that the club had showed him ‘no respect’, Jack Colback has spoken out again, claiming that Benitez banished him to the reserves simply due to him having ‘too many numbers’ – with him failing to accept this as a fair reason for his recent treatment at the club in recent months.
Colback says he was treat like ‘a number more than a human being’, claiming there was ‘nothing’ he could’ve done differently, suggesting he feels he was innocent in all of this despite an apparent fallout with Rafa.
As we know, Colback has been nowhere to be seen at NUFC since the summer, with the midfielder’s only appearances coming in Premier League 2 ties for the U-23’s. He’s been told to train with the reserves and essentially banished from all first team duties – with him even being snubbed for the squad photo.
He was named in the 25-man squad, however failed to make a single matchday squad and has since been loaned out to Nottingham Forest on deadline day.
Here’s what he’s had to say about the situation, with him suggesting here just why Benitez told him to train elsewhere:
“There’s nothing I think I could have done differently. It was his choice, he said he had too many numbers, I was named in the squad of 25 but still couldn’t manage to train with the first team, and that’s the way it goes.”
“I’m not sure (why I wasn’t given respect), I’m not the one who should be answering that – you’ll have to ask the boss back home.
“But it’s one of them things. I’m big enough not to be too upset about it, I’ve been in the game a long time and seen a lot of things.
“I think the disappointing thing is the way it’s been dealt with. I’ve been treated like a number more than a human being.
“But there’s nothing I can do about that, he made his choice and I’m not really looking back at that one.”
This really is an odd one. Rafa is ruthless, but I really doubt a bloke of his class would completely ostracise a seemingly honest pro like Colback if he hadn’t done anything wrong.
I’d love to know what went down and whose telling the truth here. Hearing from Benitez’s side of it would be very interesting, but don’t expect the gaffer to open up on such a subject like Colback has since making his move away.
What do you make of all this folks?
think i told you the reason on the last thread you done on this subject
icedog(Quote)
Ok Colback never set the world on fire for us. He was a in and out performer (Oh hang on that’s Newcastle United in general) but like Mitro he didn’t deserve to be treated the way he was. Let’s face it colback is better than half of them that Rafa picks week after week and Mitro is probably better than all of them that Rafa picks week after week. But we have lost them both. I for one have given up on the mighty less toon and their so called saviour Rafa.
Danny(Quote)
Sorry Danny I have to disagree on Colback. He was a liability. Many needless fouls around thr box, offered nothing going forward..broke up our own play by passing back and sideways all the time..
Mitro is a loose cannon that s the problem. Yes he is better than Joselu but Noselu will be on tbe pitch for 90 mins 10 games a row. Mitro will miss 3 of them through suspension plus a chunk of 1 game for a sending off. So overall, who contributes more over those 10 games?
shamrock(Quote)
Respect is a 2 way street young man, and yes Rafa is ruthless which is why he is successful..
BillytheFish(Quote)
Yep, but Colback has a different tale to tell. Who to believe..
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Interesting that Colback has conveniently left out a key part of this story. He was actually asked to return to training with the first team squad but, having spat his dummy out, refused to do so.
Gazza(Quote)
Colback was I assume a defensive midfielder, I mean that was his role.
Unfortunately he wasn’t that good and tended to be called for dumb-assed fouls, a local lad like Dummett who is not that great either, though he has played decent since his return, someone who could be described as the best of a bad bunch of LB’s.
chuckno(Quote)
I can’t understand how readers can paint Colback as an innocent.
He was hot and cold at best, was a liability around the box, and in case you didn’t notice, he’s ginger.
Rob Brown(Quote)
Lol. You think the Ginger is any good? Did you never see him play?
potski(Quote)