He isn’t faultless, but at times he has been bloody close to it and has turned in some fantastic performances that are befitting of a player that cost a shade over £10 million around two and a half years ago when he arrived from Deportivo la Coruna.
In fact in a recent poll conducted here on NUFCblog.info, it was Colo who came out on top, by some margin, when you guys were asked to vote who you thought was our best central defender. The 29-year-old Sideshow Bob lookalike managed to bag 86% of the vote, and quite rightly so in my opinion.
With that fresh in my mind, and with Alan Pardew’s recent effusive praise of the Argentinian, it has kind of left me wondering just where you would rank Colo compared to some of our other defenders from the Premier League era.
I’m using the Premier League era as a reference period as there had to be a cut off point or else you could go all the way back to the days of Bobby Moncur, or beyond if your memory is up to scratch.
Realistically though, it was a very different game back then, so trying to compare players between the two different era’s would be a tough call to make, and it’s one that I don’t fancy making. Of course, if you guys wish to then I won’t stand in your way.
So just who is it that Colo is up against then? Well there isn’t that many that measure up to him in my opinion. Barry Venison was on his last legs when he joined. Steve Howey was good, but fitness was his issue, and it was the same for Jonathan Woodgate. I never really rated Darren Peacock to be honest, and don’t get me started on the likes of Titus Bramble, Jean-Alain Boumsong and David Rozenhal.
I’m fact, looking back, there is only one Newcastle defender from the recent past that I can compare Coloccini to, and that man is Philippe Albert. Of course, it would be rude to mention Philippe and not show this clip of him at his best.
Of course Colo scored his own belter in the last match against Tottenham, but when you put it up against Philippe Albert there is no comparison and the Belgian wins hands down every single time. Colo is good, but Albert was something else.
However, if Colo can continue his fine form then there is a possibility that he could overtake Albert and become, in my opinion, the best central defender that Newcastle have ever had during the Premier League years.
To be honest, the fact that I am writing this is in itself a testament to Fabricio Coloccini. Personally, looking back 18 months ago, I could never have envisaged myself writing a piece about Colo let alone comparing him to the great Albert, which shows just how far he has come in such a short space of time.
He’s not the best we’ve had yet, but he is’t far off!
Richie there was religous perscuation involving catholics in spain during the early franco regime. State before religon is a big thing within facsim , but then again my source of information come my catholic school days and they do like to bend the turth to suit themselves , we never really covered in great deatils the spainish inquisitions 🙂
But enough of the history n relgion…. Van annholt would be a great back up player
Johno Toon(Quote)
Johno….There was persecution early on in the civil war but it was carried out by various left wing movements, Franco was right ring……but in reference to the important stuff, aye I’d love Van Aanholt back 😉
richietoon(Quote)
still nowt off radio richie,owr busy with that spanish stuff i guess 😥
icedog(Quote)
As i said rich my brief read on spainish civil war was school n its a few years since ive left school 🙂
Yeah be nice to get in a player or two before end of window , but if we dont im more than happy and confident in the squad we have
Johno Toon(Quote)
Ice…..it’s very close mate 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Aye Johno, I’ve the advantage of probably reading it more recently, just as well my memories terrible 🙄
I still think at least 2 will come in like.
richietoon(Quote)
hospital app time laters
icedog(Quote)
Later Ice, good luck.
richietoon(Quote)
Good luck at your ball rub Ice. We know why you keep going back 😉
toonsy(Quote)