Exclusive: Mills suggests gamble has backfired for Newcastle player ‘Happy’ to take ‘Big money’
Danny Mills suggested Newcastle United midfielder Jack Colback’s gamble to sit on his contract had backfired following his injury.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Laura O’Leary, the former England defender implied Colback had taken a gamble by not seeking to leave the Magpies sooner.
Steve Bruce revealed after the 1-1 draw with Rochdale that the English midfielder had damaged his medial ligament after slipping and falling into the chest of teammate Isaac Hayden in training.
Colback’s Magpies contract is set to expire at the end of the season and ahead of getting injured, a return to Nottingham Forest may have been on the cards.
Mills admitted the midfielder’s injury was heartbreaking for him but noted Colback knew the risk of letting his contract run down without having anything else lined up.
When asked if it’s heartbreaking that Colback has suffered an injury just as the January window opens, Mills told Football Insider: “Yeah it’s difficult but that’s what happens.
“That’s the disadvantage of players running down their contracts and not taking in the opportunities to move on earlier.
“They’re happy to take the big money and sit there, take the security and go nope I’m not going to go and take a pay-cut.
“And sometimes that gamble pays off and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Often you can see players coming to the end of their contract, they ease up a little bit because there is that fear of getting an injury.
“And some rather than go out on loan and risk injury, some will go no and they’ll take it nice and steady to get to the end of the season and leave on a free.
“It’s always a gamble seeing out your contract when you have nothing lined up.”
The 30-year-old has failed to make an appearance for Steve Bruce’s side this season despite being utilised during pre-season.
Colback has made a total of 102 appearances for the Magpies since joining the club from Sunderland in 2014.
In other Newcastle United news, Paul Robinson blown away by Magpies star who ‘Dominated’ in the 1-1 draw against Rochdale.