Source: Northern_Echo
Harewood on the way up
MARLON Harewood has claimed he is finally hitting top form after a difficult start to life on Tyneside.[LNB] Harewood was booed off the pitch at Nottingham Forest last month, after also suffering the wrath of the Magpies support during the previous home game against Bristol City, and has failed to match the weight of expectation that accompanied his arrival on a loan move from Aston Villa.[LNB] The 30-year-old has scored just one goal in eight appearances since leaving Villa Park, but claims his slow start was a byproduct of his lack of activity in the first two months of the season.[LNB] Harewood was sidelined with an ankle injury in the opening weeks of the campaign, but after a month of hectic activity followed by a series of intensive training sessions during the ongoing international break, the striker insists he is finally back in peak condition.[LNB] I do feel I'm getting back into the groove, said Harewood, who will be hoping to retain his place in the starting line-up when Newcastle travel to Preston on Monday evening.[LNB] It's nice to be back involved on a matchday again, and I can feel myself getting stronger and sharper.[LNB] I've had to get used to the players here, but I feel it's starting to come together. If I can get a few goals as well, I think that will help me.[LNB] Harewood's only goal to date came in his second appearance for the Magpies - a 1- 1 draw with QPR - and he has tended to be the player to make way whenever manager Chris Hughton has opted to leave out a striker in order to field a five-man midfield.[LNB] The attacking competition will increase when Shola Ameobi returns from injury next month, and with his current loan deal due to expire at the turn of the year, Harewood is still to make a compelling case for an extended stay at St James'.[LNB] Nevertheless, the Londoner harbours no regrets about his move to the North-East, and claims he remains confident of winning over his critics.[LNB] I feel as though I needed to get out of Aston Villa, he said. I wanted to be playing and I wasn't doing that. I needed to find an alternative, and Newcastle gave me this opportunity.[LNB] I didn't feel as if I'd ever get a chance at Villa. They've got a lot of strikers at the club and such good players. I was involved with the squad, but I wasn't getting a game on a Saturday and that's really frustrating after a while.'' Harewood also wants to help Andy Carroll progress into a Premier League performer, and having watched his team-mate lay on England Under-21s' winner in Saturday's 1-0 win over Portugal, Newcastle's current number ten feels the club have unearthed a future number nine to be proud of.[LNB] Andy's still only 20 and I'm sure he is going to get even stronger, said Harewood.[LNB] He's going to be a nightmare for defenders. I hope so anyway, because that's going to be good for his career.'' Newcastle defender Tamas Kadar has escaped injury, despite the car in which he was travelling being involved in a crash with a herd of wild boar.[LNB] The Hungary Under-21 international was travelling back from his international side's 2-0 win over Italy, when his family's car was hit by a number of boar.[LNB] The car was written off, and two animals were killed, but Kadar emerged unscathed.[LNB]
