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Fabricio Coloccini doesn’t really do January.

The first month of the year and Newcastle United’s captain, for whatever reason, just don’t go together.

Injury always seems to strike him in the new year. He has missed the last three FA Cup third round exits, although the trouble managed to clear up for the next league game.

Even when this has not been keeping him out the team, he has wanted to get out of the club altogether in the form of a move back to South America.

Not only that, but the dressing room leader is nowhere to be seen when the rest of the squad head to the sun for some warm weather training.

Last year he was a no-show in Abu Dhabi. This time he is the only first-team member not to have made the trip to Dubai, although we understand that this is for genuine personal reasons and, of course, there are more important things in life than jogging around a pitch in the UAE.

Although given his past record, anyone would be forgiven for any cynicism regarding the captain’s non-appearance this week. He does seem to experience more personal reasons than most.

There is no transfer request this time around, but there is a birthday. He turns 33 on Thursday which in central defender years isn’t actually that old. Plenty in this position actually play their best stuff in their early thirties.

The problem for Coloccini, and by extension his team, is that he’s woefully out-of-form. Not only that, but a genuinely popular character among the support has started to lose quite a bit of credit, even if he still has a lot in the bank.

Not playing against Leicester in the FA Cup a week or after he was said to be desperate to be the captain who lifted a trophy wearing a Newcastle jersey didn’t do him any favours.

Everyone at the club insists that he was injured. The trouble is very few on the outside give that too much credence. Can you blame them?

Coloccini would escape any serious criticism if he was playing well. But he’s not and it is becoming a problem.

And even when he does play, it’s difficult to watch.

Twice on Saturday evening he failed to deal with a long ball to Southampton striker Graziano Pelle. Both moments led to goals.

In the first-half he was out-jumped by Jose Fonte at a corner and the Southampton captain was allowed a header at goal that flew just over.

These sort of elementary mistakes are happening in almost every game.

Now before I go on any further, criticising a footballer, particularly one as fine as we know this one has been, for getting old is a cheap shot.

Even the greatest lose the battle with time. If that were not the case, Johan Cruyff would still be playing.

And overall, Coloccini has been terrific for the club. It’s just that nothing lasts forever. Are we seeing the end of his time here?

Paul Dummett spent most of his Saturday evening mopping up the mistakes of a man who has played 250 games more than him for Newcastle.

The normally reliable Daryl Janmaat hardly covered himself in glory for both goals, but he too was attempting to make up ground after his skipper didn’t win the ball, or even take the man.

It’s a shame Coloccini couldn’t make the trip to Dubai because he really could do with working on his game in good training conditions.

For Newcastle to see out this season clear of the six or so teams that could go down, they need quite a few things to happen: the head coach position to be resolved and actual signings to be made spring to mind.

However, just underneath these two topics on the to-do list is a return to form for one of Newcastle’s best players.

Coloccini looked rusty in pre-season. He then didn’t start this campaign well and it was to his immense credit that he began to play some of his best stuff.

He was superb in the wins against Chelsea and Liverpool. His goal in the win at West Brom was a sign that he was close to this best.

That was the last time he played in a game that ended in a clean sheet for Newcastle. Is this entirely his fault? Absolutely not. But he has been the apparent general in a back five that have conceded 22 times in the nine matches sine victory at The Hawthorns. These numbers are damning.

Despite the problems he always seems to encounter this month Fabricio Coloccini has little to apologise for. This is his seventh season with Newcastle and he’s been terrific.

But having been terrific is not enough. He must find his best form once again because his team badly need the real Colo back.