The Finland U21 starlet Jukka Raitala, who we reported on yesterday, is in great demand in the transfer market, and the tough Finnish defender is also interesting both Italian and Dutch clubs, who are interested in signing him.
Jukka Raitala – in great demand
The good news is that he’s at Newcastle for a trial this week – the bad news is that he is at Newcastle for a trial this week.
And we say that because Newcastle are getting a reputation of moving at a snail’s pace in the transfer market, and if they are to sign the tough young Finnish defender they will need to offer him something by this Friday, otherwise he is likely to be off to another club.
Asking Newcastle to make a quick decision on a player is like asking a snail to sprint 50 yards – it just will not happen.
The 20-year-old HJK Helsinki defender, who is 5’11” tall, very physical in his play, and can play anywhere along the back four but prefers left-back, has been on trial at Newcastle United for much of the week, and Joe Kinnear is said to be interested in signing him.
Jukka was said to have played in yesterday’s trial match, and the news on him was that he played well, and it’s not that the price quoted for the player is high – it’s reported to be around £500K, give or take £100K, and we assume even Mike Ashley can afford that.
As we reported yesterday West Bromwich Albion had tried to sign the highly-rated Finn, but Jukka didn’t even take up the invitation go to the Midlands club on trial, but preferred Newcastle instead.
But push will come to shove in the next couple of days, and Newcastle United will need to make a decision on the Finland Under-21 International – something the club seems unable or unwilling to to do these days.
That’s probably because the people handling our transfers are just inept, seemingly like the rest of the Newcastle Board – basically they are not up to the job – and that seems the truth.
We were told at IBM that in some cases in management – just making a decision is sometimes more important than whether the decision is right or wrong.
That’s often the case when you want to start moving things along, when things have got bogged down, or people are sitting on the fence, for whatever reason, and this could be one of those cases.
Make a decision Newcastle – please – in fact make a few. 😀
Comments welcome.
90 comments so far
sirjasontoon
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Comment #1Ed I don’t think the in club fighting yesterday would have gave a very good impression to the players on trial.
Shame.
Darling27
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Comment #2Get the lad signed up for god sake or else it’ll be Hypia all over again!!!
Ericles
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Comment #3Raitala is a must. He is highly rated and in demand. However, the media say we are after a Bolton reject = Shit who?
NotAGhostToon
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Comment #4Right, there goes my optimism, with a big splat on the floor.
Sorry guys for even trying to put a positive spin on things. Looks like we’re not signing anyone of worth, the football looks dire, the results are poor, my favourite players are picking up injuries and set to leave.
The only positive i can see is some good youngsters, but its gonna be no good if we’re not in the prem, if we’re not willing to play them or if we’re not willing to pay them!
Sad day for me
Tom
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Comment #5Sign him! Sign the hungarian on trial as well!
Ville-E
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Comment #6Ed, you are right! just making a decision is sometimes more important than whether the decision is right or wrong.
In this case the worst thing would be loosing MO’s month salary! So why should the management even think about it!
As a Finnish i would love to see Raitala in the shirt of Nufc. I’ve seen few of his games and he would be a great asset. His set pieces are excellent, he is fast and skillful. He is not so strong as mentioned before, but he would play Ronaldo out anytime! No doubt about that:)
Toon Sweden77
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Comment #7Just print out the contract so he can sign the dotted line – What is taking it so long!?
£500k is just one game on the casino for Mike so just pay up and get him in!
hitman
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Comment #8IF WE DONT SIGN THIS KID,FOR THE SMALL FEE OF 500G,THATS IT FOR ME….BORN A GEORDIE DIE A GEORDIE,BUT THIS IS TOO FLUCKED UP FOR ME LIKE…
tino97
Jan 21, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Comment #9The club is in turmoil.
-Massive injury list. Players are constantly injured. We are playing players who are half fit. Against City next week we will have a centre mid of Barton who is not fully fit and Geremi who wants to leave!
-No players coming in. Loan players? Just a smokescreen! Unrealistic bids for players.
-Players fighting on the pitch, both during matches and training.
-A delusional manager with a sack full of excuses, who says one thing and the other happens.
-A owner and board who are silent and have no clue what is going on.
-Players want to leave.
-Players no conidence.
-Fans are sick and restless.
-Great youth team, but Joe doesn’t have faith in them and would rather play half fit players.
Did I miss anything out?
Nick D
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Comment #10Ed this is your best article to date.
Superbly put.
Tom_Toon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Comment #11This is the one player, except from Raul Meireles that actually excites me.
Sign him up you idiots!
najikhin86
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Comment #12aggggggghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
super.trooper
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Comment #13Never heard of him but cant be bad if ajax are after him although they arent the team they once were.
Toon Sweden77
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Comment #14No news on the un-named swedish U21 player that was suposed to play the practice match?
Brettoon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Comment #15We’ll prob sign him but he’ll never be played
super.trooper
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Comment #16Talksport reckon we are about to swap Given for Sturridge and some wonga. Good little player.
Tom
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Comment #17tom_toon
As your a big fan of Kadar, I put this question to you, what sort of a defender is he, in terms of:
Pace
Heading/aerial ability
Tackling ability
Strength
Positional awareness
etc.
Toon Sweden77
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Comment #18Now Tottenham seems intrested in Marco Materazzi from Inter. Look Ashley, they are also in a relegation fight but they buy players to avoid it! What do you do about it??
hitman
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Comment #19super trooper,id be happy with that
Tom
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Comment #20Any swap with Given has to involve someone like Johnson, or Onouha. We don’t desperately need strikers, but we DO desperately need full backs and central midfielders!
super.trooper
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Comment #21toonsweden77- But MM is 35 and he was rubbish for everton in his prime. Apparently they have signed Cuddicini aswell.
David Craig
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Comment #22Transfer activity imminent Wise has been in Newcastle since Monday night, Wise and Llambias both at training ground.
Given absent from training ground today.
Tom_Toon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Comment #23Tom – I aint seen to much but he looks very quick and amazingly composed for his age, those are the things that stod out, good brain and positional awareness too.
Tom
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Comment #24So you think, Mr Craig, that there is in coming activity imminent?
Tom
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Comment #25Thanks TT 🙂
Tom_Toon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Comment #26super.trooper – who was the other player?
super.trooper
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Comment #27david craig- if thats true i wonder if the sturridge story is correct. Talksport did say he was injured though.
Tom_Toon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Comment #28David Craig – Are they going to sgn Raitala, yes or no.
Couldn’t careless about any other player we have been linked with.
David Craig
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Comment #29Yes
Tom
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Comment #30I have to agree with Tom_Toon here, atm I’m more concerned about signing Raitala than anyone else right now (other than the Hungarian winger on trial).
Tom_Toon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Comment #31If they dont I will hunt you down.
macn0ble (Finland)
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Comment #32The lads was nervy about the physical game in there. There was an interview in a tabloid paper last week before he left to Tyneside.
Would be good buy, Finnish players adapt into England pretty fast. And 500k is not a big lay out.
toonjerry
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Comment #33Hi Lads,been reading on this site for donkeys now,i really think we are in the sh..eI cant understand the man not trying to get some top players in,he must see that his 250 mill is going down to 100 to 150 if he is lucky if we are to be relegated.
I dont believe that jfk is the the best tactician around and he also has anger issue problems.
I think right now he is feeling the pressure and maybe now realises how kk felt, but he at least had the balls to stand up to ma.
I cant see why they would try and strengthen the young squad when we will be going down if nothing happens in the senior squad.
As Edd Case has said previously,it may be more constructive to spend more time with my lasss and enjoy life a bit more rather than the obsessive compulsive disorder that i seem to have with this bloody team haha.
I live in hope
David Craig
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Comment #34I haven’t heard anything re Sturridge, although I know they are very keen on a forward currently playing in Italy at Atalanta.
NUF-C u in the Championship
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Comment #35@ David Craig
You truly are an idiot…
There’s more pap coming out of your mouth than Joe Kinnear in recent months.
sirjasontoon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Comment #36super.trooper is our nando/fernando/WUM
Can’t believe he is now pretending to be a newcastle fan…Loser.
Tom_Toon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Comment #37Floccari or Cerci?
David Craig
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Comment #38Floccari
sirjasontoon
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Comment #39David stop clutching at straws it is boring.
David Craig
Jan 21, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Comment #40Given definately leaving, at least 1 player expected to sign today, club are very intersted in Floccari of Atalanta.