Dutchman Tim Krul is making no secret of the fact that he wants to become Newcastle’s number one goalkeeper next season.
Tim Krul – determined to become number one
Tim had little chance of making many first team appearances when the great Shay Given was at the club, but now he is prepared to fight Steve Harper every inch of the way in the coming season.
Tim Krul reported back for pre-season training determined to establish himself as the main challenger to No 1 goalkeeper Steve Harper.
The 21-year-old has made just one competitive appearance for Newcastle, away to Palermo in November 2006 – when he was man of the match in Newcastle’s great 1-0 win, and is battling with the club’s other rising young goalkeeper, 21 year-old Hexham-born Fraser Forster.
Krul told the Shields Gazette.
“This is my biggest season yet!”. “It’s good to be involved, and I need to keep on my toes,”
“There’s good competition, and (goalkeeping coach) Paul Barron is a big person for me – he keeps me sharp.”
“I’ve been improving myself, and (last season) the gaffer said: ‘Listen, you have to be ready if something happens to Harps’.”
“I’ve just got to keep focused. I have to keep improving and improving, and showing I’m ready.”
Krul was signed four years ago while Graeme Souness was manager at Newcastle, and he is well thought of in Holland, and currently the Dutch U21 goalkeeper.
In his four years at Newcastle, Krul has become best of friends with Steve Harper, now Newcastle’s number one, and we’re sure Steve will not be giving up the jersey very easily, having been perennial number 2 to Shay Given since 1997.
Krul continued:
“Shay was a tremendous player for the club. Steve moved up to the place where he wants to be, and I moved up to where I want to be at this stage.”
“We’ve been working together for the last three years, and are really good friends and colleagues. We keep each other sharp.”
Good words from the youngster, and it wouldn’t surprise us much if this lad is number one within a couple of seasons on Tyneside. He is very talented and has a terrific attitude.
But it will not be easy with Harper and Fraser Forster around.
Comments welcome.
Written from Paris, France.
21 comments so far
spiderpig
Jul 9, 2009 at 6:35 AM
Comment #1its about the only position we look to have loads of quality
Rangerman
Jul 9, 2009 at 6:59 AM
Comment #2If he’s not starting next season then I expect him to quit.
NUFC-0809-Oh Dear
Jul 9, 2009 at 8:27 AM
Comment #3I would much rather see Tim start as our number 1. He is a quality player and in the championship I think he has the best chance to cut his teeth.
Fraser is also a quality keeper but I think that Tim is an excellent player, I always have done.
In the game against Palermo he was outstanding, see youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywGXKKXrgV4&feature=PlayList&p=EFA01B0B18BA25EB&index=0&playnext=1
batty
Jul 9, 2009 at 8:46 AM
Comment #4make him number 1
newcastle29
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Comment #5How fickle, i think people are forgetting here that S.H. HAS BEEN LOYAL TO THE CLUB! and had been shays no2 for alot of years.
toooooonfan
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:25 AM
Comment #6newcastle29
yeah but tim krul will be better
Nick D
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Comment #7Shameful he hasn’ played for the first team since that epic performance against Palermo in 2006.
Harper’s loyalty has got nothing to do with it. Krul is the top keeper.
ToonRich
Jul 9, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Comment #8Well said Nick 🙂
newcastle29, wtf! How does supporting the development of one of our best gk prospects fickle?? Apologies, but thats a numpties comment you made!
ToonRich
Jul 9, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Comment #9Put it this way…Harpers it a quality keeper, but had he played regularly he’d prob be in the Eng squad, would he not?
We need to play Tim, as he will be the successor to Van Der Sar in the dutch national squad…THAT IS HOW GOOD THIS LAD IS. & playing him can only benefit us in the long run.
Bill F
Jul 9, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Comment #10Do we still have Soderberg as well? If so he may well figure in the pecking order.
punk skunk...
Jul 9, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Comment #11Aye Bill F!..
ToonRich
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Comment #12With Tim and/or Frazer getting more of a chance with the first team, hopefully Soderberg will play more reserve footy, and we wont need to loan him out for him to get experience.
Isnt he (Soderberg) another one tipped for stardom with his national side??
punk skunk...
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Comment #13Aye Rich,
canny covered for goalies like!..
Bill F
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Comment #14I know it’s old thoughts, but I can’t help thinking if we had had Shay for our last few matches we would have escaped the drop. Harper is an ok GK but not one who would inspire me with confidence if I was a defender. Can’t help thinking some of our lads felt the same although they wouldn’t openly (one hopes) say it. He did make some great saves in the last few games but I felt he still looked too vunerable on many occaisions.
punk skunk...
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Comment #15Doubt it Bill,
shay hasn’t exactly set the pitch alight at citeh, has he?..& he’d lost all confidence, tbh!..
…More to do with martins missin’ sitters & no-one in midfield with a killer pass to Owen et al!..
Bill F
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:35 PM
Comment #16Punk Skunk, yeah I’d agree with the Martins assessment, but Shay played some blinders for Citeh as far as I can recall.
punk skunk...
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Comment #17& some stinkers mate,
the media only show shay doin’ top saves, luck of the oirish maybe?..
gorskino10
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Comment #18Krul will be a fantastic keeper he has great height and althleticisim i can remember one of his first games for Newcastle i think in the cup he got MOM he was amazing so good luck to him but Harper will be no1 for 1 or 2 seasons before he retires 🙂
batty
Jul 9, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Comment #19Nick D // Jul 9, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Shameful he hasn’ played for the first team since that epic performance against Palermo in 2006.
Harper’s loyalty has got nothing to do with it. Krul is the top keeper.
<<<<<spot on
baro
Jul 9, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Comment #20Krul is an absolutely beast he should start over Harper because of age differences and the stage we are in…………..
Does anybody agree???
newcastle29
Jul 10, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Comment #21I know how good krull is , what i am saying is that he should become the understudy to harper and wait his turn like harper did! he will be a better keeper for it.