Newcastle’s full-back/center-back Emil Krafth has given an interview to Fotboll Skanalen about his current situation at Newcastle.
Krafth has battled courageously through a serious injury he picked up a year last August – a seriously ruptured ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), and when made his comeback and played at Manchester United with Paul Dummett in central defense in the last round of the Carabao Cup – they both played brilliantly.
It says something about a player when he can come back after 14 months out in the cold, and put in an excellent performance at Old Trafford against the Red Devils’ first team.
Cetainly Krafth’s character and determination are both first class.
The 42 times capped Swedish defender has been with Newcastle since August, four years ago, but he has had injury problems in his time on Tyneside.
Krafth has made only 66 appearances in that time with a single goal.
This is what he recently told Fotboll Skanalen:
“I haven’t reflected on it that much, as my focus has been on coming back and playing football. Then you have to take it as it comes,”
“It is clear that you talk a little, but not especially. It’s not something I focus on. I just want to come back and play football. What happens, happens and then you have to take it. We are enjoying ourselves very much in Newcastle.”
“I haven’t thought about it yet. It depends a bit on what the club wants and signals, but they haven’t signaled anything so far. We’ll see.”
“My family and I enjoy Newcastle very well, so we can imagine staying. We would love to stay.”
Kraft’s contract runs out next summer and it’s an open question whether he will get a contract extension.
New signing Tino Lavramento is now the deputy to Kieren Tripper at right back and we are looking to bring in a new young center-back as a long-term replacement for Fabian Schar.
But you could also make a good case for Krafth, that when he has played for Newcastle, he has done very well – but his injury record is not good.
Do you think Krafth will get a contract extension before next summer?
Let us know in the comments and the reasons why.
10 comments so far
investinyouthtoon
Nov 14, 2023 at 1:42 PM
Comment #1He has had his injury problems, but he’s a reliable and versatile player who if we extended his contract, we wouldn’t have to buy a player to replace him with. He’s able to fill in at RB and CB so I’d be in favour of giving a new contract for, based on his playing time for the club of course.
Spellcheck
Nov 14, 2023 at 1:44 PM
Comment #2Surprised me against Man Utd, he played really well considering what the lads been through with injuries. Could be an asset with experience for the squad.
Lord Scattercash
Nov 14, 2023 at 1:47 PM
Comment #3Eddie is just playing the game…he’s kidding everyone we’ll only have 2 returning from injury for the chelsea game…but it’ll be more like 5…he’s keeping Poch guessing
9
Nov 14, 2023 at 1:48 PM
Comment #4Emil has recently turned 29 and never lets us down, he can stay.
In other news, we have 2 CFs and both are injured. Last season they were both injured. Can anybody suggest a position we desperately need to strengthen in January?
cleveleysbob
Nov 14, 2023 at 1:50 PM
Comment #5Lesh, cheers for music history. I have both the “Them” and Animals versions in my audio library (used to be a record collection – sigh!).
I used the Animals as the Newcastle connection in my plea to JohnJ. Heart strings and all that 🙂
I’m pleased to report that my Son started buying records about 5 or 6 years ago and has built up an impressive collection of albums since then. Chip off the old block – eh? Unfortunately during a spell of several House moves, I ditched my collection and switched everything onto “streamed” music.
All my albums, singles, EP’s, cassette tapes and CD’s went the distance. The only thing I never had was an 8-track (is that the right name?). I had an amazingly eclectic assortment of music from the 50’s – 90’s all gone, shame really.
investinyouthtoon
Nov 14, 2023 at 1:56 PM
Comment #69 certainly not a striker to cover/compete. We have Gordon and joelinton to cover, even though in doing so we weaken the area we take them from.
Even Pope has played striker in a five a side game a number of years ago, pop him up front and play a back up keeper in goal , ?
cleveleysbob
Nov 14, 2023 at 2:02 PM
Comment #79 – no doubt we need a striker. One of our current 2 has been injured most weeks and now both. That can’t be allowed to continue.
We had 3 left wingers and 2 right wingers, but we’ve lost (currently) 3 of those 5, but Barnes and Miggy will be available very soon so I don’t see a need there.
We need to solve the LB conundrum, we seem to have enough players but not quite the system to accommodate any other than BDB who’s out for Months.
Personally, I think we’ve enough midfielders, with Joelinton, Willock, Bruno, Longstaff and Miley, but I could understand it if we went for another one given that Anderson’s injury is long term and Tonali’s out till next Season.
So all in all I’d say striker top priority. 🙂
cleveleysbob
Nov 14, 2023 at 2:10 PM
Comment #8This will appear to be bordering on blasphemous but I think it’s time Wilson was made our 3rd choice “cover” striker.
His age and injury problems are not going to improve. Like all of us he’s only getting older and I can’t see him suddenly becoming available for a run of 15 – 20 games without injury.
The gamble for this year was that Isak would be fit most of the time and Wilson could fill in when he wasn’t. It’s failed, Isak’s been carrying his injury since the 1st International break and he’s missed more than he’s played since then.
Time to move on and get a genuine “rotatable” striker on the books.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 14, 2023 at 2:38 PM
Comment #9I haven’t changed my mind on the striker situation. It’s going to be unbelievably hard to bring in a striker who is better than Joelinton and Gordon in that role but is also happy to be 3rd choice behind Isak and Wilson. It just seems unrealistic to me.
The 2 realistic options I can see would be signing someone better than Wilson (very expensive) and Wilson has to fight even for a place on the bench, or sign someone top quality who can play right wing and up front (also expensive and probably pushes Almiron and Murphy down the pecking order).
It’s going to be pricey to sign someone good enough for this season. Sure, we could get lucky and sign someone cheaper who takes to the PL like a duck to water but everyone is looking for those kinds of signings and they’re hard to get before someone else does. If the selling club and other clubs see that potential then their value shoots up anyway.
lesh
Nov 14, 2023 at 4:40 PM
Comment #10Cleveleysbob
Aye, with the benefit of hindsight…….
Like you, I had a raft of LPs and they, along with high-end valve amps, CD player and turntable, went down the road in the interests of saving space. Some of the LPs I’ve never seen since, one off rarities. I foolishly went digital, ripping my CDs into the player but never got round to recording the vinyls – hence losing rare records.
Such is life but the damage is done and in the wordsnof Van the Man, It’s too late to stop now!