Tim Krul, Newcastle United’s new van der Sar?

Claims like this are often carelessly thrown at any young players who impress but they rarely come to fruition but this player looks the real deal.

The young Dutchman from The Hague has already had 25 appearances in the premier league this season and did not fail to impress eventually receiving two international call ups for the Netherlands keeping a clean sheet against Brazil on his international debut.

Krul began his career at hometown club ADO Den Hagg but joined English club Newcastle United on a three-year deal after failing to sign professional terms. He played in the Under-17 European championship for the Netherlands in May, 2005, and has since become a member of the Dutch under 21 squad. He made his first senior appearance for Newcastle in a pre-season defeat to PSV Eindhoven on July 29, 2006. He made his first competitive debut on November 2, 2006 in a UEFA cup game against Palermo. His debut was hailed by critics and fans alike as he gave an outstanding performance showing off his shot-stopping abilities, saving efforts from Giuseppe Biava and David De Michele and recording a clean sheet in the process. Over the next 3 years he impressed on loan spells to Falkirk United and Carlisle United. He later returned to Newcastle for the 2009-2010 season of football for which Newcastle were in the championship, he had 8 first team apps in that season as he was kept out of the first team by senior Newcastle keeper Steve Harper.

Newcastle were promoted back to the Premier League in the 2010-2011 season of football and it was this season where Krul received his big break. Newcastle played Everton at Goodison park on the 18 September 2010, first team keeper Steve Harper received a serious shoulder injury during the 35th minute thanks to a dangerous slide tackle from Jermaine Beckford. Tim Krul came on to replace the injured Harper and went on to keep Everton at bay in a game which Newcastle won 1-0 during the Dutchman’s Premier League debut. Krul made his first Premier League start in the 2-1 defeat to Stoke City at St James’ park conceding a James Perch own goal. He went on to play 14 more games for Newcastle whilst covering for the injured Harper starring in games such as the 5-1 win against Sunderland and the 3-1 win against Liverpool. He was later pushed out the team again by the returning Harper but 12 games later he came back into the starting lineup to play the last remaining 6 games of the season due to another Harper injury in which he added another clean sheet to his tally against Manchester United in which his boyhood hero Edwin van der Sar was playing.

After a successful season with Newcastle he received 2 international call ups against Brazil and Uruguay  in where he kept a clean sheet against Brazil to draw 0-0 and saved a shot in a penalty shootout against Uruguay but went on to lose thanks to two misses from the Netherlands.

This player has been tipped to take over from Steve Harper permanently next season and receive the number one shirt but of course he’ll have to work for it thanks to other newcomer Fraser Forster who returns to the team after a successful loan spell at Celtic.

Watch this space 🙂