Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has today given his full support to one of our up and coming goalkeepers, 19 year-old Hexham born Fraser Forster.
Fraser has been on the bench these last two games since Shay Given has been out with his groin injury. Big Sam thinks there are 3 goalkeepers fighting for first-team football at St James’ Park – Given, Harper and Forster.
Fraser Forster - already challenging for first team position
Of course we also have highly rated Dutch 19 year-old keeper Tim Krul on loan at Falkirk for 6 months – so that’s four very good goalkeepers we have at the club right now.
Fraser Forster has come on leaps and bounds in the last 18 months, and has played some outstanding games this season for Newcastle Reserves. Sam believes Fraser is a Premier League star in the making. He seems to be in no doubt that Forster, already 6ft 5in and still growing, is ready to challenge Given and Harper for the starting position.
Sam told the Sunday Sun today:
“We don’t need to recall Tim Krul, because we’ve got Fraser – who’s top drawer,â€
“He’s really shown in the reserves a lot of outstanding qualities.” ” He’s young and inexperienced but he looks a very promising young goalkeeper.
“I’d be happy to use him.â€
We’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Forster’s play and how much he has improved over the last year or so. He’s also likely to finish even taller than the 6′ 5″ he currently stands. A good build for a goalkeeper these days.
Looks like there is a growing challenge for the goalkeeper starting position at Newcastle. Now what’s that news about wanting to sign Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen in January. We don’t think so.
Comments welcome.
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20 responses so far ↓
1 Pete // Nov 11, 2007 at 18:41
Wheres he from?
English? Geordie?
2 cam_toon // Nov 11, 2007 at 18:59
LOL Line Three mate … Hexham
3 Hadrian // Nov 11, 2007 at 19:17
really? the reserve matches ive watched he’s made some right blunders .
4 Hammy // Nov 11, 2007 at 19:31
If Hadrian has actually watched Forster I’d be more inclined to believe him than the hype……I liked the look of Krul last season but it’s impossible to judge him on the one first team appearance, while I like Given/Harper, I still think we could improve in that department.
We need quality rather than quantity.
5 nightfall // Nov 11, 2007 at 19:54
BS is praising EVERYONE…so i guess HE’S the only one to blame for bad performances, ‘cos all the players we have are apparently top class… right sammy boy?
6 Hammy // Nov 11, 2007 at 20:01
Just been a bit of Michael Owen analysis on Sky Sports, Andy Gray thinks the toon’s current formations don’t suit MO and that he prefers to be a fox in the box, great comments on yesterdays game plan from AG, not criticising BSA but saying that they’ve had 5 different front set ups in twelve games and that we need a settled team and some continuity.
Question is what do you do with MO? Play with him or around him……..
7 Bill f // Nov 11, 2007 at 20:21
If Hadrian is correct, then Sams judgement of Golakeepers is a bit sus. I know I’m banging on about it but I don’t agree we have two good goalies. Harpers body language gives him away a far as i’m concerned, he looks like a frightened rabbit caught in a cars headlights, I think his confidence is badly effected. although a couple of good results might help. I think the bad injury Given had may have caused him to lose his edge, the difference between adequate and good, and good and great at this level is marginal and is this edge. (does that make sense)
8 aaron d // Nov 11, 2007 at 20:39
Saw him playing against Liverpool reserves, looked ok no better than any of clubs young goalkeepers really, made a howler a which lead to a goal. Theres potenial though and hes a giant.
9 Eve // Nov 11, 2007 at 21:44
Meh, he’s ok, but that’s about it. Sam’s been saying there today that Given is “uptight” about his injury, and that he needs to forget about the injury and that he over did it..Sam said that..
“The specialists say there should be no problem with it, but I think he’s got uptight about it,”
“That’s disrupted his technique and put a lot of pressure on those areas.
“He’s just got to forget about it, the specialist has told him to just keep doing his prevention work, his goalkeeping work, but not to overdo it.
“I think he’s overdone it by the will of wanting to get better and better
You can’t blame him really like, hopefully though he’ll do like Sam says and forget about it.
10 Hammy // Nov 11, 2007 at 22:02
?
11 Leo // Nov 11, 2007 at 22:06
andy gray is a cnut haha
he hates newcastle. seems like he is always willing on the other team to score
12 Bill f // Nov 11, 2007 at 23:38
Hammy, Ditto.
13 Marguerite // Nov 12, 2007 at 0:47
Strikes me it is Sam who is ‘uptight’ - let’s wind up all our goalkeepers should we? I am sure on reading this, that young Tim will feel very reassured!!!
Cannot comment on young Foster, not seen him in action but I have seen Krul and he is very good.
In my opinion our best keeper is Given and could someone please point out to Sam that the ex west ham thug ripped open Shay’s bowels and and he could have died from this injury. So can we be surprised if he has a weakness in that area? It does not surprise he is experiencing groin problems as it will take time to heal fully. I do not like the inference that it is something in Shay’s mind which he has to overcome. After all, he has always been known as Lazarus and for good reason.
14 Len // Nov 12, 2007 at 3:02
Sounds like a lot of PR bull to me. Maybe just in case Harper gets injured or makes a mess of things then Sam has his excuses all lined up. Tim Krul did very well under intense pressure. He will get better with first team experience. At Falkirk he is going to play in from of some v hostile crowds and be under a lot of pressure. My view he really is a contender for first team. Next summer I would seriously consider selling Given while he is still worth something, and telling Harper and Krul to fight it out.
15 lee // Nov 12, 2007 at 3:07
The biggest risk with praising players all the time is some of them believe the hype and stop trying. A few words of support from the gaffer can be a sneaky confidence boost but old Sam really does go overboard - World class Barton the ‘complete’ midfielder? Cacapa the ‘top drawer’ defender? and now ‘outstanding’ Foster challenging Given for no.1? Behave yourself Sammy lad !!
16 Greg // Nov 12, 2007 at 7:44
Ive read a couple of falkirk match reports this season and krul had got man of the match in a few games
17 Aussie Geordie // Nov 12, 2007 at 8:54
Jose never seemed to have anything good to say and they played well to prove theelves worthy of a first team place. Maybe Sam needs to be a bit more of a meanie
18 Bill F // Nov 12, 2007 at 11:21
Just to add a touch of interest to the deabate, perhaps little Sam was the tactitian, motivator etc. and Sam was the brains, overseer, (can’t think of anything better at pres.) Does he need little Sammy?
19 Johann // Nov 12, 2007 at 11:32
little sammy hadn´t really been alongside big sam for long anyhows
20 Chris M // Nov 12, 2007 at 18:12
He surely must be able to kick the ball better than Harper. Christ on a bike. Good shot stopper but me granny could kick a ball better than him!
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