When Tim Krul arrived at Newcastle United as a wide-eyed teenager in 2005, he joined a goalkeeping department containing two of the most experienced and driven stoppers in English football at that time.
A series of formative loan spells would duly follow before a first-team breakthrough, plus an ongoing battle for competition at St James’ Park.
By the time Krul had become a regular in the Magpies squad, he had already gained experience in Scotland, the lower leagues and in Europe.
Krul on his Newcastle journey
The Dutchman’s first Newcastle appearance came at the age of 18, when he kept a clean sheet away to Palermo in the UEFA Cup, a year after he joined the club.
“We went on a team walk in Palermo and Glenn Roeder said, “Are you ready for it?”” Krul recalls to FourFourTwo when asked about his debut. “It really kicked in that it was going to happen.
“I was never able to dream of having a debut for a club like Newcastle, or even winning that game 1-0. It was a dream come true.
“I’ve had a few games in my career where if you get into the zone and save two or three shots early on, you feel unbeatable.”
Loan spells to Falkirk and Carlisle followed, with Krul especially enjoying his time north of the border.
“Scotland was an amazing experience,” he continues. “The manager, John Hughes, said, “You’re going to play – no matter what. You’ll make your mistakes, but I trust in the talent.”
“That really shaped me in men’s football, having to realise that, especially at that level, people were playing for their win bonuses.”
Krul returned from these loan stints in 2009 and knew that he had plenty of competition for a place in the side.
“Fraser Forster was a similar age and the older guys, Steve Harper and Shay Given, pushed me to the limit,” he says. “They expected a lot from me and were really on my case. I think their mentorship helped me push even harder, because when you make your debut, you can sit on your laurels and think you’ve made it.
“That’s when you need experienced players to stay on your case. I started to become more of a regular in the team in the 2010-11 season.
