ARTICLE: Experienced goalkeeper Dúbravka signs in

[ElectroClaret]

I'd suggest Hladky is back up...

Really wouldn't be comfortable with Hladky as back up
in the PL.

[BurnleyFC]

Looks to be a very astute signing on paper.

[Taffy on the wing]

If they weren't already, these videos have become pointless and lazy.

Don't watch them then!

[Rileybobs]

Don't watch them then!

Maybe I won't, thanks.

[jrgbfc]

Happy with this, good solid signing. Feels exactly the opposite to what we did under Kompany 2 years ago. As for the videos, i enjoyed the first few, actively go out of my way to not watch them now, which is easy enough.

[Elizabeth]

Excellent signing for us.

Introduction video clever and made me smile.

[aclaretinstevenage]

Good signing for a good price. Happy with this.

[AlargeClaret]

Be prepared for some Muric-esque fun though . He’s great with his feet but has a howler in him . Always found him v slightly hesitant too. Was hoping for something better than a 1yr 36yr old BUT he’s loads of prem experience and that’s ultimately what counts . I think he’ll be fine .

[Holtyclaret]

I think a keeper brought in with medium term thinking wouldn’t have been a bad thing. It’s all very much reliant on Weiss kicking on. If he doesn’t, it will have to be addressed again in 12 months time.

I’d imagine they’d be an option/desire to extend beyond a year if both sides are keen at some point.

[Taffy on the wing]

Maybe I won't, thanks.

Any time.

[Nonayforever]

Good solid well thought out signing. Ticks all the boxes.

As for the reveal, I didn't get it, but perhaps that's my age.
My thoughts on the reveals are that they have done the job and now need to move up a notch, but that all depends on the target market which I'm not sure what that is.

[Rileybobs]

Good solid well thought out signing. Ticks all the boxes.

As for the reveal, I didn't get it, but perhaps that's my age.
My thoughts on the reveals are that they have done the job and now need to move up a notch, but that all depends on the target market which I'm not sure what that is.

When the film they sampled had the tiniest bit of relevance to the player they were revealing then were decent. Now they’re just going through the motions. Each video is a 30 second clip of an irrelevant movie with a 3 second clip of a player at the end saying ‘up the clarets’. May as well not bother.

[ecc]

Don't wish to tempt fate but we really do seem to have a proper recruitment strategy this time round. It might not keep us up but it may well give us a fighting chance and less suffering than two years ago.

[nil_desperandum]

Reminds me of when we signed Tony Waiters.

How?
Tony Waiters retired - having had a very successful career - in 1967. His most recent club had been Blackpool who were not a top club.
In 1970 our first choice - Peter Mellor - got injured and somewhat surprisingly we brought Waiters out of retirement. Unsurprisingly he was rather rusty and - in fact- seemed unaware of a rule change for goalkeepers that resulted in him conceding a free kick and goal on his debut.
He did improve over the season though.
Dubravka - by contrast- has been playing well at the top level for a number of years and has had no time out of the game.
Not saying that he is still at his peak - only time will tell - but he’s not that old for a keeper and was still playing a division above us last season.

[agreenwood]

The jury is out on this one. We’ve tried to replace one of the brightest goalkeeping prospects in Europe with two players who have cost the club a combined fee of less than £10m.

Competition at Newcastle is clearly superior to that at Burnley, but Dubravka’s was third choice there and his career is on its downward trajectory and has been for several years. It’s just a question of whether there’s enough left to perform at a high level for a full season. Weiss is as unproven as Trafford was when we bought him 2 years ago, possibly even more so.

It could be a genius move, but it’s been a while since our GK department was a cause for concern headed into a season.

[Fretters]

I was pleased with the signing, but having seen the comments of Newcastle fans on their Facebook fan pages, I'm now absolutely delighted.

Many have him better than Pope and say they've sold the wrong keeper.

[Big Vinny K]

It could be a genius move, but it’s been a while since our GK department was a cause for concern headed into a season.

It’s not been that long !!

There were plenty of fans concerned at the start of VKs first season after seeing Muric in those opening few months.

There were plenty concerned going into Traffords first season after seeing him in that friendly and even more after watching the way we played and set up in the first few months.

And even last year how many of our fans went into the season less than confident about Trafford after tearing into him for the previous season and losing the keeper they thought was better to Ipswich ?!!!

I do think though that signing Dubravka is pretty risky and probably leaves us in a worse position. Not sure how many other options there were though and Parker looks like we have opted for what he believes is the least risky but still affordable option in signing a keeper with experience of the PL. I would have preferred Pope back but looks like he wants to stay at Newcastle

[claretonthecoast1882]

The jury is out on this one. We’ve tried to replace one of the brightest goalkeeping prospects in Europe with two players who have cost the club a combined fee of less than £10m.

Competition at Newcastle is clearly superior to that at Burnley, but Dubravka’s was third choice there and his career is on its downward trajectory and has been for several years. It’s just a question of whether there’s enough left to perform at a high level for a full season. Weiss is as unproven as Trafford was when we bought him 2 years ago, possibly even more so.

It could be a genius move, but it’s been a while since our GK department was a cause for concern headed into a season.

2nd choice wasn't he ? Sure he played when Pope was injured last season

[agreenwood]

It’s not been that long !!

There were plenty of fans concerned at the start of VKs first season after seeing Muric in those opening few months.

There were plenty concerned going into Traffords first season after seeing him in that friendly and even more after watching the way we played and set up in the first few months.

And even last year how many of our fans went into the season less than confident about Trafford after tearing into him for the previous season and losing the keeper they thought was better to Ipswich ?!!!

I do think though that signing Dubravka is pretty risky and probably leaves us in a worse position. Not sure how many other options there were though and Parker looks like we have opted for what he believes is the least risky but still affordable option in signing a keeper with experience of the PL. I would have preferred Pope back but looks like he wants to stay at Newcastle

“Headed into a season” - it turned out badly that year, but going in we had Muric off the back of a good season with us and we’d just signed an exciting young GK.

[agreenwood]

2nd choice wasn't he ? Sure he played when Pope was injured last season

He was last season, but he was 3rd choice once Ramsdale arrived this summer.

[Jakubclaret]

He was last season, but he was 3rd choice once Ramsdale arrived this summer.

I'd be careful legitimate concerns are straying into negativity territory.

[Jakubclaret]

Plenty of other options existed but you need to potentially spend more money exploring the other options. That said he's now here & like any other player needs to be given a fair shot despite concerns it's a risky strategy time will tell.

[claretonthecoast1882]

He was last season, but he was 3rd choice once Ramsdale arrived this summer.

He played 6 games for his country last 12 months, most recent being June this year

Played 10 games in the league and kept 5 clean sheets, also played both legs of the semi final against Arsenal to get them to Wembley keeping a clean sheet in both games.

For 12 months he will be perfectly fine ability wise

[agreenwood]

He played 6 games for his country last 12 months, most recent being June this year

Played 10 games in the league and kept 5 clean sheets, also played both legs of the semi final against Arsenal to get them to Wembley keeping a clean sheet in both games.

For 12 months he will be perfectly fine ability wise

I hope you’re right. As I said, it could be a genius move and all my concerns could prove to be unfounded.

[Big Vinny K]

“Headed into a season” - it turned out badly that year, but going in we had Muric off the back of a good season with us and we’d just signed an exciting young GK.

I was bricking it at thought of having Muric going into the PL. And I know of a number of other fans who thought the same.

But main point is that since Pope and Heaton left then generally speaking we have gone into each season with more risk in that department than for a long time. Guess that’s going to be the way it is for a while now.

As said despite some saying they were other options (but not saying who) there will have been certain criteria that Parker wanted in a keeper and then certain constraints he had to work within budget wise (in the context of the overall budget and other areas in the pitch he wants to strengthen)

[CaptainClaret]

He’s an experienced head, a known entity at this level and we haven’t broken the bank for him. Downside is it’s a short-term measure and potentially leaves us needing to strengthen again in a years time, without the pull of Premier League status (and money). Weiss would hopefully be primed to become number 1 in that scenario anyway.

Signing Cooper or Johansson might have cost around £15million and a big gamble at this level, albeit with the potential to make a profit. On a limited budget though, we’ve likely opted to direct the lions share of available transfer funds to the other key areas we were short on quality.

[taio]

Feels like a solid and low risk option to me allowing greater investment in other positions

[Culmclaret]

Great signing. Really nice balance of youth and experience at the back developing.

[ClaretTony]

How?
Tony Waiters retired - having had a very successful career - in 1967. His most recent club had been Blackpool who were not a top club.
In 1970 our first choice - Peter Mellor - got injured and somewhat surprisingly we brought Waiters out of retirement. Unsurprisingly he was rather rusty and - in fact- seemed unaware of a rule change for goalkeepers that resulted in him conceding a free kick and goal on his debut.
He did improve over the season though.
Dubravka - by contrast- has been playing well at the top level for a number of years and has had no time out of the game.
Not saying that he is still at his peak - only time will tell - but he’s not that old for a keeper and was still playing a division above us last season.

Waiters had been a really good goalkeeper but, as you say, he'd retired and had been working at Liverpool I think as a coach. We brought him in to coach and then Peter Mellor suffered an injury and that forced him in. That goal he conceded came because of him not being aware of the new goalkeeping rule for carrying the ball.

He did well for us overall though, and that performance and that save at Oxford in the cup were memorable. But rightly, this deal cannot be compared. This one is very much more Joe Hart, an experienced and active goalkeeper coming in. Dubravka, although three years older than Waiters was, played ten PL games last season for Newcastle.

[fatboy47]

Feels like a solid and low risk option to me allowing greater investment in other positions

This.

[Jakubs Tash]

I’d imagine they’d be an option/desire to extend beyond a year if both sides are keen at some point.

I wouldn’t be too confident of Dubravka’s desire to extend. He was on the verge of a move to Saudi just over 6 months ago with huge, life-changing wages. If there’s a similar option on the table for him in 12 months time at the age of 37, you’d think he’d give it more than just serious consideration.

[Holtyclaret]

I wouldn’t be too confident of Dubravka’s desire to extend. He was on the verge of a move to Saudi just over 6 months ago with huge, life-changing wages. If there’s a similar option on the table for him in 12 months time at the age of 37, you’d think he’d give it more than just serious consideration.

Yes

[Commy]

Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crSf7MgOikM

[DingleDangle]

Was a bit unsure about Dubravka when it was first mentioned, but totally changed my mind since. Good quality, proven, Premier League experience and Newcastle fans seem to rate him higher than Pope.

[durhamclaret]

A Newcastle season ticket holder pal of mine texted me yesterday to say that we had just signed their best keeper.

[HurstGrangeClaret]

Just texted my mate who is a Newcastle season ticket holder to ask him about the Dúbravka signing.
Here are his exact words.”Really good keeper. Wish he’d stayed.”
He knows his football.