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Tim Krul Admits World Cup Penalty Strategy Originated At Newcastle United

10 years ago
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Louis Van Gaal introduced Tim Krul as a last second penalty shootout specialist against Costa Rica, a decision that helped Holland through to face Argentina on Wednesday.

While the Dutch manager’s decision has made massive headlines, not far behind were Tim Krul’s antics as he faced each Costa Rican penalty taker.

The Newcastle keeper made a point of approaching each opposition player at the penalty spot, as part of an obvious strategy to give him a little extra chance of saving their spot-kick efforts.

Tim Krul has now admitted what the plan was and what he was saying to each player, though he admits it is simply a trick he first used at Newcastle;

“It is surreal and I can’t describe it at the moment.

“Seeing the boys run towards me – I have seen that so many times on television after goalkeepers save penalties and win the game.

“That it is me tonight in a World Cup quarter-final is surreal and I do not think it will sink in for a couple of days.

“I watched Costa Rica against Greece and studied them, I told each of their players that I knew where they were going to shoot to make them a bit nervous. Maybe it worked…

“It happened before when I played (for Newcastle) against Frank Lampard, I told him that I knew and then I saved it. I just tried it again and I am so happy it worked today.

“I will study Argentina as well – we have been studying and planning what we are going to do befire every game, with all the goalkeepers and the goalkeeping coach – so we are going to do that again.”

The match Tim Krul refers to is when Newcastle were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at St.James’ Park in December 2011, despite the United keeper saving Lampard’s penalty.

The question though must surely be, why Krul hasn’t successfully used this tactic in 18 of the other 19 penalties Newcastle have conceded with him in goal, Tim only successfully saving one other on top of Lampard’s.

However, this is of no concern to Tim Krul or his teammates at this moment in time, with Dirk Kuyt summing up the mood;

 “Tim is amazing as it is not easy to come on in the last minute of the game and face penalties.

“However, we know that he’s a very good penalty saver and the way he did it was amazing.

“He can be proud of himself and we can be proud of Tim – I think the whole country is proud of him.”

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