Toon hand trial to Dutch midfielder

18-year-old Jordan Botaka
Newcastle are set to hand a trial to 18-year-old Club Brugge midfielder/striker Jordan Botaka if reports in Belgium prove to be correct.

The Belgian outfit have rejected Newcastle’s advances although with the player currently not signed to any professional contract he could technically take up the offer of a trial should he choose to although the likelihood is that compensation will then be sought by by Brugge.

Botaka is a current Dutch youth international and has featured sporadically for the first team at Club Brugge. He is a another player who is “highly-rated” within the confines of his current club so I’m presuming Brugge will want to tie him down. Lille and QPR are also said to be interested in the player.

A little tip, turn the sound off when watching this!

Meanwhile news that Jason Prior will now be coming to Newcastle to take part in a trial has also been confirmed. Prior has scored a rather incredible 95 goals in 118 games for his current side although it’s fair to say that Bognor Regis are a fair few miles apart both in terms of distance and level of competition.

I’ve read some people rubbishing the move, but I’ve also read a lot of people praising the move and doffing their cap to Newcastle for giving the lad a chance. Yes it’s probably a fairytale and probably won’t work out but at the end of the day he has a chance to show he can mix it with much better players now and it’s up to him to take it.

It doesn’t happen often, but there are some players who don’t get picked up in their youth. Chris Smalling was playing for Maidstone a couple of seasons ago and is now a full England international with Manchester United. Ian Wright was spotted by Crystal Palace while playing for Dulwich Hamlet and never signed a professional contract until he was 22. Our very own Sir Les Ferdinand was picked up by QPR from Hayes. You get the point.

The reality is that Newcastle give trials to an awful lot of players each season, as do a lot of clubs. Some make it and earn an extended stay and some even make it to the first team in the future, but a lot of them don’t and will just disappear into relative obscurity once again.

They have a chance, it’s up to them to take it!

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

144 thoughts on “Toon hand trial to Dutch midfielder

  1. team for me if ba doesnt play

    ………….krul…………..
    simp… col..wilo…santon
    obertan.tiote cabaye guti
    ………….benny………….
    …………..best……………

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  2. When i first start that picture, I thought that it was a football manager generated picture 😆

    Army- Arfa wont be playing, Pardew said this morning he is not at his best yet!

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  3. My newphew Joseph Power plays for wythenshaw, a good attacking miielder at 17 playing in the 1st team.

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  4. Krul – Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, R Taylor – Tiote – Obertan, Vuckic, Cabaye, Gutierrez – Ba.

    Expected team tonight !

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  5. Big dave, I though that was a wind up when i saw it said enrique was the best LB in the prem 😆

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  6. no not at all?? i never knew nolan has said that about telln carroll to leave?? is that really the crack?

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  7. Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, R.Taylor; Obertan, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez; Vuckic; Ba

    Subs: Elliot, Santon, Perch, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi, Shola Ameobi, Best

    Big call on Vuckic… 😯

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  8. nice team, happy with that.. vuckic might find it easier playing upfront, should get a few cracking shots on target. 😀

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  9. best has got one of the best shots in the prem imo , hes shooting is fantastic!! well if vukic doesnt peform we can always put benny on straight swap

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  10. Brave decision by Pardew, but I think a good decision. Best just wasn’t doing it and Ben Arfa isn’t 100% fit. I don’t think Vuckic would let us down. He is big and strong as well which is another string in his bow.

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  11. Well we’ll see hoe Harris does tonight,
    Army he told Carroll that it was a chance he would regret turning down etc, then went on lfctv *** and blowing about how good a player they got

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  12. He could have started Benny for the 1st 60 mins or so but I think he might be better coming on for the last 30mins or so when they’re starting to tire 😉
    But I would still be well pleased with a draw

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  13. Big Dave Nolan and Raylor are liverpool fans, Simpson is a Man U fan and Carroll a toon fan. Never gonna change that so nee good moaning about it mate.

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  14. I actually think this could be a ruddy good move well excited for the game … vuckic could be a suprise they wont know what to do with him….

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  15. Big Dave ,it was in the press not long after AC left that Nolan had urged him to go for it. I thought it was common knowledge.

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  16. I think Vuckic will rise to the task tonight, looked very nifty when he played against West Brom and has a very powerful left foot on him!

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  17. That midfield is designed to stop their midfield playing balls in for carroll. Vuckic will be hungry could be fascinating

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  18. Interesting game tonight, we’ve just got to make sure Carroll has a stinker and let them worry about us.
    We cannot afford to over respect them and instead make them sit up and take notice of what we can do.

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  19. Carroll has just spent half and hour in Newcastle’s dressing room lol.Pardew welcomed him.
    I have a feeling we will do a player swap for him in January with alan smith going to Liverpool in exchange plus obviously we will get a few million as well on top of that. 😆

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  20. Wolfie thats not good, I heard that he went in to gave a quick *** sesh with the team, they will all be shattered now!

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  21. SPENCER yea he did try that but Pardew was dead clever and he brought in a team off lookalikes who shafted Carroll and full on dry bummed him to hell. 😆

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  22. Looks like Pardews done his homework anyway and he’s bigging up Haris so we shall see, fingers crossed we can take the 3 points and I’ll **** my pants till it comes out of my bell bottoms. 😀

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  23. Vuckic in for Best. Fkn quality. Well looking forard to this. Hope he keeps his cool if Carroll’s playing, or particularly Bellamy. Big lad can be a bit of a heavy customer.

    Howay Haris!

    TOON TOON!

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  24. nah – got team sheet off twitter – surprised to see vuckic over hba but prob due to the fact he’s up for shooting, no doubt we’ll see HBA on at some stage
    reet off to meet the brighton nufc supporters club down the pub… see you all later

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  25. oh well .. half time , we are doing well but as much as i love vukic i think benny would be a better option going forward!! hope benny comes on 2nd half and i think santon might come on since raylor is on a yellow!! benny and santon 2nd half subs all the way for me HWTL

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