welcome jussi

[HammerMan2004]

Don't these welcome threads normally get closed off when they're a bit premature?

[ashbanki]

Jussi was due to sign on Saturday, but fumbled the pen and when he bent down (very slowly as not to annoy his sciatic nerve) his contact lens fell out and,as his other eye is false, he could not see a thing let alone where to sign.He, beat a slow retreat, thanking the tea lady David Sullivan for the milky ovaltine and giving his ,soon to be, new team mate Karen a firm hug. Allegedly.

[SiamHammer]

Welcome to the Mighty Ham. A great signing as second choice keeper. His experience will be invaluable for Henderson to learn from and will create a good bit of competition for whoever our first choice keeper will be.

[SiamHammer]

Complete joke that how much better he is than Green! how quickly some people change!

IF he has signed I really Hope that he is nothing more than a reserve keeper! any other choice what message does it send out to younger players we sign?

THIS

[QuintonNimoy]

I did not say that O'Brien,Faye,Taylor and Nolan were rubbish and agree they all played their parts.What I did say was that claiming Allardyce is some sort of miracle worker and can get more out of/extend pro footballers' careers is a tad naive.

I don't think too many people have called him a miracle worker. What he has done is got players towards the end of the their careers and got them playing well, particularly notable at somewhere thoroughly unattractive like Bolton. If he can do that in the stygian wastelands of the north then he can do that here.

That would also be in sharp contrast to our usual signings of this nature, so I can understand some excitement at the anticipation of him picking up some decent footballing pensioners rather than the utter dross we usually collect.

[Mr P]

Jussi was due to sign on Saturday, but fumbled the pen.

Several years ago I waited after a game to get some autographs. Ludo dropped my pen after I handed it to him...

[ashbanki]

I don't think too many people have called him a miracle worker. What he has done is got players towards the end of the their careers and got them playing well, particularly notable at somewhere thoroughly unattractive like Bolton. If he can do that in the stygian wastelands of the north then he can do that here.

That would also be in sharp contrast to our usual signings of this nature, so I can understand some excitement at the anticipation of him picking up some decent footballing pensioners rather than the utter dross we usually collect.

Out of interest who were these "football pensioners" he got so much out of?
Jay Jay was 27 and had played at the highest level in France,Germany and Turkey.Djorkoeff was 31 and was World class.Anelka was about 27 and in his prime.I seem to remember youngsters like Ricketts,Nolan,Hunt,Davies,et al.Campo was 28,N'Gotty was 30 and both played at the top level and the only other "oldie" I can remember was the late Gary Speed who was the youngest 35 you'll ever witness on a football pitch.

[Hockley Hammer]

Losing teams reflect poorly on their keepers.

Bolton had a truly terrible start last season, coinciding with Jussi losing his place in the team.

I didn't really follow Bolton too much last season, but if Coyle decided to change keeper after their poor start he may have kept faith with the new keeper and tried to improve other areas. I don't think their new keeper was the reason they went down anymore than Jussi was.

You change keepers and he doesn't do anything wrong but you still keep losing it probably highlights the weaknesses elsewhere.

I think being the second keeper at a PL club must be one of the most soul destroying jobs in football. You often need luck/someone else's bad luck to get a chance and no matter how you perform the odds are you will be back watching from the bench in a few weeks.

It will be interesting to see if Henderson is given the chance to be No 1, I assumed he was reasonably priced back-up. Good luck to both of them.

[Whu_Law23]

Think he's a good signing. He might be number 1 this year, then Henderson takes over the next with Jussi mentoring him?

Whos our current goal keeping coach? As Jussi & BS obviously have a good relationship, maybe he'll become a GK coach here once he retires and if BS is still here?

[davids cross]

IF he has signed I really Hope that he is nothing more than a reserve keeper! any other choice what message does it send out to younger players we sign?

jaybs,

I don't think it sends out any message to any young player we sign...............zilch, none, nothing....not in this instance.

We are talking specifically about the keeping position here surely, drawing any wider meaning from an old head arriving, either to guard our goal till Henderson is ready or to provide an experienced back up is what happens in the goalkeeping ranks at most clubs, or something similar.

It's not someone blocking the route through for a young player, more helping his development by helping him train with someone he might just dislodge from the first team position but also has the greater experience to help guide him in training. Hendo would not have had the chance to replace Green for quite a few years in all probability....... Henderson hasn't even pulled on the gloves for the first team. I would think they may challenge each other early on........No big deal at all.

[Puff Daddy]

It is only a feeling, but I still don't think we gave enough consideration to the position of GK. Whilst I have always rated thus guy, I still feel he is over the hill and we should, and could, have found better at a bargain price in the contiental leagues, just as Newcastle and Swansea did in Krul and Vorm respectively. What I strongly suspect is that Sam thought, right get Jussi, he's a good GK and I know him and that's that position sorted, now I can get on with the more important positions I need to fill. ~ Job done. When, I believe that the position of GK is arguably the most important one on the pitch. A really good GK will get you around an extra 10 points a season and his importance must never be overlooked and I can't see that an over the hill Jussi will do that

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

Puff

Krul came through the ranks at Newcastle, so that's invalid.

Henderson will be our first choice it seems - i.e. finding value in other leagues.

So your point isn't really a valid one.

[Puff Daddy]

Puff

Krul came through the ranks at Newcastle, so that's invalid.

Henderson will be our first choice it seems - i.e. finding value in other leagues.

So your point isn't really a valid one.

People keep saying Henderson will be our No1 and Jussi, back up, but I think it will be the other way round

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

Think their pre-season performances may decide... either way, it's good competition.

[MB]

Think their pre-season performances may decide... either way, it's good competition.

Is the way I see it as well. For the first time in a while we will have two keepers pushing for the number one spot. Can only be a good thing when he signs on 1 July.

[Chimhog]

Maybe I am a tad optimistic but I think Jussi would be a good signing.

I do realise these are of a different class but...

Friedel - 41years old and plays for Spurs
Van der Sar - 40 years old retired at Man U

I think Jussi could have made it to a bigger club back in the day.

[Yea Why Not]

Maybe I am a tad optimistic but I think Jussi would be a good signing.

Same here

I think he is going to play a blinder next season

[davids cross]

I don't think too many people have called him a miracle worker..

I think Sam Allardyce did.. ....

[hadleighhammer]

Think their pre-season performances may decide... either way, it's good competition.

An ex-Portsmouth potential relegation candidate GK and a 37 year old keeper from a relegated club who was 2nd choice to Bogdan is good competition? It may be competition, but I'm not sure I'd call it good competition. We'll have to wait and see.

Even if it's because we couldn't afford him, however you want to paint it both are a step down on Green as we step up a division.

[Dyer's Leg]

We got relegated with England Internationals in our team, Green being one of them.

What's your point Hadleigh?

Pretty sure Scott Parker was a relegation candidate and he got the player of the year award.