If there’s one Norwich City player who especially deserves everything the club is enjoying right now then it’s Tim Krul.
Edged out of Newcastle United whilst recovering from a serious injury, he had a tough time back in the Netherlands on loan at Ajax. That spell was cut short and he then moved to AZ, again on loan, before joining Brighton & Hove Albion.
That was also a loan turning into a permanent transfer, but Krul couldn’t get in the team and quickly left.
At that point there was an opportunity to join Chelsea, reports De Telegraaf, to be the Blues’ third choice goalkeeper.
The Dutch newspaper explains that he would have even earned more money at Chelsea than what was on offer at Norwich, but chose to go for the best sporting option.
De Telegraaf spoke to Krul after Norwich’s promotion. He was enjoying a Malibu & Coke in the club’s lounge, accompanied by his family. On rejecting Chelsea, he explained: “I wanted to prove wrong anyone who had already written off me in the Netherlands.”
The 31 year old has done that, but it’s been a difficult journey: “I went through a deep valley. It took a year and a half to regain confidence in my body.
“I haven’t missed any training in the last two and a half years, but the inner urge to play matches again, to be important, was so great that after Brighton, where I was reserve keeper, like Ajax, I had to be good.”
Krul believes a strong team spirit has propelled Norwich to ‘unexpected heights’, and he’s certainly thrilled to be returning to the top flight of English football: “I can hardly believe it: after the summer I will be back in the Walhalla of football, the most beautiful competition in the world.”
As for his future, the goalkeeper insisted he can ‘last for years’, and it sounds like he’s very happy where he is.
