Newcastle United icon Tim Krul has announced his retirement and admitted it has been “a crazy week” since making the decision.
Speaking to Dutch outlet NOS, the 37-year-old said his phone “did not stop ringing” after he confirmed he would be hanging up his gloves.
Out of contract since leaving Luton Town, Krul revealed he had offers from Dutch clubs but turned them down.
“I had calls from the Netherlands and also from a bit further away, but I wanted to stay in England. That wasn’t possible. Sometimes you have to make the cut yourself,” he explained.
The goalkeeper stressed that location had become a decisive factor at this stage of his career. Adding that he would only have considered carrying on if an opportunity close to Norwich or London had come up.
Instead, Krul has been preparing for a different path. He recently completed a technical director course in England, set up by the players’ union and run through Portsmouth University. “I had to hand in projects, give presentations and sit in class again. It was fun, but completely outside my comfort zone,” he admitted.
According to him, the experience has given him confidence to move into the ‘business side’ of football. He is already holding talks about potential opportunities.
Krul hints at Newcastle United desire
Reflecting on his long career, Krul highlighted his Newcastle United debut as an 18-year-old at Palermo in the UEFA Cup. He then mentioned the record-breaking performance against Tottenham Hotspur, with his 14 saves.
Asked about the future, he smiled: “I’ve closed one door, and other doors are opening. Hopefully something beautiful comes out of it.”
On a possible return to Newcastle United as a staff member, he did not hide his affection: “That remains a great club. Eleven years there do leave their mark. Those would be great things, but we’ll see where I go in the coming years.”
He surely looks back on his 11 years in the North East with pride, aware of the role the Magpies played in shaping his career.
