Krul and Colo talk Champions League, contracts, and the future

Well what an odd day! I rolled out of my pit this morning to see the yellow bar on Sky Sports News flickering across the bottom of the screen saying there was a press conference at Newcastle coming up.

We don't do special press conferences so my first thought was 'oh my, what has the not so fatman done now?'

Well with the benefit of hindsight it actually turned out to be a good thing which was a rather pleasant Saturday morning surprise. That good thing, as we spoke about earlier, was the news that both Tim Krul and Fabricio Coloccini have committed to the club long term, with deals lasting until 2017 and 2016 respectively.

The last line of the aforementioned article promised to bring you interviews from both players in the wake of their new deals, and as I like to keep to my word, here you go!

First up our curly haired Captain, Fabricio Coloccini who had this to day to the official club website.

"It is an important day because I wanted to sign here and the Club wanted me to stay, so I am very happy," he told nufcTV.

"A lot of things made me want to sign here and I can stay for a long time, so it is going to be important for me and for my career."

"If I can finish this contract then I am going to have a lot of years at Newcastle United and that is massively important for me with such a big team."

It's been an amazing turnaround for Coloccini. Ridiculed in his first season and branded as another expensive foreign flop after our relegation he has since gone from strength to strength and has established himself as arguably one of our best defenders of the modern era.

Colo had high aspirations at the start of his Newcastle career, and whilst they may have had to slow down as we slipped out of the Premier League before returning one year later, he insists that those once high aspirations are now back on the agenda at NUFC.

"When I came here in the first year, in my first interview I said I wanted to play in the Champions League with Newcastle United," said the centre-back who signed from Deportivo la Coruna back in 2008

"Maybe people thought I was crazy, but that is my dreams. We are in a good way, and if we keep going like this - hard working and with the Club going this way - then it is maybe possible."

"I don't know if it will be next year or a couple of years, but we can be fighting with the top teams."

Meanwhile Tim Krul has lauded what could be a bright future at Newcastle United after signing his new long term deal, which will potentially keep him on Tyneside until the age of 30. Would you believe that Krul has already been with us seven years? Signed in 2005 he is a symbol of what youth development can bring, and just how long it can take to break into the first team as a youngster.

This season is his first one as first choice goalkeeper at NUFC, and he hasn't disappointed. He has been one of the form 'keepers in the Premier League this campaign and has, at times, kept us in games single-handedly so I'm glad he has signed a nice, long contract extension. So is he by the sounds of it!

"I'm over the moon," said Krul, who is now regular in the Dutch international squad.

"To commit my future to Newcastle is a fantastic feeling, and I'm just looking forward to the years ahead."

"I've always wanted to play for Newcastle in the Premier League and this year has really been my breakthrough. I owe a lot to Alan Pardew and the Club for giving me the opportunity, and to sign for five-more years is a fantastic feeling."

"The Club has a big future and we are going the right way. The Club has always kept its promises with me, and that promise and faith in me gave me the confidence and the will to sign."

"It's been a fantastic season so far and hopefully we can finish it off properly."

I'll say it once again, but this is great news for the club and the fans ahead on the derby tomorrow - a timely PR boost ahead of an important home game! I honestly can't see how anyone can put a negative slant on it although some have already tried!

I know a contract doesn't automatically mean that a player will stay for the duration, but it does ensure that we get top dollar for them should they move on, which will benefit the club - as we've seen they can do magic things with a cash windfall! On the other hand, the players in question do stop and we get x amount of years of service from them. It's a win win.

Howay the lads!