Ketsbaias landsman på lån till Newcastle
I torsdags blev det klart att mittbacken Zurab Khizanishvili blir den andra georgiska spelaren, efter legendariske Temuri Ketsbaia, i Newcastle Uniteds historia.
Newcastle United gjorde alltså på torsdagen klart med sitt andra lånenyförvärv för den här säsongen. Den 27-årige georgiske landslagsmittbacken, Zurab Khizanishvili, gick med på att lånas ut till The Toon från sin nuvarande klubb, Blackburn Rovers.
Så här sa Newcastles tillfällige manager, Chris Hughton, om Zurab:
"-Zurab is an experienced defender and we're very pleased to get him on board. He knows English football very well and will be a valuable addition to the squad over the coming months".
Zurab själv kommenterade låneaffären så här:
-"I'm really happy, and looking forward to playing games for Newcastle. Sometimes a dream comes true – Newcastle is a massive club. I know they're in the Championship, but it doesn't matter, to be honest. It's a great club, and I'm sure they're going up".
"All players want to play in this kind of stadium, and I hope for the best for myself and my team tomorrow. It's a great game, and I'm looking forward to it".
"I think I'm too young to sit on the bench – I'm 27. That's why I decided to move to the club. When Newcastle came it was a really big honour for me".
"It's for the manager to decide whether I play or not – he's the boss. I'm ready, and I can play any time, no problem".
"I was only 16 and watching at home in Georgia when Temuri scored that goal and started kicking the boards".
"I remember watching Temuri all of the time for Newcastle and dreaming of playing for such a big club like him.He was one of the first big names to make it in England and we all supported Newcastle because of that".
"Temuri is a very good man, a little bit crazy, but a good man who is now one of my best friends. I played with him for the national team and then for a short time at Dundee, he was a great player and a strong character".
"If I can be half as popular as him then I'll be happy. I spoke with him this week, hopefully he will come and watch me play!".
Zurab kommer till en början att lånas ut till Newcastle i tre månader och han kommer antagligen att ses som ett komplement till Steven Taylor och Fabricio Coloccini. Han kommer att vara tillgänglig för spel redan på lördag.
