I really hope we have started contract negotiations with Birraz, because otherwise he's walking at the end of the year.
I really hope we have started contract negotiations with Birraz, because otherwise he's walking at the end of the year.
The Championship Chronicles - The Jetstream's review of the 2007/08 season. www.newcastlefootball.net/chroniclesOriginally Posted by Grimario
That save he made off Mcgowan when he was offside was absolutely world class!
WE DON'T DO WALKING AWAY !
Bah humbug - how many crosses did he deal with?
Someone is burning good
***
Indeed. I was losing my shit and was a bit annoyed it was offside as it took away from the superb reflexes.
His late dive at the far post from that deep free kick wasn't bad either. Must have seen it very late
Biraz deals with crosses better than you deal with good Biraz performances.
.IT seemed so easy.
One minute Mark Birighitti was collecting the Jets player-of-the year award, the next the keeper had boarded a plane with the Socceroos bound for Brazil and a World Cup training camp.
Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen were interested, before they changed manager.
Next was an A-League All-Stars game against his childhood team, Juventus, and sharing cups of coffee with idol and Italian legend Gigi Buffon.
It was the stuff of dreams.
Then came the letdown.
A dip in form was followed by demotion to the Jets bench.
That led to an underwhelming move to Italian Serie B club Varese, and more frustration.
Loan deal complete, the 24-year-old returned to a rebooted Jets squad in July.
Despite the tough trot, Birighitti’s desire and appetite for work never diminished.
‘‘I feel like I have taken my game to a whole new level.’’- Mark Birighitti
Now he is reaping the rewards.
The acrobatic shot-stopper was at his best in a second man-of the match performance to help snare the Jets a valuable point from a scoreless draw on the road against his old club Adelaide on Sunday.
‘‘I’m very happy, not only with the Adelaide game, but my performances throughout the whole season,’’ Birighitti told the Newcastle Herald in the lead-up to Saturday’s visit by league leaders Brisbane.
‘‘I feel like I have taken my game to a whole new level.
‘‘From back them to now, one word I use a lot with the coaching staff is maturity.
‘‘I have matured a lot as a keeper and a person.
‘‘I am going into games feeling very confident that I can play my part for the team.’’
Birighitti has made 26 saves to date, three more than next best Thomas Sørensen (Melbourne City), despite missing the 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory in round three with a bad facial injury.
He had four teeth dislodged and needed more than 40 stitches in his mouth and chin after being kicked flush in the face by Sydney FC striker Shane Smeltz.
The Perth-born gloveman returned to action in round four and was quickly back diving at the feet of strikers.
His heroics against Adelaide on Sunday earned a place in the A-League team of the week for a second time this campaign.
‘‘Massive credit has to go to goalkeeping coach Jess Vanstrattan and the rest of the coaching staff,’’ Birighitti said.
‘‘Jess and I sat down at the start of the season and analysed my game.
‘‘We worked out what areas I needed to improve and have been addressing them.
‘‘We do a lot of reaction stuff at training and power work, the most important aspects of being a keeper.
‘‘We do a lot of plyometric hurdles and those type of exercises. You can see the outcome in games.’’
Coach Ange Postecoglou has stuck mainly with Mat Ryan, Eugene Galekovic and Adam Federici for the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifying campaign. But with Ryan and Galekovic recovering from injury, Leyton Orient’s Alex Cisak was brought in on the bench as back-up to Federici for the past two games.
‘‘In regards to the Socceroos, last year was a write-off for me,’’ Birighitti said.
‘‘To start this season the way I have, I’m very happy with that.
‘‘I’m focused purely on doing my thing for the club. The rest will take care of itself.
‘‘If a Socceroos call-up does happen, it is a massive honour representing your country.’’
Off contract at the end of the season, Birighitti harbours a desire to return to Europe but is not in a rush.
‘‘Every young footballer aspires to play in the big leagues in Europe,’’ he said.
‘‘But I’m really enjoying my football in Newcastle.
‘‘The gaffer has come in and set a strong culture, and there is big things in the future for this club. That is something I want to be a part of.
‘‘In terms of contract talks, I’ll leave that to my manager, Vinnie Grella.
‘‘My job is to stop balls from going into the back of the net.’’
How good is this bloke going??
Best keeper we have
he's cooked now.
as soon a keeper is linked to the socceroos their form goes to shit.
He's going great guns at the moment.
sort out his aerial domination on crosses and he's Europe bound again.
the latter was a far harder save
There's no question that's he's a very good shot stopper, but with such a major flaw in his game he cannot go to the next level and will continue to be a liability to the Jets from time to time.
My preference for BK is related to his more rounded ability, no doubt Birra is a better shot stopper.
By more rounded do you mean "below average in all facets"? BK is as poor or worse than Birraz with regards to crosses and is in no where near his quality with regards to shot stopping and distribution.
Mate - what games do you watch? One thing that BK does have over Birraz is better distribution. Birraz is Reddy 2.0.
your right mate
his distribution is excellent, he never misses the poor spectator in row x in the 2nd tier of grandstand.
BK would struggle in New FM
I'll weigh in here. They're both as bad as each other
The Championship Chronicles - The Jetstream's review of the 2007/08 season. www.newcastlefootball.net/chronicles
you're right.
Jetmaster, Mother Theresa and The Camel are inseperable.
lolololololololololololololololol
Yep
Anyone out here fessing up that in a season of stellar performances, Biraz had a bad bad day yesterday?
4 goals always looks bad, particularly the 2 through the legs. but, he had no protection and on another day he may well have saved/deflected the ones through his legs (like the one the other week that he saved with his butt).
his worst moment was coming out to take a ball with no pressure, chose to punch instead and punched it straight to a city player.
not his greatest game.
Didn't watch enough of the game to comment.
The 10 ****ers in front of him done my head in
Missed two of the goals yesterday anyway going to toilet
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