Thomasson ... Not Good Enough For The Toon!

Last updated : 26 January 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

The Dane signed for Newcastle back in 1997, as young kid with the world at his feet. He signed from Dutch club SC Heerenveen for £2.2m having topped the Dutch goalscoring league the previous season. Quite an achievement considering he was playing for such an unfashionable club and not one of the big three - PSV, Feyenoord or Ajax.

He was highly rated and scored twice in a pre-season friendly in Ireland when he first signed and looked a great prospect. But those two goals were scored with three touches, as he seemed to make time for himself on the ball. But he never got that luxury in the Premiership, and he never adapted to the English game and struggled straight away.

What made matters worse, Alan Shearer suffered a serious injury and Tomasson was played out of position as a target man. He didn't have the build to take a kicking, and became easy "meat" for big defenders. He never looked sharp, and although he had pace, he never put it to good use in a Newcastle shirt.

Not good enough for Newcastle, but he moved back to Holland when he signed for Feyenoord and again he set the Dutch league alight. He moved to Milan, was a hit in Italy and he even helped Denmark to the European Championship.

So, like so many before and after, WHY can't Newcastle get the best out of the foreign players? Look no further that the guy he could partner at Villarreal ... Albert Luque.