Nikita Haikin - Confirmed

[GrahamC]

1 minute ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Seems fairly obvious to me he's come here to play games. Saturday would be the ideal opportunity to give him a start, as it could be justified to Max as giving the new boy a run out and a rest for Max.

Either way, I'd expect Haikin to get a run of games in the first team sooner rather than later. 

Lived in England for four years as a teenager.

Also mentions in one interview that he’s taken the British nationality test & passed it, you get the impression that was in the relatively recent past from how he spoke.

Bound to have helped to avoid work permit issues.

[Sir Geoff]

Has Max's year option been exercised yet by the club ? If not there is every chance that Haikin could stay as number one next year with Bajic number two.

[Kid in the Riot]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

Also mentions in one interview that he’s taken the British nationality test & passed it, you get the impression that was in the relatively recent past from how he spoke.

Bound to have helped to avoid work permit issues.

Yes, he's said something like "it was always my ambition to return to English football" too. So guessing that's what inspired the nationality test.

[Northern Red]

Good Athletic interview with him here from a few months ago, talking about his oppsition to the invasion of Ukraine and his background

https://theathletic.com/3655637/2022/10/05/nikita-haikin-bodo-glimt/

https://archive.is/l5ux8 (alternative link if the Athletic one is paywalled)

Edited January 26, 2023 by Northern Red

[Cannybluff]

Song is easy...

Oh nikita you're our number one..

 

[pongo88]

21 minutes ago, Cannybluff said:

Song is easy...

Oh nikita you're our number one..

 

It depends on how you pronounce his surname. If Haiken rhymes with hiking, the song “I love to go a wandering” is ideal 

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by pongo88

[Jerseybean]

Seems Everton were looking at him https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/01/26/everton-bristol-city-nikita-haikin/

[Port Said Red]

1 hour ago, Sir Geoff said:

Has Max's year option been exercised yet by the club ? If not there is every chance that Haikin could stay as number one next year with Bajic number two.

I know that at the start of the season it was Max that was supposed to be moving on as he felt he needed to be number 1 somewhere, but Bajic turning up with a hand in plaster stopped him going. Whether his mindset has changed or whether he thinks he will always be eventually relegated to number 2 I don't know.

I can't see how Nigel could drop him right away without going against his own, "people wearing the shirt" ethos. He has done nothing wrong and is getting stronger game by game. I think it will need to take an injury, a poor performance or a costly mistake to see him step aside.

[MarcusX]

16 hours ago, spudski said:

That's cool...but we can agree to disagree on this aspect. I don't see anything that will reward us in playing short under a high press with our players..let alone better ones.

I feel it's the one tactic being employed in British football that we aren't technically good enough to take advantage off.

Too many times, it leads to losing the ball, or conceding.

Then you have the knock on affect of mistakes,band players then playing cautiously or nervously.

I don't think we are technically good enough or mentally. 

It's the one tactic that I feel coaches/ managers in this country get wrong, and think the players are capable of doing it well on a regular basis.

I agree we're probably not good enough to confidently play out like the top teams do.

We don't necessarily need to start playing perfect passing football to benefit from a keeper who is good with his feet though, having someone comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and decent distribution will still be good for us

[And Its Smith]

1 hour ago, Sir Geoff said:

Has Max's year option been exercised yet by the club ? If not there is every chance that Haikin could stay as number one next year with Bajic number two.

Bajic seems a long way from being a number two to me, bearing in mind that a number 2 is only one incident away from being a number 1 for a run of games. If Bajic had to be promoted to number 1 because Haikin got injured I’d be pretty concerned. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Watched the clips on Twitter from his games v Arsenal.

Like what I saw, he looks assured technically. Strong distribution yet seems to know when is a good time to go longer too.

[Numero Uno]

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Bajic seems a long way from being a number two to me, bearing in mind that a number 2 is only one incident away from being a number 1 for a run of games. If Bajic had to be promoted to number 1 because Haikin got injured I’d be pretty concerned. 

With Bentley always going it is vital we have someone who can push Max and keep him on his toes. Bajic isn’t that keeper yet and will benefit from minutes in France. Signing the new lad is as good a deal as getting Bentley off the wage bill. Good business by the club.

[Northern Red]

Depending on how this goes, it might be that we look to get Bajic out on loan somewhere for next season too whilst Haikin and Max battle to be No.1 here.

[ExiledAjax]

11 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Depending on how this goes, it might be that we look to get Bajic out on loan somewhere for next season too whilst Haikin and Max battle to be No.1 here.

Both O'Leary and Haikin are technically out of contract in June. So there's a lot of flexibility in how we fill the GK role next season. Club are really only tied in with Bajic (until June 2025). Either of the other two could be let go, extended on new terms, or in the case of O'Leary I think we have a year option to extend on existing terms.

So it's really flexible and honestly any one, or none, of the three could be in the Number 1 shirt in August.

Edited January 26, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[Bazooka Joe]

F'haikin hell !

We've finally signed a player in this transfer window.

And it looks like a good one,

Valdari, Valdara !

[Dan Robin]

A player who won some trophies in Norway and recently played in Europa League: not a bad profile at all.

Welcome to City, Nikita!

[!james]

From press conference today - confirmed he was looked at in the summer, is here to earn a longer term contract, will be on the bench on Saturday as wants to keep Max in the team

[ashton_fan]

I think if Haikin turns out to be OK and we manage to hang onto O'Leary then Bajic will be shipped out

[Merrick's Marvels]

6 hours ago, Jerseybean said:

Seems Everton were looking at him https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/01/26/everton-bristol-city-nikita-haikin/

That's not a recommendation!

[GrahamC]

10 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

That's not a recommendation!

I think you should steer clear of this thread after hounding our other keeper back to France with your heightist comments..

[Oh Louie louie]

Tony coton was in the music video oh niktia,

[Son of Fred]

On 25/01/2023 at 15:41, Percy Pig said:

He looks unreal in 1v1 situations though!

Yes,, very quick off his line!

[Son of Fred]

On 25/01/2023 at 19:36, Port Said Red said:

Bit worried that my wife has offered him to stay with us, something along the lines of "he'll do for me"  

My wife (who has zero interest in football) is also 'impressed'

[SecretSam]

What squad number has he taken - Bents' number 1?

[SecretSam]

On 25/01/2023 at 20:24, Crackers Corner said:

 

That save at 01.48...how?

[SecretSam]

New song...just change 'kick' for 'Nik' (whilst bouncing round the ground):

Nik, Nik, Nik, Nik...