Scott Basalaj (Unattached)

Scott Basalaj has signed with Scottish Premiership club Partick Thistle.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9191031/Glasgow-call-for-Kiwi-goalkeeper-Scott-Basalaj

Article really should mention hes going to be playing for U20s

Good on him.  Now.  Where's Jag?

Great news. Well deserved. 

Cool!

Well, the u-20's are the reserve side and play in the SPL u-20 reserve league, so you'd hope he was going to be playing for the reserves - not signed to immediately warm the bench for the first team, for sure, but the second-choice keeper Paul Gallacher from the first team often plays for the .reserves. Three first team players played in the u-20 reserve game yesterday. So, Basalaj will have a chance to make the first team.

http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/u20/seasons/2013-2014/fixtures_results

One of the "u-20" players from yesterday v St Johnstone:

Paul Gallacher, Partick Thistle

Partick second-choice Gallacher has seven full Scotland caps and at 34 has played for Norwich in England as well as a long career in SPL. But he's barely played the last 18 months due to injury and looks to be nearing the end of his playing career.

He's also the club's goal-keeping coach, so looks like he will be training Basalaj to be his own replacement.

First choice Scott Fox at 26 is not a greatly experienced keeper and this is only the third season of his career where he's been making regular appearances. Before 2011 and turning 23 he barely had any senior appearances. So.in the same way, time is on Basalaj's side...

They're different at Thistle - Head of Youth Development Gerry Britton known as "The King of Spain" is both their top-scorer 1992-2005 and a criminal defence barrister at the local Sheriff's Court. One of the rare intellectuals in British football with a double major in Law and Political Science...

Great news for him, glad he got signed finally

Here I am. Happy for him.

He played in our U20s 3 - 2 win over Aberdeen on Tuesday

PTFC U20s v Aberdeen

Seems to be a problem spelling his name right tho'!

Sounds like Scotty's going okay:

http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/october_2013/under_20s_gain_point_with_leaders

Sounded pretty good except for the opposition scoring directly from a corner... never a good look that one.

2-1 loss to St Mirren in Scottish FA Youth Cup:

Only a report on the St Mirren site so far with no Partick player details:

http://www.saintmirren.net/pages/?p=27606

Has a photo gallery - guess this is Scott:

That is not Basalaj.

montrose were always an edgy affair...

Didn't start for the U20s tonight against Hibs. Not sure whether it's an injury, or a response to the dicking we got from Ross County in last week's game.

Scott played tonight in the top of the table U20s clash against Rangers. Thistle went down 3 - 0, although it seems to have been a pretty even contest till the last 10-15 minutes when Rangers scored a couple of goals to blow the score out.

Basalaj played pretty well by all accounts, made a few good saves but blotted by copybook by giving away a penalty with 10 to go (which they scored from), and getting booked for doing so. 

Contract extended until the end of the season - http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/january_2014/goalkeeper_signs_contract_extension

Still appearing regularly for the u-20's/ reserves:

Busy in 2-2 draw this week with St Johnstone. Report:

http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/u20/seasons/2013-2014/fixtures_results/1102_st_johnstone_u20/match_report

Also busy in 4-0 away loss to mighty Celtic: http://www.celticfc.net/newsstory?item=5366

"the Bhoys opened the scoring, picking out Fridjonsson in the box, whose shot crept inside the post despite the best efforts of Scott Basalaj.

....Henderson forced Basalaj into a flying save, and from the resultant corner, Eoghan O´Connell was bundled to the ground and the referee awarded the penalty. Twardzik took responsibility and made no mistake.

The impressive Herron made it 3-0 on the hour mark, collecting a pass from Jamie Lindsay, evading one challenge and curling a shot into the far corner.

As the young Celts looked to add to their tally, Henderson forced Basalaj into a smart save from a free-kick, before the Jags threatened twice through Leyden and West Ham youngster George Moncur who rattled the bar.

Herron and Henderson combined from a well-worked corner and the former flashed a shot over but the midfielder´s frustration soon turned to joy as grabbed his second of the afternoon.

Twardzik´s precise pass sent Fridjonsson scampering clear and as Basalaj advanced on him, the Icelandic forward teed-up Herron to slot home and seal the spoils."

All Partick u-20 matches: http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/u20/seasons/2013-2014/fixtures_results

(click on underlined opponents for match reports)

Interview with Scott this week on the Thistle website:

Basalaj loving life in Scotland

 

 

http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/may_2014

 

Contract Update

Thursday 15th May at 12:41

 

 

From what I've been told, Scott has been re-signed. Seems to be backed up by the fact he played for our U20s tonight in a 2 - 1 win over Rangers.

Partick Thistle's youth program > Rangers

I guess Partick Thistle are a wealthier club than Rangers these days.

How times have changed...

Scott originally trialled with Rangers but they couldn't sign him (or anyone) because of their financial and legal plight....

Thistle have actually got a pretty good youth system. I guess because as a smaller club we can't afford to throw millions of pounds at players to win part time lower leagues! Which also means we aren't losing money at an alarming rate every month. Last week our U17 team reached the semi-finals (lost to Man Utd) of the Dale Farm Cup in Northern Island, finishing above the likes of Newcastle, Benfica and Espanyol. Bright future. I'm sure Scott is enjoying his time with us.

Scott was on the bench for the 1st team in the game against Hamilton on Saturday. (Our 1st choice keeper got sent off the previous week). Shows he's 3rd in the pecking order though, which is higher than he was last season

Really need him or Gleeson to step up Moss isnt going to get us to the next WC

He should of stayed in NZ with the nix I think.... SPL is nothing to get excited about these days as Ernie pointed out

I guess scotland is more visible to the other European leagues if he can work his way into the first team.

Unused sub for the first team tonight in Partick's League Cup victory against Queens Park.

So he'd have been better being 3rd choice, or worse, at the Nix than at an SPL club? Hmm.

As long as he doesn't chase the dragon, drink a litre of buckfast a day, get off the clockwork orange at the wrong stop or get a blade across his cheek I think he made a far more interesting choice than smoking cigarettes on the bench at newtown park every tuesday

I guess I was wishing in hindsight that we signed him instead of Italiano, but obviously we didn't so getting a gig in Europe ain't bad.

Scott is on the 1st team bench for tonight's SPL game against Hamilton

How did his team go? Did he happen to get on?

Won 5-0. Basalaj didn't get on.

Scott was on the bench for the 1st team in our 2 - 0  win over Dundee Utd on Saturday