CONFIMRED - Anssi Jaakkola

[royalp-we]

For those who didn't see this doing the Twitter rounds yesterday, reports in South Africa suggest we are tracking the Finnish goalkeeper.

Currently plying his trade for Ajax Cape Town and has been capped at youth and senior level for his native country.

[LumpWarden]

No Jonathan Bond at Borehamwood yesterday and AAH was only player to play whole match - suggests JS taking a good hard look at him?

[Sutekh]

32 years old and the closest he's been to Reading is 14 appearances for Kilmarnock in 2 seasons, three years ago. Total of 117 apps in 12 years for various clubs (that's almost 10 appearances every season).

Bit too old for an understudy and would have expected him to have had a higher playing profile, by now, to be considered as a number 1 at our level so a little nonplussed at this.

[royalp-we]

32 years old and the closest he's been to Reading is 14 appearances for Kilmarnock in 2 seasons, three years ago. Total of 117 apps in 12 years for various clubs (that's almost 10 appearances every season).

Bit too old for an understudy and would have expected him to have had a higher playing profile, by now, to be considered as a number 1 at our level so a little nonplussed at this.

He's 29 - but I agree not the most high profile; although a certain American GK did pretty well for us when joining at about 29 with little experience

This might be a rumour and nothing more. I'm sure I read somewhere yesterday that Bond is injured for 4 to 5 weeks.

[One8Seven1*]

Bond is injured for around 5 weeks. I can't see why we need this guy though, unless we are looking at losing another relatively high wage in Al Habsi or Bond. Looking at Jaakkola's clips on YouTube he's very useful. But then you wonder why he hasn't been given a chance at a bigger club before the age of 29.

[Sutekh]

Actually looks a very decent keeper - seems to be a good shot stopper with pretty good positional nous. Obviously beyond that it's difficult to form an opinion without watching him regularly.

Anyone on here who recalls Jaakkola's time at Kilmarnock or someone or who watches a lot of SA football?

Quality clangers when they do happen though....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcUekdlggBA

Better moments here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlXKlbspW6M

[genome]

Talk Reading ‏@TalkReading 28s28 seconds ago
DONE DEAL: Reading have signed Ajax Cape Town goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola for an undisclosed fee. [KickOff] #readingfc

[royalp-we]

Don't get me wrong, looks a decent keeper from the videos. But still a weird one this if it is all confimred.

Maybe the club are looking to loan out bond for the season and get one more year out of AAH with jaakkola as understudy?

[Oilroyal]

Looks likes this has been confirmed in SA and we have another keeper.

http://www.kickoff.com/news/66983/-ajax ... reading-fc

[Top Flight]

Stam obviously knows this keeper.

Hopefully Jaap has good judgement and knows that this guy is good enough for the Champ. In Jaap we trust.

[Top Flight]

Certainly the GK position is one that definitely needed improving.

[Maneki Neko]

Staams agent rubbing his hands here

[Pepe the Horseman]

I like his beard.

[royalp-we]

"Jaakkola, Jaakkola rub your beard all over my..."

[genome]

Feed the Jaak and they won't score?

[pwb]

Done deal according to this http://www.football411.com/story/0,2216 ... 04,00.html

[maffff]

Having asked a couple of fans on twitter

Annsi Jaakkola is an outstanding shot stopper, got height, reads the game well and good with one on ones.

A goalkeeper is only as good as his defence, he was commanding a very youthful defence.. So jah I too believe it's more of defence than him. Annsi can absorb the pressure quite well.

His center backs were 19 and 21 years. The youngest center back pairing in the league. He went on to win the top 8 cup with that defence conceding only 1 goal

basically it's our loss and your gain

He's is very good.. He was nominated for Goalkeeper of the season in two consecutive seasons

[Sutekh]

Well if he could turn out to be half as good as Jaaskelainen we'd be onto a winner.

First Finn to play for Reading now !

[Pepe the Horseman]

We signed him from a club over in SA.
He's a goalkeeper and his name is Anssi Jaak-kola.
K-O-L-A, Kola.
He plays for Reading and he's got a great beard.
He's from Finland where they speak really weird. His name is Kola.
K-O-L-A Kola. Anssi Jaakkola.

[One8Seven1*]

Locals feel he is ready for Seria A. It does look like we've got ourselves a bargain here, and certainlt not someone who expects to sit on the bench as second fiddle to Al-Habsi or Bond.