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Good? First Impressions Are Great!
Written by Newcastle Utd
In the first of a three-part exclusive interview with nufc.co.uk, new signing Curtis Good talks about his first impressions of life in Newcastle
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Curtis Good has already sampled the Tyneside matchday buzz as a spectator, and has set his sights on experiencing it from the pitch in the not-too-distant future.
The 19-year-old became Newcastle United's third signing of the summer on Tuesday, when he put pen to paper on a six-year deal at the Sports Direct Arena.
Good has arrived from Australian A-League outfit Melbourne Heart, with the Magpies pulling out all the stops to sign the young centre-back following a trial period towards the end of last season.
And it was during that trial spell that the teenager fell in love with the Premier League and, more specifically, life in the Toon.
"It's great to be here," Good told nufc.co.uk in an exclusive interview.
"It's been a long process and there were times when I wasn't sure if I was coming, but now I'm sat here it's brilliant.
"The city is amazing. I'm staying in a hotel just around the corner from the stadium, so I have been able to walk around the city and it's really nice.
"I came here on trial in April and if I'm honest I wasn't sure what it would be like - the city, English football and all that - but I just loved it.
"The people here, my teammates, everyone around the Club, they are all lovely and really helped take care of me and make me settle in.
"I was lucky enough to see the home game against Stoke when I was on trial, and that was a completely different football experience compared to back home. It was amazing.
"When I walked into the stadium, I was just like 'wow', and it was unbelievable. The atmosphere was unreal and watching the team win was great too.
"But not just the game though - I woke up early and went into the city to grab a coffee, and it was buzzing for the match already, even in the early hours.
"That gave me a taster of what it's all about here and it's something I would love to experience for myself, running out on that pitch as a Newcastle player."
A former scholar at the Australian Institute of Sport, the highly-rated Good made 25 appearances for Melbourne during his maiden A-League campaign.
And he explained that Dutch influences mean he is comfortable on the ball and prefers to play his way out from the back - just like United skipper Fabricio Coloccini.
"When I first arrived at the Institute I was a striker and then got moved back to be a midfielder," revealed the left-footed defender.
"As soon as I hit six-foot they moved me back again and I've been there ever since.
"Before John Aloisi (current Melbourne Heart head coach), my two previous coaches were Dutch and they really emphasised keeping the ball and using it well That's how I would describe myself - I like to play like that.
"As for my hopes this season, I can't really say.
"I just want to settle in here, work as hard as I can and then hopefully be even more successful than last season.
"I made big steps last year at Melbourne but I don't want to stop there. I want to go even further and to be a part of Newcastle's season would be brilliant."
Log on to nufc.co.uk on Thursday to read Curtis Good talk about his trial period with Newcastle, and how his spell at the Australian Institute of Sport made him become a man...
