Satka On Standby

By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Newcastle United youngster Lubo Satka has been placed on standby for Slovakia's under-21 squad for two friendly matches in Portugal this month.

The cultured defender, who turned 17 in November, has previously represented his country up to under-19 level and is the youngest of the náhradníci (back-up) players for the games on 15th and 17th January.

Since joining the Magpies from Dubnica last summer, he has made six Barclays Under-21 Premier League starts this term and was quickly promoted from the Academy at Little Benton to the first-team training ground.

Although he is sitting exams this month and as such is unlikely to be called up, this latest international recognition is another indication of how highly Satka is rated and comes after some impressive performances in European Under-19 Championships qualifiers.

The full Slovakia under-21 squad is:

Patrik Le Giang (MÅ K Žilina), Dobrivoj Rusov (FC Spartak Trnava), Norbert Gyömbér (FK Dukla Banská Bystrica), Lukáš Pauschek (Å K Slovan Bratislava), Dávid Hudák (Å K Slovan Bratislava), Kristián KoÅ¡trna (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Róbert Mazáň (AS TrenÄín), Michal Å kvarka (FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce), Richard Lásik (Brescia Calcio), Jakub Paur (MÅ K Žilina), Jaroslav Mihálik (MÅ K Žilina), Matej Kochan (ŽP Å port Podbrezová), Patrik HroÅ¡ovský (FK Ústí nad Labem), Stanislav Lobotka (AS TrenÄín), Jakub VojtuÅ¡ (NK Zagreb), Karol Mészáros (Å K Slovan Bratislava), Filip OrÅ¡ula (Wigan Athletic), Ivan Schranz (FC Spartak Trnava).
Standby: Tomáš Lešňovský (MFK Ružomberok), Michal Habánek (FC Spartak Trnava), Lubo Satka (Newcastle United), Jakub Bartek (1. FC Tatran PreÅ¡ov), Michal Janec (MFK), Tatran Liptovský Mikuláš), Adam Ambra (U.C. AlbinoLeffe), Milan Å kriniar (MÅ K Žilina), Peter LupÄo (MÅ K Žilina), Milan LalkoviÄ (Vitoria SC), Martin Bukata (MFK KoÅ¡ice), Å imon Å mehýl (FC Nitra), Tomáš Malec (MFK Tatran Liptovský Mikuláš), Matúš Marcin (1. FC Tatran PreÅ¡ov), Marek Å ovÄík (FK Dukla Banská Bystrica).