Football Food For Thought / Paul Moon / 22 August 2010 / 1

Paul Moon's angry again - and it's the state of the country's keepers that's getting him in a lather

It is necessary to redefine the duties of a class goalkeeper to see how it has changed over the years. Some things are seemingly obvious with fitness and longevity paramount. However, it is no longer enough just to be an agile shot-stopper. He must now be brave, ultra-confident and have real organisational skills. He must be able to command the unit and take responsibility, he will be the eyes and ears of the team and the manager's lieutenant. He will never stop learning and more recently it is vital he has good distribution skills. He is the cornerstone of the defensive blockwork.

Britain once had a reputation for producing exceptional goalkeepers but it is generally accepted that the current crop rank as the worst in modern times. So, is there a shortage of quality English goalkeepers or is there a shortage of opportunities for them and does the responsibility to produce and develop good English keepers lie at club level or the FA?

It is absolutely crucial to acknowledge this playing position has now acquired critical status and has a separate responsibility not easily shared within the rest of the team. The Premier League clubs and the FA have either missed or ignored this point. They have not fully recognised the significance of this specialised position and proof is in the lack of ongoing development. Clearly we have fallen behind other countries in producing the finished article.

With football in this country we yearn for decency and honesty but do not aspire to excellence. Our players reach predetermined comfort levels and then bask in that minor achievement! Verification of this is that no other country in world football can boast the numbers of accomplished keepers down in our lower divisions. Despite the raw material available it remains a paradox that we cannot hone it.

Furthermore, though foreign keepers enhance our game, they consequently block progress of homegrown keepers. Only seven Premier League clubs could have an English keeper as their first choice in the forthcoming campaign. Top-flight clubs have agreed on new rules regarding the number of homegrown players in their squads but it does not specifically include goalkeepers. Is there an argument for further regulation and stipulating that each Premier League club has at least one English keeper in their 25-man squad?

The number one position was the biggest area of concern for Fabio Capello when his side arrived at the World Cup. Our last world class goalkeeper was David Seaman and we have not had one of that calibre since. It is a desperate situation that defies explanation!

Ironically and to highlight English folly regarding development Sir Alex Ferguson told us all that Ben Foster (27) was the 'best England goalkeeper in the country'. He promptly sold him to Birmingham for a song whilst retaining the services of the almost 40-year old Edwin Van der Sar. This piece of business was bizarre and could not have happened at Real Madrid or Bayern Munich and shows how short-term and seriously we take this issue!

England look certainties to win Group G at the Euro 2012 Qualifying Stages and here lies a golden opportunity for Joe Hart of Manchester City to raise his stock and cement his position as the national number one. The chance to gain the necessary experience must not be missed, It will help himself and England in future tournaments.

Perhaps Foster can progress to push Hart further but, more importantly, is there a tutor or structure able to mentor and develop them onwards and upwards? Regretfully the evidence suggests not and the probability is that they will drift back into the average joe zone like those before them! One hopes the columnist is wrong.

Latest Betfair prices for winners of Group G includes England [1.39] Switzerland [8] Bulgaria [8.4] Wales [15.5] Montenegro [16.5].

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

(1)

1. Paul | 23 August 2010

   Here is a comment I received through an email, thought it worth pasting onto the site. It was from Mick Turnbull who I do not know but he raised some very interesting points:

   Mick says, "Just read your blog about English goalkeepers - I personally dont think they are any worse than the crop of Banks, Bonetti, Hopkinson, Hodgkinson, Stepney etc tjhat bgraced the sixties. In fact the current crop are probably better. after all Bonetti didnt have to deal with shots that move three ways through the air - he wasnt really that good if it didnt move at all. if you judge all the alleged great goalkeepers of years gone by from foreign countries such as Gilmar, Yashin, Zoff, perhaps Mazurkiewicz the Uruguayan , none of them would cope with the modern game - but neither would Banks, etc. Think we tend to go a little overboard on the fact that Britain produced some crackers - try Alan Rough as a classic example of pure international shite. Jennings , Bob Wilson, Tommy Lawrence, Gordon West, Garyu Sprake all played for the top clubs in England - and none could claim to cover their selves in glory could they?".

:

:

:

?

: