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Portsmouth goalkeeper David James - Source: Reuters -
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For the first time in a long while, England have had an almost smooth ride to the World Cup finals.
Apart from a slight blip in which a 10-man England were defeated by Ukraine on Sunday, England won eight out of eight to reach the 2010 World Cup with flying colours, but there is still one problem in the side - a decent goalkeeper.
Not since David Seaman ended his 10-year reign as England's first choice shot-stopper have England had a goalkeeper to call their own, and now coach Fabio Capello is left with a massive decision as to just who he will send to South Africa in order to help the national side reach their first World Cup final since 1966.
Below we look at five of the men who could be England's No.1.
5. Chris Kirkland
Chris Kirkland may be an odd choice for England's No.1 goalkeeper
but with 91 appearances for Wigan since joining the side from
Liverpool in 2006, this 28-year-old can not be ruled out.
Kirkland won six caps with the England U21s and was regularly selected for the senior side from 2003 onwards, but injury has hampered this British star.
He has only made one appearance for the England national side,
when he came on as a sub for the second half of a friendly against
Greece in 2006. But should he stay fit, he could add another string
to Capello's World Cup bow.
4. Paul Robinson
After coming into the England fold under Sven-Goran Eriksson in
2004, Blackburn's current keeper Paul Robinson replaced David James
as England's top goalkeeper for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
With a great start to the qualifying campaign, Robinson kept clean sheets in four out of the five games, but after the World Cup things seemed to go from bad to worse for the 29-year-old.
Mistakes, including the horrific own goal that came from a Gary
Neville back pass which Robinson completely missed against Croatia
during a Euro 2008 qualifier, kept coming for Robinson.
Then under the failed Steve McClaren-era, loss of confidence and
the weight of a nations expectations on his shoulders saw him
dropped in favour of Scott Carson.
But in 2009 Robinson was called back into the England squad as a replacement for an injured David James, selected as a sub under West Ham keeper Robert Green.
Now Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has suggested Robinson should be England's No.1 choice due to his impressive club form.
3. Ben Foster
Ben Foster has been on the sidelines for the England squad since
2006, getting the call-up under Steven McClaren, but just like
Kirkland injury has dogged this 26-year-old, who has made just two
appearances for the side since that time.
But all that may be about to change as Foster has once again been recalled by Capello for Thursday's (NZT) dead-rubber clash against Belarus. The call up comes after Robert Green was sent off against Ukraine in last weekend's loss.
A current loss of form with United, which has seen the side
concede 10 goals in as many games, including an error against Man
City in the Manchester derby, may have England fans worried, but
United's No.1 Edwin van der Sar, who is due to return from injury
this weekend, has backed Foster to bounce back from his recent
slump, becoming a better goalkeeper in the process.
But will Capello agree?
2. Robert Green
After being called into the Three Lions squad in 2006, injury has
also kept West Ham keeper Robert Green out of the box for
England.
His extensive absence from the international scene lead Green to be left out of Fabio Capello's first England team named in February 2008, but he was recalled into the squad in place of an injured Chris Kirkland for England's friendly with France.
In June 2009, Green earned his second cap for the national side in England's 2-0 defeat to Euro 2008 Champions Spain before impressing in England's 4-0 away win to Kazakhstan.
With eight first team appearances under his belt and featuring
in the sides 5-1 victory over Croatia, which saw them blast into
the World Cup finals with two games to spare, Robert Green was
looking likely to become England's No.1 goalkeeper in South Africa,
until a defensive mistake from under-fire Rio Ferdinand
led the keeper to bring down Artem Milevskiy. Green
became the first ever England goalkeeper to be sent off.
The red card helped put an end to England's 100% unbeaten record
and means Green will now miss the side's final qualification game
- highlighting England's deepening goalkeeping crisis.
1. David James
For 12 years Portsmouth's David James has been part of England's
Three Lions squad.
James started out as an understudy to David Seaman, before the England veteran was unceremoniously dropped for a mistake against FYR Macedonia in 2002.
It was after that game that James was handed the illustrious
title of England's No.1 keeper.
Dropped more times than a hot potato between 2002 and 2009,
'Calamity James' as he is otherwise known, put in an appearance for
England after Robert Green was sent off.
James is still in line to be on the plane to South Africa in
2010, as Fabio Capello's first choice shot-stopper, at the ripe old
age of 39.
Doesn't fill you with too much confidence now does it?
Who would your top choice for England's No.1 shot-stopper be? Have your say below
Add a Comment:
Post new commentRedLady said on 2009-10-13 @ 13:52 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why doesn't Capello call up Almunia!? He might not be English, but he's got to be better than any of those lot!
The Slickster said on 2009-10-13 @ 13:49 NZDT: Report abusive post
Def Andrew Flintoff. He has retired from Test cricket now and his massive wing-span could take up the whole goal! Genus!