Pete Barrow: Looking out for No. 1

Dec 11 2009 by Peter Barrow, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IN THE next few months a small band of seriously misunderstood people will make their bid to get on a plane to South Africa.

Being a goalkeeper is a lonely enough trade as it is, but for it all to become a bit competitive is really something of a first for those custodians who fancy their chances of being between the sticks for England’s World Cup campaign in South Africa.

England, as Napoleon might have said had he been interested in football, are ‘a nation of goalkeepers’.

It is the one position we always seem to have been able to instantly fill.

Frank Swift, Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton, Ray Clemence and David Seaman were all long servants in the England number one jersey.

In fact to emphasise the point just consider the goalkeepers who barely got a look in – Alex Stepney, Gordon West, Peter Bonetti, Phil Parkes, Joe Corrigan and Nigel Martyn are just a handful of those who got only a handful of international chances.

However, Fabio Capello is perhaps facing one of his toughest selection jobs as he tries to name three keepers for the trip to South Africa.

David James would appear to be in pole position, but having a keeper nicknamed ‘Calamity’ is hardly in keeping with England’s traditionally high standards.

Ben Foster is suffering a lack of form, Robert Green is hampered by injuries, Chris Kirkland makes Green’s attempts at being hampered by injuries look amateurish, Scott Carson doesn’t appear to be favoured and Joe Hart is another who lacks international experience.

The one in-form player is Blackburn’s Paul Robinson and there is every chance he may be on Capello’s radar when it comes to the squad.

Unlike his predecessors, Capello is faced by watching an English top flight where the best performing keepers play for other nations – Shay Given (Ireland), Brad Friedel (USA) and Petr Cech (Czech Rep) – which even as recently as the 1990s would have been an unthinkable scenario.

He could always take a bit of a gamble.

England’s best ever, Gordon Banks, started out at lowly Chesterfield – a club who became renown for producing good keepers.

So, Tommy Lee it is time to stand up and do your duty for your country!