England Goalkeeper Thread

[Ferg]

An interesting debating point I feel!
Firstly some opinion from a former England manager(!!)

TeamTalk said:

(Graham) Taylor, who was in the England hotseat between 1990 and 1993, feels the current national team boss Steve McClaren is incorrect to stand by Robinson.


Taylor, who discovered (David) James while manager at Watford, believes that .....Robinson should even be behind Manchester United's Ben Foster - who spent last season at on loan at Watford - in the England pecking order.

"I know Paul Robinson will not like this but it has to be David for England," Taylor told the Daily Star.

"Going on form last year it was David, Ben Foster then Robinson, in that order. David is a first-class goalkeeper, the best we have."

Now as a Spurs supporter I have a slight vested interest in this, so these are my opinions......

• Robinson has been unfairly targetted by all and sundry over some 'gaffes' ( ). I shan't go on, but he's still in the top three English goal-keepers when he is on form.

• James is not the future of England keepers. He is too old for that, but this wouldn't worry me if he was on form.

• Did anyone read any piss-taking of James after his penalty-conceeding, phantom-diving, poor-defender-commanding display against Arsenal? If not, why not?

• FORM Play the keeper in best form. For me this is neither Robinson, nor James. In fact it isn't Carson (nearly) OR Foster either.

So...in conclusion. Why exactly hasn't McLaren named Robert Green between the sticks???

[central]

What's the deal with Chris Kirkland (Wigan) these days?

[Glassman]

Form... If the GK is playing for a shite team, how can he be judged properly? England should be looking beyond James and Robinson.

[cj_eds]

Glassman said:

Form... If the GK is playing for a shite team, how can he be judged properly? England should be looking beyond James and Robinson.

Goalkeeper with a st backline in front of him gets more chance to prove himself. Thats why Given is a class act despite not keeping a great number of clean sheets. And if Wigan don't get relegated now Titus Bramble is down there, then proof Kirkland is a good keeper!

[deevlash]

I find it somewhat funny and pleasing that we Scots have a rock solid world class goalkeeper these days and England have a bunch of gaffe prone diddies I cant see why anyone would pick david james though

[deadslow]

deevlash said:

gaffe prone diddies

[Wacky Racer]

Bring back Peter Shilton/Ray Clemence...

[Glassman]

The greatest English GK of all time?

The candidates...

BANKS
CLEMENCE
MARTYN
SEAMAN
SHILTON

Who else?

[sjc]

The best English keeper for a long time has been Robert Green,with Kirkland ( if injury free and a run in a side)Carson and Foster not far behind. Robinson is an OK shot stopper but no more than that. As for James, he's been saddled as mistake prone for years, most of the time unfairly. Think France.1-0 up 4 minutes to play. Silly foul by Heskey and they score from the free-kick,crap backpass from Gerrard with James aleady commited leading to a penalty we lose 2-1.Calamity is the one who gets caned.

[MrE]

I think that the best choice for England currently and for the long term is Scott Carson. His form for the past couple of seasons is certainly equal to Robinson and although maybe less spectacular than James, i struggle to recall the glaring errors that affect the pompy keeper. Note also the high praise from Petr Cech before and after last weekends game.

[FourWheelDrift]

Isn't Budgie still playing?

Super-sub Burridge for England

[cj_eds]

deevlash said:

I find it somewhat funny and pleasing that we Scots have a rock solid world class goalkeeper these days

The new Jim Leighton?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

4.

[Ferg]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

4.

[Gimlet]

Glassman said:

The greatest English GK of all time?

The candidates...

BANKS
CLEMENCE
MARTYN
SEAMAN
SHILTON

Who else?

Whilst personally Peter Shilton would get my vote anyway, some other names for consideration could be:

Chris Woods
Joe Corrigan
Phil Parkes
Paul Cooper (Penalty Expert!!)
Tony Godden

In the late 70's/early 80's England had a glut of quality goalkeepers.

Scotland had Jim Blyth and Alan Rough though at around the same time.

[oxford drinker]

Gimlet said:

Tony Godden

good call!

and Derek Statham would have been England's left back had Kenny Sansom not been around at the time.

[Glassman]

oxford drinker said:

Gimlet said:

Tony Godden

good call!

and Derek Statham would have been England's left back had Kenny Sansom not been around at the time.

Would, or could?

[oxford drinker]

I'll stick with would