With regards to next year whats everyones opinion on who should go, schwarzer or stockdale? IMO i think as good as schwarzer is, i think Stockdale has spent his benchtime, and proved that he can step up and be number 1. then, if MS isn't happy and wants to move on we should cash in on the 2-3m we should get. that would then leave use with three youth keepers: stockdale, etheridge and joronen (assuming zuberhuler leaves too, also getting very old i think). it seems that neil etheridge is regarded as some sort of national football hero, playing for the azkals (the philipines team i think)m, personally I've never seen him play, dont know if anyone else knows what he's capable of or seen him play, if so, is he good enough to be backup next year, and any info on joronen would be useful.
I agree that we need to start giving Stockdale some game time as i see him wanting to move somewhere else for first team football if he doesn't, however i think Mark Schwarzer is one of the best keepers in the league at the moment and i don't think MH will drop him or sell him. I don't think we would get that much for a keeper with another season or two in him.
If Schwarzer goes, it is definately time for Stockdale- one of the most promsng young keepers in the country. I feel schwarzer has a few seasons left, but if he stays them out at us, Stockdale will leave
As I've said on other threads, Schwarzer is the better keeper at the moment, but Stockdale is good enough now and is potentially as good as keeper as Schwarzer for the next ten years or so. If we have to opt for one or the other (and I'd love another season of Schwarzer in the team and Stockdale on the bench) then we should do what we have to do to keep Stockdale. If that means selling Mark Schwarzer, then so be it. If we do sell Schwarzer, it would be a ghastly mistake to go with a whole squad of young keepers. Stockdale is ready to be our number 1, he's not ready to be our senior keeper. We should buy a wise old head who, even if he's not playing, can be an example in training and a source of timely advice for Stockdale and the others. (I'm also assuming that Zuberbuhler will be moving on. Hughes seems happy with him being about the squad, but not to have him anywhere near getting into the team. If Zubi is still around, then maybe we don't need to sign another experienced keeper). What I would hate to see us do is sign another experienced keeper who would expect to play regularly, which might see us lose both Schwarzer and Stockdale.
I agree with the Captain. However, it may be time for MS to make a move and for us to cash in. But we do need an older, experienced hand around to help when needed. Not sure who is out there who would be willing to fulfil this role to be honest. In purely replacement terms there are probably a few who could step in and do a job - like Al Habsi at Wigan, ideal cover but not your long term No 1. Come to think of it Kirkland is there, isn't he - maybe he's a guy we could target as experienced back up.
Schwartzer is world class and needs to play all the big games, but I think Stockdale should be playing Carling and FA cup games to keep him interested and provide him changes to shine. 'Keepers can lose confidence very quickly if they're not given a chance to play, so he and the other young/reserve players need to be playing at every opportunity in meaningful games. Just not too meaningful.
Captain, i'm pretty sure i've read somewhere that Zuberbuhler is now a player/coach with us so I think he will be staying around to help the youngsters. I don't see any experienced keeper wanting to come here to be second choice. The only experienced keeper I can think of that is available at the moment is Given who certainly would have to start so I think we would do just fine with Stockdale and Etheridge.
I'm not so sure, Fulhamireland. I agree that the likes of Shay Given wouldn't leave the bench at City for the bench at Fulham, but plenty of more experienced keepers would be happy to be involved in a Premier League squad. We were linked a while ago with Crystal Palace's Julian Speroni, who is a keeper that I've always rated. He's 31 with a decent number of first team appearances under his belt. Assuming that he's a good pro who, as Schwarzer and Zubi have done, would model good habits and practices to the younger lads, he'd be a good signing. It would also mean that if Stockdale got injured we wouldn't be depending on the untried and very inexperienced Etheridge. His day may well come, but it's dangerous at our level to have an inexperienced keeper (albeit a very good one) and an even-more inexperienced back up. Getting an experienced back up would also enable the club to loan Etheridge out when they felt the time was right. Don't forget the part that loan spells with Rotherham, Leicester and Plymouth played in Stockdale's development.
But would Speroni at the age of 31, a goalkeepers prime, want to sit on a bench? I doubt it. I think he would certainly prefer to be playing first team football in the Championship than sitting on the bench in the Premiership. I personally would prefer to keep Mark for another two seasons with Stockdale as his understudy and send Etheridge out on loan to get first team experience but I think Stockdale has already stated that if hes not getting game time he will have to re-evaluate his options. We certainly can't afford to lose a player of his potential.
wont see any experienced keepers coming here to be our number two- definately not one of a high standard. Stick with what we have got, if Schwarzer goes, so be it, as long as we keep Stockdale. IMO keepig stockdale is a must
