Would Given have fancied the competition for places, after being pushed down the pecking order at City?
He's basically unchallenged at the moment.
He's basically unchallenged at the moment.
Would Given have fancied the competition for places, after being pushed down the pecking order at City?
He's basically unchallenged at the moment.
Would Given have fancied the competition for places, after being pushed down the pecking order at City?
He's basically unchallenged at the moment.
Friedel's good for this season and next. He's never injured and he's very consistent, so I don't see any issue with your goalkeeping position for the forseeable future.
What surprises me is the age factor looms so highly in Friedels case. He is a top quality goalkeeper, still perfoming well. We all know, or should do, that age in goalkeeping is a very different consideration from an outfield player. At forty reactions are still good enough, long sight is better, experience is better, concentration is better, and confidence is not such a factor. In other words there is little reason why a goalkeeper can not be at his peak in his early fortys.
Many are saying he does not have long left, who does? Many players are only with us for a season or two, either because they are so good they are snapped up by a 'bigger' team, or not quite good enough to sustain a place. A season is a long time in football.
Friedel is exactly the type of goalkeeper we needed, WITHOUT reservation.
I think we're getting into a bit of a jumble, here. I'm not saying Friedl is a bad keeper - far from it. However, I still believe that age is a factor. I can't agree that any 40 year olds' reactions are as good as, say a 25 year old. No matter how fit you keep yourself, you can't help but deteriorate.
In short, the point I was making is, that good as Friedl may be, I think Given was a better bet.

I don't how old you are NSIP but my reactions have improved with age. In my twenties I could not catch a cup falling off a table half way to the floor, now I can. Mind you I do knock them off the table more now.![]()

Sorry, PNP. What competition, exactly. Assuming we had signed Given, instead of Friedl, then the only "competition" would be Gomes, or Cudicini. Not too many difficult choices there, are there?
Compared to Brad Guzan and Andy Marshall, I'd say it's a much harder choice!