OK I know I've banged on about this but I think we are all agreed we need at least one if not two more kepers. So the question is who do we want? A young up and coming like Butland or an experienced pro like Craig Gordon? Views
Two keepers? You realise the keeper we have has been named in the team of the year for three consecutive seasons? As well as that he's been a great servant to the club. I love Kelvin and have no intention to see him replaced. That said, the idea of Tommy Forecast on a Premier League bench is hilarious so we obviously do need a new keeper.
As I've said before (all check your copy of Fran's Book of Wisdom), I can see SKD having one year for us, then moving to coach/3rd GK role.
Dan don't get me wrong I still see KD as very much our number one but injuries happen and he's not getting any younger. In the Premier I think we need two more as back up. Unless Mr Forecast is going to amaze us!
I just see little point splashing out on two, if we get an injury we'll use the emergency loan system.
It is lovely to feel the love for Kelv and well deserved of course, but we need someone on the bench who is ready for the prem and that means they will want to play. This is a toughy and fantastic though Kelv has been we are now up a level and he is getting older and he knows he is going to be under pressure. Given Nige's previous job as a stopper he's going to get someone good in. Kasper Schmeichel? Has Brad Friedel got a son?
We need a young keeper to succeed KD in 12/18 mths. Is there anyone in the under21's who could step up in a dire emergency? What about a CB which is is the other essential requirement. It is all very quiet in this respect?
Keepers like Vito Mannone, Tomasz Kuszczak and Manuel Almunia have all been either emergency loans or emergency loan targets before. I'd rather take my chances on buying one keeper, thus having two good enough ones, and having decent emergency loan options than spunk money on two we really don't need. I just struggle to justify the need for three keepers good enough to start - who does that?
OK let's agree to disagree. We all know we need at least one good one though. Let's hope Nigel is on the case.
Teams need a first GK and a young but able second. The third GK should be experienced and able to step in for a game if necessary. No point in the third keeper being young and up and coming because they will virtually never get a game. I believed we had a super 2nd keeper last year in Bart, but I think he'd hit a wall and needed to move on for his own sake. I'm sure NC is on the case, but hope we don't get caught up chasing a nonstarter (like Butland) and miss out on other good keepers.
If Butland was our number one target then we should not panic buy. It's a tough balancing act for the club. The good news with keepers is that the competition for one place means they'll soon jump ship if they find themselves 3rd choice. Could pick up a keeper from the big clubs to sit on our bench.
My mates brother is Sam Johnstone, plays for the Man Utd and England under 19s. Basically him and Butland rotate for the england places, except Johnstone played the entirety of the under 19s euros, but one game, ahead of Butland. He just spent a few months on loan at S****horpe (league 1, similar to Butland except he played league 2). Now he could be biased, but he reckons he easily matches Butland, but Butland has a good agent so gets all the publicity. And to be honest if he plays 50/50 with Butland for England, and has a pro contract for 3 years at Man Utd, he cant be a bad future prospect. EDIT: sorry, it wasnt the euros, apparently it was an annual international youth tournament host by England
Mm. His agent didn't take him to Ukraine/Poland and his agent didn't take 50 scouts to one of his league two games. I'm not saying this Sam Johnstone fella is bad but it's certainly not just agent hype that makes Butland the highest rated young keeper around. Ha, very true. And they ended up spending far too much money on their three keepers which has left all of them upset at a lack of pitch time.
Well it could just be that hes is brother so hes biased, but if they are the same age, but Sam gets far more England game time, has come through one of the best youth systems and has been handed quite a substantial contract, and spent half the season on loan in a higher league playing the number 1 spot..
I don't know where the idea of far more England game time comes from? Butland - Johnstone (information taken from TheFA.com) U 16 4 - 1 U 17 9 - 14 U 19 4 - 11 U 20 4 - 0 U 21 6 - 0 So sure, Johnstone has more game time for the U17s and U19s but hasn't seen the field for U20s or U21s, and certainly isn't the starting keeper at the Olympics.
Johnstone broke his thumb and missed out on the under 21s tournament this autumn, giving Butland all 6 apps and ruining his chance for euros and gb selection
