Glen Moss: Life as a 'keeper
10:29 AM Monday Jun 14, 201014/6/2010
Serengeti golf and wildlife estate
Johannesburg, South Africa
Life as a goalkeeper definitely has its ups and downs, and like a rollercoaster, sometimes you just have to hang on for the ride.
I feel for Robert Green, having worked so hard to grab England's number one shirt only to drop it against the USA.
Like any professional 'keeper, Green would expect the typical reaction from the press, especially the English who are ruthless even on a good day. After making a mistake like that coaches tell you to forget about it and concentrate on the rest of the game - easier said than done, especially for young 'keepers. I'm sure Green would have been told those exact words at halftime and to his credit made a splendid save in a solid second half performance.
I've learnt not to read too much press after a match, as it's only one person's opinion on what they've seen over 90minutes. At the end of the day, it's only the opinion of the coaching staff that matters to a player. If anything, the boys read the papers for a good laugh - especially from certain journalists that have never played the game.
Don't switch on the tele Rob, train hard before your next game and next time that awful ball will stick.
MOSSY
Peter Bonetti is someone who knows more about how Green is feeling than anyone else, he made a statement about it and he made some valid points "Sadly, when it comes to goalkeepers, people only ever remember your mistakes - particularly if they come in big matches. Green made a superb save in the second half of England's game against the United States but it won't be that dominating the headlines this morning: instead, the danger now is that he will be remembered for that one mistake. Alone."
He also goes onto say "That, unfortunately, is a goalkeeper's lot. Centre-forwards can miss a few chances but, provided they finally grab a goal somehow, all will be forgiven by the punters."
Anyone who steps up to be a goalkeeper at any level deserves some recognition for taking on that responsibility itself. It's not the easiest position. Everyone makes mistakes. It proves we are all human.
Good point and good luck!