Are we really that hard up for goalkeepers?

England are now taking a lad to the European Championships whose total professional football career to date is 24 appearances for Cheltenham in League Two!

 

It would seem to be the case

It doesn't help, either, when players decide they no longer wish to represent the country, rather than appreciating it as the ultimate honour in their profession (eg. Paul Robinson, Ben Foster).

 

Re: It would seem to be the case

Robinson was playing out of his skin at blackburn and watched rob green Kirkland carson etc get selected in the squad before him.

Foster, think injury has something to do with him

 

Steele has got to be a better option. Or is he still injured?

 

Re: It would seem to be the case

I don't blame them. The only chance they have of a game is if Hart got banned or injured. It's a waste of time for them to spend like a month training for no games when they can spend some valuable time with their families that they don't always have the chance to.

 

So it's not an honour to be selected to represent your country?

My bad.
Robinson-It's the manager's responsibility to select the squad. Just because a manager has thought others have been performing better, is no reason to squander the the opportunity to play for your country.
Foster-No one knows better than his club manager of last season the level of Foster's fitness and wouldn't do anything to damage it. Hodgson asked him to reverse his decision, Foster refused.
I think I'm probably old fashioned, a dinosaur. But it's my opinion the country's manager at the time should be the one to bring down the curtain on a player's international career, not the player's. If the country calls on you, you should answer the call as it's the ultimate honour.
As I say, it's probably me who's out of touch with everyone else.

 

As I've already said

It's probably just me. The modern footballer simply does not appear to think it's an honour to be called up to represent your country. Neither do many fans, it seems.

 

Re: It would seem to be the case

It's a waste of time for them to be able to experience a tournament...FFS!

They don't have time to spend wit their families? I bet they get more time to spend with their families than most working men do

 

Not out of touch, you are bang on.

 

Re: As I've already said

I think a huge majority of fans prefer their club to their country. If these guys have young families the summer is the only time they can spend genuine quality time with them with a good holiday. Family time is going to come before warming a bench.

 

Most fans prefer club to country, I agree.

But that's not the issue, it's whether they see it as an honour. As for the players having the time with their families, I am truly gobsmacked. I wish I had had the opportunity to spend as much spare time with my family as a footballer gets and that's without the salary that goes with the job.

 

Re: So it's not an honour to be selected to represent your country?

Dinosaurs R Us.

 

I'm always getting asked the same question!

<img src ="http://static.andertoons.com/img/toons/cartoon6196.png">

 

Re: Most fans prefer club to country, I agree.

I'm sure they do see it as a privilage to be called up and that they politely turn it down. I'm not saying football players don't see plenty of their family. Just that the window for quality family time on holidays is small as they can't go booking holidays during the season.

 

You and I will never agree on this

We are poles apart. I see the life of the modern day top flight footballer as being an obscenely well paid, pampered one, where getting the opportunity to represent your country is no longer seen as the honour it once was. I think that is sad, wrong and an indictment of the modern game. I am old fashioned, I accept.

 

Re: You and I will never agree on this

BAck to the original question - the answer is YES!

We've just been going through the Premier League clubs and it is pretty sparse with relation to English keepers.

 

Totally agree

.

 

From what i've seen heard this guys good.

HE's played at u21 level and Watsons been training him all season even though he's been on loan.

 

Plus it's such a short career that they have plenty of time to spend with their families once they've done playing and with such wealth that the ordinary working man can only dream of,

 

Re: So it's not an honour to be selected to represent your country?

I totally agree with you mate. I think playing for your country should be the greatest honour a sports person can have.