Manuel Almunia for england
- Thread starter The_One
- Start date
Eligibility rules for England/Scotland/Wales/N. Ireland are totally different to other countries. If it was simply a case of having a UK passport then people would be able to pick and choose which nation they played for.
Jokester
Sign him up... 
He can't be any worse than James/Robinson/Carson ("committed Englishmen") who all bottle it at international level.
Presumably an England cap would make him ineligible to ever play for Spain, so if he (as a British Citizen) is willing to make that commitment to us then I'm all for it, like it's been pointed out other countries do it.
He can't be any worse than James/Robinson/Carson ("committed Englishmen") who all bottle it at international level.
Presumably an England cap would make him ineligible to ever play for Spain, so if he (as a British Citizen) is willing to make that commitment to us then I'm all for it, like it's been pointed out other countries do it.
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He aint even that good?
Right ok then
He isn't and miles away from being good enough to accept a foreigner too
Just because other countries do it, it doesnt make it right that we do it
Also, think about IF we were to win something with someone born elsewhere on our team - surely it wouldnt feel as good as having a wholly English team?
Think of the chants -"Nobody without Spanish/Italian/x help" not to mention potentially worse ones..... I just think any trophy would be automatically devalued if we do win anything
As stated Foster should be fit and raring to go by then, so its only the backup slot we are talking about but even so
Also, think about IF we were to win something with someone born elsewhere on our team - surely it wouldnt feel as good as having a wholly English team?
Think of the chants -"Nobody without Spanish/Italian/x help" not to mention potentially worse ones..... I just think any trophy would be automatically devalued if we do win anything
As stated Foster should be fit and raring to go by then, so its only the backup slot we are talking about but even so
I doubt it. If Foster was so good he would be in a big team (perhaps even the 2nd goal keeper at Man Utd). Instead he has been loaned out. He is the long term replacement for Van Der Sar, but this has not happened yet. He has promise (just like Rossi did, who failed to deliver), but isnt there yet.
Alumnia, on the other hand is playing big pressure games, for a team that has been leading the premiership, for a while now. The last thing Capello will be doing is putting a goal keeper who hasnt played in a top team, playing top games, where the pressure is immense. (Remember, Capello will put out teams designed to win games, not just make up numbers like Erikson and McLaren were doing. Capello is very much results oriented). So, until Foster starts playing in Man Utds first team, I would be very reluctant to say he is good enough to wear the No1 shirt for England.
Foster was loaned out last season because Van Der Sar was playing very well and we needed Foster to get First team experience and you're not likely to drop VDS to provide that. The season before he had just stepped up a class and needed practice. He's only 24.
When Foster is back I'd be surprised if he wasn't our number 1. He was one of the keepers of the season last year at Watford, when he has a proper (the best IMO) defence infront of him he'll really shine.
24 for a keeper isn't exactly young nowadays.
When you play for a poor side it isn't hard to shine, look at Carson last year, Kirkland a while ago etc. I'm still waiting to see just how good Foster will be when he's back.
When you play for a poor side it isn't hard to shine, look at Carson last year, Kirkland a while ago etc. I'm still waiting to see just how good Foster will be when he's back.
It is. The best keepers in the league are Friedel and James on consistency, both of whom are veterans. The best young keeper is Reina (24 or 25).
Looking around the world you have Buffon who is approaching 30, and the best keeper in the world (IMO) Casillas who is 26 (but a rare breed in that he was exceptional from a young age).
Keepers start later and finish later than outfield players, whilst I wouldn't say Foster was in the same class of youth as Casillas, Buffon, Cech or Reina, I'd say the potential is there to match them. Let us not forget that players like Ian Wright and Dado Prso didn't even turn pro until after they were 25 and they were both great finishers, so the age isn't a problem and Foster has looked a top keeper since he became noticed at the age of 22.
Carson and Kirkland have played and never looked that good, so much so Liverpool released the former on loan, looking likely to sell and the latter permenantly.
Foster is big, tall, strong, phenomenal with his distribution and looks to have all the attributes to make him amongst the very best.
Looking around the world you have Buffon who is approaching 30, and the best keeper in the world (IMO) Casillas who is 26 (but a rare breed in that he was exceptional from a young age).
Keepers start later and finish later than outfield players, whilst I wouldn't say Foster was in the same class of youth as Casillas, Buffon, Cech or Reina, I'd say the potential is there to match them. Let us not forget that players like Ian Wright and Dado Prso didn't even turn pro until after they were 25 and they were both great finishers, so the age isn't a problem and Foster has looked a top keeper since he became noticed at the age of 22.
Carson and Kirkland have played and never looked that good, so much so Liverpool released the former on loan, looking likely to sell and the latter permenantly.
Foster is big, tall, strong, phenomenal with his distribution and looks to have all the attributes to make him amongst the very best.
I dont think age will wash with Capello. He will choose the best man for the job, whether he is 31 (Becks at Madrid) or 18. If a player is very young, Capello is unlikely to cut him a break for losing England the game, just because he is young.
Like I said before, Capello is all about results (look at his track record - it is impressive). He wont do silly things like Erikson did, when he took Walcott to the World Cup. He will pick the best man for job, irrespective of age and perhaps even 'place of birth' (Alumnia or Cudicini).
If VDS keeps playing as he is, I doubt Foster will be No1.
He hasnt played big pressure games, in front of huge audiences. For England, it is quite possible that he will need to deal with the best strikers in the world, in front of 100,000+ audiences. He is simply too inexperienced to be considered as Man Utd's or England's No1 at this present time.
Deco isnt Portuguese and has no Portuguese relatives, the croatia side has a Brazilian in it....
Doesnt make it right.
The rules for eligibility cannot be different for any country under FIFA regulations, if its right for Croatia, its right for France and everyone else.
I never said it would. You should pick whoever is best. What I was saying is that it's ridiculous for Foster to be criticized when he's only 24, would likely have played a lot this season had he not been injured and already been recognized as an England keeper.
Alan Hansen thought the same.
He isnt loaned out, he was vying for 1st team goalie at Man Utd before he was injured for the season (or majority of it)
But the likes of Man Utd or whoever have Vidic, Rio etc to help protect the goalie in "huge "games and even then VDS has made one or two clangers recently, (even Chech made a mistake yesterday against AV - and he is a pretty decent stopper)