Fraser Forster watched Joe Hart cost England a goal for the second game in four at the Euros last night and must wonder what he needs to do to become first choice. Playing better than his rival clearly isn’t enough.
Hart is a good goalkeeper, he does well for long periods of every season and makes fantastic saves, but he goes through error-prone periods. There’s a reason the world’s top clubs are linked with Manchester United’s goalkeeper but no one is linked with City’s. By contrast, Fraser is also a good keeper, who makes fantastic saves, without the errors.
More goes on in football than you will ever read about. The money involved in commercial deals, for a start. You don’t just get a flat fee when you sign up, there’s significant bonuses if you appear at international tournaments.
One former international manager told me a highly-decorated player failed to declare an injury (apart from to his team-mates) until after he played 45 minutes of a tournament. His team lost their opening game, while his sponsor was contracted to pay an appearance bonus which ran to many tens of thousands.
Players look after each other in this respect. If your pal is in line to earn, what for most of us would be a life changing amount of money if he keeps his place, would you make it clear to the manager you want him in the team? This happens – take my word for it.
Football team dynamics often afford a clique of senior players significant influence. They don’t need to be so brazen as to tell the manager who to pick, but they can be just as explicit in letting it be known who they ‘have faith in’. Each other, usually.
The shampoo man should have been dropped after the Wales game but I am sure his pals would have made it clear how much confidence they have when he’s in goal. The manager is then a hostage to fortune, drop a floundering keeper and give players cause to cite a confidence blow, or try to keep everyone happy and hope the hopeless handler doesn’t have a howler.
I could write screeds on why teams full of stars often fail, but I’d need to redact all the evidence as the best stories in football are all off the record.
133 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Get this bhoy signed up before someone in FRANCE tells
him his international future is on HOLD whilst in Scotland
Right enough they picked a lump of wood that plays
in MEXICO for Euro’s
rather than LYON player Lacazette
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING
I have no idea mate, there was a few Beatles singles in there as well plus the usual sixties stuff Tom Jones, Lulu C&W, the Old Man bought all his stuff up the Barras. I didn’t even know he still had them!
Scratched tae feck though, he did like a shandy:)) whilst dj’ing:))
Re St Stivs pasting of the article on the Short Strand, the 25 year old Lord Mayor referred to is Sean’s nephew. Sean actually lived in the shadow of the peace wall which separates the Strand from its neighbours in East Belfast some of whom were less than friendly.
The posts on here with regard to the death of Sean are a credit to this blog and make this site what it is.
UTLR
Been offsite for couple of days but wanted to add my condolencesto Seans friends and family.
Those people have every reason to be proud of what they achieved
Paul67 et al
A new low by the Labour PLP, or at least on a par with 1981, or should that be 1931?
The Unions should push to change deselection rules, which they haven’t thus far, and begin begin the process of relegating every last one of the traitors to political oblivion.
Margaret Hodge? You do not want to know the half of it believe me!
Welcome Moussa..
It’s fishul..
http://www.celticfc.net/news/10776
Can’t add anything to the tributes for MacanBheatha that have already been posted,some of them wonderful,all of them touching.So just want to echo the sentiments of fellow CQNers and send my condoleneces to his loved ones.
What a life he lived,a fine example of a human being.Taken too early.
BREAKING TRANSFER NEWS:
#Celtic have completed the signing of Fulham striker Moussa #Dembele on a 4-year contract.
More on @SkySportsNewsHQ
4yr deal
starry plough
Great news!
CELTIC MAC
Excellent news:)
Links up again with Young Paddy, there will be another couple to follow I’m sure:))
sky sports news says Dembawe is signed.
kirtsy gallagher looking lovely, and happy
These bottom of the page adds showing photos of celebs who are still very much alive and kicking but run a hook line underneath suggesting they’re dead – is that bad taste or what. Thankfully, they haven’t showed up yet on CQN.
Example below (I think).
http://talksport.com/football/celtic-transfer-news-fans-happy-cracking-signing-moussa-dembele-160628201233?
Delighted with signing and the fact he is off to Slovenia to join rest of squad. Come on son make yourself a legend.
Woooooooooooooopie!!!
Oh what an Sensational signing.
Ty ty ty ty. Thank you Dermot, Brenden & everyone involved.
I’m so excited that had I been born a Lady I would Pee my pants.
new article posted.
Welcome to Celtic Moussa!
starry plough
And he has played alongside a similar player to the Griff in Ross MacCormack.
Apart from the £12 million price tag that is!
I think BR will do a deal to get Roberts here full time,if he likes him,Guardiola will be signing £50-60mil players