Source: Daily_Mail
WORLD CUP 2010: Robert Green can't even find friends in the goalkeepers' union
Trapped: Robert Green[LNB]Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson believes there is 'no excuse' for Robert Green's error against the United States - but has questioned Fabio Capello's decision to name his England side only two hours before kick-off.[LNB]Green allowed a 25-yard shot from Clint Dempsey to slip from his grasp and over the line for the Americans' equaliser as England drew 1-1 in their opening World Cup Group C fixture in Rustenburg.[LNB]The West Ham stopper did not know he would be playing until a couple of hours before the game got under way, and Wilson feels Green should have been told earlier.[LNB]'There is no excuse, absolutely none,' Wilson told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme.[LNB]'I'd love to join the goalkeepers' union and find an excuse - an awful pitch or the ball - but there was nothing. I've never seen anything quite like it.[LNB]'My only question would be how late was the choice that Capello made for his goalkeepers? Because, in my view, any goalkeeper needs a minimum of 24 hours.[LNB] Gutted: Green buries his head after conceding Dempsey's shot[LNB]'Ideally, I think he needs several days because we goalkeepers live and thrive on the confidence and belief that comes from knowing that you are the No 1 through your performances, and that the team wants you.[LNB] 'It doesn't guarantee that you won't make a mistake, but clearly Englanddo not have a Peter Shilton, a Gordon Banks, a David Seaman.'[LNB]Green is now likely to be axed for Friday's match against Algeria, with David James expected to get the nod ahead of rookie Joe Hart.[LNB]Former England defender Graeme Le Saux believes that if Green is indeed dropped, the 30-year-old's confidence could be shattered.[LNB]'It's an incredibly delicate situation given the confidence that Capello has shown in him by putting him in the team, and the response Robert Green produced with his display in the second half,' Le Saux said.[LNB]'I think it depends on how he responds this week in training, and if he seems to have overcome that psychologically then there is no reason why Capello shouldn't pick him for the next match.[LNB]Pride of Britain: Sunderland's Scotland international Craig Gordon [LNB]'Ultimately, if he doesn't pick him, he may as well send him home, because he is not going to play him again, and the impact would have huge ramifications for Robert Green, certainly for the early part of next season.'[LNB]'None of us knew who Fabio Capello's No 1 choice was, so that immediately creates a level of uncertainty. I think for every player it's important that you know well in advance if you are playing or not.'[LNB] HAVE YOUR SAY... Should Capello drop Green after his howler against USA? Robert Green made an awful mistake to hand the United States a draw in England's opening Group C match at the World Cup. Fabio Capello left it until the last moment before picking him ahead of David James and Joe Hart but should he now be dropped for the match with Algeria? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who won 82 caps for the USA, expressed his sympathy for Green.[LNB]'It's a horrible feeling,' he said. 'You know the team in front of you is playing really well, you have the game under control and then something like that happens,"[LNB]'He'll never make a mistake like that in his career again I would have thought and it is just one of those things.[LNB]'Just because you make one mistake, it doesn't make you a bad goalkeeper.'[LNB]Former Norwich goalkeeper Bryan Gunn is confident Green will bounce back.[LNB]'He has definitely got the mental toughness. I worked with him as a 16-year-old at Norwich and he overcame some big injuries at that time for a youngster.[LNB]'He came out right after the game and admitted that he had made a mistake and he sounded very positive in his own mind that he could overcome it.[LNB]'I think he (Capello) should stick with him. I'm sure Robert will be working hard with the coaches. It's up to him to prove to Capello that he has overcome the mistake.'[LNB]Former Scotland boss reckons his compatriot Craig Gordon is better than any of those at Capello's disposal.[LNB]'If Craig Gordon was English he would be in the English team - no doubt about that,' said Burley of the Sunderland keeper.[LNB] Safe hands: Nigeria No 1 Enyeama saves from Argentina's Lionel Messi on Saturday[LNB]'I think 99 per cent of people in football would say the same thing. Scotland are very fortunate to have him and they are the envy of every country in Europe if not the world.[LNB]The former Ipswich, Derby and Hearts boss insists coping with goalkeeping conundrums is as old as the game itself.[LNB]'The game has never changed,' Burley said. 'Goalkeepers are humans and they make mistakes, sometimes they get away with it but if not it usually ends in a goal.'[LNB]Adidas are adamant that their much-derided Jabulani official ball had nothing to do with the freak goal.[LNB]James predicted before the tournament that someone would be made to look 'an idiot' by the ball because he claimed it was difficult to read the flight of the ball and judge the bounce.[LNB]But Thomas Schaikvan, head of public relations for adidas, said: 'We are happy with the ball's performance and we don't think it had anything to do with the goal England conceded. On the contrary, if you look at the games so far, some goalkeepers have been the stars of the tournament.[LNB]'The Nigeria goalkeeper (Vincent Enyeama) and (USA goalkeeper) Tim Howard won the man of the match award in their games, and the South Africa goalkeeper (Itumeleng Khune) was also excellent against Mexico.[LNB]'There have been some fantastic saves and the ball is allowing goalkeepers to perform at their best.[LNB]'We are five games into the tournament and we are confident and pleased at the ball's behaviour, and the players are getting more confident with it.'[LNB]'We have produced balls since 1963, nobody does it better than we do and this is the best ball we have ever produced.'[LNB]Andy Harland, a senior lecturer at Loughborough University where prototypes of the ball were tested in various conditions, said: 'It's very difficult to blame the ball and I haven't seen anything to suggest that the flight of the ball was dodgy or that the bounce of the ball was dodgy.'[LNB] Sign up for our brilliant daily World Cup emailCalamity! Green faces England axe after his howler hands Americans a drawFrank Lampard: Green's World Cup howler was 'just a freak'Piers Morgan: Blame England's Robert Green if you want, but Capello needs to raise his game tooVIDEO SPECIAL: Green joins James, Robinson and co to drop clangerPatrick Collins: Poor Green is doomed to be haunted for the rest of his careerEngland 1 USA 1: Green's clanger gifts Americans draw in opening clashMATT LAWTON TALKS TO ROBERT GREEN: West Ham's self-deprecating keeper on being England's No 6
