Foster faces challenge

10 September 2009 09:10
BEN Foster can take the European road to South Africa and the coveted England number one spot. United's current first choice keeper has lost out in the battle to be Fabio Capello's international pick. West Ham's Robert Green has taken advantage of veteran David James' shoulder and knee injury problems to secure his place and win five caps since April including three World Cup qualifiers. Foster missed his opportunity to challenge 29-year-old Green in the final two England matches last season in June against Kazakhstan and Andorra after he had surgery on ligament damage in his thumb. The Reds 26-year-old further lost further ground when he had to pull out of Capello's squad for the August friendly against Holland in Amsterdam with a knock sustained in the Community Shield. Green is now in pole position, but with Edwin Van der Sar still out following his own operation on a broken finger, Old Trafford's goalkeeping coach Eric Steele believes Foster has the Champions League advantage over his international rivals. "It will be a disappointment to Ben because he has started the season at United and taken his opportunity and it was exactly what he wanted," Eric told M.E.N. Sport. "In terms of his form he will have been delighted to have got the start he has made with four games under his belt. Injury "But he will have been disappointed to pick up the injury in the Community Shield that meant he missed that international and Robert Green has got in. "If Ben hadn't had the injury he could have really thrown the gauntlet down to Fabio Capello and said `play me.' Being in United's goal would have given him a good chance not just in friendlies but the big game against Croatia. It would have given Capello a dilemma. "Ben has done well for the club and is in form but he has had to take a step back with England. "Capello seems very much a man if you get in and do well he'll keep you in. It has meant Ben is now slightly behind. "I am not unduly worried for Ben because I still think the cream will come to the top. "If you spoke to Ben he wouldn't be looking at the international situation. I think he will be looking at United and that is the best way to approach it. "He has a challenge on here to establish himself. He still has that to do. Edwin still wants it. There is no way he wants his career to end and not be in the team. "He still has that great ambition to retire as United's number one. Ed will come back with great ambition and fiercely determined to get back into the team and stay there. The nearer Edwin gets Ben will know it. It is a big challenge. "The four or five games he's had so far this season doesn't convince everyone that he is Edwin's natural successor. He has to do that over a sustained period of games. "That was always in the manager's plans that with Edwin seeking to retire Ben would get chances. He has to make sure when Edwin is fit again he gives the manager a difficult choice. That's what the manager wants. He wants a dilemma and that's what Ben should be aiming towards." United begin their Champions League campaign next Tuesday in Istanbul against Besiktas and play German title holders Wolfsburg at Old Trafford at the end of the month. And Steele believes they can be crucial for Foster's World Cup chances and the job of ousting Green. "David James is going to struggle now. He has a shoulder injury and knee problem. Robert Green is a fit young man and playing regularly. But it is there for keepers to have a go at," Eric added. "Robert will have regular football at West Ham. Ben is not guaranteed that. Probably Green has the advantage with that but he doesn't have the competitive element we have here. "The European stage is the big advantage Ben has. Ben's preparation for England will be fulfilled more with what we have coming up on our fixture list than others. Concentrated "Besiktas and Wolfsburg in Europe are similar situations to international football. You have to be fully concentrated. Ben will have that practise that the others won't have at club level. "The next month in the Champions League is a big plus factor for Ben in terms of him developing to become an England number one. All the goalkeeping greats have had that European experience. That has been one of Edwin's great strengths, for instance. "Apart from at Fulham he has had Champions League football with Ajax, Juventus and us while he's been playing 130 times for Holland. "Ben will be in situations that England could find themselves in. That is a clear advantage. He is still learning but from what we have seen here I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be up there challenging to be England's number one." Foster is currently enjoying his longest run in the United goalkeeper jersey having been promoted above Tomasz Kuszczak as Van der Sar's replacement. He came under the spotlight for a poor Community Shield performance against Chelsea at Wembley. He also blamed himself for not keeping out Andrey Arshavin's blockbuster for Arsenal at Old Trafford. But Steele points out that Foster's reactions to his setbacks proves he has international keeper qualities. "Ben was disappointed with the Community Shield but he bounced back against Birmingham City in our opening match of the season. It was an important week for him," he said. "He did what he had to do at Burnley. He played a major part in the Wigan victory. Though we won 5-0, he made a super save at 1-0 up and we immediately went to the other end of the pitch and scored. Mistake "He was disappointed with the Arsenal goal, we all were, but then he makes a terrific save from Robin Van Persie just after half time. His concentration levels had to be really spot on at that point. "A lot of international managers look for how goalkeepers recover from a mistake. Is he affected, does his game crumble? "Ben proved against Arsenal that he won't crumble. He did the same at Wembley against Chelsea. People forget despite him not being happy with his display we would never have got to penalties but for his save from Didier Drogba just after their second goal. "You need that concentration for England and ability to put errors out of your mind. I speak to England keeper coach Ray Clemence and he says you can win an England game 2-0 and only touch the ball a few times but those touches could be the most important you ever have. "Ben needs to develop that side and at 26 that is what is coming now. We know he has the basic techniques of kicking, catching, punching he wouldn't be here if he didn't have that. "But concentration and mistake management is key. The way Ben has gone about that has been a big plus for me. That is what you would be looking for at international level. You cannot let your head drop because you cannot afford it."

Source: Manchester_EveningNews