Source: Eurosport
Foster: Give me a chance Sir Alex
Ben Foster is crossing his fingers that his body will stand the strain of trying to become a Manchester United regular and earning a place at the World Cup.
Foster has endured a catalogue of injuries since he was signed from Stoke four years ago, including a cruciate ligament injury, a broken finger and a thumb problem. The latter problem was particularly costly given Foster would almost certainly have won two more caps in the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra last month, adding to the couple he already has to his name.
Ahead of what is likely to be Edwin van der Sar's last year at United, Foster knows he needs to make a big impression, both on Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello, who share the opinion that the 26-year-old is one of the best English goalkeepers around.
And, as he assesses his past record, the Leamington Spa-born stopper admits the first part of his task may be harder than the second.
"If I want to go to the World Cup I need to be fit and I need to be playing for Manchester United," he told Press Association Sport. "It is the first part of that I have always found pretty hard to do.
"Unfortunately the way my career has gone I have picked up injuries here and there. The last one was a blow because I missed some important games for club and country. But I needed to get my thumb repaired. Thankfully the operation went well and I have been fit all pre-season.
"I feel good in myself and as long as I can stay fit I hope the gaffer gives me a chance to show what I can do. I have just signed a new contract so now I have to start pushing on."
