Source: Team_Talk
Backing Green is best course
TEAMtalk's Ian Watson claims that there is nothing to gain by making Rob Green sweat, and wants Fabio Capelllo to publicly back his keeper.[LNB] Green has received comforting words from his manager since Saturday but the only way Capello can simplify his unnecessarily complex keeper conundrum is to decide and communicate quickly whether the 30-year-old will be backed or bombed out.[LNB]In the wake of his fumble against the USA, the last thing Green needs is to be sweating on whether he will get the chance to atone for his mistake. Capello claims he will monitor the West Ham keeper during the course of the coming week, but what he will learn is unclear. Surely more prompt action is needed from the Italian.[LNB]Though Green is unlikely to forget his error, West Ham's experienced number one will have put it behind him by half-time in Rustenberg. Despite the scale of his blunder, the nature of it makes it easier to move on from. Unlike an error in judgement, such a basic technical mistake is almost impossible to over-analyse and after an hour on the training ground on Monday morning, Green will be confident of not making the same gaffe over the coming weeks, if ever.[LNB]While Capello's indecision over his number one had nothing to do with Green's aberration in Rustenberg, it certainty will not have helped with Green, or any of his other keepers' psychological state in the build up to the opener.[LNB]Goalkeepers are a unique breed and their mental preparation is undoubtedly different to that of their outfield team-mates. While competition for places is certainly healthy, there is a definite need for Capello to more clearly define the pecking order among his keepers. There was nothing to be gained by leaving everyone on tenterhooks up until Saturday.[LNB]Joe Hart's late claim for the jersey clouded Capello's thinking over recent weeks, with the Manchester City stopper said to be the most impressive in training. But Hart reportedly missed out because of his inexperience - a factor on which too much importance is placed upon in my opinion. As Saturday showed, just because you've played in big games before does not make you immune to the odd ill-timed bungle.[LNB]If that was the reason for Hart's non-selection though, why did Capello wait so long before ruling him out? The manager and everyone else was aware of Hart's lack of previous in big games, and experience is not a variable that can change overnight like form or fitness.[LNB]For a long time then, surely Green and David James were the only two candidates. And that being true, Capello has known everything there is to know about the pair for many months now. So why has it taken so long to choose between the two of them if, as both insist, they are fully fit?[LNB]What Capello now also has to consider is what message will dropping Green send to his other keepers? Such a response would suggest that whoever is in goal, they are one blooper away from the axe, and that is a pressure no goalkeeper needs.[LNB]With so many other questions hanging over the England squad, the element of doubt amongst the keepers can be easily removed. Green - or wrongly in my view, James or Hart - must be told by Capello he has the faith of the boss and that barring an injury or a series of mistakes, he is the number one and will keep the jersey for the remainder for the tournament.
