Source: Daily_Mail
England fall guy Robert Green on altitude sickness - and being his country's No 6
Robert Green spoke to Sportsmail's chief football correspondent Matt Lawton 12 months ago about his rise from England No 6 to Fabio Capello's trusted goalkeeper. Following the West Ham man's clanger against the United States in Rustenburg, he may be plummeting back down the order. Here we re-publish the interview in full, with a rather telling warning about his ability to handle altitude...[LNB]When you have suffered from severe altitude sickness, the heady heights of international football do not appear half as terrifying.[LNB]Robert Green, West Ham's goalkeeper and now favourite to start for England in next month's World Cup qualifiers in the absence of the injured David James, regards his climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro last summer as his finest achievement. He completed it half a step at a time while trying, in vain, to control his bodily functions, and found it so tough it took him longer than the petite Cheryl Cole or the rather tubbyChris Moyles when they followed him up Africa's highest peak in March.[LNB]In the frame: West Ham's Green is favourite to start for England against Kazakhstan and Andorra next month[LNB]'You set off at midnight in the hope of reaching the summit by sunrise,' says Green. 'I got there at about lunchtime, in a real mess. Some people suffer from altitude sickness, some don't. I live by the Thames and I train at sea level. I guess I'm used to sucking in lots of oxygen. It hit me hard. I was delirious, and by the time I made my way back down I was the best part of two stone lighter.' [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 Green is a bit deeper than your average professional footballer. He writes poetry, had his own newspaper column and claims to have dozens of different ideas for a novel. He describes the whole Kilimanjaro experience the climb, and the time he spent beforehand with the African Medical and Research Foundation in Kenya aslife-changing. It gave him a new perspective, and what he considers a much healthier one. Playing for England? 'At the end of the day it's a game of football,' he says.[LNB]But even Green winces at the thought of someone playing for England who was born in Pamplona. 'I think the pressure of being England's goalkeeper would be heightened if you were Spanish,' he says.[LNB]We are talking, of course, about Manuel Almunia, Arsenal's goalkeeper and someone who might yet apply for British citizenship in the hope of playing for England. Almunia has said he is interested, and although there is opposition to such a move inside the FA it has not been ruled out by Fabio Capello, the England manager.[LNB][LNB]Shocker: Green buries his head after letting in Dempsey's weak shot on Saturday[LNB]If Almunia did one day represent England, Green would be among the number of goalkeepers currently performing every week in the Barclays Premier League whowould have something of an axe to grind.[LNB] 'If he wants to do it, good luck to him,' says Green. 'But it's difficult, and whether the FA would allow it to happen, I don't know. It has obviously happened for a while in cricket and rugby. You can play rugby league for one country and rugby union for another, which I think is probably wrong.[LNB]'Football would attract a lot more attention, and I think the FA would have to think long and hard about it because it would obviously set a precedent.[LNB]'I'm not sure how I really feel about it. It's a difficult one for me to answer. But right now there is a dividingline between the best countries in the world and the best club sides inthe world. If something like this happened and others followed, countries would start taking on the identities of clubs.'[LNB] Bone of contention: Almunia in action for Arsenal[LNB]But does he not feel insulted? Is it not disrespectful to even entertain the idea, not just to him but to goalkeepers such as Ben Foster, Chris Kirkland, Scott Carson and Paul Robinson. Not to mention James, who has started all 13 of Capello's England games.[LNB]'It's narrow-minded to dismiss it because it could happen,' Green says. 'I don't think it would even be an issue if we had a Peter Shilton or a David Seaman.[LNB]'But the English goalkeepers aren't getting the chance to prove themselves at the very highest level. They are not playing at one of thetop five clubs. Almunia is playing well and he is playing well at Arsenal, and that is why there is a debate.[LNB]'If Ben Foster is given the chance to become Manchester United's No 1, and we find out he's good enough, things could change. Likewise if Almunia was playing at a less fashionable club I don't think we would be talking about him.'[LNB]Afteranother excellent season at Upton Park and a second cap in the friendlyagainst Spain in February, Green believes he is good enough. He has developed under the guidance of West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola and grown in confidence in a league now boasting some of the finest sides inEurope.[LNB] England's future in safe hands: When David James eventually retires, Foster and Green will likely do battle for the green jersey[LNB]'There has been some upheaval here this season with a change in manager,' says Green. 'But after what looked like a real baptism of fire for him, the new manager hasdone tremendously well.[LNB]'He's introduced a new brand of football. Changed the way we play. I think everyone has benefited, including me when it comes to distribution.[LNB]'Now that we are being encouraged to play football, and the guys have the confidence to play the ball, I have been able to release the ball from the hand a lot more.[LNB]'I remember there were times at Norwich when we were struggling and I'd get slaughtered by the fans for kicking it long all the time. But if people don't want the ball you don't have a lot of choice. [LNB]'The guys have taken on board what the manager says and been given a self-belief to be able to play the kind of football we are trying to play. I always believed I could do itbut I needed to be in a team where the guys wanted to do it as well.' [LNB]So what about England then? 'I feel like I'm ready,' he says. 'I've not played in Europe but the Premier League now has four teams who are dominating the Champions League and at West Ham you get to play them at least eight times a season.[LNB] No way through: Green holds off former team-mate Yossi Benayoun[LNB]'I've also had the experience of training with the England boys, so again I think I understand what it's all about. International football is another step up but I feel I'mready to take that step. I remember Geoffrey Boycott saying in his book that you should never stop yourself taking the next step because you'll only find out if you can cope with it by taking that step. Hopefully the chance will come along for me.[LNB]'Coming on against Spain was good. In some ways it was a tough game to come into but in others it was a blinding game to come into. They are one of the best teams in the world and to get a chance to show what I can do and show I could hold my own was a great thing. It was a great experience, something I thoroughly enjoyed. And it was good to get off the one-cap mark. I'd been stuck there for four or five years.[LNB]'It is a funny position because I've been in a lot of squads, dating back to 2004, and I've sat and watched a lot of England games. I missed out for a year or so while SteveMcClaren was manager but it must be getting close to 40 games I've sat and watched from the bench.'[LNB] Kazakhstan and Andorra come next for England and Green is not the least bit daunted by the challenge.[LNB]'It's not terrifying at all,' he says. 'It's a pressure position, but Jamo has performed consistently well for Portsmouth over the last few seasons and he has transferred thatform to England. It's just a case of doing the work and having the confidence to do the work.'[LNB]Green has actually never doubted himself. Even when he wore those gloves that suggested he was in fact 'England's No 6'. [LNB]'That was just a bit of a joke,' he says. 'A bit of self-deprecation. It came up in a game at a time when I wasn't in the squad. I made a save and the fans started chanting 'England's No 1'. I then turned to them and signalled, using my fingers, that I was more like six. [LNB]'Then my glove manufacturer called me about it and I said, 'You'll be putting it on my gloves next'. A lot of the goalkeepers have their name embroidered on their gloves but I don't like it. I would rather just have the brand. But the next thing I know he's sent me a whole batch of them, and I wore a pair just for a gag. I think people realise that.'[LNB]The final part of the climb from No 6 to No 1 is not going to be a problem.[LNB] Sign up for our brilliant daily World Cup emailCalamity! Robert 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 clangerEngland 1 USA 1: Green's clanger gifts Americans draw in opening clashPatrick Collins: Poor Green is doomed to be haunted for the rest of his career[LNB] Explore more:People: Robert Green, Fabio Capello, Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles, Paul Robinson, Gianfranco Zola, David James, Geoffrey Boycott, Steve McClaren, Ben Foster Places: Norwich, Spain, United Kingdom, Andorra, Kazakhstan, Africa, Europe
