Green happy to wait his turn

12 June 2009 09:23
West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green is content to play a patient waiting game as he bids to become England regular number one. The 29-year-old was handed his first competitive caps in the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra after first-choice David James needed surgery on a shoulder problem. "'Jamo' has done fantastically well, and you have just got to keep plugging away for your club, waiting for chances and being ready. That is the virtue of being a goalkeeper," said Green. "You do your utmost while someone else is playing and you just have to be ready to take that chance. I played in the two games with two clean sheets, so I can't ask for more than that. It is now just a case of being ready for whenever the next chance comes along." Former Norwich trainee Green missed out on the 2006 World Cup after he suffered a freak groin injury when taking a goalkick in a warm-up game for the 'B' side against Belarus, before then falling down the pecking order behind the likes of Paul Robinson, Scott Carson, Chris Kirkland and Joe Hart. Green, though, saw the funny side of a keeper's lot when he once sported a pair of gloves with "England's No.6" stitched into the lining. While Green did not get much of a work-out in the 6-0 thrashing of Andorra at Wembley on Wednesday night, and was cheered after finally touching the ball almost 25 minutes into the game, the Hammers stopper will hope to feature again in the next England squad for the friendly in Holland on August 12.

Source: Eurosport