Source: Telegraph
Robert Green planning to make big impression on England coach Fabio Capello
David James, England's first choice goalkeeper under Fabio Capello, underwent a shoulder operation a fortnight ago, leaving the way open for Green to face Kazakhstan, on Saturday in Almaty, before Andorra visit Wembley next Wednesday. [LNB]Another potential replacement, Manchester United's Ben Foster, is also recovering from injury, so the West Ham first choice will compete with Blackburn's Paul Robinson and Scott Carson, of West Bromwich Albion, to face Kazakhstan. [LNB] Related ArticlesTriesman throws in towelEngland face mounting injury crisis ahead of World Cup qualifiers in JuneEngland lose Michael Carrick for World Cup qualifiersEngland recall Ledley King for Slovakia and UkraineFabio Capello wary of trip to back of beyond for World Cup match in KazakhstanRobert Green: England selection wont be for granted'I think it's a massive chance for one of the three of us,' said Green, outstanding for West Ham this season. 'Between us we've obviously got to work hard in training and try and impress. [LNB]'With Jamo going for these two games it's an opportunity. Whether it comes to myself, or Robbo or Scott is another matter, it's down to the manager. But in the overall scheme of things it's a massive chance for one of us.' [LNB]Green, 29, has been involved in England squads for more than five years but has so far won just two caps and has yet to start for the Three Lions. In June 25 he came on, for James against Colombia, then had to wait until February for his second game, again as a half-time replacement for James. [LNB]But Green accepts patience is an occupational hazard, adding: 'It's the position of a goalkeeper. It's the life that you lead. I've been involved with England for the best part of five years but I've not had the most amount of minutes on the pitch. [LNB]'But it's experience all the same. You take it on board and you learn stuff. In doing that, in the travelling and everything else you are learning all the time, you're learning the life of being the understudy, and that's where you gain your experience from.' [LNB] And now Green is determined to take his chance. He added: 'I feel like I'm ready, I feel like there is a step to be taken and you should never deny yourself that step up. I've looked and watched and taken part, on a few occasions, to be involved with the first team and it's a tremendous honour to be there. It feels like it's an opportunity that's there and it's ready to be taken. [LNB]'I don't think I've reached my peak, I think there's more to be learnt and I think there's more to improve on in my game. [LNB]'But there's not a day that goes by when I don't do that, when I don't work on things that need to be improved on. That's one of the great things about football; there's always time and a chance to improve so in terms of that I feel I'm ready to take a chance but until you take that step up you don't know what you need to improve on and that's something that I'm ready and willing to learn from. [LNB]'You always keep the belief and there's a large part where you believe if you do everything you can then, when the time comes, you're ready. If it never comes you can't sit there and say well, what if? If it comes I'll feel like I'll be ready. There are tough games coming up but ones in which I'm itching to play in.[LNB]'It's a chance I've been waiting for since I became involved in the England squad and it's a determination to want to improve myself as a player and a person, and gain experience from. If I can do that in any games then I'll be determined to do it and it's a personal pressure more than anything and any pressure from outside.' [LNB]Now Green is hoping he can make a sufficient impression in the next two games to sway Capello into making him England's first choice. 'I hope to get picked first. That'll be first and foremost. Being involved is a tremendous honour and getting to play will be an even bigger one and one that I've been working towards a lot of days, a lot of afternoons during the winter in the sun and the rain. [LNB]'It's important that when the opportunity comes you're ready for it and that'll be a personal ambition as much as anything.' [LNB]
