What is a good age for a goalkeeper?
Monday, 19 May 08, 08:21 AM · Comments (19)
With 'Transfer Rumour Season' already in full flow and Aston Villa down to one, it's no surprise we've already been linked with at least a dozen keepers.
Boaz Myhill, Paul Robinson, Jens Lehmann, Yoann Pele, Artur Boruc, Heurelho Gomes, Wayne Hennessey, Carlo Cudicini, Carlos Kameni, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Mark Oxley and Brad Guzan have all, at some stage, been linked with a move to Aston Villa.
Now, I am sure that most of these are just paper talk, but it does get you thinking about who would be the best buy, or should I say buys, because with European football on the cards next season and up to 70 games we will need at least two new additions.
The strongest two links have been Scott Carson and Brad Guzan, but we have now seen the way Martin O'Neill works and I wouldn't be surprised to see someone we are yet to be linked with pull on a Villa jersey this summer.
Whoever we sign, it is very difficult to work out what a good age is for a goalkeeper.
You have some great names such as Edwin van der Sar, Oliver Kahn and this season David James, all playing great in their late-thirties. Mark Schwarzer and Brad Friedel are still consistently decent keepers at 35.
Knock the age down to the early thirties and you have one of the greatest keepers around in Gianluigi Buffon and a pretty good Premier League keeper in Jussi Jääskeläinen. So does a keeper peak in his thirties or have they always been good and are just still playing to that high standard?
In their late twenties you have three goalkeepers consistently linked with the England number one spot; Chris Kirkland, Paul Robinson and Rob Green. All had stacks of potential in their early twenties, much like Ben Foster, but at 25 does he now need more than potential when he is the same age as possibly the best two keepers in the world; Petr Cech and Iker Casillas?
At the younger end of the Premier League keepers you see Joe Hart and Scott Carson. Both may very well improve to be considered some of the best goalkeepers in the modern game, but then again we said that about Richard Wright!
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19 Comments · Add yours
A good age has got to be 26-30 really. Still learning, got quite a lot of seasons left in them, but have the experience beforehand to know exactly what they're doing. If you want a 'keeper in his prime then it's 31-33 really but we need someone with experience but still a lot to offer.
Peter Smeichel was at his outstanding best in his thirties! Goalkeping is all about expierience and i think we should go for Jussi based on that!
I Agree with dizzler
The best age for a 'keeper is 31 . i think it is proven all the time, just take a look at David James for example! As darragh said, look at when Peter Schmeichel was most successful. I think maturity has a lot to do with being a keeper! Say if you're Carson, 22 and getting first team football, you're gonna get a bit cocky! Its all about the mental strength rather than physical condition! Thats my view anyway!
Jussi is gonig free and would be a great signing otherwise id go for shay given. he has the exprience and no doubht has the class. KK mite be tempted to sell seen as harper has made himself KK's number one.
The best age for a keeper is when they are good enough for your team - simple as that. It makes no difference whether they're 23 or 33 - you can still sign them up on 5 year contracts.
The question is 'are they good enough'? If they're not good enough, you wait until they are good enough(like Portsmouth have), or sign someone who is good enough. 'Potential' means nothing.
Not sure there is a perfect age for a goalkeeper, The likes of David James had his best season at 37! Paul Robinson 28 and has gone to pot, and is nothing like the keeper he was in his mid 20's!
Scot Carson 22 and until his Enland horror show was going great guns! Age I don't think is that much of an issue, I think confidence is the big thing!
its generally early to mid 30's, but whatever the age the question should be is carson ready / good enough and i would say no not at all.
I played in goal for years and it is a nerve racking position, and in my opinion Carson is far too nervy on alot of occasion. He needs to build his confidence while we have an older head as No 1 for a while.
PaulE is spot on, if your good enough, age is irrelevant. Petr Cech was good enough in his early 20's, and David James is good enough near 40.
Has anyone seen the post on the birmingham mail?
Help persuade Gareth Barry to stay at Aston Villa
seems like a bit of a turn around by good old bill[b][/b]
Just been going through the days speculation and noticed that the Celtic keeper Artur Boruc has been linked with a move away from the club, I wonder..... don't know a lot about him but he does look quite capable on youtube. Anybody have any thoughts on it?
Keepers can be older because its an anaerobic position
but its not age, its confidence and mental strength (on top of of talent) which does coincedentally tend to improve with age, but not always.
Scott, bless him, is a competent reaction shot stopper. But his anticipation and one on one judgement is very poor. We're a top 6 premier league team, we do not want to be spending 6m on a payer who potentially has a lot of potential! Potentially.
In the immediate future its a no brainer, Jussi is the signing.
LINK
Just a snippet really,
The two saves against Villa were in the same game which if i remember rightly we lost 1-0....though i may be wrong
I think a keeper becomes his best in his 30s
You get the odd one or two that are really good before there 30s like Peter Chec and buffon
its not down to age thats a load of rubbish,its all down to confidence robinson was good when all the fans were behind him ok he made a few errors then people got on his back and suddenly he was rubbish james well he never got the name calamity for nothing, carson he was fine untill he made that awful cock up for england then he saw the headlines on the back of the tabloids how awful he was and it takes an hell of a long time to get over it hes now scared because deep down he knows bad gets to worse but if he comes out next season in a positive mood makes a few good saves and he will be back on track again, but if he comes back and makes silly mistakes well he will be better off playing for the reserves untill he gets back his confidence if it comes back at all.
LINK
villa plead for barry, 4th article down. they are publicly begging barry to stay.
LINK
3rd post down
i reckon a keeper enters his prime same as a outfield player - around 27, but i think they get better into their 30's whereas outfield players can lose that little bit of edge in their play.
Personally about 28 - 33 is the best age in my opinion.