I dunno. Goalkeeping is a funny old career

Basically once you're mid to late 20s then it seems your trajectory has been decided. There seems to be a couple of years' window there where a club might come in for you as a first choice when you've previously been relegated to the bench, but once you either sit on a bench and/or drop a division for more than a season or two, that's it. You're labelled a backup. And from that point you either need to take MASSIVE pay cuts dropping down the pyramid to being the #1 (and then there really is no way back up) or secure yourself a squad spot at a club paying decent wages.

I think Angus is there. Basically earn the wage you can until the end of your career and if you're lucky they might have a goalkeeping crisis and you'll get the chance to perform at such a high level you'll

But it is such an odd position. There are only 44 #1 spots available in the top two divisions in England. Think of James Trafford. Man City buy him back for 27m. He thinks he's just made a great move, and can establish himself as Pickford's successor in the England set up and then a couple of weeks later they just buy Donnarumma and he is picking splinters out of his arse again. I think short of the unlikely scenario of him getting loaned out as a #1, or quickly re-sold for a realistic price, that's going to be his career trajectory done at 22 years old if he stays there too long.

I am sure there are exceptions - one of them being Tim Krul. However, with Krul he was fortunate that Norwich needed a complete revamp and had no money and so we gave him a chance that he grabbed with both gloves. But even with him, when he left he was still young enough in goalkeeping terms to be first choice somewhere, but he went right back to backing up at Luton. I am not sure he even made a single appearance in the league for them in two years.

And then you've got George Long FFS.

Posted By: Legacy Fan on September 18th 2025 at 10:52:17

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