Early Goalkeeping Gaffes at the World Cup

So we now have a pair of entertaining goalkeeping fumbles to set alive the 2010 World Cup! And we also have an interesting local story courtesy of the Look North Newsroom - whilst England may not win on the pitch an English company have already won with the pitch. According to reports the turf for each stadium being used in South Africa was developed, grown and transported to the venues by a company in Bingley, West Yorkshire. This involved a massive logistical operation for the company in terms of planning and installation. Yet three days into the Tournament pitches are not the only talking point - the goalkeepers of England and Algeria most certainly are!

As I took to my favourite armchair (with beer in hand and legs outstretched upon my footstool) I expected to see England overcome a competent yet uninspiring USA side. And with six minutes on the clock things were going swimmingly well when England captain Steven Gerrard calmly opened the scoring with a well worked goal. England failed to press home their advantage and the Americans began to see more of the ball and started playing some pleasant football. Shortly before the half time interval, Fulham's Clint Dempsey took a speculative punt in the direction of the England goal only for Robert Green, the England goalkeeper, to fumble and let the ball slide through his grasp and into the net. The Americans could not believe their luck and for Green there was no where to hide. Fifteen million English television viewers were left stunned and Green's humiliation was complete.

Earlier today a similar thing happened to the Algerian goalkeeper when his team were beaten by a single Slovenian goal. Perhaps pressure is getting to the goalkeepers when there is so much at stake during the early stages of this World Cup. What is for certain is few goalkeepers like the quality of the balls that have been introduced for the tournament. Some have complained that they swerve unduly whilst in the air, others that the balls seem to bounce far more than the standard match ball. This was evident during the opening fixture when many players failed to correctly estimate the trajectory and flight of the ball in flight. On contact with the pitch surface, the bounced deceived more than one seasoned international footballer. One commentator wryly observed that the ball was cube like in its bounce:- no one was sure which direction it might take!

So with plenty of excuses being thrown in the direction of the pitch, the ball the South African vuvuzela horns et al this world Cup competition is already shaping up to be one of the most memorable. Roll on the next three and a half weeks!



The author has spent over 20 years experience running companies involved in furnishing fabrics and furniture manufacturing in the UK and writes extensively about footstools , contemporary British furniture and football. He also happens to be a follower of Manchester City.