Like Green, Capello can’t afford another fumble

ONLY two teams, Uruguay in 1950 and West Germany in 1954, have won the World Cup using two goalkeepers during the tournament so England manager Fabio Capello faces a real conundrum today as he contemplates what to do with Robert Green following his lamentable error against the United States.

Green has been described as a clown by some British news-papers after his ‘hand of clod’ fumbled a tepid shot from Clint Dempsey into his own net to deny England victory in their opening game.

It’s not just a matter of whether Green’s fragile confidence can survive the blow but also whether England have the talent to replace him because a quick glance at the alternatives hardly fills supporters with confidence; David James is experienced but also has an affinity with calamity while Joe Hart is hugely promising but raw.