Finding a new saving grace
They will hope to do so in a more satisfactory fashion than they achieved when Peter Schmeichel left Old Trafford 12 years ago.
The Dutchman’s decision to retire in May was announced, as is the modern fashion, on his management company’s website. But it will come as no shock to Alex Ferguson; after all, the goalkeeper is 40 years old and came close to retirement last season and before that in 2008. However the difficulties in finding a suitable replacement are by no means insignificant.
The type of goalkeeper who can cope with the pressure and expectation that is ever-present at a club like United, whilst also maintaining the incredible concentration levels required, are few and far between. Keepers like Van der Sar (whose honours in 245 appearances included three Premier League titles and a Champions League) and Schmeichel (five Premier Leagues and a Champions League in 398 appearances) have set a high standard.
A Manchester United goalkeeper must have stature, concentration, perfect technique, excellent distribution skills and a will to win which matches his manager; no wonder candidates are thin on the ground.
When the legendary Schmeichel left Old Trafford, just days after captaining Ferguson’s side in the 1999 Champions League final, he proved almost impossible to replace. It took United six years and at least 10 goalkeepers before they eventually took Van der Sar from Fulham in 2005 for a fee reported to be as little as €2.3m.
The list of players to wear the number one jersey during that time makes nervous reading for United fans, including as it does the likes of Massimo Taibi — regarded by many as one of Fergie’s biggest transfer blunders.
The Italian cost €5.2m from Venezia and was hailed as Schmeichel’s successor before a Matt Le Tissier daisy-cutter went through his legs. He was quickly moved on after conceding five goals against Chelsea, having made just four appearances in a United shirt.
The eccentric Fabien Barthez fared a little better but also specialised in blunders and the likes of Andy Goram (who played only two matches), Roy Carroll, Ricardo (who cost €1.75m but played only five times) and Tim Howard failed to grasp the nettle (let’s not even start on Mark Bosnich) before Van der Sar, at the age of 34, saved the day.
The Dutchman’s contribution since has been so immense — he went a record 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal in 2008-9 — that he achieved what many believed was impossible and placed himself alongside Schmeichel in the pantheon of Manchenster United’s goalkeeping greats.
His penalty save from Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka in the 2008 Champions League final shoot-out was perhaps the final confirmation of his place in United folklore. If the club want to achieve those heights again, the search for his replacement will need to be more thorough than in 1999.
A quick look at the current goalkeeping options at Old Trafford proves money has to be spent because Tomasz Kuszczak is unconvincing, Anders Lindegaard is untried and Ben Amos young. Even United goalkeeping coach Eric Steele told BBC yesterday: “Lindegaard has been brought in to have five months working under Van der Sar and Kuszczak has done admirably every time he’s come in for us. But we’re naturally looking at potential candidates ready for the summer.”
Options close to home include Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina while options abroad include Germany’s Rene Adler and Manuel Neuer, Spain’s David De Gea and Russia’s Igor Akinfeev. The challenge for Ferguson, of course, is that somewhere out there hiding is a potential Schmeichel or Van der Sar just waiting to take the limelight.
The fear gripping United fans is that there may be a Taibi lurking there too.
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