One of the key points that Brad Friedel makes is that there are 300 million people in the United States, though in reality 15 or so players have moved into to the top flight of Premier League Football. 80/20 Rule?

Another vital point is the traditional view by American's around soccer, where Friedel and Keller were advised that they would amount to nothing if they continued down the route of professional football (soccer).

One of the key points made were around the unique abilities that American goalkeepers have inherent within them, because of the rich traditions of other sports such as baseball (MLB), basket ball (NBA) and American football (NFL), and the early introduction of these players to such sports.

If we look similarly toward Australian goalkeepers and the diverse range of football codes traditionally played in Australia, you can see that both the US and Australia create some fabulously diverse goalkeeping talent. It is the unique development around handling the ball, and hand-eye coordination that gives Australian goalkeepers a great advantage over goalkeepers from other countries.

I'll let Friedel and Keller tell you their story, but it is a riveting insight into what it takes to play football (especially as a goalkeeper) in the English Premier League.

Brad Friedel & Kasey Keller interview on Sky Sports. 

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Photos courtesy of Getty Images.

José René Higuita Zapata was born in Medellin, Colombia, in 1966. He began his long career with Millionarios at the age of 18, and is still playing today for a 2nd Division Colombian side, Deportivo Rionegro. Most of his career was spent with Atletico Nacional of Colombia. He is 5' 9" (1.75 meters) in height, and is affectionately known as "El Loco."

Although he evokes many emotions in fans, along with detractors, one word sums him up for me: Entertainer. With Higuita, as Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." As you will see in the videos, he was a pioneer in terms of defining the role of goalkeeper well outside of the 18 yard box. He has unusual technical skills, along with an intrepid nature. Similar to Jorge Campos, who we have discussed before at Keeper Skool, the goal mouth and box are not magnets for Mr. Higuita.

Recently, he was named to coach and train the Colombian U-17 and U-20 goalkeepers.

Professional Clubs

• Millionarios
• Atletico Nacional
• Real Valladollid (Spain)
• Atletico Nacional
• Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz (Mexico)
  
• Independiente Medellin
• Real Cartagena
• Atletico Junior
• Deportivo Pereira
• Aucas
• Bajo Cuaca FC
  
• Guaros de Lara FC (Venezuela).
  
• Deportivo Rionegro (2nd Division).
  

• 68 international appearances for Colombia.
  
• 29 wins, 25 draws, and 14 losses. Winning percentage: 61%.
  
• 54 goals conceded.
• Goals against ratio: 0.79.
• He scored 3 goals during his international career (41 overall).
  
• Winner of the Copa Libertadores and Copa Interamericana with Atletico Nacional in 1989.
  

Statistics courtesy of Frank Ballesteros for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.

Highlight Video

Decline of Entertainment Value

"Football has become more of a business, The directors want results so the goalkeepers just try to do the simple things, such as a quick kick upfield, to avoid complicating the situation. The type of goalkeeper I like is the one who plays for a result and takes his position seriously, but at the same time entertains the people who pay for the tickets...

Asked which current goalkeepers were capable of matching his antics, Higuita replied: 'There aren't any.' "

Source: Reuters UK, "Goalkeepers Are No Fun Anymore," 01 May 2008.

Famous Incident at World Cup 1990: Colombia 1 x Cameroon 2



Occasionally, Higuita's theatrics have produced negative results. In this round of sixteen game at World Cup 1990 in Naples, Italy, he was dispossessed by the legendary lion of Cameroon, Roger Milla, in extra time for an easy goal that led to the elimination of Colombia from the tournament.

Creator of the Scorpion Kick

During an international friendly against England in 1995, Higuita performed what would become his signature move. Words can't adequately describe this display of brilliance, creativity, confidence, and intense concentration.

The Keeper as an Offensive Weapon

"Higuita himself scored 41 goals but the total has since being overtaken by retired Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert and Brazilian Rogerio Ceni.

'A lot of goalkeepers are now taking penalties and free kicks and this makes me satisfied. South America is a production line of goalkeepers for Europe and the rest of the world. The South American goalkeeper has the advantage of being a little more daring, a little more technical.' "

Source: Reuters UK, "Goalkeepers Are No Fun Anymore," 01 May 2008.

Cudicini has been at Chelsea since 1999, since he arrived from Italian lower-league side Castel di Sangro, and had a great run as one of Chelsea's key players and one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League.

However, Petr Cech's arrival in 2004 saw the Italian pushed out of his starting place, and for the last few seasons, he's seen the action mostly from the bench, in which time Chelsea has captured two league titles (and could pip United to the post for a third in four seasons), and established themselves as one of the elite sides in Europe.

But, despite having lost his place as the #1, Cudicini is still one of the most important members of the squad, especially because of Petr Cech's recent injury problems.

And if you think time on the bench has made him rusty, it certainly hasn't.

This season, Cudicini has started 18 times, and has ten clean sheets in those appearances, and in his starts, Chelsea has a record of 14 wins, two draws, and two defeats.

There've been a few days he'd like to have back, like the 4-4 draw at Tottenham, where he saw three go past him in the final half hour to erase 3-1 and 4-3 leads for Chelsea, and the 1-0 FA Cup shocker against Barnsley. However, for the most part, Chelsea haven't skipped much of a beat with him in the lineup.

That's one reason why it'd be of great value if Chelsea held on to him, considering that Cech's fitness status is anything but a sure thing these days. At 34, he's still got plenty to offer to his current team or a new team if he makes a move in the summer, and could definitely assume a regular starting position again.

Could Cudicini potentially be a target for AC Milan, where he started his career, and where his father Fabio starred in the late 60s and early 70s? The Rossoneri could be in the market for a goalkeeper in the summer, and a chance to finish his career where he started it could be tempting.

But, at this point, if he does make a move back to Italy, his destination could be to Milan's Serie A rivals Juventus, who were in London last week to discuss a potential move back to Turin, where he would provide an experienced backup to Gianluigi Buffon.

The big question is this: Will he leave Chelsea? He hasn't yet, and as mentioned above, he's still of great value to the Blues.

But, his contract runs out next year, and Chelsea may prefer to get something for him, rather than to lose him for nothing in 2009. Not that they really need the extra money that they'd get for him, but it may well be their line of thinking. Or they could be willing to reward their loyal soldier for his service by letting him pursue a starting place elsewhere or a return to his home country rather than keeping him there to play second fiddle to Cech.

Then again, it wouldn't be a surprise for him to extend his contract and see his career out at Chelsea, where he may be most content, and not just due to the salary that he still brings in. And that, in this day and age, is something to be admired, even if it does cost him a regular starting place, and that long-elusive cap for Italy.

Eddie Griffin is a passionate soccer fan, freelance writer and regularly contributes at Soccerlens.com. 

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Courtesy of Getty Images.

Hope Solo was born in 1981 in Richland, Washington. She is 5 feet 9 inches, or 1.75 meters in height. During high school, she was a prolific striker who scored 109 goals. Although she played goalkeeper at the US Youth National Team levels, she ultimately switched positions in college at the University of Washington. She has been in the US Women's National Team pool since 2000, and has won 52 caps.

Professional Teams

• Philadelphia Orange of the WUSA.
• Kopparsburg/Goteborg of Sweden.
• Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon) of France.

Career Honors

• Parade Magazine All-American on two occasions at Richland High School.
• Four time All-Pac Ten selection at the University of Washington.
• Three time NSCAA All-American at the University of Washington.
• All-time holder for clean sheets, saves, and goals against average at the University of Washington.
• 1054 minutes without conceding a goal at the US National Team level.
• 24 clean sheets for the senior National Team.
• Alternate on the 2004 Athens Gold Medal Team.
• 2005 Algarve Cup Champion.
• Bronze Medal: 2007 World Cup.

A Personal Reflection about Her Father

Her father, Jeffery, died a short time before the June 2007 friendly with Brazil. He had been estranged from his family for most of her childhood, but they were reunited during her college years. He was a military veteran, and had planned to travel to the New Jersey Meadowlands to watch Hope, whom he coached as a child, for the first time as a professional. He was born and raised in the Bronx, and wanted to show Hope and her brother his childhood neighborhood.

"He was so excited to go back to his hometown, to see me in my USA jersey, to show me where he grew up," she says. "Instead, my mom, my brother and I took the trip to honor him. And we took some of my father (his ashes) with us. We took him to Yankee Stadium. My dad was the world's only Yankee and Red Sox fan."

During this same time, Hope lost a high school friend and former teammate, Elizabeth Duncan, due to a car fatality.

Source: USA Today, Solo's Success as US Goalie is No Accident, 24 July 2007.

Brazil 4 x USA 0: World Cup 2007 Semifinal in China

Although the performance by the Brazilians, especially Cristiane and Marta, was one for the ages, this game will unfortunately be remembered for other reasons. National Team Coach, Mr. Greg Ryan, decided to bench Hope in favor of Brianna Scurry, who he felt was better suited against this type of explosive team.

"Solo, 25, has been excellent defending crosses and high balls, but Ryan wants Scurry for her scrambling. 'The way the Brazilians play in terms of creating off the dribble in the penalty box and making a goalkeeper make reaction-type saves, I think Bri is the best goalkeeper in the world in those situations,' Ryan said."

Source: ESPN, US Calls on Veteran Scurry to play goal vs. Brazil, 26 September 2007.

After the game, Hope Solo was questioned by a reporter. Despite the protests by a US Soccer representative, she, as the Romans say, had no hair on her tongue. While many have questioned and criticized her comments, it was a courageous display. Perhaps in retrospect, a more tactful response would have served her better. But she was entitled to her own opinion, even if it led to a vote by her teammates to ban her from the Bronze Medal game. Hope later apologized on her MySpace page, Coach Ryan was subsequently relieved of his duties, and she is back into the side.

"There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves," Solo said. "You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past." On Friday, Solo said while she still doubts Ryan's strategy, she did not mean to hurt Scurry. "Although I stand strong in everything I said, the true disheartening moment for me was realizing it could look as though I was taking a direct shot at my own teammate," Solo said, according to the Web site. "I would never throw such a low blow. Never." "I only wanted to speak of my own abilities yet also recognize that the past is the past. Things were taken out of context, or analyzed differently from my true meaning of my own words," she said, according to the Web site. "For that I am sorry. I hope everybody will come to know I have a deep respect for this team and for Bri."

Source: ESPN, Solo Sorry, Says She Didn't Mean to Criticize Scurry, 28 September 2007.

Steve Amoia is the author and editor of World Football Commentaries. He is a featured author on Soccerlens, and also writes for Keeper Skool.

It ended up being a nightmare for Carson and England fans alike, as he gifted Croatia an opener in the eighth minute, and six minutes later, he was beaten again. While England did come back to level the match, the night would end in disappointment, as Croatia scored a late winner to crush England's hopes of being at this summer's competition in Austria and Switzerland.

Since that forgettable unforgettable night at Wembley, Carson's form has been up and down. After recovering from his horror night to post consecutive clean sheets in away matches against Middlesbrough and Blackburn to end November, December, January, February, and March passed without another clean sheet from the 22-year old.

During that time, Villa had trouble maintaining consistency after a strong start to the season, and suffered an especially poor March, where their European prospects took a huge hit as they took only two points from five league fixtures.

The struggles certainly weren't all Carson's though, because when you're not scoring, that gives the defense and the keeper an even smaller margin for error. Villa scored only two goals in that five-match winless run in March, and were blanked against Portsmouth, Sunderland, and Man United to end the month.

However, he's back on track right on time, as he started a pivotal April for the European hopefuls with his first clean sheets since November in routs over Bolton and Derby, which has allowed Martin O'Neill's side to close the gap on fifth-placed Everton to a mere three points with three matches to go, with a big encounter at Goodison Park ahead on Sunday. Besides the defensive improvement, the Villains are on fire in net, with 14 goals in their last three fixtures.

Besides what's at stake for his team, there's plenty at stake for Carson on a personal level. The #1 spot for England is anything but solidified at this point, so strong performances for Carson down the stretch can put him in a position to make the jersey his own sometime in the near future.

His talent and potential is undoubted. His first Champions League appearance came at 19 in goal against Juventus in a quarterfinal at Anfield, which the Reds won 2-1, on the way to their epic European title. And that match against Croatia, it must be remembered that it was only his second senior cap. His first? Five days before in a friendly against Austria.

There's a great deal of pressure on him, from trying to do his part to help Villa claim a European place, to being in contention in the national team, to lofty expectations that are not only placed on him by others, but by himself.

This season is only his second as a full-time starter, and naturally there are going to be some struggles, especially when you get thrown into the fire like he has over his short career. Sometimes those struggles are hard to shake, but getting past them is all about keeping your head up, and eventually you'll be back in top form sooner or later.

It seems that he's done just that, as he's regaining his form just when the team needs him to, and while Bolton, Derby, and Birmingham aren't top-class competition, if he can keep things tidy in net over the final three matches, it will not only bode well for Carson's prospect, but also Villa's.

Eddie Griffin is a passionate soccer fan, freelance writer and regularly contributes at Soccerlens.com. 

 
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