Joe Hart and Fraser Forster: A Tale of two English goalkeepers

You have to be crazy to be a goalkeeper.

Truer words were never said.

The curse of the English goalkeeper, however, seems to have been lifted. After years in the wilderness that saw a host of candidates (including the likes of Paul Robinson, Rob Green and Scott Carson) reduce the Old Blighty faithful to little, sobbing children, Joe Hart took up the mantle with a presence that warmed English hearts everywhere.

Even today, with Hart reduced to a shadow of his former self, the English look to a new hero in Fraser Forster, after the Celtic goalkeeper’s commanding show against no less an opposition than Barcelona.

Although Forster was equally impressive against the Catalans when the two sides met in the group stages of last season’s Champions League, Hart’s woes in between the sticks at Manchester City this season have dramatically improved Forster’s chances of turning out for his country as the international fixtures beckon.

It is in this climate of uncertainty that Roy Hodgson has come out and backed Hart as his Number 1. A decision that remains the only commendable one he has made in his forgettable spell at the helm thus far. But that’s a story for another day.

The far more pertinent issue at hand concerns Joe Hart and his current predicament.

Remember that this is a man who Sir Alex Ferguson once hailed as “England’s best keeper for 20 years”. Even if that comment may have been motivated by an aggrieved Sir Alex, who passed on the option of signing Hart way back in ’06 for a measly £100,000, it pays to be highly regarded in the Scotsman’s books.

The Shrewsbury-born Hart has gone from strength to strength since displacing Shay Given in the Manchester City goal at the start of the ’09-’10 season. They may have had one of the meanest defenses in the League when Roberto Mancini was in charge, but there can be no doubt that Hart has played no small part in the emergence of Manchester City as a major player on the domestic scene.

So where did it all go wrong?

The world of the goalkeeper is one that revolves around one key aspect – belief. The loneliest player on the pitch has specialized training sessions and mental routines that alienate him from his mates long before he steps out onto the pitch.

And yet, he is expected to marshal his defense and have them perfectly positioned for the raids that are sure to come. Not to mention the tricky dead-ball situation that has him double-checking every conceivable angle before the referee can blow the whistle.

For a man who is expected to inspire and intimidate in equal measure, the goalkeeper sure gets a very raw deal.

This is why the backing of his mates and his manager is akin to food for his soul, nourishment without which he feels disenchanted and separate from the men who walk out with him every weekend to the roar of 50,000 screaming fans.

Ever since he returned from a successful loan term at Birmingham City, Hart had the backing of Roberto Mancini. In the Italian’s last season at the Etihad, however, Hart was vilified by his manager in the press repeatedly, despite a string of performances that saw him claim his third consecutive Golden Glove award.

The effects of that rift between player and manager have come to the fore this time around. The Italian has been responsible for Hart’s rise to become the England No.1, and his betrayal has hit the fragile psyche of the goalkeeper where it hurts. That we did not see him break down last season is more a tribute to Hart’s mental fortitude and the stable, familiar system he had in front of him.

As much as I respect Manuel Pellegrini as a manager, the change in defensive system that was inevitable with the Chilean’s arrival was really the last thing that Hart needed.

The manager’s preference for a man-marking system while defending set-pieces, the new goalkeeping coach he brought with him, not to forget the obvious differences in organization and tactics – all wholesale changes that Hart has just not been able to cope with, at a time when he was looking for stability and reassurance.

As such, I firmly believe that sticking with Joe Hart in goal is the way to go, at least on the England stage.

What he needs now is a little faith that tells him that even when he is almost down and out, the manager prefers to have him turn out for his country again. Perhaps the experience in itself will help Hart exorcise the demons that haunt him in Manchester City colors today.

At any rate, it may just do him a world of good to be away from an Etihad stadium that looks much like a suffocating cauldron to him today, as opposed to the fortress it has been for a good three years.

On the club stage, Manuel Pellegrini has made the best of a bad situation by publicly backing his keeper, while also letting it be known that he is not averse to selecting Costel Pantilimon in goal, should the situation persist.

That should set the competitive juices flowing, and Hart is sure to relish the chance to once again prove himself worthy of being the undisputed Number 1 at Manchester City. Remember that he is only 26 years old, and definitely made of some stern stuff.

But taking away his place in the England starting eleven would be akin to kicking the man when he’s down, and will not benefit anyone in the long run.

Except Fraser Forster, that is. And although he will not put too much thought into replacing Hart just yet, he will surely be licking his lips at a door that had been closed for so long now. He is certainly capable of donning the big gloves for England – his performances against Barcelona alone have shown us that much.

That it has taken the Champions League to bring his talent into focus does not change the truth that he has been performing consistently in front of a demanding Celtic support for two and a half years now.

A truth that has not escaped the notice of Barcelona right back Dani Alves, who has stated publicly that Forster would be an ideal replacement for Victor Valdes when the latter leaves at the end of the current season.

And since Barcelona have a history of signing the players that their own players recommend (Fabregas and Neymar, most recently) – simply because they can – it would be a fantastic opportunity for the Englishman should he be able to edge out the other big names that have been associated with the role in the recent past.

A fact that has not been lost on his current manager, Neil Lennon, who has said that he will not stand in Forster’s way, should that “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity present itself in due time.

Then, Mr. Hart, you will have a battle on your hands for the coveted England spot. Remember that you have been shown more compassion than even San Iker himself. Do not let it all be to no avail.