So has Fergie decided on his 'keeper signing for this summer?

Originally Posted by sharath

I thought he renewed?

no the ACS was the turning point for him, he chucked it in when he heard about that, apparently he can be found inb gigg lane these days

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Compare that to Foster, who most people had not heard of until last season, when he had a good year for the worst team in the top division.

He had a great year IN GOAL for the worst team in the top division. He also made his international debut, looked the part and played well. SI just don't get the negativity.

Foster could hardly fail though could he? With Watford's defence he was always going to be called in to make more saves than others and therefore feature more than keepers at bigger clubs where importantly the expectation is far greater and the associated pressures on their Number Ones. It's a heck of a leap from Vicarage Rd where every point is celebrated to OT where any point dropped is analysed and magnified. I'd loan him out to a bigger club if possible and then mark his progress.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

He had a great year IN GOAL for the worst team in the top division. He also made his international debut, looked the part and played well. SI just don't get the negativity.

What negativity? Ustari is generally regarded as one of, if not the best, goalkeeper in his age group in the world. Suggesting that he may be more talented than Foster is not a slight on Foster's ability.

By the way, David James stood out in a team that couldn't defend. I saw Foster make a fair few £#%&!-ups last season.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

What negativity? Ustari is generally regarded as one of, if not the best, goalkeeper in his age group in the world. Suggesting that he may be more talented than Foster is not a slight on Foster's ability.

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Rating a player whose experience is in what is essentially a youth league ahead of a player with a full PL season and international debut behind him is I think a slight and a rather odd one.As to "highly rated" how often have we all heard that from South America? Wasn't D'Allesandro the next Maradona?

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Rating a player whose experience is in what is essentially a youth league ahead of a player with a full PL season and international debut behind him is I think a slight and a rather odd one.As to "highly rated" how often have we all heard that from South America? Wasn't D'Allesandro the next Maradona?

That 'youth league' produces a far higher and more consistent level of quality players than ours, while their international side is on a different level. If Ustari is regarded as a world-class talent in that environment, I think it's impressive.

But if you want to dismiss South American football so easily, maybe it's worth considering that Ustari has excelled at various world youth tournaments, while he has also coped with the demands of playing for one of the biggest and most important clubs in South America, where the pressures are far higher than the ones faced playing for the worst side in the Premiership, where you can concede a goal from a goal-kick and laugh about it in the interview afterwards.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

That 'youth league' produces a far higher and more consistent level of quality players than ours, while their international side is on a different level. If Ustari is regarded as a world-class talent in that environment, I think it's impressive.

But if you want to dismiss South American football so easily, maybe it's worth considering that Ustari has excelled at various world youth tournaments, while he has also coped with the demands of playing for one of the biggest and most important clubs in South America, where the pressures are far higher than the ones faced playing for the worst side in the Premiership, where you can concede a goal from a goal-kick and laugh about it in the interview afterwards.

No need to get upset, I'm just saying I'm a bit surprised at how low rated Foster seems to be after such a good season? Your little point about his goal kick and the harping on "the worst team" is almost bitter? As to South American football, I'm not writing it off completely, I'm just saying that it's not what it was these days and as for youth football, well that's all well and good but I don't see it as a particularly reliable indicator of a players future, particularly a Goalie. I would just worry about some Argie kid keeper a lot more than Foster.

Even if the interest was genuine he wouldn't get a permit. I don't think he'd fancy being loaned out to Lisbon or Antwerp either.

Originally Posted by Whalefish

Even if the interest was genuine he wouldn't get a permit. I don't think he'd fancy being loaned out to Lisbon or Antwerp either.

With VDS, Krusty and Foster already at the club, I honestly don't see us looking for a 'keeper. Do you?

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

With VDS, Krusty and Foster already at the club, I honestly don't see us looking for a 'keeper. Do you?

Not for another 12months, no.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

No need to get upset, I'm just saying I'm a bit surprised at how low rated Foster seems to be after such a good season? Your little point about his goal kick and the harping on "the worst team" is almost bitter? As to South American football, I'm not writing it off completely, I'm just saying that it's not what it was these days and as for youth football, well that's all well and good but I don't see it as a particularly reliable indicator of a players future, particularly a Goalie. I would just worry about some Argie kid keeper a lot more than Foster.

Not upset at all, and I'm not underrating Foster. The point was more that you seemed quick to dismiss the idea of Ustari being more talented than Foster, when Foster is hardly proven at anywhere near the required level just yet either, while Ustari's achievments for his age are impressive.

Anyway, I'd imagine it would prove impossible to get a work permit. The bureaucratic £#%&!wits at the FA would probably deem the goalkeeper position not important enough for him to be regarded as a special talent.

Originally Posted by Whalefish

Not for another 12months, no.

So you have no faith in Foster making a United 'keeper either? I'm slightly surprised by this, can't really work out what he's done wrong?

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

With VDS, Krusty and Foster already at the club, I honestly don't see us looking for a 'keeper. Do you?

Fergie likes a keeper, no question about that.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

So you have no faith in Foster making a United 'keeper either? I'm slightly surprised by this, can't really work out what he's done wrong?

No, I don't rate the Pole that much. He's got some good qualities but needs to improve in certain areas - catching and kicking. Once VDS goes at the end of next season if Foster hasn't played much due to the cruciate injury and the Pole has struggled I won't rule out a move for a GK.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Not upset at all, and I'm not underrating Foster. The point was more that you seemed quick to dismiss the idea of Ustari being more talented than Foster, when Foster is hardly proven at anywhere near the required level just yet either, while Ustari's achievments for his age are impressive.

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I'm not dismissing it, I'm saying I've seen no evidence of it. I think that the Argentinian league isn't of high quality these days so 2 seasons in that doesn't overly impress me. The youth record suggests that he was good at that level though again I'm not sure exactly what youth football tells us about goalies? As to being highly rated, it's the most overused phrase concerning South American players.

Now as for Foster he had a great season in goal for a bad team in the PL, is highly rated across the PL and is a full England international. These are tangible things in our footballenvironment which I suggest give Foster a good chance of being a United 'keeper.

Originally Posted by n48

We need Gordon from Hearts.

Is he gay.

Foster will undoubtedly get his chance at becoming our first choice keeper at some point, and quite rightly so he's performed very well.

However, I would just be a bit on the cautious side with him. There's a world of difference in playing for Watford and playing for Utd.

At Watford there is no great expectation at all, indeed in the PL they are expected to lose virtually every game. The goalkeeper is going to get tested to the limit, and he can become a bit of a hero if he keeps the score down - which is basically what's happened ... Foster is the superstar of the team, the big fish in the small pond.

But that is the total opposite of what he faces at Utd, where he becomes a very small fish in a very big pond. The team is under pressure to win every single game and he has to perform when required. He has to have the bottle to %@#$&! the Ferdinand's and the Gary Neville's etc.

We've seen dozens of players excel for a smaller club, but totally crumble under the pressure and expectation at Utd - particularly goalkeepers in recent years. Taibi is the prime example, he is £#%&!ing tremendous at mid table clubs, but falls to pieces when he gets to the top clubs.

Foster is a very talented lad, and so far so good he's done everything asked of him. He also seems to be a very sensible lad and eager to prove himself.

But that is the key - he is still to prove himself at the very highest level. If he does that then brilliant and hopefully he does, ... but he hasn't done it yet.

Agreed Mr Cuda.

oh no.

foster didn't play in the u-17 world championships.

just the full national team...