Ben Foster - Not fit to wear the shirt??

[nicko31]

Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster has made himself unavailable for England duty for an indefinite period to help prolong his club career.

All the time this attitude persists in English football the National team will never deliver. After South Africa disgrace my England interest is at rock bottom, if the players aren't fussed why should I be?

 

[Seagull27]

To be fair to him, he's not going to be first choice any time soon. I don't blame him.

 

[16bha]

This gets my goat. These players are paid a fortune, so the least they can do is give a bit back for their country. That goes for Scholes and Carragher too!!!

Don't mind if Terry wants to retire though.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What a tit. Seems to be very much an ugly chap, batting way above his natural position, dumping the girl to save being dumped.

Having said that, I would probably turn my back on England. Not in an effort to prolong my club career (how does that work exactly?), but I wouldn't want play with such a bunch of wankers.

 

[Robbie G]

Better that he has ruled himself out rather than travel with the England team not really wanting to be there. But then again, as a professional footballer, isn't it the dream to play for your country?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

This sums up exactly why Beckham is so respected by anyone with half a brain. Clearly loves his country and will never announce his international retirement.

 

[beorhthelm]

prolong his career? that might work as an excuse for an outfield player such as Scholes*, but Foster is a 28 yo Goalkeeper ffs. he should have another 8-10 years. just an admission he's not up to it and doesnt want to bother competing for a the place.


*(who i've always felt stood aside for the sake of the team)

 

[Acker79]

Isn't that why david bentley pulled out of the under 21 squad? Did wonders for him...

 

[Perkino]

He is a fantastic goalkeeper who because he isn't at a top 4 club is finding international caps hard to come by. Having said that, no professional should give up on their country. Beckham and Seaman had the right attitude they'd play for England whenever their country needed them

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

prolong his career? that might work as an excuse for an outfield player such as Scholes*, but Foster is a 28 yo Goalkeeper ffs. he should have another 8-10 years. just an admission he's not up to it and doesnt want to bother competing for a the place.


*(who i've always felt stood aside for the sake of the team)

This.

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

What a tit. Seems to be very much an ugly chap, batting way above his natural position, dumping the girl to save being dumped.

Having said that, I would probably turn my back on England. Not in an effort to prolong my club career (how does that work exactly?), but I wouldn't want play with such a bunch of wankers.

Probably just keeping his diary as clear as possible under the instructions of his agent in case of any possible future transfer activity during the season ....here's a thought, if you want to kiss the badge on your shirt make sure its your countries shirt, no point kissing your clubs as you will be off like a dart for a pound more...morally, modern day football players have all but sold their souls. Unless there is something we dont know about clearly the man is a disgrace. This situation started with Fergie not speaking to the BBC, then other Premier League managers followed suit, now we have a stream of players not wanting to play for their country

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

I guess it saves him time, instead of going with England as the 2nd keeper to most games he can now stay with his club.

 

[ILIKECANDLES]

So now the value of an England cap is so low sub senior players get to DECIDE when they are available for selection and announce it on the media He can f*** right off. I'd never pick him again. EVER. You play when you are called and you always make yourself available. Thats the way it should be. Beckham is a class act.

 

[DJ Leon]

I pretty much agree with what's already been written. He wouldn't have made this 'career-prolonging' decision if he was England's first choice, so he's picking and choosing when he plays for England. I don't like that one bit and hope that the FA have the balls to tell him that if does this he's retiring and they won't ask him back.

 

[Hillian1]

So now the value of an England cap is so low sub senior players get to DECIDE when they are available for selection and announce it on the media He can f*** right off. I'd never pick him again. EVER. You play when you are called and you always make yourself available. Thats the way it should be. Beckham is a class act.

Oh so very much THIS.

Even calamity James said he would still go as a number 3 keeper if asked.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I always remember Stuart Pearce's reaction when this cropped up many years ago. He said something along the lines of that as he had been an electrician for a few years and had to get up at 7am to do a lengthy days work the idea of being selected for your country, let alone playing, was an absolute dream and the pinnacle of everything. As a consquence he would never turn down selection.

I think Foster says everything you need to know about the modern day footballer and the value of the England shirt.

 

[El Presidente]

Foster comes across as a bit precious, but hasn't the value of wearing the shirt been totally devalued by the likes of Terry, Stevie G, Wazza, WGT, Fat Frank, Crouchy et al in terms of their tosser like behaviour in recent years anyway?

 

[Tooting Gull]

I think Foster says everything you need to know about the modern day footballer and the value of the England shirt.

Agreed, even if as El Pres says it has been devalued along the way.

This is different to some retirements, not coming from a man at the end of the road and sparing himself the 'humiliation' of not being selected again, but a man in his playing prime, with 8-10 years left, basically reluctant to be at best a deputy to Hart.

I'm sure it can be a bit depressing always being in the squad and not playing, but he would get games, and all it takes is an injury and suddenly you're in, maybe for a big championship.

I'm not sympathetic to Foster at all, really gutless decision. He should go and talk to someone like Joe Corrigan, who finished as a goalkeeping great despite being frozen out by Shilton and Clemence for a decade. I'd like to know how many England squads Joe was in as No3 keeper, it must have been 50 or 60.

 

[Scotty Mac]

Better that he has ruled himself out rather than travel with the England team not really wanting to be there. But then again, as a professional footballer, isn't it the dream to play for your country?

it's the dream for every sportsman until money comes into it - england players would rather retire from international duty so they can spend longer with their clubs and earn more money, cricketers who really need resting before a long international season will go and play in the ipl even if it means they miss playing for their countries due to injuries they incur, and after the world cup it will be interesting to see what englands rugby players do when they have to make the choice between earning a shit load of cash playing in france or representing england

 

[Easy 10]

"Performing at the highest level game in, game out really takes it out of your body. This is the right decision for me as I want to prolong my club career for as long as possible."

Seaman played for England at 39
Shilton played for England at 41

Both of these keepers also had fantastic club careers, and have rightly gone down as England legends. Ben Foster is a whiney little PISSANT who's goalkeeping career will be long forgotten by everyone by the time he hangs up his gloves to go and count the money he's earned in his "prolongued" club career. If he suddenly decides to come mincing back on the eve of a tournament because Joe Hart is crocked, he should politely be told to go and piss up a rope.