As a midfielder with the flair and guile associated with Gazza, George Best and Ginola, goalkeeping is not my strong point. I often think that managers and journalists overcomplicate goalkeeping. Talk of Reina acting as a sweeper/playmaker in Liverpool’s system, or a goalkeeper’s presence being a defining characteristic of a team is nonsense. To me a goalkeeper is, and always will be, the last kid picked to play in the playground.
I turned my back on goalkeeping because a goalkeeper is always judged on his mistakes. Therefore, it is to Gianluigi Buffon that I give the number 1 jersey. Buffon is the nearest thing to perfection because he makes the least mistakes, claims the most crosses and can pull off the most fantastic saves. Reina is great, but too small (see Mcshane’s goal for Hull at Anfield)and his kicking can be terrible. Cech’s injury against Reading seems to have made him more error prone, making bad judgements in big matches (Czech Republic in Euro 2008). Casillas is an excellent keeper, but does not command his box with the authority of Buffon. I have not watched Cesar of Inter Milan for a prolonged period, like the others and therefore cannot judge him fully. However, from what I have seen, he has the potential to live up to Buffon’s excellence. Yet, it is only recently that he has emerged to be Brazil’s numbert one, and it is essential for goalkeepers to keep form for prolonged periods, rather than have confidence each month, like every single English keeper.
Therefore.
Jakes World XI
Buffon (Juventus and Italy)
