Fraser Forster’s return cannot be the only reason for Southampton’s sudden upturn but the turnaround since he took over in goal has been staggering.
Southampton was on their worst run of form in years when Fraser Forster made his return from injury recently.
A run of eight defeats and just one win in 10 matches had left fans looking anxiously down the table as Saints slipped worryingly towards the Premier League relegation zone and were dumped out of the FA Cup.
Forster’s return cannot be the only reason for their sudden upturn but the turnaround since he took over in goal has been staggering. The facts speak for themselves; three matches, three wins, three clean sheets.
His long-awaited comeback is good news for both the player and the team, and maybe even England, should anything happen to Joe Hart between now and the European Championship in the summer.
Hart is clearly Roy Hodgson’s first-choice goalkeeper but he knows there is pressure for his place as Forster and Jack Butland continue to show form which suggests they would be capable replacements if the need arises.
Even if he does not feature at EURO 2016, a place in the squad would at least be some reward for a player who has never been afraid to make whatever move has been necessary to progress his career.
Born in Hexham, Northumberland, Forster was a late developer in a footballing sense. He also enjoyed playing rugby union and cricket and did not play football as a goalkeeper until he was 13 years old.
He played youth football for Wallsend Boys Club, following in the footsteps of the likes of Michael Carrick, Steve Bruce and Alan Shearer, and was then signed up to Newcastle United’s academy in 2005.
He signed professional terms with the club a year later and at the beginning of the 2007/8 season, at just 19, he was the Magpies’ third-choice goalkeeper.
When Tim Krul returned for the next campaign, Forster was loaned out to Stockport County in League One and made his professional debut in the Football League Trophy in October 2008.
この記事は Sportstar の February 13, 2016 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Sportstar の February 13, 2016 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
