Shay Given

[OwlsFan]

That's the first Sun article that I have ever read from start to finish

You just looked at the pictures instead ?

[geysir]

Ahem ahem, I am a new convert to The Sun paper for its (not tits) sport coverage.

[KK77]

In fairness, is Shay in his prime or coming out of it? He's no spring chicken anymore, coming off an injury. I hope he plays until he is 50 but we have to be realistic. He might not have many "Prime of his career" years left actually.

I would have to agree with you. From Mancini's point of view what does he do....play Shay and lose Hart then 2/3 years down the line when Shay is finished and Hart is playing for another top team in premier league. I think himself and City would look silly so as much as i love Shay i think Mancini made the right choice for Man City.

[Noelys Guitar]

Barry Glendenning in the Guardian having a pop at Shay's abilities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...ngs-we-learned scroll down to Given article

[jbyrne]

Barry Glendenning in the Guardian having a pop at Shay's abilities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...ngs-we-learned scroll down to Given article

its not so long since birmingham fans were accusing hart as having the same shortcomings in his game...

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmin...7319-25033072/

....they seemed to rate doyle higher.

shay has been one of the best keepers in the premier lge for the last 10 seasons. no goalkeeper is perfect. get out of city quickly shay... its all going to end in tears at that club

[Predator]

Barry Glendenning in the Guardian having a pop at Shay's abilities
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...ngs-we-learned scroll down to Given article

...but it's telling that Given still isn't being linked with a move to a top club playing Champions League football in England or abroad. Their scouts have obviously seen the shortcomings – an inability to command his penalty area and a reluctance to come off his line for crosses – hordes of the player's army of fanatical Irish cheerleaders refuse to accept exist.

Every player has their shortcomings Barry, but Given is quite clearly considered to be one of the best 'keepers around, no matter how much you'd like to ignore it. That's why Man City bought him for £6+ million in their bid to build an All-Star team. That's why many sources in the media have named him the best Premiership goalkeeper of his generation. That's why the likes of Trapattoni, Tardelli and numerous others (even Mancini!) have lavished praise on his ability.

Who knows what clubs are considering an offer for Given? Maybe he's out of most clubs' price range; maybe the clubs who should want Given already have decent 'keepers. We won't really know until offers are made. You say no top clubs have been linked to Given but Given has, as far as I'm aware, been linked to Arsenal, who are, I would imagine, a top club, playing Champions League football.

Hordes of fanatical Irish fans? What's this all about? He has hordes of fans all right, not all of them are Irish, many of them are fanatical.

[Charlie Darwin]

...but it's telling that Given still isn't being linked with a move to a top club playing Champions League football in England or abroad.

Arsenal playing in the Europa League this year then?

[SkStu]

I would have to agree with you. From Mancini's point of view what does he do....play Shay and lose Hart then 2/3 years down the line when Shay is finished and Hart is playing for another top team in premier league. I think himself and City would look silly so as much as i love Shay i think Mancini made the right choice for Man City.

thats a really good point RafaB - not one that i had considered myself.

[tetsujin1979]

Hart to start tomorrow against Timisoara in Romania: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...inst_timisoara

[paul_oshea]

I would have to agree with you. From Mancini's point of view what does he do....play Shay and lose Hart then 2/3 years down the line when Shay is finished and Hart is playing for another top team in premier league. I think himself and City would look silly so as much as i love Shay i think Mancini made the right choice for Man City.

thats a really good point RafaB - not one that i had considered myself.

But sure thats exactly what it is, its the media in england wanted tehir number 1 keeper playing first team football, capello having a word and mancini realising that for the short term gains its just not worth it, playing given over hart.

On that though Mancini is obviouslly thinking he is there long term....

Who is in Europe this year? I mean Europa league? Perhaps given could be giong on loan to a team at that level..hence why he is not being picked to play tomorrow..fulham aren't though.

[shakermaker1982]

Given is 34 and could have another 5/6 years ahead of him. Van der Sar is 39 and is still in top nick.

Barry Glendenning doesn't have a positive word to say about anybody! He's entertaining when he lays into Terry on the guardian podcasts but tends to see the negative in most things

[irishfan86]

Well, he could go to all manner of teams in Europe potentially, but if he is going to Arsenal or Celtic those are the first teams that come to mind.

Remember that playing in the Europa League also cup ties you for the Champions League.

[Predator]

He's entertaining when he lays into Terry on the guardian podcasts...

Now this I want to hear.

[aidinho]

Given off to Celtic.

PS. I love winding yous guys up, but talks are ongoing between city and Celtic.

[Hibs4Ever]

City in advanced talks with Fulham according to Irish radio this morning. Hopefully he'll stay in Premiership

[Noelys Guitar]

Stoke also trying to sign Given according to the latest reports (Straight buy and not a loan). If Given goes out on loan and gets the same deal Bellamy got ie City continue to pay a portion of his wages then half the teams in the Premiership below the top 5 will become involved. Danny Murphy was saying earlier that 7 players at Fulham have only one year left on their contracts and that Hughes should be dealing with those players first.

[paul_oshea]

Is Danny murphy one of those 7?

[Stuttgart88]

I'd love to hear Barry Glendenning's analysis of Schwarzer during the World Cup. Came for crosses he couldn't get near and his shot handling was atrocious. I'm sure he'll blame the ball, but Jansen(?) the young German keeper showed impeccable handling in the same situation, catching cleanly at least half a dozen of those tricky shots that you have to catch on the "half-volley".

I think Schwarzer had a very good season last year but he had too many seasons at Boro where he made errors. The likes of Schwarzer and Howard will always be thought of as good keepers because they play at middling to decent clubs that give up chances and where as long as you're generally pretty good, that's good enough.

I might think the same for Shay except I've seen him for Ireland over the years where every game is important and not only is he consistent, but he does the hard things well.

It was correctly pointed out above that investing in Hart makes more commercial sense for City, but from Arsenal's perspective - assuming equal ability - Given makes more sense than Schwarzer because he's younger. Neither would have much re-sale value but Given could give Arsenal 5 more years, whereas Schwarzer 3 max. That means Arsenal will be looking for another keeper before too long, unless the highly rated 3rd choice keeper (an 18 year old Pole) comes good for them. As I said, that assumes equal ability, but I think Shay is better than Schwarzer. The Times said Shay has been the best keeper of the noughties in the EPL. I don't think Schwarzer would figure in anybody's top 10.

Brady was interviewed in the Irish papers this morning. He said he had no knowledge of transfers for the senior squad. You'd like to think he'd offer some influence in this situation.

[Sullivinho]

City in advanced talks with Fulham according to Irish radio this morning.

That'd do. He'd be kept busy and sharp as a razor.

Not that he was under-employed behind City's defense.

[Noelys Guitar]

Murphy probably talking about himself (even though denying it in the Sky article)http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...322783,00.html. Getting off topic here but I wonder will Hodgson make a late bid for Duff considering Roy tried to bring back Hyppia to Liverpool. I felt Liverpool lacked a clever wide player on Sunday against Arsenal. One more good season from Duff might suit Hodgson and Liverpool.