England’s goalkeeping crisis saw them ignore a Manchester United goalkeeper with a lot of promise.
Jack Butland is undoubtedly a very talented young goalkeeper, but his club football experience does not extend beyond performances for League Two side Cheltenham Town.
He is yet to make an appearance in the Championship for parent club Birmingham City, yet if anything happens to Joe Hart or Rob Green at Euro 2012, he will find himself representing his country on the biggest stage.
The 19-year-old has experience with England’s under-21s, but another goalkeeper who has represented his country at all youth levels is Manchester United man Ben Amos.
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Amos is third choice at Manchester United behind David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard, and is 22.
This season he has played three times, keeping clean sheets in two games, including the home Premier League match against Stoke City, an awkward side for a goalkeeper at the best of times.
He is like Butland a talent for the future, although he would consider himself further along the development line, and will feel aggrieved to be overlooked.
Being third choice for United and third choice for England would not present any psychological jump to overcome for Amos, where you wonder if Butland will be able to cope.
In an ideal world, neither would have to be called on. Ben Foster and Paul Robinson’s stubborn retirements from international football has weakened England’s options in an already shallow pool of talent.
David Stockdale and Scott Carson represent other options, and also have a right to feel overlooked.
The question the Amos-Butland debate presents, is what is more valuable- to be a reserve for one of the country’s top clubs, or to be playing for a team three divisions below?
England fans will hope Joe Hart stays fit and we don’t have to find out the answer to Butland’s capability to handle the pressure just yet.
Should Amos have been picked ahead of Butland?
image: © nasmac
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