Goalkeeper Jordan Smith might have fallen to third choice at Championship giants Nottingham Forest after the additions of Pantilimon and Kapino.
With all due respect to Jordan Smith, he became Nottingham Forest’s number one goalkeeper almost by default.
Midway through last season Stephen Henderson suffered a serious injury, and the less said about Vladimir Stojkovic the better. Consequently, academy graduate Smith was shunted into the starting XI and he has remained there ever since.
Until now.
Forest not only signed the giant Romanian shot-stopper Costel Pantilimon from Watford on transfer deadline day, they also picked up the Greek international Stefanos Kapino after he was released from his contract at Olympiakos.
Pantilimon started Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to high-flying Fulham and Kapino, a highly-rated ‘keeper who was Olympiakos’s first-choice until he fell out of favour in the autumn, is likely to challenge him for a place in Aitor Karanka’s starting XI.
So in the space of a few days, Smith might have gone from undisputed number one to third in the pecking order. Not that Forest fans feel too sorry for the 23-year-old, who first joined Forest’s prosperous academy at the age of seven.
Smith is a talented ‘keeper, but the fact is that Forest have conceded more goals in the Championship this season than every side bar the bottom two Sunderland and Burton.
If he is good enough, he will play. And, with Forest not yet clear of relegation danger, there is no time for sentiment.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
