Playing for keeps

ON a freezing day in Dutch city Eindhoven in February 2006, Zeljko Kalac sat in a hotel extolling the virtues of his competition with Mark Schwarzer to be the Socceroos’ No.1. Across the foyer, Schwarzer looked less convinced.

That was arguably the last time Australia had two goalkeepers or more at the top of their game, pushing each other all the way. This week, Ange Postecoglou has three goalkeepers, all bubbling with confidence, from which to choose.

Mat Ryan’s move to Belgium club Genk restored certainty to his game after a debilitating time at Valencia, while Mitch Langerak’s Stuttgart raced to the Bundesliga 2 title.

To those two you can add Danny Vukovic, the form keeper of the A-League and ebullient after setting records in Sydney FC’s double success. Getting such an opportunity relatively late in his career has made Vukovic determined to maximise every moment of it.

Postecoglou has tried to lift the competition between the keepers, selecting Langerak away to Iraq in March and replacing him with Ryan five days later. The message was clear, even if it seemed slightly curious timing given his previous loyalty to Ryan.

“We have a professional relationship and we’re both disappointed when we are not playing,” Ryan said.

The interesting question is whether the goalkeepers are lifted by such uncertainty or disoriented. If the assumption is Ryan will get the nod against Saudi Arabia tomorrow, the competition will only intensify as the team heads to the Confederations Cup.