SEAMAN HAS KEEPER FEAR
DAVID SEAMAN reckons Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate may struggle to find England’s next goalkeeping great.
Seaman made 75 appearances for his country and was one of the heroes of Terry Venables’ side that reached the semi-finals of Euro 96, saving a penalty against Scotland in the group stages that helped confirm him as a national treasure.
He believes it will be harder for future English keepers because Premier League bosses are scared to give young homegrown stoppers a chance.
Seaman (below) said: “Managers don’t want to take a risk so their young ‘keepers don’t get a chance.
“When I played for Arsenal we were competing at the top of the Premier League and in Europe, but they have started to bring in experienced foreign keepers because people are scared of relegation.
“Jordan Pickford is at Everton and they are close without being in title contention.
“He has limited experience in Europe.
“There is big pressure for England that playing in the Champions League prepares you for.
“Everything you do is scrutinised. I remember Paul Robinson saying, ‘I can’t believe the stick I’m getting’, after he let that goal in against Croatia (in a Euro 2008 qualifying match) when the ball bobbled over his foot.
“I said: ‘You’re England No.1. You have to deal with it.’” Seaman feared the fans’ fury after Ronaldinho’s strike dumped England out of the 2002 World Cup.
“I was thinking: ‘Will I get the same treatment David Beckham got in 1998 (after he was sent off against Argentina)’.
“The whistle went, I started walking off the pitch and as I got close to the fans I started crying. I felt I had let everybody down.
“We flew back into London and there were loads of England fans and press waiting for me. We got on the coach and the fans started singing my name.
“I was usually a fans’ favourite – apart from at Spurs!”
Wembley looks set to stage all three of England’s group stage games in this summer’s Euros, along with a last-16 tie, both semifinals and the final.
Seaman said of his experience in 1996: “It was massive pressure and it just grew and grew.
“The first game was against Switzerland and when we walked up the tunnel to get to the pitch there were knights on horses going around the pitch, thousands of people in the ground waving flags and a massive trophy in the middle of the pitch.
“We thought: ‘Wow, this is real’ and it had an effect. We didn’t play very well.
“I remember being in the hotel and people were waiting with flags for the bus to leave and lining the streets to the motorway.
“It was an amazing time to be an England footballer.”