Robert Green
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Paul Green | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | West Ham United | ||
| Number | 1 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:48, 10 November 2007 (UTC) | |||
Robert Paul Green (born January 18, 1980 in Chertsey, Surrey) is an English professional footballer who currently plays for West Ham United as a goalkeeper. He has made one appearance for the England national team.
Club career
Norwich City
Green came through the youth ranks at Norwich City and made his first team debut on 11 April 1999 keeping a clean sheet in the 0-0 local derby draw against Ipswich Town at Carrow Road.[1] However, first-team opportunities were restricted by the presence of first-choice goalkeeper Andy Marshall[2] and it was not until Marshall's departure in the summer of 2001 that Green was able to establish himself as first choice goalkeeper for the Canaries. He was a star of the 2001-2002 play off campaign which culminated in a final loss to Birmingham on penalties. During the extra time period of this match the young Norwich stopper pulled off a top class save from Geoff Horsfield from point blank range. Commentating for ITV, Ron Atkinson mentioned of Greens' heroics; "You talk about Robert Green being a promising young keeper, well that's as good a save as you'll see this season.".
The following season 'Greeno' was an ever present in a Norwich side that finished in a disappointing 8th position in the division one table, missing out on the play offs by two places. Green made an impressive tally of 19 clean sheets during the campaign, beating the previous season's effort of 18 by one shut-out.
By 2003 Green was a key figure in the Norwich City side. He played a key role in helping Norwich to the First Division Championship in the 2003-04 season and promotion to the Premier League.[3] He came third in the supporters vote for Norwich City player of the year behind Craig Fleming and Darren Huckerby.[citation needed]
The Norwich number one was once again ever present, keeping another 18 clean sheets and conceding just 39 goals in 46 league appearances. Green put in many match winning performances during the campaign. These man of the match displays included home fixtures with Derby and Stoke, the Norwich custodian pulling off a world class save from Gerry Tagart during the latter. Performances of this high standard led to his first England international call up for the friendly in March 2004 versus Sweden. He was also included in the PFA first division XI for the season.
Norwich were relegated to the Coca Cola Championship the following season.[4] Green kept just 6 clean sheets and conceded 77 goals during the Premiership campaign, often being dreadfully exposed by an old and unreliable defence which lacked pace and organisation. Despite this, Robert was still a top performer for the Norwich side throughout the campaign and often saved the side from embarrassing hidings. Then England coach Sven-Goran-Eriksson continually picked Green for international squads on merit.
After relegation many of Norwich's top players left and Norwich manager Nigel Worthington failed to replace them with the required quality. Green was clearly disillusioned with the situation often looking half hearted in games while watching the mess that unfolded in front of him. It proved to be his worst campaign as Norwich's number one, keeping just 6 clean sheets in 42 league appearances. Green missed the last few matches of the 2005-06 season after he sustained an injury in the warm-up prior to the away fixture at Sheffield Wednesday although he admitted that having recovered from the injury, he chose to miss the last fixture of the campaign to ensure his fitness for the World Cup.[citation needed]
In August 2006, Norwich accepted a bid of up to £2,000,000 from West Ham United for Green,[5] who had made 241 appearances for Norwich between 1999 and 2006.[1]
West Ham United
Green signed a four year deal with West Ham[5] where he teamed up with former Carrow Road frontman Dean Ashton who had been sold to West Ham by the Canaries in January 2006. Green made his debut for West Ham on 22 October2006 in a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.[6] Two of his best performances were when West Ham won 1-0 against Arsenal at the Emirates[7] and against Manchester United where he helped West Ham United to a 1-0 win,[8] which preserved West Ham's Premier League status. The hammers stopper kept an impressive 9 clean sheets in 26 appearances during the league campaign.
In the 2007/2008 season for West Ham United Robert Green saved the first four penalties taken against him. The first, against Kevin Doyle of Reading, the second, Benjani of Portsmouth in injury time, the third from Tottenham Hotspur’s Jermaine Defoe, again in injury time and the fourth being from Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United who put his wide. The streak was ended by James McFadden of Birmingham on the 9th February 2008.
Despite his good form, Green did not make Fabio Capello's first England International team in February 2008. Green showed a sense of humour about the international situation sporting gloves with 'Englands No.6' embroidered on them.[9]
International career
Green earned his first call-up to the full England squad while at Norwich City[10] and a year later became the sixth Norwich player in history to wear the Three Lions when he appeared as a substitute against Colombia in the United States.[11] Green remained in the England squad despite Norwich having been relegated to the Coca Cola Championship in 2005 and was selected for the England 2006 World Cup squad.[12] However, he ruptured his groin whilst taking a goal kick during the England B international against Belarus on 25 May.[13] He was replaced in the squad by Liverpool's Scott Carson.[14] The injury not only meant that Green missed the World Cup but also the start of the 2006-07 season.[15] After a prolonged absence from the international scene, Green was called up for the England "B" match in May 2007[16] and then named in the senior England squad to face Brazil and Estonia in June 2007.[17] Green was recalled to the squad by Fabio Capello in place of the injured Chris Kirkland for England's friendly with France on March 26th 2008.[18]
References
- ^ a b Soccerbase: Robert Green, Racing Post. Retrieved 22 June 2007.
- ^ "Green signs new Canaries deal", BBC Sport, 24 January 2001. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Green pens Norwich deal", BBC Sport, 30 June 2004. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Fulham 6-0 Norwich", BBC Sport, 15 May 2005. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ a b "Hammer Green eyes England recall", BBC Sport, 16 August 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Tottenham 1-0 West Ham", BBC Sport, 19 October 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Green fingers revive Hammers' prospects", The Guardian, 9 April 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Manchester United v West Ham United, 0-1", Premier League Official Site, 13 May 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ Hammers keeper Robert Green pokes fun at England job
- ^ "Happy to be here", TheFA.com, 30 March 2004. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Owen does it again", TheFA.com, 1 June 2005. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "World Cup Squad", TheFA.com, 8 May 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Keeper Green set to miss finals", BBC Sport, 25 May 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Carson promoted to England squad", BBC Sport, 26 May 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Green gears up for playing return", BBC Sport, 3 August 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Injured Foster sent home", TheFA.com, 22 May 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007,
- ^ "McClaren names squad'"", BBC Sport, 26 May 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
- ^ "Green called into England squad", BBC Sport, 23 March 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2008.