In sports, everyone’s a winner, some just win better than others. Like Robert Green, who is pretty much a loser in every country afraid of the letter “z”. But over here, he’d get a one-man parade down the Canyon of Heroes. Yes, the cock-up of all cock-ups in net courtesy of his howler hands has opened Green up to the vicious spitballs from the British press.
Don’t get me wrong; I was thrilled that the US beat England 1-1 on Saturday. OK, it was technically a draw, and good for only one point in Group C, but still…. Given that most Brits expected their lads to run circles around the “inferior” Yanks, a 1-1 draw could be viewed as a moral victory. After all, England had much more to lose, and now they find themselves as the team with the most unanswered questions in Group C. It’s hard not to like the position the US finds themselves in.
As odd as this may seem, I find myself feeling a certain degree of kinship with English goalkeeper Robert Green. I was a goalkeeper in college, so I watch soccer games differently than most fans. I know how much is expected of a ‘keeper, and how perfection isn’t just a good idea, it’s the expectation. A ‘keeper proving himself to be human is a prescription for a seat on the bench. It’s what comes with the job, and if you can’t handle it, you might as well take off the gloves and play in the field.
During my last season, I gave up a very soft goal almost identical to the one Green gave up off a shot from Clint Dempsey. On a ball rolling slowly towards me on a wet field, I knelt down and put my arms between my legs, just as I had on thousands of similar balls in my penalty area. Somehow, though, this ball slipped between my arms, rolled between my legs, and rolled over the goal line behind me as I dove desperately for it.
We lost the game, though I’ve long since forgotten both the opponent and the final score. I do remember getting pulled from the game and feeling as if I’d failed everyone- my teammates, the fans, and the coaching staff. It didn’t take me long to realize, though, that if you’re going to be a goalkeeper, you’d best have a short memory and the ability to forgive yourself. If you can’t do that, you’re going to be one miserable athlete.
It helped to remember the occasions when I’d made saves that either kept us in games or helped preserve a victory…and there had definitely been more than a few of those. A very wise man once told me that “one f—-up erases 20 attaboys….”. Too true.
When you’re between the posts, it’s easy to remember the failures while discounting the successes and the victories. I found myself admiring Green for talking to the press after the game and taking responsibility…but also for making it clear that he knew how to put his mistake behind him. For his sake, and for England’s, I hope he’ll be between the posts on Friday when England takes on Algeria. The US just might see him again.
