Goalkeepers to Watch

To kickstart discussion among the more knowledgeable football fans out there and to provide a stepping off point for the neophytes, I figured I'd do a series where I focus on players to watch at particular positions. Thus, you can expect me to hit goalies, defenders, midfielders, and forwards, and then conclude with kids who I expect to make a big splash this time around. Time is getting short, since I still need to produce my final predictions and a television schedule of good games to watch, so without further ado...

Let's kick this pig!

5 Goalkeepers to Watch

Petr Cech

The lipreaders among you will know that Cech is actually saying, 'Oy, get yer head out of yer arse!'.

Cech is perhaps the number one contender for the mantel of Top Goalkeeper in the World. His performances for Chelsea have helped lead them to back-to-back English Premier League titles, while his run for the national team has helped raise the Czech Republic to 2nd place in the ever-specious FIFA rankings, directly behind #1 Brazil. He's rarely spectacular until he needs to be, but he almost never makes mistakes, and has plenty of "spectacular" in his bag of tricks should it prove necessary. Only 24, you can expect to hear a lot from him for at least two more World Cups, barring serious injury.

Kasey Keller
When it comes to football, American players rarely get respect equal to their skills. Keller is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and has been for years. He was a lock to start for the USMNT in 2002 until Blackburn giant Brad Friedel hit an insane run of form and Arena decided to go with the hot hand. It turns out going with the albatross at that time was a good move, but it kind of sucked for Kasey, especially since he was 32 at the time. Turning 37 later this year, you'd expect that Keller might have lost a step or two, but his performances for club and country this year have been as good as ever.

The U.S. will need him to be great in order to get out of their group. Of course, when you produce a clean sheet nearly half the times you play at the international level, great starts to seem routine.

Gianluigi Buffon
Fun fact time: Italy hasn't actually lost a match since October of 2004, winning 10 of 17 international ties during that time. All you Italy haters can take that stat, stick it in your pipe, and smoke it until your head explodes. Buffon has generally been the first-choice keeper during that period, though he missed significant time last fall due to a dislocated shoulder (ow!). A consistent starter for Parma (back when they weren't shite) and Juventus in Serie A since 1995, Buffon - when healthy - is as good as they come. Expect him to prove that consistently in Germany.

Oh, and any writer out there making a buffoon pun off of this guy's last name should be shot.

Dida
Brazil's keeper situation used to be fun to watch, since they were usually very young or very old, frequently dodgy, and almost certainly the weakest link in the starting eleven. Current AC Milan stopper Dida seems to have changed all of that. Occasionally inconsistent, Dida has been the first choice keeper for Brazil since shortly after France 98, during which time they have won a host of international tournaments. The 33-year-old makes up for any inconsistencies in his game by making amazing saves with alarming regularity. Let's face it - everyone will be watching Brazil's matches anyway... you might as well know who the guy on the lonely end of the field happens to be.

Fabien Barthez

Mama always said, 'Crazy is as crazy does.'

Goalies in any sport tend to be a crazy lot, but Fabien Barthez is actually certifiable. A World Cup winner in 1998 for France, since that time he has lived a roller coaster life at the club level. At one point he played for English juggernauts Manchester United, and almost ended manager Alex Ferguson's career due to health reasons*. Turns out he just needed to find a more sane goalie, which he did, and is back to his cantankerous, Scottish best. Not content to cause palpitations simply at the manager and player levels, last season Barthez managed to get a six month ban for spitting on a referee.

In short, you never know what you will get from Barthez, which is exactly what makes him fascinating to watch. You have to be brilliant to still have a career after everything Barthez has pulled, but 2006 will assuredly be his final ride, and I for one, am quite excited to see exactly what kind of ride that will be.

*This might not be exactly the way things played out.