Success is a Given thing |
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much discussion over our keepers today, with the Mail seeing Shay
Given's arrival as cue for Joe Hart to depart to Spurs. There's also a
report on Saturday's win over Middlesbrough, which featured an
eye-catching debut for the Irish international stopper.
Sunday Mirror
"Shay Given: I can make Joe Hart a better goalkeeper for Manchester City"
Shay Given wants to become a 40-something goalkeeper with Manchester City.
The
Republic of Ireland international completed his £8million switch to the
Blues from Newcastle with a promise that he is still improving at the
age of 32.
Given insisted his aim now is to become one of the
Premier League's vintage performers - and that is likely to push young
England keeper Joe Hart towards a £10m summer move to Tottenham.
Given,
who kept a clean sheet on his City debut yesterday, said: "They say
goalkeepers are like a vintage wine - we get better every year - and
I'd like to think I still have the best years of my career ahead.
"You
only have to look at lads like Edwin van der Sar, Brad Friedel and
David James to see how it can be done and my aim has always been to
play at the top level for as long as I can.
"My arrival at City
was always going to make it difficult for Joe Hart and Kasper
Schmeichel because while they are both young keepers they have
experience of the first team.
"On Monday morning I came in and
said hello to them and it felt a bitawkward. Hopefully we can work
together and I can help to improve those guys.
"I was at
Blackburn when I was a young keeper and working with Tim Flowers was
fantastic. I learned a lot and hopefully the guys can work with me and
I can help to improve them as keepers as well."
Given added: "I
hope that both Joe and Kasper look at it philosophically and realise
that they could both still have 20 years left in the game.
"They
will be disappointed I've come in, but maybe it could have been a
Casillas or Buffon coming in, not speaking a word of English and
casting them aside. I do feel I can help to make them better. I will
work hard in training - as I always have - and hopefully they will
improve as well.
"But I'm not daft. I know it's hard to take a
backward step. When I was at Blackburn I was on loan at Swindon and
Sunderland and when I went back to Rovers it was back to the reserves.
"It is not the ideal situation for someone like Joe Hart, but it stood me in good stead."
Mail on Sunday
"Tottenham want Hart transplant to save City keeper's World Cup dream"
Tottenham are leading the chase for England Under-21 goalkeeper Joe Hart, who is set to quit Manchester City in the summer.
Hart
has been to see manager Mark Hughes about his prospects at City
following the arrival of £6million Shay Given from Newcastle.
The
21-year-old, who made his England debut against Trinidad in June,
believes he needs regular first-team football to have a chance of going
to next year's World Cup, something Hughes did not guarantee at their
meeting.
Even 32-year-old Given admits he felt 'awkward'
meeting Hart as he was about to take his place, while England manager
Fabio Capello has conceded the situation is 'a problem' for the young
goalkeeper.
Given said: 'It is going to be difficult for Joe.
It felt a bit awkward saying hello to him and Kasper Schmeichel because
they've been here a few years. I said I don't pick the team, but I
don't know what they were thinking.'
Capello last night suggested Hart will need first-team football to be considered for South Africa.
He
said: 'It is frustrating City decided to sign Given. We have followed
Hart for a long time in the first XI. It will be a problem in the
future.'
Sunday Express
"City so thankful as Given turns on the sparkle"
Free-spending
Manchester City might have lamented the closing of the transfer window
but they were more than happy yesterday to see the back door slammed
shut.
That came in the £8million shape of Shay Given who
displayed just why it’s so important not to neglect the less glamorous
side of the game.
Heartfelt sympathy went out to Joe Hart,
possibly England’s keeper in waiting, who has had to make way for the
arrival of the outstanding former Newcastle United man.
Heartfelt thanks would have come from the City back four.
While
Robinho, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Craig Bellamy and company attempted to
weave the magic deep in Middlesbrough territory, Given was needed to
display his razor-sharp reflexes and keep City’s heads above water when
the storm broke around their goal.
It did on four occasions and
the man who could have been excused for seeking counselling on Tyneside
after his years behind a porous defence made a series of outstanding
saves – all from the same player, Afonso Alves.
Alves was first
left shaking his head in disbelief after Adam Johnson’s square pass
left the Brazilian with the goal at his mercy from six yards. But Given
was able to somehow stick out his right hand to block.
Then when
Alves went through on goal the Republic of Ireland star stuck out a leg
to once again retrieve the situation for a side who, hellbent on
blowing away the opposition, had left themselves vulnerable to the
rapid counter attacking of Gareth Southgate’s side.
Just for good
measure Given also denied the luckless South American with a
left-handed stop and, with City finally leading 1-0, maintained his
concentration to foil Alves again after a slip from Nedum Onuoha.
So
the foundation was laid for Bellamy to finally take one of the many
opportunities City had created. It was probably among the hardest, but
this club never does things the easy way.
It seems that spending a total of £125m since becoming City boss still hasn’t handed Mark Hughes a magic wand.
The
rottweiller in City’s midfield, Nigel De Jong, fed Bellamy who still
had plenty of work to do. The Welshman cut inside Emanuel Pogatetz and
a left-footed strike sped beyond Brad Jones’s dive.
It was just reward for Bellamy who had led the line with typical energy and gusto.
City
have diced with trouble through their inability to travel well. They
can be the Harlem Globetrotters at Eastlands but a rag, tag and bobtail
outfit on the road.
Manager Hughes admitted: “We need to improve our away form, especially with some difficult games coming up.
“Shay Given was outstanding but made the saves without any real theatre. He was a calming influence on the back four.
“The
players we have brought in have made an impact. Craig Bellamy knows all
about the Premier League and he has hit the ground running here.”
Before his killer goal, Bellamy had been denied by Jones after being put in the clear by Stephen Ireland.
To their credit, Boro battled to the end and didn’t look like a side who have now gone 14 Premier League games without a win.
Manager Southgate insisted: “No one is ducking the challenge. As far as I am concerned I won’t be walking out.”
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