Soccer Central

Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is being backed by manager Arsene Wenger to play for the English national football team in the future. The 31 year-old has never represented Spain, and having signed for Arsenal in 2004; will soon be eligible to apply for English citizenship.

Ben Foster and Joe Hart are two of our potential England goalkeepers of the future, neither are the first choice at their respective Manchester clubs though, and at the age of 38; David James is no longer a long term goalkeeping option for England. Scott Carson, Chris Kirkland, and Robert Green are three further goalkeeping options for England; Kirkland has been seriously injury prone for some years now though, Robert Green has been frequently overlooked by Fabio Capello, and Scott Carson has a rather shaky history at this level. Robert Green is probably England’s best goalkeeping option right now; is he better than Manuel Almunia though?

Manuel Almunia was born and bred in Spain, and there’ll therefore be many that will say he shouldn’t represent England; John Barnes represented England for 12 years between 1983 and 1995 though, and he was born in Jamaica. Barnes now manages the Jamaican national football team so clearly has a great love for the country, he did England proud for 12 long years though, made 79 appearances, and even scored 11 goals. Manuel Almunia is an arguably better goalkeeper than any of the other options that we have to choose from, and if he’s willing to play for this country, which it seems that he is, then if considered good enough he should be given an opportunity to do so.

Almunia has done a brilliant job at Arsenal since forcing Jens Lehmann out of the team last season, and is one of the very best goalkeepers playing in the Premier League right now. He has experience of playing regular football for a team in the top four, experience in the Champions League also, and this is something that no English born goalkeeper can currently match. He can’t break into the Spanish team as he faces some very stiff competition; should this be held against him though? No. He’s still an excellent goalkeeper, and England would be very lucky to have a goalkeeper of such talent in the squad.

Arsene Wenger has backed him, and I’m prepared to do so also; Manuel Almunia is a high quality goalkeeper, and I believe that he could do a very good job for England.