Early in the season Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has put himself under pressure with some high profile errors.
United fans have seen this before, after Peter Schmeichel retired a succession of previously very good keepers arrived and failed to perform under the intense Old Trafford spotlight. Here we take a look at five men De Gea will he hoping not to emulate.
MASSIMO TAIBI
The Italian goalkeeper arrived at Old Trafford for a fee of over four million pounds. He flapped at a cross on his debut allowing Liverpool to score, and sealed his Old Trafford legacy when he allowed a rolling Matt Le Tissier shot to trickle over the line (think Rob Green only worse).
People pleading that De Gea should be “given time” may want to note that De Gea played in only 4 games, one of them a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea.
MARK BOSNICH
Australian shot stopper Mark Bosnich arrived at Old Trafford as one of English Football’s most celebrated shot stoppers. He had massive success with Aston Villa, but failed to meet those standards at Old Trafford.
After one season Bosnich lost his spot to Fabien Barthez, and was also replaced in the Australian national team by Mark Schwarzer.
His time at Old Trafford was also rife with rumors of a cocaine habit and incidents such as spending the night in jail after his stag party.
TIM HOWARD
Tim Howard is a universally respected goalkeeper nowadays, but things were not always this way. After a good start at Manchester United Howard made a calamitous error that saw the club eliminated from the Champions League.
After a prolonged period on the bench he returned to the team only to make more errors and become a scapegoat to the United fan-base. Howard was shipped out to Everton where he subsequently rebuilt his reputation.
ROY CARROLL
Roy Carroll was signed from then lower league Wigan Athletic for over two million pounds. The Irishman spent the majority of his time at Old Trafford on the bench, he is best remembered for a save against Tottenham Hotspur when the ball was already yards over the line.
PAUL RACHUBKA
“Who is that” I hear you ask……exactly.
MASSIMO TAIBI
The Italian goalkeeper arrived at Old Trafford for a fee of over four million pounds. He flapped at a cross on his debut allowing Liverpool to score, and sealed his Old Trafford legacy when he allowed a rolling Matt Le Tissier shot to trickle over the line (think Rob Green only worse).
People pleading that De Gea should be “given time” may want to note that De Gea played in only 4 games, one of them a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea.
MARK BOSNICH
Australian shot stopper Mark Bosnich arrived at Old Trafford as one of English Football’s most celebrated shot stoppers. He had massive success with Aston Villa, but failed to meet those standards at Old Trafford.
After one season Bosnich lost his spot to Fabien Barthez, and was also replaced in the Australian national team by Mark Schwarzer.
His time at Old Trafford was also rife with rumors of a cocaine habit and incidents such as spending the night in jail after his stag party.
TIM HOWARD
Tim Howard is a universally respected goalkeeper nowadays, but things were not always this way. After a good start at Manchester United Howard made a calamitous error that saw the club eliminated from the Champions League.
After a prolonged period on the bench he returned to the team only to make more errors and become a scapegoat to the United fan-base. Howard was shipped out to Everton where he subsequently rebuilt his reputation.
ROY CARROLL
Roy Carroll was signed from then lower league Wigan Athletic for over two million pounds. The Irishman spent the majority of his time at Old Trafford on the bench, he is best remembered for a save against Tottenham Hotspur when the ball was already yards over the line.
PAUL RACHUBKA
“Who is that” I hear you ask……exactly.
