At the time of writing, it’s the international break. So I have decided to choose my all-time Norwich City XI. This is going to be a difficult job, and arguably, a goalkeeper will be one of the hardest positions, given that you can only have one in your first team.
With this in mind here are some possible candidates and my final choice for my Norwich City XI all-time fave goalkeeper.
What makes a great keeper?
In recent times, the role of the goalkeeper has changed. It used to be that you thumped the ball as hard as you could and then were largely confined to the small area of the penalty box. This gradually changed as players such as Peter Schmeichel, Manuel Neuer and Ederson developed the role.
This means that modern goalkeepers have to be better at controlling the ball, patrolling their area and in some cases dictating the rhythm of play.
The candidates
City have had some great keepers in recent years. While he divides some fans Vladan Kovacevic pleases me with his confidence and eccentric style.
I also love the solidity we had with Angus Gunn, the presence of John Ruddy, the delightful Robert Green and the banter of Michael Theoklitos.
Okay, that last one was a silly joke, and I feel bad writing it. But it’s there now.
I almost forgot a personal fave in Tim Krul. All hail Krul and his glorious new regime. While I really like him (even liked him before we signed him when he was playing for Newcastle), this is a tough decision and can’t base it purely on personality or presence.
The choice
The sharp-eyed reading this may have noticed and commented “You mentioned Angus Gunn but how come you didn’t mention Bryan Gunn you massive ninny?”
There is a specific reason for that and I am sure you have used your detective skills to figure this out.
The reason is that Bryan is my choice for my Norwich City All-Time XI goalkeeper. If you need a commanding presence who can square up to Eric Cantona and give your team that extra ten per cent, then Gunn is your man.
But what do you think? Would Bryan Gunn be your All-Time Norwich City XI goalkeeper? Or have I missed a brilliant goalie that didn’t make the cut? Let me know!
