Joe Hart and Fraser Forster: A Tale of two English goalkeepers

You have to be crazy to be a goalkeeper.

Truer words were never said.

The curse of the English goalkeeper, however, seems to have been lifted. After years in the wilderness that saw a host of candidates (including the likes of Paul Robinson, Rob Green and Scott Carson) reduce the Old Blighty faithful to little, sobbing children, Joe Hart took up the mantle with a presence that warmed English hearts everywhere.

Even today, with Hart reduced to a shadow of his former self, the English look to a new hero in Fraser Forster, after the Celtic goalkeeper’s commanding show against no less an opposition than Barcelona.

Although Forster was equally impressive against the Catalans when the two sides met in the group stages of last season’s Champions League, Hart’s woes in between the sticks at Manchester City this season have dramatically improved Forster’s chances of turning out for his country as the international fixtures beckon.

It is in this climate of uncertainty that Roy Hodgson has come out and backed Hart as his Number 1. A decision that remains the only commendable one he has made in his forgettable spell at the helm thus far. But that’s a story for another day.

The far more pertinent issue at hand concerns Joe Hart and his current predicament.

Remember that this is a man who Sir Alex Ferguson once hailed as “England’s best keeper for 20 years”. Even if that comment may have been motivated by an aggrieved Sir Alex, who passed on the option of signing Hart way back in ’06 for a measly £100,000, it pays to be highly regarded in the Scotsman’s books.

The Shrewsbury-born Hart has gone from strength to strength since displacing Shay Given in the Manchester City goal at the start of the ’09-’10 season. They may have had one of the meanest defenses in the League when Roberto Mancini was in charge, but there can be no doubt that Hart has played no small part in the emergence of Manchester City as a major player on the domestic scene.

So where did it all go wrong?

The world of the goalkeeper is one that revolves around one key aspect – belief. The loneliest player on the pitch has specialized training sessions and mental routines that alienate him from his mates long before he steps out onto the pitch.

And yet, he is expected to marshal his defense and have them perfectly positioned for the raids that are sure to come. Not to mention the tricky dead-ball situation that has him double-checking every conceivable angle before the referee can blow the whistle.

For a man who is expected to inspire and intimidate in equal measure, the goalkeeper sure gets a very raw deal.

This is why the backing of his mates and his manager is akin to food for his soul, nourishment without which he feels disenchanted and separate from the men who walk out with him every weekend to the roar of 50,000 screaming fans.

Ever since he returned from a successful loan term at Birmingham City, Hart had the backing of Roberto Mancini. In the Italian’s last season at the Etihad, however, Hart was vilified by his manager in the press repeatedly, despite a string of performances that saw him claim his third consecutive Golden Glove award.

The effects of that rift between player and manager have come to the fore this time around. The Italian has been responsible for Hart’s rise to become the England No.1, and his betrayal has hit the fragile psyche of the goalkeeper where it hurts. That we did not see him break down last season is more a tribute to Hart’s mental fortitude and the stable, familiar system he had in front of him.