FOOTBALLER'S LIFE - Ben Foster, West Brom and England goalkeeper

Ben Foster spent much of his early playing career on loan in non-league football, however it was by chance that the Warwickshire born shot stopper was spotted by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005 while on loan at Wrexham.

Ferguson was in attendance to watch his son Darren, but with United struggling to find a heir apparent between the sticks since the departure of Peter Schmeichel, the red devils boss snapped up the young keeper shortly after for GBP1million.

At the age of 22, Foster was deemed not ready for first team action, and swiftly went out on loan to Championship side Watford for the season, with an option of a further year.

Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd claimed in the press that Foster was 'better than current Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar' and he would be 'England's next goalkeeper', he repaid faith by helping Watford to promotion via a play off final victory over Leeds United.

He remained on loan at Watford in the Premier League and a succession of impressive displays earned him the clubs 'player of the season' award.

Boothroyd expressed a desire to keep Foster on the Watford books for a third season in a row, however the United manager made it clear the promising keeper would be returning to Old Trafford.

It finally seemed as though Foster would get some game time for his parent club two years after originally signing for them, however he underwent surgery on a cruciate knee ligament injury that would rule him out until February 2008.

After returning to action, he made sporadic appearances for the first team in league and cup due to injuries and in order to rest Edwin Van Der Sar for big games.

Following a combination of niggling injuries, inconsistent form when called upon and Tomasz Kuszczak ahead of him in the United pecking order, Foster resigned himself to the necessity of a move away from Old Trafford to gain first team football.

That came in the shape of a three year contract with Birmingham City, a team in search of a replacement for incumbent loanee Joe Hart who would return to Manchester City.

Foster was relatively consistent throughout the season in the league, but for a mistake whilst on England duty in a 2-1 defeat to France.

A week later, the goalkeeper made a multitude of stops to deny league champions Chelsea, as Birmingham held firm for a 1-0 league win.

Foster told the Mirror: “When I signed on, I was just relieved to be playing first-team football. It has gone from strength to strength for me. It has worked out really well.”


A further 'blunder' did creep in during the semi final of the league cup, against West Ham, where Carlton Cole's shot slid underneath him.

However he made up for his error in the final, with a string of good saves on the way to a 2-1 victory over Arsenal, Birmingham city's first trophy in 48 years.

“To win a cup in my first season here is amazing”, said Foster.

The teams league cup final heroics couldn't keep them in the top flight and were relegated on the final day of the 2010-11 season.

Nevertheless, Foster was awarded both Birmingham's player of the season and players' player of the season awards.

Following relegation to the 2nd tier of English football, Foster found himself in familiar territory, on loan, this time at Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.

Foster would appear in 37 of 38 league games, keeping 10 clean sheets – equalling WBA's clean sheet record on route to a 10th placed finish in the Premier League, Albion's highest league finish in 30 years.

In June 2012, he joined the Baggies permanently on a 3 year deal, continuing his impressive displays by recording 7 clean sheets in 30 games.

Despite a 4 month lay off due to a foot injury this term, Foster has been included in Roy Hodgson's 23 man England squad to fly out to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.

His selection comes as a reward for his hard work and performances on merit over the last few seasons whereby the 31 year old has found some stability in which to ply his trade.


FOOTBALLER'S STRIFE: Foster sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury on returning to Manchester United from a loan spell at Watford, this proved to scupper his promising United career.

ONE TO REMEMBER: Helped Birmingham win their first trophy in 48 years, with an impressive display against Arsenal in the league cup final, he was man of the match.

ONE TO FORGET: Foster and Birmingham couldn't beat the drop after the league cup triumph and were relegated to the Championship on the final day of the 2010-11 season.

FOOTBALLER STATS:

POSITION: Goalkeeper
CLUB: West Bromwich Albion
DOB: 03/04/1983
INTERNATIONAL CAPS: 6

Success or be damned: End of the road for David Moyes

Hand picked as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor by the man himself, David Moyes’ tenure as Manchester United manager has ended 10 months into a 6-year contract.

Less than a year ago the then vacating Scotsman cast a long shadow, one Moyes struggled to step out of. 

That shadow was of a presence that masterminded the collection of 38 trophies over a 27-year period at Manchester United.

Whoever was to succeed Fergie would have found those shoes particularly tough to fill at any rate. 

A penny for Sir Alex's thoughts right now - the decision to remove Moyes as manager is billed as being based on results on the pitch not being good enough.

Reasoning anyone would be hard pushed to argue with following United’s lowest points tally in the Premier League era.

Others suggest he lost the dressing room, was out of his depth, not the calibre of tactician capable of leading a club like Manchester United.

Whatever the fine details, to a club and ownership that proclaimed the marriage between Manchester and Moyes would not yield to the culture of sacking managers, has sacked the manager.

The Press Association reported this morning that Ryan Giggs would take 'interim' charge of the Red Devils until the end of the season.

Thereafter, the rumour mill is chugging along nicely, here’s a list of potential replacements:

  

Jurgen Klopp

Many in the media and beyond see the charismatic German as the front-runner for the Old Trafford vacancy.

However, you sense the Dortmund project is far from finished, having only in the last couple of seasons established themselves as a force in Europe after nearly going out of business in 2005.

The 46 year old has captured 2 German league titles, 1 German cup and an appearance in the Champions League final for the BVB.

The former manager of Mainz signed a new five-year contract at Dortmund in October last year, halting any notion of a move away from Germany.

Contracts are meaningless I hear you cry? Not to this committed head coach.

Klopp told the Guardian: “Man Utd is a great club and I feel very familiar with their wonderful fans. But my commitment to Borussia Dortmund and the people is not breakable.”

A man of honour, dignity and duty. Enough said.

 

Diego Simeone 

Has a growing managerial reputation in Europe having taken Atletico Madrid to La Liga’s summit and to the semi finals of the Champions League this season.

He also lead Madrid to the Copa Del Rey last season and the UEFA Super Cup and Europa League prior to that.

When asked about the United job during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Champions League semi final with Chelsea tonight, Simeone refused to comment, claiming he was focused solely on the task at hand and nullifying Chelsea.

He is also remembered for an altercation with one David Beckham at the France 98' World Cup.

Would Simeone like to test himself in England? Would he be suited to it?

Roberto Martinez

Worked wonders at Everton this season, if the 2-0 win over United last weekend told us anything, its how far Everton has come under Roberto Martinez and how woefully disenchanted Manchester United are by comparison.

Much like Klopp and Dortmund, Martinez and Everton have a good thing going at the minute, a project worth continuing rather than walking away from before anything is truly achieved.

Still in with a shout of finishing fourth, exciting Everton have a bright future under the guidance of Roberto Martinez.

Carlo Ancelotti

The current Real Madrid coach and ex Chelsea boss has the credentials you’d expect Manchester United to see as desirable.

However, Ancelotti has done his time in England, winning both the Premier League and FA Cup whilst at Stamford Bridge. Is taking the helm at United really in his sights? I’m not so sure.

The Italian did have his say on Moyes departure: “I feel sorry for David Moyes, but that's the life of a football coach, sometimes it doesn't go well for you and you are sacked.”

The 54 year old continued: “I am a little surprised because Manchester United don't normally do this.”

Class of 92

Evergreen Ryan Giggs is in ‘interim’ charge until the end of the season, whose to say his tenure couldn't be extended should he steady the ship with a good run in the four remaining fixtures, against teams you’d expect United on their day to skittle over.

Other graduates of the class of 92’ are already at the club such as Nicky Butt and Phil Neville. Old favourite Paul Scholes hasn’t been so far removed either, working with Under-19s manager Butt earlier in the season.

Gary Neville has TV commitments as well as with England, but I’m sure he’d make an exception for the club he spent the entirety of his club career at, amassing over 600 appearances.

Could the Fergie Fledglings usher in a new era at Old Trafford? There’s a certain romance to this.

Louis Van Gaal

The obvious choice.

Van Gaal has a near peerless abundance of experience managing some of the biggest clubs in European football, winning the big games, and the trophies to boot.

The 62 year old is currently in charge of the Dutch national team, a role he will leave after this summers World Cup - which would dispel any problematic compensation issues.

He’d also be able to channel the abilities of Robin Van Persie, who has had a relatively quiet season by his own standards.

Van Gaal has said of Moyes’ mismanagement of the Dutch striker: “The football from Man United now is, for him, maybe difficult but then he wishes to show his technique. Technique [levels] in the Dutch team [are] higher.”

You wouldn't bet against Van Gaal bringing the best out of Van Persie should he arrive at Old Trafford, the Dutch international has netted 6 times in 4 World Cup qualifiers for the Netherlands.

With Van Gaal’s experience comes a reputation, players of the highest level would want to play for him, buy into his philosophy and what he would be trying to do. He’d build a cohesive team, a Manchester, United.