Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster has revealed the Edwin van der Sar issue that ensured his spell with Man Utd was destined to fail.
Manchester United had struggled to adequately replace Peter Scmeichel after the legendary Dane moved on in 1999. A string of stoppers were tried including Raymond van der Gouw, Massimo Taibi, Mark Bosnich, Fabien Barthez, Roy Carroll and Tim Howard.
But it wasn’t until Edwin van der Sar arrived in 2005 before Sir Alex Ferguson was finally satisfied.
The great Dutchman helped Manchester United lift four Premier League titles in his six-year stint. His time at the club also coincided with reaching two Champions League finals – winning one in 2008.
However, Van der Sar’s spell in Manchester also coincided with back-up goalkeeper Ben Foster’s.
Foster was highly regarded upon joining from Stoke City as a 22-year-old in 2005. However, on the rare occasions he deputised for Van der Sar, his performances faltered.
That led to his sale to Birmingham City in 2010 before excelling at subsequent clubs West Brom and Watford. Now aged 38, Foster is still going strong in the top flight with the Hornets.
Now, speaking to the UTD Podcast, Foster has explained why his Old Trafford career was doomed from the beginning.
The veteran stopper explained he struggled with nerves brought about by the pressure of filling Van der Sar’s boots. Furthermore, he admitted those that voiced their doubts about him at the time “were right”.
“I need to go now” –…
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