Sunderland and England currently seem to have the same problems, a lack of experience in midfield, uncertainty in the best place to play Bellingham and fans divided as to whether the local lads in midfield and in goal are the first names on the team sheets or might need time away from the first team. For what it’s worth I’ve no doubt that Henderson and Neil, Pickford and Patterson bring a stability to their national and club side that will bring us more success than anyone else. I actually think Patterson will go on to play for England but that’s a story for another day. The thing is, I’ve never really been that fussed about international football. Club football trumps it in every way so, quite often I’ve focussed more on how Sunderland players past and present have got on than whether England had edged past Costa Rica. And, as usual, there’s only one position that stands out.
We have been blessed with amazing goalkeepers over the years with some representing their countries at the Euros...
Jordan Pickford – legend. Penalty saving, knee sliding, mag hating, shot stopping legend with the most accurate and rapid distribution of any goalkeeper I’ve ever seen. And, for the record, perfectly normal length arms. Pickford, of course, plays for England this summer and will keep his defence organised, keep his midfielders doing the hard miles and will never be fazed by the situation or the opposition.
Simon Mignolet – being the second-best goalkeeper in the country is quite an achievement but if you happen to be born at the same time as Thibaut Courtois, Belgian bench warming is inevitable. The Mig made 35 appearances for his country, finishing 3rd in the World Cup and winning goalkeeper of the year in both the Belgian and English leagues. He picked up a Champions League medal too. One of three former Sunderland goalkeepers to have one… answers on a postcard…
Thomas Sorensen – Sorensen appeared over 100 times for Denmark with the odd claim to fame that he sat on the bench towards the end of Peter Schmeichel’s career before taking the number one jersey and then, when old age and injury got the better of him, he was replaced by Peter’s son, Kasper Schmeichel. Sorensen arrived in Sunderland just in time to be part of the 105-point season, keeping 29 clean sheets and taking us to the edge of European qualification. He also appears in the most important moment of Alan Shearer’s entire career.
Jurgen Macho – Tommy was so good that, although Macho was able to get international game time, he couldn’t budge Sorensen from the Sunderland team. An incredibly likeable individual, Macho played more for Austria than for seven of his nine clubs. He now coaches at Rapid Vienna, allowing him to carry on training all week and sitting on a bench on Saturdays.
Craig Gordon – Scotland getting to the Euros is as shocking as Craig Gordon playing again after his time at Sunderland. He was arguably the best shot stopper I’ve ever seen play for the club but was, sadly, made of chalk and cheese strings and so was constantly injured. He signed for a record fee for a goalkeeper and starred in Keane’s first Premier League season. Incredibly, 13 years after he retired from the game (leaving Sunderland at that time) he has just been recalled to the Scotland set up at the age of 41. If selected, he could face Hungary and our very own Callum Styles who was born about the time Gordon broke into the Hearts first team squad…
