FORMER Sky Blues goalkeeper Andy Marshall is backing his best mate and most talked about player in the country – if not the world right now – to bounce back and play a major role in England’s progression in the World Cup.

Robert Green was understudy to Marshall at Norwich City and the pair have remained close friends ever since, even going into business together this year when they became part shareholders in Sells Goalkeeping Academy which runs coaching at grass roots and semi-professional level throughout the country. 

“I have known Robert since he was 13 and we are very close friends and no-one felt more for him, other than his parents, than me on Saturday night,” said the 35-year-old keeper. who is currently looking for another club after a year with Aston Villa following his three seasons at the Ricoh Arena. 

“I have not spoken to him but I have exchanged text messages with him. He will have felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders and he will know when the time is right to talk. 

“He has done exceptionally well over the last two years to get where he has today and what we tend to do in this country is build people up to shoot them down. But he will deal with it and I know he has got the character to bounce back. 

“I can understand the fans’ point of view but from a professional angle I believe it was just a freak thing. If you look at the rest of his game he was solid and bounced back with a top-class save, and I believe he should be judged on the whole game and not just one mistake. 

“I also think Fabio Capello will make the right decision and play him again on Friday night when he could do with a solid performance and maybe a world-class save. But I have absolutely no doubt in his ability.” 

Asked what he thinks happened and his opinion on the much talked about World Cup ball that some players have expressed concerns about, Marshall, who helped coach Green when he was a teenager at Carrow Road, said: “I think if you asked Robert what happened he would be at a loss to explain it, but if you asked him to make the same save a million times he would do so without any problem at all.” 

As for the ball, he added: “I have not handled one myself but I have spoken to international centre-forwards and midfielders out there who have told me it is terrible. 

“That has not come from Robert who would never look for excuses, but by all accounts it is not very good.” 

Marshall, meanwhile, hopes to play for another couple of years before hanging up his gloves, but is also director of Sells Goalkeeping Academy which is due to open an academy at Warwick University in September. 

Endorsed by City’s own Keiren Westwood, Sells has a host of ex-professionals on its coaching staff including former Sky Blues goalkeeping coach Andy Dibble, Kevin Pilkington and Russell Hoult. 

For more information about the academy initiative which caters for players aged from seven up to semi-professional level and hopes to get government funding to work in schools, log on to sellsgoalkeepingacademy.com

 

Report By Andy Turner Coventry Telegraph