Green out to reclaim England jersey

Rob Green’s chances of reclaiming the number one spot in the national side have been handed a boost after his name was once again included in the England squad list. Since his blunder at this summer’s World Cup, Green was dropped from the team and then the squad. The West Ham stopper wasn’t even called up when Joe Hart was left as the only fit keeper in what was already a depleted department.If Fabio Capello’s decision to start Green in England’s opening group game was a somewhat surprise move, the decision to drop the keeper after one bad mistake was stranger still. Especially if you look back to the good save Green made in the second half of the USA game, which ensured England came out of the match with something.

Green’s team, West Ham, haven’t started the season well and the goalkeeper has suffered a series of poor performances, although four points from their last two matches has given Avram Grant’s side a much needed boost. Green has once again made the headlines but this time for his return to the form. In the narrow 1-0 victory over Tottenham, Green was one of the best players on the pitch, frustrating Spurs on more than one occasion. The Andy Gray tips suggest the Irons should stay up, and Green will be vital to their hopes.

His hopes of returning to the national side have been handed a boost by goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence. The former England keeper, who was capped 61 times by his country, has made it clear he sees no reason as to why Green can’t get himself back as a central part of Capello’s plans.

“It was a difficult summer for him and a difficult start to the season which you could understand because there was an awful lot of pressure on him. But he looks to be getting back to where he was before the World Cup,” he said.

The fact is that every player is going to make mistakes during their career, it’s just that as a goalkeeper, those mistakes are magnified 100 times. Before the World Cup, Green had been the most consistent English goalkeeper for the previous few seasons. He was a good keeper then and he’s a good keeper now. He’ll show that this weekend against Wolves, in what the West Ham betting suggests is a very winnable game for the Hammers.

Over the season, it is highly probably that Green will win more points for his side than he loses.