27 January 2011, Edwin
Van der Sar declared that he will retire at the end of the season. I was
stunned because he had been exceptional that season even after the
announcement. The game against Arsenal in the FA Cup of which The Great Dane
made several fine saves and a fantastic effort to stop Fernando Torres’ header
from going in when United battling Chelsea in the Champions League
quarter-final are the paramount to the wonderful season Van der Sar had that
season. He was also included in the PFA Team of the Year 2010-2011 for his
performance throughout the campaign. Now, folks, imagine you are in love with a
person and at the moment the love has reached the highest point it can ever
reach and then all of a sudden he/she would say “the time has come, it has been
nice being with you, adios!” Hurt? I know, right? But always remember, folks.
People come and go, earth keeps rotating and Van der Sar was just a spoke on
the wheel and the names to be the successor of the Dutch goalkeeper were
everywhere on the news; Rui Patricio, Julio Cesar, Maarten Stekelenburg even
the young upstart from Atletico Madrid, David De Gea. However, there was one
name that United and the fans wanted the most, and it was Manuel Neuer.
I know what you guys
are thinking right now, “14 lines until we get to see the main character.
Really, man?”
Believe me, people. I
could’ve gone on with 30 lines just to introduce this man which means that he
is just that good. Enough with the distraction, now. So, the first time I had
the chance to see Neuer was when United played Schalke at Veltins Arena. My
first impression? “Holy mother! This guy is huge!” Van der Sar was taller
actually but this guy had a structure of a trained soldier. Hard to picture?
Well, imagine the bully from your high school who plays for your school’s
AMERICAN football team (Capslock intended), now you got the perfect picture.
The physique was just the warm-up impression, in the first half Neuer showed
one of the most sensational performances I have ever witnessed and I can’t
recall how many saves he made. Although in the second half Ryan Giggs and Wayne
Rooney managed to find the net, still didn’t stop United and the fans wanting
the German goalie to pack his bag and head to Old Trafford. Alas, Neuer
departed to Bayern Muenchen, and United splashed the cash for David De Gea
instead. (still one helluva bargain, though).
Who is your dream goalkeeper, though?
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