From bottle washer to England prospect
For
a man who used to be chief cook and bottle-washer in a Leamington
Spa hostelry, Ben Foster has come a long way. Wembley and the
Community Shield await the Manchester United goalkeeper on Sunday,
raising the curtain to a season's show that could climax with
Foster as England's No 1 in the World Cup. Now 26, Foster's
potential has long been acknowledged, not least by Sir Alex
Ferguson who describes him as Edwin van der Sar's natural successor
and England's best. Van der Sar's unfortunate finger injury,
leaving the 38-year-old Dutchman on the sidelines for two months,
opens the way for Foster to live up to Ferguson's expectations and
prove to England's coach, Fabio Capello, that he is ready to add to
his two caps. With David James, 39, prone to mistakes and Joe Hart
only 22, Capello could do with Foster seizing his chance at Old
Trafford. United and England may just be staging the changing of
the old guard.
Henry Winter, Daily Telegraph
Other stories in Friday's newspapers include Sir
Alex Ferguson insisting Michael Owen
will "score a lot of goals for us. It'll be in keeping with his
tremendous record throughout his career for England, Liverpool and
Newcastle." (The Sun)
The Times' transfer window watch claims United are still
monitoring Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and
Valencia's David Silva.