England Watch - Scott Carson
Carson is an under-21s regular with 21 caps to date
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Wednesday, 21, Feb 2007 06:30
From worries over a shortage of goalkeepers in England not so long ago, recently it seems there are several new young prospects coming through into first-team football.
One of these emerging talents is 21-year-old goalkeeper Scott Carson.
Alongside Chris Kirkland, Ben Foster and Rob Green, Carson is now getting regular opportunities between the posts to prove his mettle, creating an impressive depth of talent among English goalkeepers.
So far, Carson is doing a decent job with his adopted club Charlton, says Alistair Potter, but questions remain over whether he can transfer his form in a relegation-threatened domestic team to the international stage offered at World Cup 2010.
Name: Scott Paul Carson
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Charlton Athletic (on loan from Liverpool)
Age by South Africa 2010: 24
The 2006/07 season has been something of a watershed year for Scott Carson as it is the first opportunity he has had to secure a regular first-team place for a club.
When he was bought by Liverpool from Leeds United in 2005, doubts were raised about the validity, from an England perspective, of this move because of the existing strength of the goalkeeping ranks at Anfield.
However, realising Carson's potential and the risk to his future that would be taken if he were to warm the bench for several seasons, the Merseysiders decided he would gain better experience from a loan deal elsewhere.
It says a great deal for the high regard in which Carson is held by managers around the country that competition for his services was fierce and included a number of clubs that are plying their trade in the Premiership rather than any of the lower leagues.
The decision was finally taken that the Valley was to be Carson's destination for the season, after a brief but impressive spell at Sheffield Wednesday towards the end of last term.
It has not taken the young keeper long to establish himself as more than a bright prospect - keeping Alan Pardew's men within touching distance of survival in the league and maintaining a close scoreline in some very one-sided games.
Carson's form has been one of the high points of the Addicks' disappointing season so far - a season in which fans have endured three managerial changes and an ongoing relegation battle.
However, the 21-year-old's stay is likely to only be temporary. He is yet to be capped as a full international but his presence in the World Cup squad in 2006 as a result of the injury to Green in a warm-up game proves he is not far off the top level.
Whether he will get his chance at Anfield remains to be seen though.
Jose Reina is only 24 and seems to be manager Rafael Benitez's first-choice, meaning Carson will be consigned to the bench at least until 2010, barring any exceptional circumstances.
Carson's chances of making the World Cup in South Africa seem to hinge more on his first-team opportunities than his quality as a goalkeeper, which this season has gone a long way towards proving.
England's 2010 World Cup squad
*Players in bold - tickets to South Africa booked already
Goalkeepers
Paul Robinson
Possibles: Chris Kirkland, Ben Foster, Rob Green, Scott Carson
Defenders
John Terry, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher
Possibles: Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, Micah Richards, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Anton Ferdinand, Leighton Baines, Justin Hoyte, Curtis Davies, Wes Brown, Phil Bardsley, Michael Mancienne
Midfielders
Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick
Possibles: Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Nigel Reo-Coker, Lee Cattermole, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Stewart Downing, Giles Barnes, James Morrison, Kieran Richardson
Forwards
Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen
Possibles: David Nugent, Theo Walcott, James Vaughan, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Darren Bent, Dean Ashton, Cameron Jerome