Westwood has all the abilities to be number one with Ireland.

Giovanni Trapattoni heaped praise on Keiren Westwood following last night’s 0-0 draw in Serbia, touting him as a long-term replacement for Shay Given.

Trapattoni was happy enough with last night’s stalemate, which is predictable enough for an Italian manager, but bemoaned Ireland’s lack of fitness.

Ireland started off sprightly in the first half but as the second half wore on the team began to trundle, so perhaps a draw is a happy enough assessment from an Irish view.

Plenty of players were played in different positions and four substitutions were made but perhaps it says a lot for Trapattoni’s faith in Westwood that the Sunderland player played the full 90.

Westwood is an assured goalkeeper and he has proved it on numerous occasions for both club and country.

The 26 year old was a revelation at Carlisle when he burst onto the scene a few years back and even ask any Coventry fan and they will tell you this guy is the definition of a safe pair of hands.

Safe pair of hands he may be, but whether Ireland can afford to play a goalkeeper who has been sitting on the bench for the majority of his Premier League career is another matter.

When Joe Hart ousted Shay Given from the Manchester City prime spot the Donegal man’s international career suffered for it, not to mention his club one obviously.

Shay Given & Keiren Westwood don’t compare, so if it was tough for the fantastic Given to play at full match sharpness when on Ireland duty what will it be like for Westwood if he continues on the Sunderland bench?

Westwood has the ability; he can kick, he can catch, punch and stop the finest of attacks but he needs to play and last season Simon Mignolet was number one for Sunderland and we haven’t seen much in pre-season to say otherwise.

There are plenty of challengers to Westwood’s still unclaimed crown such as Darren Randolph and David Forde, both of whom were on the bench in Belgrade last night.

There is also Joe and Brian Murphy of Coventry City and Queen’s Park Rangers, although the latter is in the same situation as Westwood as he may be playing second fiddle to Radek Cerny this season.

Finally we have Stephen Henderson, nephew of Wayne, the goalkeeper from that infamous night in San Marino all those years ago.

Stephen Henderson signed a 3 year contract with West Ham in May just gone but Sam Allardyce’s signature of the experienced Jussi Jaaskelainen looks set to keep Henderson out in the cold this season.

Given will be sorely missed as Irish goalkeeping enters a transitional phase.

So it’s clear to see there is plenty of talent in the goalkeeping department, including three Premier League goalkeepers mentioned.

However none of them are regulars and there isn’t much difference between the lads playing regularly in The Championship and a benchwarmer from the Premier League.

For the first few games of this qualifying campaign Westwood deserves to be number one, but as the campaign progresses he needs to be playing regular football be that at Sunderland or elsewhere.

If others are playing consistently at a decent level in The Championship or even the Premier League then of course they have to be given their chance.

Westwood is not Shay Given; he is not immune from being dropped and if he isn’t playing at a good level, which in turn will keep him razor sharp, then he should make way but only if others are performing above him or his level.

Keiren Westwood is the best of a transitional bunch for Ireland right now and hopefully he forces his way onto the Sunderland starting eleven this season.

Everyone would love the 26 year old to kick on and mature into a great of Ireland and the North East like his predecessor.

If that doesn’t happen then the door should be open far and wide as there are plenty of candidates performing to a similar level currently.

Ireland’s number one spot could turn out to be the most interesting running story of the World Cup qualifying campaign, it is still most definitely up for grabs.

 

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