Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 8:46 pm
‘He will become a fine keeper’. Jury out on that one.
Trafford has come in for a lot of flack this season, rightly or wrongly, but I think most would agree he will develop into a quality goalkeeper. He started the season as our number one, aged 20. He turned 21 last October. To even be considered in the PL at that age you need to have something about you. As a comparison...
Nick Pope was playing in the Conference Premier with Cambridge Utd when he was 20. He followed that up with loan spells at Aldershot, York and Bury before breaking into the Charlton team in the Championship. He made his PL debut with us aged 25.
Tom Heaton was playing in League One with Swindon Town when he was 20. He bounced around a lot of loans without ever being the no.1 at Royal Antwerp, Cardiff, QPR, Rochdale, Wycombe. He wasn't first choice anywhere until he got to Bristol City when he was 26 and made his PL debut with us aged 28.
Saturday was Muric's PL debut and he's 25. He's had a mediocre career until last season. Various unsuccessful loans at NAC Breda, Forest, Girona, Willem II, followed by a decent season in Turkey with Adana Demirspor. Even Jordan Pickford, who started in the PL as a young lad, was playing in League One with Bradford City at 20, followed by a season in the Championship with PNE before getting his break in the PL.
Goalkeepers take time to develop and clearly go on longer. On the face of it, Trafford is miles ahead of this lot already.
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