If getting a lot of caps for England was a platform game then Peter Shilton would be near the end, popping up and repeatedly punching you.
The England record appearance holder repeatedly insists his criticisms have nothing to do with any lingering fear a player may match his record, or a goalkeeper may eventually come close to matching his status, but then he would wouldn’t he.
The 66-year-old passed judgement when Beckham was getting close to his 125 England caps, questioning whether the player should even be in Fabio Capello’s squad.
Shilton accused Capello of handing out ‘free caps’, which left the former midfielder edging towards the goalkeeper’s record of 125. Beckham finally ended on 115 appearances, but Wayne Rooney still has a chance of matching or surpassing it.
In September Shilton said of Rooney: “I don’t think he’s a striker anymore. We are trying to fit him in, but he’s not a midfield player for me. Never will be. He is spraying a few balls around, but I don’t think he’s being very effective. I thought he should have retired after the Euros. It’s not because he could break my record. Far from it. If he does and he plays well, fine.”
On Wednesday, Shilton spoke to Sky Sports and said of Rooney: “He says he wants to retire after the next World Cup – to me that’s his management company putting a lot of propaganda out. It’s about what he does on the pitch.”
It’s not just Rooney getting it, Manchester City’s Joe Hart, on loan at Torino, has been receiving swipes too. Criticising the goalkeeper straight after Euro 2016, Shilton continued in September, and told The Daily Mirror: “Joe was always looked upon as the No.1, but now there is obviously competition.
“After the Euros, I think he has to re-establish himself as the No.1. It is all to play for now and it is up to the other keepers to make it theirs and up to Sam Allardyce to make his decision, which he will stand or fall by.”
“What I couldn’t understand about Joe is that he has 60-odd caps and yet people were saying he is getting too wound up before games at the Euros.
“If you don’t know what you are doing when you have got 60-odd caps, I think there is something wrong. I thought he looked over-wound up before games in the Euros, but apparently it is just his style.”
“The Man City thing is unfortunate for him but the manager has his own decision and it is going to be a real challenge for him to play in the Italian league,” he said.
“Joe just has to take it on the chin and go and play really well for Torino and establish himself with England again.”
Hart did take it on the chin, acted perfectly professionally, and has already made himself a favourite for the Torino fans. It’s not just followers of the Italian club who have been impressed.
A few days ago Gazzetta dello Sport described Hart’s performances as ‘imperious’, going on to say: ‘The English goalkeeper is being integrated in record time in his new reality and the results are obvious.’
Torino’s president Urbano Cairo was quoted as saying: “Apart from his big goalkeeping skills, I am discovering the qualities of a great guy. He’s a very respectful one of the group.”
Whilst the Italian newspaper said Torino managing to hang on to Hart would be difficult, they stated it would be a positive thing for the club, although would need a ‘miracle’.
So that’s Joe, going over to Italy and impressing, so far at least. They know a thing or two about goalkeepers in Italy and Hart won’t be receiving praise for nothing. Given half a chance the reports would have been about how inferior English goalkeepers are, and presenting AC Milan’s 17 year old Gianluigi Donnarumma as an example of Italy producing the best.
Therefore it may be expected that Shilton would ease off, and perhaps even praise Hart.
Not so, Shilton has been speaking out ahead of England’s upcoming matches, and said: “Going to Italy is not ideal but it’s going to be an experience for him and if he starts performing well he’s going to stay in contention for England.
“We want to qualify for the World Cup and we need three really good goalkeepers. Whether Joe Hart is number one depends on the manager.
“I said before the Euros that I didn’t think Joe Hart was as good as a lot of people thought he was. But obviously he’s a good goalkeeper.
“I feel he makes too many errors but he has some excellent games as well, he has a lot of natural ability. And [with] 60 caps he was the logical choice for the Euros.”
Hart doesn’t need to start performing well in Italy, he IS performing well in Italy. If he wasn’t then Shilton would no doubt have squeezed that into his appraisal of the situation.
Such is the way Torino fans have taken to the Manchester City owned player, their club related media aren’t happy at all with Shilton.
Torcida Granata say Shilton’s comments are ‘Perhaps jealousy or simply dislike’, and they feel the former goalkeeper may be irritated by Hart’s celebrity, compared to his own.
The Manchester City player is referred to as ‘Our Joe’ by Torcida Granata and they make their point clear by saying ‘Perhaps Joe is getting too famous and threatens to overshadow the myth of Shilton? It’s bad stuff jealousy.’
It can’t be denied Joe Hart had a poor Euro 2016, but he certainly wasn’t the only one, and following his Manchester City exit the player has seen the perception of his abilities collapse, at least outside of Italy.
Hart’s first performance for Torino saw a mistake against Atalanta, which was of course widely covered, but since then ‘Our Joe’ has done enough to become something of an immediate hero.
