Former bitter, Tony Coton, has done a cracking job as Manchester United goalkeeper coach over the years, but was forced in to retirement due the medical grounds last month. The lead to speculation that Edwin Van der Sar, who isn’t getting any younger, was due to take over his role. Kuszczak has been decent enough in his time between the sticks, and Ben Foster, who is currently sidelined through injury, is tipped for great things.
Van der Sar signed a one year contract extension just before Christmas, keeping him at the club until 2009. This week, the Dutch goalkeeper spoke out about his delight at staying with United. “I am pleased to be staying on for another year,” he said. “We said we would re-evaluate in December, and that is exactly what we did. Both parties are happy, so there was no reason to quit. I am still feeling good. I am happy with the way the team is playing, so it is a joy to be here.”
Alex Ferguson has today gone on to deny the rumours linking Van der Sar with Coton’s job, saying, “Edwin will not be that man. He wants to continue as a player, which is a sensible attitude. If he starts thinking now about what he is going to do when he is finished it will put a wedge between his goalkeeping performances and his mental approach to it all. That is the way we have looked at it.”
