[Archived] Brad Friedel to retire

[davulsukur]

Super Brad will hang up the gloves at the end of season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32737556

An absolute Rovers legend in my eyes.

[The Rover of Finland]

Hats off. What a Rovers legend.

[thenodrog]

And mine, both as a player and as a person.

[K-Hod]

After Tim Flowers I never thought we'd see as good a 'keeper between the sticks for us again, I was wrong, he surpassed Flowers, and how!

A complete legend for the club, and seemingly a top bloke off the pitch.

[DE.]

A player you knew would give his all in every match, and by all accounts a real gent as well. Good luck to him in whatever he chooses to do going forward.

[1arC]

I once attended a charity event in Manchester, as a guest of one of the lenders I deal with. I didn't know until I got there that the charity was the Jason Roberts Grenada Foundation. To my pleasant surprise, there was a table with Rovers players on. Because it was a corporate type of occasion, there were only about 200 people there and some very distinguished guests there. Much to my delight, I think I was the only Rovers supporter there and had access to the Rovers table and had some great chats and pictures with a few of the players. Amongst the players there, was Bentley, Dunn, Pederson and the great man Brad too.

Brad was with his wife and on the way out he recognised me as the Rovers fan who had spent a bit of time at their table that night. I had a further ten minute chat with Brad and his wife and he got his wife to take a couple of pictures of us. Not only was it a night I will never forget, it was a night when I saw Big Brad as a true football man and a truly genuinely nice guy.

I wish him all the best with whatever he does.

[JBiz]

How many points did he help secure? I've also never seen a keeper approach penalties with his gusto. Rarely beaten. Legend in the same breath as the champion squad.

[Mike E]

Best keeper I've seen. He put in around 6 or 7 MOTM performances every season for us. Bloody wonderful keeper and I suspect the best I'm ever likely to see.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Top, top, keeper and one of my all time favourite Rovers players. Worth 10 - 15 points a season for us at the Rovers when at his best. Genuinely approachable and hugely professional. No suprise to me he has maintained fitness and his pro career to this ripe old age. Best of luck for the future from all Rovers fans.

[Jock]

We had the best of him. He turned losses into draws and draws to wins.

[Tom]

He was simply incredible some of the games he had you just couldn't get past him.

Top bloke, top top keeper.

[T J Hooker]

Easily the best keeper to play for us on my lifetimeand imo in the top 5 keepers of the prem leagues history and he was also great for his country, but not only that he was also a loyal player that played a massive part in our succeses during that 10year period.

There can't be many player left still playing from the promotion & cup winning Souness era, is duff still playing?

[K-Hod]

Easily the best keeper to play for us on my lifetimeand imo in the top 5 keepers of the prem leagues history and he was also great for his country, but not only that he was also a loyal player that played a massive part in our succeses during that 10year period.

There can't be many player left still playing from the promotion & cup winning Souness era, is duff still playing?

In Australia I believe..... everyone else must be retired now!

[Mattyblue]

I can remember when we signed him, 'no better than Filan' was the consensus

I was present for those crazy 5 minutes down at Charlton, he draws us level on 90mins, and we still managed to get beat!

Wasn't he happy to stay if it wasn't for Ince? If true, crying shame we couldn't have had a few more years out of the big man.

[No Nay Never]

What a goalkeeper, a one on one situation is normally intimidating for the goalkeeper, Brad made it intimidating for the striker. Brilliant.

[gumboots]

In Australia I believe..... everyone else must be retired now!

Saw yesterday on ssn that duff has left his Aussie club after a cup defeat I think it was

[tomphil]

Best Rovers keeper I've seen and there's been some good ones. Maybe the best ever ? When you think about the top keepers that have graced the Prem since it began he has to be right up there. Although he wouldn't get the recognition of a lot of them because of being at Rovers but he was better than a lot of so called elite goalies. The likes of Hart don't come close to a peak Brad.

[Butty]

One of the best keepers of the premier league generation, won us so many points and he loved playing united at Ewood. A joy to watch, all the best Brad.

[Salgado Is Still A Hero]

Incredibly consistent with some truly outstanding performances for us over the years. For his national team too, I can remember him being amazing at the 2002 World Cup. Read quite a few comments over the years from Americans saying they started to follow us after that tournament because of him.

If I recall, some of his best games would typically be against Liverpool, have I remembered that right?

God knows how many points he got us a season. Like with Given at Newcastle, he wont get the credit he truly deserves because of who he played for, but real football fans know he was one of the very best to have played in the PL.

[roverandout]

Hope he comes back some day in some capacity, a free transfer signing, the best freebie ever? When u think of the amount of keepers Liverpool have been through over the years, bet they're gutted they let him go (I know we got him from galatasaray), friedel and tugay, souness' best two signings

[Amo]

In Australia I believe..... everyone else must be retired now!

How could you forget Nils-Eric Johansson?

(I know we got him from galatasaray)

Nope, Liverpool.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A true Colossus in our Goal...one of the very best the Premiership has ever seen.

The very best of luck to him.

[speeeeeeedie]

If I recall, some of his best games would typically be against Liverpool, have I remembered that right?.

For me his best was away at Arsenal 2002 ish. He must have made 30 saves in a rare win for us there.

I think he would have played for one of the big boys and won the Champions League if his kicking was better.

[bluebruce]

He could have done that anyway Speedie. That none of the big boys ever moved for him was their loss. It was reported that Manure were considering him and Van der Saar, and ultimately went for Van der Saar because he was free (whereas we would have wanted a very large fee for a goalie). I was always amazed that Arsenal never moved for him, they needed a consistent goalie for many years. In that one case kicking probably was the reason (and Wenger's penchant for not buying experience), as they place such emphasis on possession there. Still their loss though.

[McClarky]

What a keeper, perhaps the best in the league at around 2005. Got better with age.