Brad Friedel - The Best Of The Best

[Upside Down]

I think the best keeper we've ever had deserves a thread of his own.

Absolutely won us the League Cup with his superhuman abilities as well as many more games.

Undisputable that he was the best around for a good couple of years.

[Gordon Gekko]

Legend was big bad Brad! was disappointed when he asked to leave to join Villa though if I’m being honest. 

[simongarnerisgod]

the best goalkeeper we`ve ever had,no doubt

don`t blame him for leaving,who wants to work for ince

[J*B]

6 minutes ago, Gordon Gekko said:

Legend was big bad Brad! was disappointed when he asked to leave to join Villa though if I’m being honest. 

He was on the verge of bankruptcy after investing nearly a million of his own money into developing USA football academies. Had little choice, he needed a big contract. 

[Gordon Gekko]

5 minutes ago, J*B said:

He was on the verge of bankruptcy after investing nearly a million of his own money into developing USA football academies. Had little choice, he needed a big contract. 

Yeah I know the story. Maybe a move to one of the big four at the time, but not Villa. 

[Upside Down]

7 minutes ago, Gordon Gekko said:

Yeah I know the story. Maybe a move to one of the big four at the time, but not Villa. 

Villa were spending a lot at that time.

For some reason they were perceived as a 'big club' despite consistently finishing below us.

[Mattyblue]

Crowds, that’s all it ever boils down too.

[JohnD]

A great GK but the best EVER? 🤔

[47er]

Sign him up as our goal-keeping coach!

[Upside Down]

1 hour ago, JohnD said:

A great GK but the best EVER? 🤔

Name me a better keeper to play for this club

[1874]

Sir Roger Jones

[Mattyblue]

But as Andy said on the Tugay thread, Brad played twenty five years in the top flight, nearly a decade of those for us. SRJ, as good as he was for the Rovers of that era spent his career (aside from a dozen games or so at the back end of his career) in the second and third divisions.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Mattyblue

[ben_the_beast]

Named the family dog Friedel. He loves playing ball and has a safe pair of paws.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, 1874 said:

Sir Roger Jones

Used to live just over the road from us on Linden Lea, (Hollytree Village) in a modest 2 bed semi detached bungalow. Legend!

[Oldgregg86]

I’d be suprised to  see a better keeper than Brad to grace the hallowed turf again in my life time. A truly outstanding player and lovely bloke

[Upside Down]

2 hours ago, 1874 said:

Sir Roger Jones

Ridiculous. Friedel was the best in the Premier League for a good couple of years and you could even make an argument for him being the best in the world at a certain point.

His name should be up there with the likes of Buffon, Schmeichel, Khan etc.

 

[bluebruce]

10 hours ago, J*B said:

He was on the verge of bankruptcy after investing nearly a million of his own money into developing USA football academies. Had little choice, he needed a big contract. 

He could have chosen to invest a more sensible amount that he was willing and able to lose. Didn't he have a degree from an Ivy League uni in finance or something? Always surprised me he managed to balls that up.

When Friedel left it was the last straw for me in terms of never letting myself get too emotionally attached to a player again, or assuming their loyalty and love would keep them at the club. That one hurt, I was so sure he was going nowhere, and then it was only to Villa.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

16 minutes ago, renrag said:

We’ve had some dross keepers, some very good ones and in my time three outstanding ones, Brad Friedel, Roger Jones and Fred Else. I find it very difficult to choose between any of them. I remember once chatting to Alf Thornton, at the time of Roger Jones and discussing who was the best between between him and Else. Alf found it difficult to decide but had no doubt that the best he’d seen at the club was George Marks. I suppose it’s all down to what era your impressionable years were

I never rated Fred Else. I lost count of the times I ended up scratching my head and wondering “ how did that end up in the back of the net ? “ 

Having said that I remember a game at the Dingle dome when he had an absolute blinder. One of the best goalkeeping performances I’ve ever seen.  He was only beaten by a penalty and he got a hand to that. 

[Mattyblue]

11 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

He could have chosen to invest a more sensible amount that he was willing and able to lose. Didn't he have a degree from an Ivy League uni in finance or something? Always surprised me he managed to balls that up.

When Friedel left it was the last straw for me in terms of never letting myself get too emotionally attached to a player again, or assuming their loyalty and love would keep them at the club. That one hurt, I was so sure he was going nowhere, and then it was only to Villa.

That was Shearer for me.

[47er]

27 minutes ago, renrag said:

We’ve had some dross keepers, some very good ones and in my time three outstanding ones, Brad Friedel, Roger Jones and Fred Else. I find it very difficult to choose between any of them. I remember once chatting to Alf Thornton, at the time of Roger Jones and discussing who was the best between between him and Else. Alf found it difficult to decide but had no doubt that the best he’d seen at the club was George Marks. I suppose it’s all down to what era your impressionable years were

Flowers? Was the England keeper after all!

[Mattyblue]

93-97 Flowers was top class, went very quickly downhill after that.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Mattyblue

[bluebruce]

12 minutes ago, 47er said:

Flowers? Was the England keeper after all!

Seaman was 'the' England keeper. Flowers won 11 caps.

[bluebruce]

13 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

That was Shearer for me.

Shearer hurt like hell, but he went to his boyhood club who had just challenged for the title. There was no reason to think he would pick us in that scenario on the basis of loyalty.

I honestly thought Friedel loved it here so much was going nowhere unless forced out. I'll never be that naive again.

[Mattyblue]

He was a fool, heart over head, one medal for one of the players of his generation- should’ve gone abroad or United.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Mattyblue]

Career wise he was a fool, the guy was probably only behind Brazilian Ronaldo as the best striker in the world, he should have won a bagful of trophies.

Doesn’t mean that he didn’t enjoy being at his home town club, didn’t make good money. But it was a waste, just like Kane.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Mattyblue