Van der Sar will keep going
Veteran Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar says he is not thinking about when he will call time on his playing career.
There have been strong suggestions that this season could be van der Sar's last in the Premier League and in football altogether. However, the Dutchman says that he still has a few years of playing time left in him.
Van der Sar has enabled Sir Alex Ferguson to build a team from the back going forwards. Although he is making a few more errors than he used to, he is still a top class goalkeeper that would make it in any of the top teams around Europe.
Van der Sar has a number of qualities that will allow him to carry on competing at the top level for some years to come. It just means that United will be very hard pushed to bring in a top replacement when he does finally call an end to his playing career.
Top class goalkeeper
Van der Sar is a top class goalkeeper for many reasons. He handles the ball very well and makes very few spillages over the course of a season. This means he is able to hang onto the ball, which takes all of the pressure away from the defence.
He has continued playing well in to his 30s [39] because he has managed to stay very fit. This means he has been able to cope with the physical demands now expected of a top-flight Premier League goalkeeper.
His experience has enabled him to maintain his positional awareness in front of goal. Older goalkeepers rely on this much more because they are less able to spring across their goal and make diving stops that prevent the ball from flying into the top corner.
The Dutchman said: "I don't worry about when that day arrives. I am now exceeding my own expectations so it doesn't bother me. When I was younger I thought maybe I would finish in my mid-30s. But that is a normal time to be thinking about it when you are younger and for players at this level."
Harder task
Manchester United are now left with a much harder task over the goalkeeper that they will have to bring in to replace van der Sar. This will not be easy because of the consistent quality that van der Sar has displayed during his time at the club.
It could present the opportunity for the club to put some faith in a much younger goalkeeper who could become the next United legend between the posts. There are a number of 'keepers floating around in the game at the moment who have all the right qualities for this role.
Van der Sar added: "That would have been the obvious time to finish, but I only came to United late in my career and maybe that is why I am still enjoying it. The club have to be happy. If they are not happy with the quality you are producing then there is no need to keep on going."
Betting advice
Van der Sar makes it much easier to back United because he makes so many important interventions and saves over the course of a season. He looks as fit as he's ever been and Sir Alex Ferguson still seems happy to pick him for important games.
He will not join another club after United so do not speculate over where he will go next. Any odds over the next club he could join will be empty because this will be the only club that van der Sar is likely to represent from now on.
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