[schmuckatelli]

With the sun setting on David Seaman and Nigel Martyn not far behind, who do you think best to choose as England's next keeper? Make your recommendation, and explain why you selected him.

[Doctor Stamen]

1. Paul Robinson (Leeds)-Because he's the U-21 keeper, and he's good.
2. Stuart Taylor (Arsenal)-In time he'll also be very good, but perhaps play some U-21 games first.
3. Richard Wright (Everton)-His move from Arsenal signals a new start, so he might pick up his form for Ipswich again.

[Peakite]

From an immediate point, only James is up there (and he sholud be in the reckoning for the next two years). It's up to Robinson and Wright to take that off him now.

[Mario]

Robinson

[Prenn]

Hopefully Robinson.

James should fill the gap this season while young Paul gains more experience.

[Matt Clark]

Erm ... hello? Robinson first, I can give you that (just, maybe), but Taylor and Wright next?

Chris Kirkland. No question, argument or doubt.

[sydtheeagle]

Stuart Taylor is nowhere near the pace. He played for us (on loan) for about three months, a few months after Ashley Cole did the same thing. Cole, you could see had "future international" written all over him. Taylor was nothing special at all.

As for Richard Wright, keep dreaming. Do you think it's an accident that Wenger has spent all summer looking for a decent goalkeeper to succeed Seaman when he already had BOTH Wright and Taylor on his books?

Wright was thoroughly exposed last year. The biggest question about Taylor is whether he'll be good enough for the Arsenal number 2 shirt, not the England number 1 one.

The obvious choices are Kirkland and Robinson. It seems pretty clear that Venables is going to play the latter this season which means in all likelihood he'll be in the driving seat. Kirkland probably needs to leave Liverpool, if not permanently then on a long-term loan because languishing in the reserves is really doing neither he nor England any good.

Seaman and Martyn (Palace hero maybe, but he has NEVER been an international standard goalkeeper) really have no place in the England squad any more. Seaman has been a great servant but it's time to move on. Martyn has missed so many chances to take the number one shirt from a fading incumbent that his mere presence in the squad these days is embarassing. James, for the minute, is probably the best of an average lot but I would not play him ahead of either Robinson or Kirkland (assuming one of the two is playing League football every week), personally.

As for others, there are not an awful lot of international level keepers around.

[prk166]

Seaman and Martyn (Palace hero maybe, but he has NEVER been an international standard goalkeeper) really have no place in the England squad any more

I'd say amen but neither of those guys should've been around for the World Cup.

[Doctor Stamen]

The problem with Kirkland is that there is another pretty good keeper in his way at Liverpool. It's a similar situation to Blackburn when they had Given and Flowers.

[schmuckatelli]

When I originally posted, it was Robinson I had in mind. I thought some of his play for Leeds United in the Champions League was first rate, particularly for a young keeper. I know some favor David James, but has he settled down at all? He used to be infamous for first turning in a brilliant performance followed by an awful one. Also, has time passed Ian Walker by as well? He used to be highly thought of...