During late 90's their Norwegian web site rated players by the value for team and their value for sale. Usually those numbers were real close. The weird thing about KK was that his team value were more that twice higher that his other number.
Technically, Keller may be far down the list. Putting aside his shot-blocking ability, his foot skills are close to non-existent, his distribution is sometimes poor, and his decision-making can be better. Now for a surprise-I love the guy and wouldn't trade him for too many others. Here's why- I really don't think these voters measure mental fortitude and ability to inspire teammates. Under intense pressure in the biggest games some of the finest athletes mysteriously make mistakes that they normally would never make. There's something about Keller's makeup that seems almost impervious to pressure. And, just when teammates may be panicking, he's back there, solid as a rock. So even if he's only the 150th best goalie, I'll take him.
I voted top 10 based on National team play. Sure there's plenty of guys that do well at the club level but Kasey has completely proven himself worthy at a national team level which I care about much more. He's clutch, reliable, and can stop some tough shots (case in point the one saturday, he still has IT).
Behind Buffon, Cech, Casillas, Kahn, Hildebrand, Van der Saar, Niemi, Kameni, Reina, Dida, Friedel, Valdes but not far behind those are just all I consider world class of the top of my head. And they are in no particular order. I personally think Iker Casillas is the best in the world because he plays in La Liga and he shines even though he plays with a completely crap defense in front of him and he regularly saves Madrid's butt several times every weekend. As good as Buffon is, Italy's Serie A is not the most offensive league in the world and he has a good defense. Cech, plays for Chelsea and there are only 7 teams in the EPL who I think he's really tested by. Kahn is one of the greats but he plays for Bayern Munich in the Budesliga enough said. Hilderbrand is one of my favorites but Stuttgart's defense is really good. Friedel I'm biased, Niemi I'm probally being unfair to. Reina is very good but also has a good defense. Van der Saar, Kameni, and Valdes I think are too inconsistent although for the last 2 they are very young. So is Casillas. Anyway didn't mean for this to be a goalkeeping monologue. Kasey Keller is the man.
I love how so many are willing to attack Keller's foot skills and distribution and overlook the part of his game that has made him the all time shutout leader for our national team. I also love that Dida is on that list of top 20 when he hasn't even played on a World Cup game. Taffarel held down that job like a champ for years for Brasil and made some of the best saves I have ever seen, especially in PK shootouts. Very few gave him credit for his contributions in the 94' finals & the 98' semi-finals. The point is is that pound for pound Kasey is the best US Goalkeeper of all time. Put out a secret ballot and ask any US defender from the past ten years who they love most in the net and I promise that at least 75% of them will say Keller.
the only way this "best" stuff really makes any sense, is who's best for any given team. and right now, kk is hands down. this is an unquanifiable quality.
While I agree that MLS is likely better than the 71st ranked league, it's quite understandable to see why an objective analysis would rank MLS that low. The league does not generate a significant amount of talent that goes on to other leagues, MLS rarely plays friendlies, and for many reasons, MLS does poorly in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. For every Beasley, there is a Thornton, Dunseth, or Barrett who returns without finding much success overseas. MLS is essentially a developmental league for young American players. That is helping to build the game in the US, but I do tend to fault MLS for not putting more effort into the CONCACAF cup, as that competition would help to advance the reputation of the league. A 5-0 drubbing of DC United by Pumas UNAM (6-1 on aggregate) sends the wrong message internationally. Perhaps if the FIFA world-wide club championships get off the ground, MLS might actually focus on putting a better face forward for the world to see.....
This is done by poll. Last year (2003), Tim Howard placed 8, and the year before (2002) Brad Friedel was 6.
club performance may have something to do with it...hes been shot around europe for years, only getting a bit of relief at Tottenham...but Kasey loves playing for the USA and when hes not the keeper and friedel isnt either, i get a bit worried... keller has probably the best instincts in the world....hes not flashy or great with his feet, but hes always where he needs to be to stop a shot
As much of a fan of the USA National team as I am... I did have to stop and think about this realistically. Top 10 in the world... not a chance. Kasey I love ya, but there are at least a few keepers in each of the top leagues that are better. Heck in England last year he probably wouldn't have been considered in the top 10. When he went to Germany he performed well but wasn't in the top 3 (I wouldn't think). Then add in some quality keepers in Italy, France, Spain, etc... there is I don't know how I could put him in the top 20 world wide. I put him somewhere in the 30-40 list. He's no longer at the height of his game but IS playing pretty well. But that said being in the twilight of your career and still saying there are only a couple dozen better in the world... that's a major accomplishment.
While I agree with virtually everything you say, I think there is a technical aspect of the positon where he is, I believe, absolutely first rate, even to the point of rarely making a mistake. And that's positioning. Part of the ability to make great stops is being in the right position. Keller never seems to be out of position. Many more balls are "savable" for him simply because he always seems to be exactly where he needs to be. I simply can't remember seeing a game he's played in for the USMNT where I said, "Oops, off his line, that a goof." And in the CR game, when he had to come off his line, he did so with authority. Most important qualities for keeper in rank order? 1. Hands 2. Reflexes 3. Positioning 4. Leadership/Organization 5. Distribution 6. Foot skills 1 through 4, he's tops.
Exactly. There are so many nuances of how Kasey Keller plays the position that people don't mention or don't know anything about. You're the first one I've seen say something about his positioning. It's tough to see this on TV; to see how good a GK really is you need to watch them at a game. Also watch how he cuts the angles on shooters, and the way he plays off his line. Not on crosses but how he intercepts through balls.
This is silly. El Salvador was rated higher and MLS has won two concacaf championships in the past 10 years, but El Salvador has won 0.
Don't disagree with your comments on Kasey, but I thought your list here is a little off. 1. Size 2. Athletic ability 3. Reflexes 4. Hands 5. Positioning 6. Leadership/Organization 7. Distribution and footskills Kasey - and Friedel - are amazing athletes. Friedel has been cited as the best all-around athlete on the US team in the past. The fact that they're both big guys gives them a big leg up on the competition. Tim Howard is such a prospect in part because he's world-class in numbers 1-3. He gets 4-7 down, and he'll be one of the world's very best.
True, and I agree. I think the reputation of the El Salvadoran league has more to do with the success of some of their top players coming into MLS....Cienfuegos, Diaz Arce, Cerritos, etc...., along with the smallness of their league and country relative to the talent produced. Alianza is a big name, and having that be the top team in El Salvador does help their reputation, in the same way Chivas may help MLS. Don't shoot the messenger here....I'm just pointing out that MLS is not exactly well-respected internationally, and there are some very specific things that MLS can (and in my opinion) should do to strengthen the reputation of the league. My own opinion is that MLS is now at a level comparable to English second-division, Belgium (apart from an Anderlecht), or the Mexican league. There's some damn good players in the league, but I do fault MLS for poor coaching and game style, and think the league should aggressively schedule international friendlies against other clubs......... If we think it's quality, let's show it......
What's odd is that most club and national coaches would start Howard over Keller. To me, it's clear that Keller has a far better grasp of the game, and his ability to minimize mistakes while also providing an opportunity for the truly special makes him worthy of that #1 status. The best keepers I've seen in person is Edwin van der Sar. Guy was stunning, and the difference in class between a Keller and van der Sar was obvious. Keller compares overwhelmingly favorably to any MLS keeper, and certainly to former national team keepers like Meola. Friedel was special, and his command of the box was something from a coaching manual. Keller has paid his dues, and is showing what can happen when talent meets motivation. On an international level, he's not near the elite. In terms of the mixture of physical ability, technical skills, and game management, he's in a grouping of competent and talented players that sit below the elite. aaronbrown mentioned seeing Keller in person. Spend some time in Europe watching the EPL or Serie A, and you'll see the difference between Keller and these keepers. It'll be as clear as Keller and a Hartman or Busch. That said, I wouldn't trade Keller for anyone right now. Why?! Because the dude is motivated to play for us, and you can't buy that. He is locked in on starting and winning World Cup games for the US, and is willing to throw the whole freakin' team on his back if need be. He's got enough talent to pull it off, and I doubt any other national team has a keeper who is that locked in on his position. He's talented enough, but given how much he wants to be our keeper, I'll happily take Keller in goal over just about anyone. At a certain point, motivation trumps skill, and Keller may be finding that point.........
Mildly off track, but I met KK once and he didn't strike me as a 'big' guy. Friedel did.... What are his stats? I know I could look them up, but he seemed about 6' 0", 175# to me.
No, totally false Yes, VDS is technically brilliant. His form and foot work (Not how he plays the ball from his feet, but how he positions himself to save a shot, dives for the ball, etc...) are very good. Maybe how he collects a cross, but that's it. Keller is far superior playing off his line directly. I saw Bufon play in Verona in 2002. Does that count? The difference between Keller and these elite goalkeepers is non existent, because he is an elite goalkeeper.
It's an interesting subject. If Keller is so good, then why isn't he still in the Premiership? I state that being a big Keller fan. His reflexes are remarkable, but isn't there concern that he may have a foot flub every now and then? I initially voted him 21-25. There are so many good keepers out there, and that damn list was way too subjective. For instance, can Barthez really be trusted? And where was the Turkish goalkeeper Rustuu? Being a rube, I just watched highlights from Japorea 2002, and he was outstanding. And what about Friedel?
Well, the short answer is: because Keller *is* good enough that he didn't want to simply trade a backup spot at Spurs for a backup spot at another EPL side, and that's pretty much what he would've had to do with a switch during the January transfer window -- come in and hope that either an injury or a loss of form to a current starter would give him the same kind of opportunity he'd had at Spurs back during the 2001/2 season. If Niemi had been slow to recover from his knee injury then Keller would likely have ended up playing out the year at Southampton; fortunately, though, Advocaat wasn't able to sign his first choice, which opened things up for Kasey at Moenchengladbach. If you look at it from a business standpoint, given Keller's wages at Spurs (which were basically starter's wages, though on the lower end of the scale for Premiership keeper), the other EPL teams had to look at the their own situation and ask if Keller would be enough of an upgrade to justify the cost. And since Kasey's EPL career had been decent, but unspectacular, there really weren't any EPL sides willing to spend that kind of money on a 35-year-old backup. So the Foals were really an ideal situation: a big club in a big league with a serious goalkeeping problem. I mean, what it really comes down to is this: Keller is an excellent shot-stopper with some serious weaknesses that were certainly apparent in the EPL. Pair him up with a defense that's strong in the air and well organized (as O'Neill tried to structure things at Leicester) -- or put him in a league that tends to play on the ground and doesn't pressure the back line a lot -- and he can play to his strengths: using his quickness to clean up dangerous situations that come straight down the gut of the defense. Put him in a situation like he was in at Spurs, and you'll see more mistakes and more questions surrounding his basic competency (some of the Spurs message boards were downright brutal with respect to Kasey, calling him "the worst keeper in the Premiership" during his final season as first choice keeper). The important thing -- really, the only thing that matters at *this* point (ie, the qualifying rounds) -- is that CONCACAF teams tend to play a style that plays to Keller's strengths, not his weaknesses. And I think that most would agree that a motivated Keller, playing to his strengths, is a tremendous asset for the USMNT.