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| Tuesday, February 26, 2002 21:27 EST |
Spurs want No. 2 keeper back for crucial matches
[Reuters]
SEATTLE -- Kasey Keller was
caught in the middle of a proverbial "club before country" tug-
of-war of which he has no control he admitted on Wednesday.
The Tottenham Hotspur and United States goalkeeper, who has
failed to command a first-team place for his club, now has to
deal with having an international call-up blocked so he can
essentially sit on the substitutes' bench for Spurs.
Two weeks ago, Keller was released by Tottenham boss Glenn
Hoddle to play for the U.S. in a March 2 friendly in Seattle
against Honduras and a March 10 World Cup tune-up against
Ecuador in Birmingham, Alabama.
While he has been deputizing for Neil Sullivan at White Hart
Lane, Keller is trying to solidify his claim for a starting
place in the U.S. team for the World Cup despite the fact he has
only played four times since joining Spurs in the close season
from Rayo Vallecano in Spain.
Keller said Hoddle informed him on Friday that he would not
be released for the Ecuador match in order that he would be
available for a March 6 league fixture against Manchester United
and an FA Cup quarterfinal clash with Chelsea on March 10.
"It's kind of frustrating making me come back (to Spurs) to
sit," Keller told Reuters in an interview ahead of a U.S.
training session.
"Glenn just kind of mentioned to me on Friday that I wasn't
going to be able to play the second friendly."
There was added irritation for Keller who said he looked
forward to the Ecuador match since his mother, Deter Walker,
lives near Birmingham.
"I'm pretty clueless as to what's going on, I mean, I
understand to a degree. It would be no problem if I was playing
for Spurs and I'm still going on the precedent that if I was
needed, I would fly right back, but I can't understand this."
Keller says he and Hoddle have discussed the goalkeeping
situation and Keller said he believed the issue was settled
about being released for both U.S. matches.
"We went through it and talked and everything was fine," he
said. "If (Neil Sullivan) gets injured, I would come back. It
was the same story, 'I don't want to burden your World Cup
chances' but now the issue is closed. I have to go back."
The two call-ups do not fall on dates mandated by FIFA for
clubs to release players, thus Tottenham has rights to Keller's
services.
"Spurs knew the rules, even though the deal was made
earlier," Keller said. "Hoddle couldn't do anything but go back
on his word. I have no problem with that, but I just want some
consistency."
Keller, 32, has played 55 times for the U.S. and was the
number one keeper for the Americans in the 1998 World Cup finals.
"We would've loved to have him (Keller) for two games," said
U.S. coach Bruce Arena, "but any opportunity for Kasey to play
against a strong team like Honduras is still important for our
team and for Kasey's continuing quest to be the number one
keeper."
Keller said Arena had indicated that he would be in the first
team when the U.S. plays Germany in a March 27 friendly in
Rostock.
"I just need to play well in any game I get," Keller said. "I
have to show my worth to the team. Bruce (Arena) said decisions
have to be made regardless of other situations, so I have to
prove that I am too important to be left out."
Keller's rival for the starting place in the U.S. team is
Brad Friedel who earned man of the match honors on Sunday in
Blackburn Rovers' 2-1 win over Tottenham in the League Cup final.
It was another frustrating day for Keller who spent the final
on the bench looking at his rival perform heroics.
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