It was the news we had been expecting but dreading at the same time. Edwin van der Sar has confirmed he does intend to retire at the end of the season.
First stated by Eric Steele on BBC Red Wednesday last night, the Dutch man confirmed the decision in a statement on his management company’s website that said:
“It is now time to pay attention to my family. I cannot really identify a time when it (the decision) happened, let’s just say that it was playing on my mind from the moment Annemarie had her stroke.”
“She has fought back from it. We decided on another year in England and thus to stay at Manchester United. But, once engaged in the season, the thought of saying goodbye started to gnaw a bit more emphatically.”
United have been here before and struggled to replace Peter Schmeichel adequately after he moved to Sporting Lisbon in 1999.
Van der Sar was the eventual replacement after a number of keepers failed to make the grade but now he is to depart who will replace him?
Tomasz Kuszczak continues to claim he is ready to step up yet has failed to convince all whilst new signing Anders Lindegaard is yet to be tested at this level leaving some to ponder if a new keeper is on his way into Old Trafford.
