Mucha frustrated by bench time

, 17 September, 25comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton No.2 goalkeeper Jan Mucha has hinted he is looking to leave the club after he temporarily brought an end to his international career.

The 29-year-old was Slovakia's first choice at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and he joined Everton on a free transfer that summer from Legia Warsaw.

However, after being called up for their last squad, Mucha has ruled himself out of the international picture due to his lack of first-team football.

"I don't want to put the coaches under unnecessary pressure because of myself," he told the Slovak FA's official website.

"I will do my best to win a regular place in the starting line-up, be it at my current or possibly future club.

"With my performances I want to prove to people that I have the quality to be in the national team. Playing for my country has always been an honour to me."

Slovak co-coach Michal Hipp said: "I know how much disappointed he is not to have been able to show his undisputed qualities in league fixtures. His decision makes me sad but on the other hand, I respect it."

Quotes or other material sourced from Sky Sports



Reader Comments (25)

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Andy Mack
1 Posted 17/09/2012 at 16:27:13
Really can't blame him, being a No.2 keeper must be one of the stranger jobs in football.
Paul David
2 Posted 17/09/2012 at 17:05:01
I respect him for his decision. Far too many players put their own ambitions before the good of the country, like Beckham and Owen going to tournaments unfit.
Shane Corcoran
3 Posted 17/09/2012 at 17:15:00
In fairness Paul, although Mucha's thinking is admirable, the decision to pick players stops with the manager so if the likes of Owen or Beckham aren't worthy of their place in the team then it's the manager that should make the decision.
Andy Crooks
4 Posted 17/09/2012 at 17:28:13
The position of goalkeeper is unique. So much depends on nerve and experience. What on earth can Mucha possibly do in training to earn a place? He needs a run in the side and he will only get it if Howard gets injured. Howard will not play consistantly badly enough to get dropped and, rightly or wrongly, Moyes will not put pressure on him after a few howlers.Howard seems to be a favourite of Moyes so his errors will be tolerated more than those of some others.
Mark Pierpoint
5 Posted 17/09/2012 at 17:47:25
Would be good to send him to the Championship to actually see if he is any good! Never been impressed with him in the league cup to be honest. Think we will start with Howard at Elland Road ahead of him. I would get in Boruc or Craig GOrdon depending on wages who you would say have the potential to push Howard in a way Mucha can't
James Stewart
6 Posted 17/09/2012 at 18:20:37
Can't see that as any blow to his national team. He was a disaster in the cup for us.
Tony J Williams
7 Posted 17/09/2012 at 18:24:20
He's a back up goalie, nothing more, nothing less. He knew exactly what he was getting into when he signed for us.
Mick Davies
8 Posted 17/09/2012 at 23:42:46
We lost Ruddy due to DM's love affair with Howard. No player should be beyond being dropped if constantly making errors. I am actually a fan of Tim's but he does have a tendency to jump in too early and flap at crosses which should be bread and butter. Rotation may be one remedy to keep our 2nd choice keepers happy. After all, no one knew how good Ruddy was until he was gone
Alan Noon
9 Posted 18/09/2012 at 07:30:56
After Howards' performance against Newcastle, I'd stay put, you should be starting next game.
Julian Batti
10 Posted 18/09/2012 at 15:01:23
Mucha should start the next game.
Paul Gladwell
11 Posted 18/09/2012 at 15:42:13
Julian have you ever seen Mucha? I have witnessed him in virtually every second of his Everton career and he is awful, his positioning, his communication skills are all terrible and no matter that Howard has been a bit at fault lately it would be suicidal to put this fella in goal, he guarantees a balls up of major proportions.
Ray Roche
12 Posted 18/09/2012 at 16:00:41
Mick Davies @405

It was only because Ruddy left and got experience at a lower level that he became the good keeper he is. If Moyes had thrown him in as a raw young keeper he'd have been slagged up hill and down dale on this site after every mistake he made and his confidence would have been shot. It's easy to come on and sing his praises now he's the finished article but he'd never have become that without leaving .

Julian Batti
13 Posted 18/09/2012 at 17:40:37
Paul, Howard has been at fault for 4 of the goals that we have conceded this season (2 against Barcodes, 1 against Villa, and the second against WBA). I have run out of patience. Yes, I have seen Mucha play; with a few games under his, I am sure that he will do just as "well" as Howard, if not better.

By the way, I am sick and tired of these stuck-up ex-Manure players living like parasites off their past. We should get rid of them all.

Tony Cheek
14 Posted 18/09/2012 at 17:44:48
Well, I am glad you put us straight on that Paul, because right now I am really wondering how bleeding awful Mucha must be if Howard can keep him out of the team.

If he doesn't get a game now then he has to go. Howard deserves to be dropped. Three blunders in four games, costing us very valuable points.

What is the use of having a second keeper that we cannot pick, however badly our first choice plays?!? Play him or get someone who can push Howard a bit, because if anyone needs a push, it's him!
Andy Crooks
15 Posted 18/09/2012 at 17:59:29
Moyes should put Mucha in for ten games. If he feels he can't , then why did he sign him? Tim Howard and the central defenders are a liability. This is the time for Moyes to show he is a proper coach.
Jamie Barlow
16 Posted 18/09/2012 at 17:56:40
I don't think I would put the blame on Howard for any of the Newcastle goals. If Ba would have hit his first like he should have, Howard might have saved it like he did with the Ben Harfa shot. Instead, Ba scuffed it and wrong footed Howard. The second was just great finishing and poor defending. ( maybe he jumped a little too soon)

Howards a good keeper and a good keeper is hard to find. He might make the odd mistake but show me a keeper who doesn't. I've already witnessed a couple by the amazing Ruddy this season.

Julian, parasites like Gibson? What the fuck has playing for Man Utd got to do with anything at all?

Paul David
17 Posted 18/09/2012 at 18:16:08
Jamie

The first goal trickled past him. His dive looked like a dad playing with his kid in the park, falling just for show so his lad feels good thinking he's scored a good goal.

Paul Gladwell
18 Posted 18/09/2012 at 18:13:13
Julian , even in Hibberts testimonial he looked like a centre half thrown in goal after a sending off of a keeper, he is woeful, Howard has made mistakes and you are right Tony we should have better back up.
By the way Julian what games did you see? Was it those comedy performances against West Brom and Chelsea, Hiward is twice the goalie he is and that's why he never gets dropped, but we need someone in so he can be dropped.
Paul Gladwell
19 Posted 18/09/2012 at 18:26:14
That is not a defence of Howard either,it's just a view that our reserve keeper is garbage and not good enough for the prem.
Jamie Barlow
20 Posted 18/09/2012 at 18:34:33
He was wrong footed Paul, that's all.
Julian Batti
21 Posted 18/09/2012 at 20:26:27
Paul G., in terms of risibility, I would say Howard's performance yesterday went beyond what Mucha delivered against Chelsea. I give Mucha benefit of the doubt for Chelsea's second goal; he saved the shot and our defenders should have been there to clear the ball. This Chelsea player's shot was much more sinister than the one that Howard conceded against Villa. The far less accomplished Les Sealey came in for Jim Leighton and did wonders, and I would say that Mucha is far better goalie than Sealey ever was. Let Mucha play the next five games; it is worth the risk.
Paul Gladwell
22 Posted 18/09/2012 at 20:39:54
Julian, Howard is a decent keeper and I would not say they were as blatant clangers as you have made out but we need someone better challenging him.

I watched Mucha and everything about him says he cannot be risked in a top flight game, he looks like Turner did when he played once, his positional sense and everything else is actually scary and I am sure those defenders in front of him would shit bricks at the thought of him in a high pressurised league match.

At Hibbert's testimonial there was one incident where he was actually a yard behind his line waiting for a cross, he realised late on and stepped forward just in time, we need another keeper but not this fella.
Terry White
23 Posted 18/09/2012 at 23:57:19
I am really unsure how we expect our reserve keeper to "push" our first choice when he does not get a game. How many games has Mucha played in the 3 years he has been with us? He gets selected for the occasional Cup game, is out of practice, makes a costly mistake, and is then castigated. He knows he will be replced for the next league game anyway.

Unless you want to spend a lot of money we do not have on a top-class goalkeeper who will want to be paid a lot of weekly money and not sit on the bench, you make do with what you have. Mucha is an International goalkeeper. Does he deserve a chance?

Howard looks as if he could do with a couple of games off. Goalkeepers thrive on confidence and when they make a mistake or two then the confidence goes. Even the great Gordon West lost his place from time to time, to Andy Rankin with mixed results, and to Geoff Barnett on one forgettable occasion.

There is more to goalkeeping than saving shots. They need to command their area. They need to have the confidence of their defenders. Does Howard have this now? The central pairng looked extremely nervous in the second half on Monday.

Give Much a game in goal at Swansea and also at Leeds and let's see how we feel after that.

My grandfather played in goal professionally in the early 1900s. Of course he was deaf and could not hear the barracking that all goalkeepers get from the crowd behind them. Perhaps Howard and Mucha could beenfit from ear-plugs? Rarely praised for the good things they do but always noisily criticized for the bad.

Paul Gladwell
24 Posted 19/09/2012 at 06:44:11
Terry, the central pairing in the second half looked uncomfortable as Newcastle threw on Ba and used a blatant tactic of a long ball over the top which jags and Distin both were very uncomfortable with, obviously Neecastle had a plan and it worked in the second half and maybe the site of seeing his two centre halves go to bits never helped him, I think Saturday we need to get our player of the season back in and Jags drop to the bench.
Thomas Windsor
25 Posted 19/09/2012 at 10:11:21
I think maybe it is time Everton started looking at buying a new goalkeeper. Howard is not as reliable as he once was — too many mistakes.

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