Antonin Kinsky debacle shows how precarious goalkeeper’s position can be

Read more at straitstimes.com.

In the aftermath of Tottenham Hotspur’s goalkeeping disaster, Peter Schmeichel did not mince his words, asserting that “he’s killed his career”.

The “killer” was Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor, and his apparent “victim”, back-up goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

Aiming to arrest a slide, Tudor threw Kinsky, who had spent his season in the quiet shadows of the bench, straight into the starting line-up for Spurs’ Champions League Round of 16 tie with Atletico Madrid in Spain on March 11.

But by the 14th minute, Atletico were 3-0 up, Kinsky at fault for two of the goals. And by the 17th, the 22-year-old shot-stopper was unstrapping his gloves and trotting off the pitch under the gaze of 64,000 pairs of eyes, replaced by the axed regular No.1 Guglielmo Vicario.

Kinsky, having had just his second appearance all season and first since October abruptly ended, went straight down the tunnel. Atletico eventually ran out 5-2 winners.

Tudor later said the situation was “incredible” and this was the first time he had subbed his goalkeeper off in 15 years as a manager, adding that it was “necessary to preserve the guy”. All he wanted to do was protect Kinsky, he insisted.