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There are a number of father and son footballs stories but only one touches my heart. The Schmeichels
Father Schmeichel arguably the best goalkeeper ever lived, scoring 13 goals in his career and at the top of the food chain for a chunk of his career winning (8 years in Manchester United) winning five (5) FA Premier League titles, three (3) FA Cups, one (1) League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League, won the Euro 92 with the Danish national team and won worlds best goalkeeper that same year...,huge boots to fill right?
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| Kasper in action for City |
August 2007, Kasper Schmeichel, son of the best goalkeeper ever made his professional debut for Manchester City where his father last played. Huge expectations for a young man (21 at that time). A lot of people comparing him to his father, some celebrating the fact that at just 21, he was making first team football, saved Robin Van Persies penalty and won man of the match, dejavu right?
Shortly after he was loan out to championship side Cardiff and then begun to fall down the pecking order at City. He was replaced as number 1 at City by Joe Hart.
Rather than seat there and act like premiership football is his birthright, he joined Coventry on loan and then league two side Notts County breaking the clubs transfer record in the process, fair enough.
Notts County were soon hit by financial problems and Kasper agreed to his future wages which chairman Ray Trew described as "a huge concession by such a young man". One wold expect the son of one of the most popular footballers in the world to be spoilt and have a misplaced sense of entitlement, not Kasper.
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| kasper at Notts County |
From Notts County, Kasper joined Leeds United even with links tying him to a move to the premiership or bundesliga. One of his numerous highs at leeds was his performance against Arsenal, during the third round of the 2011 FA cup, Cesc Fabresgas commented that Schmeichel should have received the match ball for his performance. He, after the return leg and almost scoring a goal for himself, was named player of the FA Cup Third Round.
On 20 June 2011 Leeds United announced they had accepted an undisclosed bid for him from Leicester City. With Schmeichel wanting to stay at Leeds for the remainder of his contract he admitted that the decision to sell him was a real shock. Leeds claimed that they felt they wanted to strengthen the goalkeeping position to replace Schmeichel due to the poor goals against ratio.
Kaspers performances at Leicester City have been from glory to glory; fighting and gaining promotion with the team into the premiership, surviving a relegation battle and now at the top of the table of the English premier league.
Can he win the league with Leicester?
That is the question of everybodys lips right now, including his father, I believe.
He has shown level headedness, calm and maturity all through his career, putting the game first before his pride or pocket, Putting in all energy and commitment to all teams he has played for even when coveted by bigger clubs; Man UTD, AC Millan and co.
If he wins the league with Leicester City, I hope so, not only will Leicester be breaking records but a lot of the players in the include including Kasper (the entire team have been exceptional),
The first Father and son to own English premiership winners medals as goalkeepers would be nice to see as headlines at the end of the season and I am sure that both Schmeichel senior and junior would be wagging their tales at the possibility of that happening.
photo credit: getty images
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