“I was always my worst critic to be honest.”
Shay Given has offered Gavin Bazunu the same advice that Kenny Dalglish once gave him, as the young goalkeeper has faceD some difficulties this season.
Bazunu was Southampton’s number one this year, but couldn’t prevent his side from being relegated from the Premier League, and as is often the case with teams fighting relegation, the keeper comes under some heat.
Pundits such as Jamie Carragher have been critical of the Ireland shot stopper this year, and although he did make some mistakes, Given doesn’t believe that it has all been fairly warranted.
“I don’t think he’s playing poorly,” the former Ireland international told SportsJOE.
“He made a couple of mistakes over the course of the season, but any team that gets relegated, the goalkeeper, whether a young goalkeeper or a seasoned pro who has been around the block 10 times, will make mistakes.
“I think it’s always easy because he’s young and inexperienced, to point the finger at him perhaps more, but if you look at Leicester, their goalkeeper Danny Ward struggled in the early part of the season, and the Leeds goalkeeper is a young keeper who was dropped as well.
“I just think that any of the clubs that got relegated, their goalkeepers will have made a few mistakes, but that’s part and parcel of the reason they’ve been relegated, not because of the goalkeeper, but because they are overworked at times.
“The people they have been playing behind have been poor this season, hence the reason that they have dropped a division. Gavin has had some brilliant games as well, and made some crucial saves in big games, both for club and country, so I don’t think Gavin will be too worries or stressed on the season as a whole, because you have to take a step back and control the controllables.
“Look at your own performances of course, and look at getting back up to the Premier League next year. Maybe the benefits of winning lots of games next year in the championship will do him the world of good as well.”
Given himself has had to endure criticism during his own career, but always felt that he was his own worst critic anyway.
“It’s mad because as a goalkeeper, probably more than any outfield player, people look more at the negatives more than the positives. You could have had a brilliant game and everyone is singing your praises, but one negative comment, and that sort of resonates with you more.
“I was always my worst critic to be honest. If anybody said worse than me I would be thinking that I shouldn’t be playing football.
“You have to take it with a pinch of salt, and you have to remember when people are doing punditry work, because I do quite a bit of it myself, you have to be honest with what you see and if there is a mistake by a goalkeeper, you have to just say because you can look a bit foolish as well.
“Some pundits can go over the top and just annihilate people which I don’t really believe in because they used to be players themselves, we all make mistakes.
“But you have to be honest, if a goal goes in and Gavin for example could have done better, then I would say that, I wouldn’t try and protect him, and he would know himself that he would have to do better.
“Kenny Dalglish once said to me, don’t get too hard on yourself when you’ve had a bad game, and don’t get too carried away when you’ve had a brilliant game, try and keep that level head.”
Shay Given is an ambassador for LeoVegas.
Related links:
- Gavin Bazunu lined up for big move that will keep him in Premier League
- Gavin Bazunu has been a “big problem” for Southampton, says Jamie Carragher
- Shay Given on new Ireland jersey and the worst kit he’s ever had to wear
