It is not a great surprise that Jose Mourinho has moved quickly to distance himself from reports linking Chelsea with a move for Fabien Barthez. It’s rumours like that which can ruin managerial reputations!
With Carlo Cudicini almost ready to return and Hilario proving himself a capable understudy, there can’t be many options worse than bringing in Barthez. Click below to read a few alternatives for Mourinho to mull over.
1 Coax Dmitri Kharine out of retirement
The Russian goalkeeper was at Stamford Bridge for seven years. He is apparently working as the goalkeeping coach at Luton Town. Why not bring him back a la Pavel Srnicek at Newcastle? Old skool!
2 Play without a keeper and accuse the opposition of being unsporting if they score
Ah, sounds like a vintage Mourinho masterplan to me.
3 Use your chairman’s money for research into cloning
Might as well just build a bigger, quicker, more agile Petr Cech with a stronger skull.
4 Sign Wayne Rooney
Our Wazza loves to play in goal, just ask Eric Cantona. With a bit of sweet-talking from Mourinho, I’m sure Fergie would let Rooney move to Chelsea on loan to be third-choice keeper.
5 Let John Terry play on
He looked the part against Reading so Mourinho could keep JT on standby as an emergency keeper. After all, Niall Quinn was the Republic of Ireland’s third-choice keeper at Italia 90. How many goalies do you really need?
[Rob Parker]