Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster thinks all 20 Premier League goalkeepers would have “struggled” if they played in the National League this season.
The 40-year-old former Manchester United, Watford and West Brom shot-stopper, who came out of retirement in March, helped Phil Parkinson’s side achieve automatic promotion to League Two.
In total, Foster made seven National League appearances for the Dragons – a stint that featured a dramatic 96th-minute penalty save in their title showdown clash against runners-up Notts County.
Wrexham would finish the National League campaign with 111 points, smashing the previous record for a 46-game season.
Foster, meanwhile, has recently made a bold statement on why top flight goalkeepers from the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool would struggle at National League level.
Speaking on The Fellas podcast with British YouTube personalities Calfreezy and Chip, former Premier League player Foster explained his reasoning.
He said: “Listen to this yeah. I genuinely believe this. I am not joking. I think if you put all 20 Premier League goalkeepers into a National League weekend and make them play in the league, they would struggle. I promise you, they would struggle.
Calfreezy then asked: “It is just because the football is so different?”
Foster replied: “It is so physical. Honestly, it is so physical. Every team… if they get a free-kick from the halfway line, they’ll say ‘we’ll put it on top of the goalie.’ Every team has a long throw. And I mean, a stinking long throw. Think Rory Delap. A good missile.”
He added: “Every corner is an in-swinger on top of you. You’ve also got a 6ft 6in’ or 6ft 7in’ bloke standing there going, ‘All the best.’
“They would make saves for sure but there would be goals going in from set pieces, corners and throw-ins.”
In another recent podcast appearance, Foster admitted he didn’t make the greatest first impression during his first Wrexham training session.
In fact, Foster’s teammate Mark Howard described the experienced goalkeeper’s first session as “a bit rusty” while Wrexham forward Ollie Palmer went one step further.
“I’ll tell you the truth – the ball has come into him and he’s just pinged it out of play. Under no pressure. I’m like ‘Who the f*** is this guy'”, Palmer said on Foster’s podcast.
“The ball has come into him and everyone is like ‘yeah Fozz [Foster] is class’. England, Watford, Man Utd [his ex-clubs].
“And I’m talking a backpass that my daughter could kick back. So it comes back to him and he punches it – straight off the hill.”
Barely able to contain his laughter, Foster confirmed: “That’s a true story.”
