Soccer: Paston set to lead the thin green line

Mark Paston knows the much-criticised tournament ball will behave a little different. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Crazy like a cat, with the agility to match. That's the common image of goalkeepers, those suckers for punishment who play a completely different game within a game.

While outfielders can sometimes more easily escape their mistakes, goalkeepers never have anywhere to hide when errors lead to goals.

No wonder some of the wildest characters in the game have been the men between the sticks.

There are a few exceptional 'keepers at this World Cup.

They are led by the Italian Gianluigi Buffon, whose stunning 2006 World Cup saw him concede just an own goal and penalty. Then there are the Chilean Claudio Bravo, Spain's Iker Casillas, and Samir Handanovic, who made an exceptional save from a Chris Wood miscue when the All Whites played Slovenia.

New Zealand can't match those reputations, yet Phoenix's Mark Paston became a national hero by keeping Bahrain at bay during the qualification playoffs.

The giant 1.95m Paston has been in a yoyo battle for the No1 jersey with Glen Moss, who is suspended from the first two games, against Slovakia and Italy.

Paston has been left as the All Whites' thin green line, because third join Jim Bannatyne is short of matches and a doubtful proposition at this level.

Cat-like? Paston, 33 defied the doubters with his acrobatics against Bahrain, although reputations are hard to shake, and he isn't regarded as Joe Flamboyant just yet.

And as for crazy - no way.

Placid but very determined, is how his goalkeeping coach at the Phoenix, Scottish international Jonathan Gould, describes Paston.

"He's more intelligent than most," says Gould. "Mark is probably not what you normally get with a goalkeeper.

"He's got a nice way of communicating. You don't see him remonstrating like a Peter Schmeichel, that's for sure.

"But in the last 18 months he has become quite selfish in how he prepares, and that is how you have to be in this game.

"That's a change I've noticed which shows that determination within.

"It may sound terrible but you have to be very selfish and demand certain things in training if you are the number one."

If the Bahrain matches thrust Paston into a warm limelight, the World Cup could prove to be a very unforgiving place for a goalkeeper in a team deemed as rank outsiders.

Having fought his way back from a broken leg, which kept him out of the Phoenix's run in the A-league finals, his return was marred by a howler against Slovenia, when he dropped what appeared to be a simple ball to concede a goal.

Coach Ricki Herbert hasn't been shy in mentioning the error to the media, when asked to analyse that defeat.

Paston says the new adidas ball, an erratic beast at altitude, contributed to the mistake.

"Every 'keeper makes mistakes and it's all about cutting them down to a minimum," he says.

"The ball didn't help and it's going to cause problems during the tournament.

"All of a sudden it veers off in different directions.

"You must expect the unexpected ... to the point that you get rid off [punch] stuff that maybe you would normally catch with the Nike ball that we use in the A-league.

"But I've looked at the mistake against Slovenia and there were things I needed to improve on."

With a run of games under the belt, Paston feels in encouraging form going in to Tuesday night's opener in Rustenburg.

The All Whites' video analyst, Chris Bradley, will prime him with key information about Slovakia, although Paston says the basics to his art never change, whether you are playing in Wellington or the World Cup.

"In saying that, though, it is nice to know whether their corners are inswingers or outswingers, and things like who their free kick takers are and what they like to do. Those things all help and add up to a complete performance."

Gould's admiration for Paston is unmistakable, particularly for the way he has returned from busted shoulders, knees and most recently, a fractured leg.

"He loves what he does and if you think about the number of injuries he's had, he has returned every single time stronger both mentally and physically," says Gould.

Gould recounts a recent occasion, when both happened to be in the Hawkes Bay, where Paston hails from.

Paston's wife was about to give birth, but that didn't stop the goalie ringing Gould up so they could keep training at a local park.

And Gould is certain Paston will not be affected by that mistake against Slovenia.

"I would say Mark is the last person you would need to worry about on that score," says Gould.

"You can count the number of mistakes he has made that led to goals in the past 12 months on one finger.

"I think Mark will be fine. The worst thing you can do is chase something good to do [to make up for the error].

"At this level you've got to let the game come to you and I'm sure he will do that."

TV TODAY(All NZ times)

* Uruguay v France - 6.30am live SS2/TV One

* South Korea v Greece - 11.30pm live SS2

Highlights: Daily 12.30pm-2pm SS2; 5pm-6pm TV One (except today 5.30pm-6pm).