THEY ARE AMONG THE HARDEST working players on a soccer team. They show up for practice every day and put in a full session. Yet, when it comes time for the big prize at the end of the week, the weekend match, the No. 2 goaltender usually, finds himself in a familiar spot--the bench. After all, while teams can utilize as many as five or six midfielders or four or five defenders, only one goalkeeper at a time can man the nets at any one time.
It's not fun sitting at any level. In MLS, it's even more frustrating because every keeper in the league has become accustomed to starting and being numero uno. "It's especially difficult in this league," says MetroStars goalkeeper ...