SEAMAN: HOW TO SAVE ’EM
DAVID SEAMAN has told England’s goalkeepers how they can be a penalty hero like him.
Seaman became a national treasure for his spot-kick saves from Scotland’s Gary McAllister and Spain’s Angel Nadal at Euro 96.
They helped take Terry Venables’ Three Lions side through to the semifinals where they were beaten on penalties by Germany.
Arsenal legend Seaman also saved seven of the 22 penalties he faced in the Premier League – and has revealed his secrets.
Seaman said: “I used to look forward to it. People said, ‘You must get nervous,’ but I was thinking, ‘This is a chance of glory for me’. You’re not expected to save them.
“I used to watch the angle they approached the ball and at the last minute they look at the ball and that was when I decide which way to go.
“The best penalty takers don’t look at the ball, just the goal and don’t give you any clues. Eden Hazard does that very well.”
Surely the best-known of Seaman’s penalty saves came against Scotland in the European Championship group match at Wembley.
McAllister was handed the chance to level the scores at 1-1 from 12 yards and Seaman said: “He hit it with pace and I didn’t have time to move my arm. It just hit my elbow and flew over the bar.
“Tony Adams was the first one who came up to me.
“He had given the penalty away and he ran up to me, grabbed me by the face and kissed me.”
The save proved to be the turning point of the match, as Paul Gascoigne soon doubled England’s lead with a jaw-dropping solo goal.
“It frustrates me that people remember Gazza messing about because he was an unbelievable player,” said Seaman.
“He did stuff other players couldn’t do. I do remember Terry saying to me, ‘Take him fishing. He’s getting hyped.’ I had to babysit him.”