- Owen Goodman earns Canada call up
- One of many call ups for Palace players
- Next step in Goodman’s development
Crystal Palace academy goalkeeper Owen Goodman has been called up by Canada for their World Cup squad this Summer.
Goodman has initially been included in Jesse Marsh’s preliminary squad, and has made the cut for the tournament proper.
A huge achievement for Goodman, who has had a difficult season this campaign.
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Goodman’s call up huge for Palace
The goalkeeper’s call up is a huge boost for Palace in terms of their academy and attracting new players to sign for the club.
To show that there is a pathway to graduate through the South London academy and make a World Cup squad at the age of 22, is a huge achievement.
Goodman has played for Palace since he was young, and has now had four loan moves across the last three seasons.
Whilst he may be some distance from the first team squad, he is certainly building a career for himself in the professional game.
Goodman’s development
His first loan move to Colchester was a success, playing 39 times as a 19 year old in League Two.
The natural progression for his career was a move to Wimbledon, where he played 50 games and kept a mind blowing 21 clean sheets.
Goodman seemed to be progressing in one direction only, and his time with the Dons made him a highly sought after loanee.
This campaign has been slightly tougher. He spent the first half of the season on loan with Huddersfield, but lost his starting place in the squad.
A move to Barnsley in the same division, League One, offered more game time but a disappointing league finish for them meant that he ended this season with little to shout about.
What is positive, is that his progression has been visible, and each loan has provided an increasingly higher level of development.
Goodman is only 22. That’s relatively young for a goalkeeper, and so if he can continue to develop he could still have a career at the top of the game.
A good comparison to make to Goodman is Brighton’s Carl Rushworth, who, at 24, was on loan at Coventry last season.
In similar fashion to Goodman, Rushworth made his way up the ranks, playing in League Two, League One and then the Championship for two campaigns.
He’s now in the running to become Brighton’s first choice ‘keeper, so hope should still be there for Goodman.
For now though, he can go and enjoy a first World Cup as his nation plays host to the tournament alongside the USA and Mexico.
