Brad Friedel joined the Premier League in 1997 and went on to become one of the most consistent and longest-serving goalkeeper in the competition’s history.
Signing from Columbus Crew for £1.7 million, Friedel would go on to play for Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur before leaving English football in 2015 in favour of retirement.
When joining Liverpool from Columbus back in 1997, Friedel became just the seventh American player to play in the Premier League. Speaking with Vavel via Gambling.com where users find the best Online UK Casino bonuses, Friedel spoke of whether this brought pressure given that not many did this before him.
"I am a confident person, but yes I got the call and agreed to come to Liverpool and the team were in transition but it was a huge opportunity to come to Liverpool, one you would relish and I definitely did that.
"The goalkeeper position is a pressurised position at the best of times, but as a goalkeeper joining Liverpool, one of the biggest clubs in the world, there does come pressure indeed.
"It’s how you deal with it and take it all in to perform at your best. From an American perspective, yes, that was a key as well."
Failing to claim a starting spot in Merseyside
Brad Friedel in action for Liverpool in the Premier League 1998
9 Sep 1998: Brad Friedel of Liverpool in action during the FA Carling Premiership match against Coventry City at Anfield in Liverpool. Liverpool won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: David Rogers /Allsport
Friedel would go on to make just 31 appearances for Liverpool as he would struggle to grab a stranglehold on a starting position, failing to beat out both David James and Sander Westerveld. He spoke of whether there was anything he would have done differently during his time in Merseyside to have stayed there longer.
“It was a transitional period at Liverpool with manager changes and the team not competing for the title. New goalkeepers came in to compete for the number one spot and unfortunately, I wasn’t the chosen one, and at the end had to move on. Graeme Souness was fond of me and I then went to Blackburn.”
Winning Man of the Match in a Cup Final
Blackburn Rovers players celebrating after winning the 2002 League Cup Final against Tottenham
CARDIFF, WALES - February 24: Martin Taylor, Keith Gillespie,Matt Jansen, David Dunn and Brad Friedel of Blackburn Rovers Celebrate after winning the Worthington League Cup Final match between Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur at Millennium Stadium on February 24, 2002 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Speaking of Blackburn, Friedel made his name in the Premier League with the Lancashire club. In 2002, he was named man of the match in the League Cup final in Cardiff as they beat Tottenham, a side he later would go on to play for. He spoke of where this game ranks amongst the best performances in his career.
“It ranks right as one of the best moments for sure. Playing with confidence, a really good team, a great set of teammates, a brilliant team spirit. We had lots of experience in the team which helped, with youngsters as well. I was on the top of my game and had one to remember in that cup final and enjoyed it a lot.”
Scoring a Premier League goal
Brad Friedel celebrating after scoring a rare Premier League goal for Blackburn Rovers against Charlton Athletic
Brad Friedel scored a rare goal for Blackburn Rovers away to Charlton Athletic in the Premier League. Source: Getty Images
During his time at Blackburn, away to Charlton Athletic, Friedel became the second goalkeeper to ever score a goal in the Premier League, with only four more to do it after him. Being a goalkeeper, he explained that feeling of scoring when this is so uncommon for players in his position.
“It was crazy to be fair. As you say, you’re not there to score goals, you are there to stop goals going in. But I remember it was a very breezy day and once it left my foot, I looked up and the ball kept going and ended up in the back of the net. So as you say, a bit uncommon and you don’t really know how to react.”
Sadly, Friedel and Blackburn would see their happy memories turn sour instantly as Claus Jensen would score a winner seconds later for Alan Curbishley’s side.
After Blackburn, Friedel would go on to play for Villa and Spurs. He spoke of where he felt at his absolute best as a goalkeeper.
“Blackburn was a good time for me as I was number one and playing week in, week out. The team were doing pretty well and competing well, a great set of lads and I was very comfortable. Aston Villa was also a good time for me, so that was a good experience and then also in London with Spurs.”
Aston Villa's near misses
James Milner of Aston Villa celebrating a goal against Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League 2009
BLACKBURN, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 07: James Milner of Aston Villa is mobbed after scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa at Ewood Park on February 7, 2009 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
In 2008/09 Aston Villa side featured some great players along with Friedel. This includes Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry, James Milner and Martin Laursen.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sacked in the Morning podcast, Stephen Warnock, who was also part of that team, discussed manager Martin O’Neill. He revealed that the Irishman would regularly allow them to have three or four days off following a win.
“I thought I'd signed for a holiday club. It was just incredible.
"If we had a Saturday to Saturday game schedule, we would be off Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. There would also be some weeks where he would say ‘we'll see you on Thursday and Friday, the game is on Saturday’.
“Gabby Agbonlahor, I'd never seen someone's passport with so many stamps in it. We're talking about New York, Las Vegas, Miami.
“[O'Neill] was the one asking as well. Ashley Young and Agbonlahor were his two golden boys. We would all be sat in the changing room after a win and we would tell them to ask for a few days off. They would be like: 'Off until Thursday?' and he would reply: 'Yeah, why not!'
"I had never seen anything like it. We were playing well though, so it was working at the start, but there is always a point where it's going to catch up on you.”
This was also a team that failed to live up to their potential. When they beat Blackburn in February 2009, they were in third place. However, they finished in sixth place and missed out on Champions League football after winning just two of the 13 Premier League games that followed.
Friedel spoke of Warnock’s revelation and also what went wrong for the side in a crunch time of the season.
“Martin was an excellent manager. You look at his managerial record and what he has achieved, and it speaks for itself. As a player you wanted to perform for Martin, he came across really well, you understood what he wanted from you and training was good.
“He knew his players, so we did have some time off if he felt we needed it as that game day was the most important and he realised that.
“It’s a competitive League the Premier League and consistency is key and for us we weren’t able to do it enough.”
Breaking Premier League records
Brad Friedel directing his defence for Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester United at Old Trafford
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 29: Brad Friedel of Tottenham Hotspur directs his defence during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on September 29, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Friedel set many records throughout his career, including the most consecutive appearances. He played a total of 310 in a row across spells with Blackburn, Villa and Spurs. This was a run that ended when he was dropped for Hugo Lloris whilst playing for Tottenham in October 2012. He expressed his pride at making this achievement.
“This is something I am super proud of. Playing week in week out is great. You feel up with the pace of the game and I had a good routine which I followed, stayed disciplined and most importantly stayed clear of injuries and performed well enough to maintain number 1 spot. Goal keepers are a pressurised position, one mistake and you can concede, where anywhere else on the pitch, one mistake may not lead to a goal. So to have that record is absolutely something that I am proud of.”