Santiago Canizares

[Dancfc]

He never really gets talked about amount great goalkeepers but in my opinion is up there with the likes of Casilas, Cech, Buffon, Schmeichel, Kahn etc when talking about 90s and 00s greats.

At Valencia some of the saves he use to make were insane, I remember one from Ballack when we went to The Mestalla, Ballack headered it bottom corner and he not only saved it but somehow managed to push it up onto the roof of the net, and there was one he made against Liverpool at Anfield where Gerrard was clean through placed it really well in the corner but somehow he still got to it

Maybe the fact his Real Madrid career never really kicked off works against him but for me ,during his time at Valencia, he was one of the best keepers in the world, if not the best.

Shame he never came to England.

 

[Invictus]

While Cañizares is slightly underrated, he did win the award for the best goalkeeper in La Liga 4 times (which is the second highest total, following Valdés/Ramallets). Bit unfortunate on the international front with the aftershave bottle incident which catapulted Casillas to definite starter level, as well as Zubizarreta's remarkable longevity in the preceding decade, but rated quite highly by fellow pros in a broader sense.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/football/features/newsid_3707000/3707345.stm

https://goonernews.com/blog/record-breaking-petr-cech-reveals-early-career-idols/

 

[izec]

I am m not sure if he is up there with the best of the best really, but i liked him when i was younger and watching football in my early days, he was successful with Valencia and really made it into one of the best in that period end of 90's beginning 00's. He also had longevity on his side. For such a small keeper, he was excellent. Not sure going to the PL would have helped him at the time, where long balls and physicality were more prominent.

What worked against him was a bit the lack of continued success with Valencia later in his career and that he didnt get to play a lot for Spain in a successful period.

 

[FootballHQ]

Wasn't he going to be number one for Spain ahead of Casillas at 2002 world cup but missed tournament as he dropped a jam jar on his foot?

Spain had lots of athletic keepers around that time who could reach shots heading to the top corner and tip them wide.

If you're talking underrated then Molina at Deportivo would be right up there imo, top quality. Also Andres Palop. He was at Valencia for years as understudy to Canizares but then finally became first choice when he moved to Sevilla and showed his quality in their europa wins.

 

[SATA]

I rated him highly. Right up there with the tier one keepers at a push

 

[Gio]

During his Valencia years, or around 1998 - 2004, for me he was consistently amongst the top 4 or so goalkeepers in the world (behind Kahn, Buffon and Toldo). Valencia boasted the best defensive record in the strongest league in Europe for five years in a row which reflected a solid defensive unit and which owed much to his impressive agility, reflexes and presence. As to why he may have been forgotten to some extent, he perhaps lacked the seminal international tournament that most of his peers had on their resume, namely Schmeichel (Euro 1992), Toldo (Euro 2000), Kahn (WC 2002), Buffon (WC 2006), Casillas (Euro 2008 and WC 2010).

 

[Hansi Fick]

As things go, I stumbled upon Canizares' wikipedia page today, and this is what I read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Cañizares

What the hell?
Can anyone tell me what this alludes to? Apparently was edited today

 

[Precaution]

He's no Dave Beasant when it comes to unfortunate injuries

 

[Eplel]

I think he was unlucky with his freak after shave accident that caused him to miss the Euro when he was Spains no1 choice, ahead of Casillas.

 

[crossy1686]

Honourable mention for Sebastian Frey also. Great keepers

 

[CraftySoAndSo]

Whenever i see a name pop up suddenly from years ago i always fear something bad has happened.

 

[Lash]

Honourable mention for Sebastian Frey also. Great keepers

CM 03/04 legend. That Parma team in general was quality.

 

[Caesar2290]

Honourable mention for Sebastian Frey also. Great keepers

Now that is a blast from the past.

Tell you what: I check your Frey and I raise you a certain Landreau

 

[Oranges038]

Now that is a blast from the past.

Tell you what: I check your Frey and I raise you a certain Landreau

Poor mans Coupet is all Landreau was.

 

[flameinthesun]

Valencia was my first true love, growing up as a kid in the caribbean as I didn't have access to English football on tv although I supported united. Grew up watching canizares, mendieta, vicente, albelda, kily gonzales, aimar. Followed them through 2 champs league final losses, Hector cuper to benitez! Then we got cable and the prem, so switched back to united. Still have a soft spot for them and they remain my second team.

That classic team was absolutely amazing, talent and workrate. Regarding Canizares I remember being sad that he dropped out of the world cup due to dropping a bottle of aftershave on his foot cutting it open (if memory serves me correct) which resulted in casillas becoming the new spanish no1. His silver blonde hair always made him stand out.

Such a great club.

 

[ekestubbe]

Whenever i see a name pop up suddenly from years ago i always fear something bad has happened.

I had the exact same thought.

 

[carvajal]

There are several legends about the injury with the bottle of perfume.
-The perfume was actually alcohol and he stepped on it very drunk.
-He had tested positive for drugs and they decided to make up the story and one of the most widespread is that Baraja was shaving his balls
Anyway, good goalkeeper and great pundit

 

[flameinthesun]

There are several legends about the injury with the bottle of perfume.
-The perfume was actually alcohol and he stepped on it very drunk.
-He had tested positive for drugs and they decided to make up the story and one of the most widespread is that Baraja was shaving his balls
Anyway, good goalkeeper and great pundit

Looking back at it as an adult it would not surprise me if it was to do with alcohol or drugs!!

My brother supported Madrid at the time I supported Valencia so there was a couple year period where I watched all their games. In fact my favourite player other than Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, is the legend that is Guti! Wand of a left foot and just seemed so cool for a young me haha. We had some good tussles with your lot, still remember the champs league final! Such a shame where they have fallen now.

 

[sidsutton]

Valencia was my first true love, growing up as a kid in the caribbean as I didn't have access to English football on tv although I supported united. Grew up watching canizares, mendieta, vicente, albelda, kily gonzales, aimar. Followed them through 2 champs league final losses, Hector cuper to benitez! Then we got cable and the prem, so switched back to united. Still have a soft spot for them and they remain my second team.

That classic team was absolutely amazing, talent and workrate. Regarding Canizares I remember being sad that he dropped out of the world cup due to dropping a bottle of aftershave on his foot cutting it open (if memory serves me correct) which resulted in casillas becoming the new spanish no1. His silver blonde hair always made him stand out.

Such a great club.

Ruben Baraja, Claudio Lopez, Ariel Ortega. Great times.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Impossible to have a conversation on Canizares without somebody bringing up the legendary aftershave incident

 

[carvajal]

Looking back at it as an adult it would not surprise me if it was to do with alcohol or drugs!!

My brother supported Madrid at the time I supported Valencia so there was a couple year period where I watched all their games. In fact my favourite player other than Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, is the legend that is Guti! Wand of a left foot and just seemed so cool for a young me haha. We had some good tussles with your lot, still remember the champs league final! Such a shame where they have fallen now.

That Valencia was great. In addition to the players you mentioned (the whole squad really stood out) in the previous post, I would add Djukic and especially Ayala, one of my favorite defenders.

 

[Hansi Fick]

@carvajal can you make sense of the wikipedia edit because of which I bumped the thread?

As things go, I stumbled upon Canizares' wikipedia page today, and this is what I read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Cañizares

What the hell?
Can anyone tell me what this alludes to? Apparently was edited today

 

[carvajal]

@carvajal can you make sense of the wikipedia edit because of which I bumped the thread?

No idea, I don't know what they mean saying he is a sausage or the red card

 

[Yorkeontop]

I just remember him bawling his eyes out in '01 after they lost to Bayern in the CL final. I was 14 and I felt bad for that group of Valencia players.

 

[Helder-Carvalho]

Vitor Baía deserves a special mention too, won everything that a player can win at club level.

 

[kaiser1]

I put him in the category of Perruzi Kopke Taffarel Toldo Lehmann Pagluica Dida solid keepers not spectacular definitely not legendary

 

[Lay]

It still annoys me that Valencia never won the UCL. They are such a great club and deserve to have one UCL title at least.

 

[Niemans]

Whenever i see a name pop up suddenly from years ago i always fear something bad has happened.

It still annoys me that Valencia never won the UCL. They are such a great club and deserve to have one UCL title at least.

The 2 years at Celta were spectacular. The best goalkeeper in the aerial game I've ever seen.

 

[V.O.]

Never had him down as short for a keeper, but it seems he's 5'11", same size as Barthez. Didn't seem to have the weaknesses that would imply. Figured he'd be 6'2" or something.

 

[Hansi Fick]

No idea, I don't know what they mean saying he is a sausage or the red card

Did he maybe say something incendiary or critical about something related to one of his former clubs?

I translated it back via google because I figured that's what they did, and it results in "es un salchichón con mucho futuro en los aspectos deportivos de la vida, sabiendo cuándo sacar una bonita tarjeta roja a un ex del club".
Apparently google translate confuses shoes and sports?

 

[FootballHQ]

Valencia was my first true love, growing up as a kid in the caribbean as I didn't have access to English football on tv although I supported united. Grew up watching canizares, mendieta, vicente, albelda, kily gonzales, aimar. Followed them through 2 champs league final losses, Hector cuper to benitez! Then we got cable and the prem, so switched back to united. Still have a soft spot for them and they remain my second team.

That classic team was absolutely amazing, talent and workrate. Regarding Canizares I remember being sad that he dropped out of the world cup due to dropping a bottle of aftershave on his foot cutting it open (if memory serves me correct) which resulted in casillas becoming the new spanish no1. His silver blonde hair always made him stand out.

Such a great club.

Yeah was a great team. When you talk of teams who should've won a CL during that era I'd rate them ahead of Arsenal and Deportivo La Coruna.

In 99-00 they comfortably dispatched Lazio and Barca over two legs but final v Real Madrid was too much for them.

Should've won the 00-01 final v Bayern Munich though, weren't they leading the penalty shoot out and then Khan made a miracle save with his legs.

Still they won a couple of la ligas and Uefa cup under Benitez so didn't do too badly in the end. Players like Mendieta and Claudio Lopez couldn't quite replicate their incredible form at Lazio.

 

[carvajal]

Did he maybe say something incendiary or critical about something related to one of his former clubs?

I translated it back via google because I figured that's what they did, and it results in "es un salchichón con mucho futuro en los aspectos deportivos de la vida, sabiendo cuándo sacar una bonita tarjeta roja a un ex del club".
Apparently google translate confuses shoes and sports?

Yes, confuse shoe and sports. Perhaps with a red card he refers to the criticism he exercises now that he is a commentator on the radio.
In the past he was quite critical with Lim and the Valencia project and said that Koeman was the worst coach in his career but was not so incendiary or viral

 

[GifLord]

Honourable mention for Sebastian Frey also. Great keepers

Wasn't he prone to making silly mistakes?

 

[Caesar2290]

Francesco Toldo needs to be in here. Wanted him at United after Schmiechel retired. Good thing we got VDS in the end.

 

[flameinthesun]

Yeah was a great team. When you talk of teams who should've won a CL during that era I'd rate them ahead of Arsenal and Deportivo La Coruna.

In 99-00 they comfortably dispatched Lazio and Barca over two legs but final v Real Madrid was too much for them.

Should've won the 00-01 final v Bayern Munich though, weren't they leading the penalty shoot out and then Khan made a miracle save with his legs.

Still they won a couple of la ligas and Uefa cup under Benitez so didn't do too badly in the end. Players like Mendieta and Claudio Lopez couldn't quite replicate their incredible form at Lazio.

I was between 8 and 11 when supporting them so wasn't fully aware of the player's history pre valencia. I think I remember claudio Lopez being okay but always thought mendieta was one of their best players. Maybe I didn't have the reference of his performances at his previous club.

Deportivo is a good shout, their team was very strong. It's amazing to think of a time when Barca were kind of like the spurs or arsenal of the league during that time. They had a great game vs valencia where the winner from memory would qualify for the champs league and Rivaldo hit a tasty bicycle kick to win it. That era up until Pep for me was the most fun la liga has been.

 

[jesperjaap]

I put him in the category of Perruzi Kopke Taffarel Toldo Lehmann Pagluica Dida solid keepers not spectacular definitely not legendary

Agree, though woudlnt put Dida on the list personally.

The keeper I always thought has been criminally under rated was Sebastioano Rossi. Over a decade at the club with a whole host of unbelievable players in front of him for Milan when they really were several great great sides. With all the star players though and a lack of caps for his country, never gets mentioned in keeper discussions likesome of the other Italian keepers you mention, but he was for me better than any on that list

 

[groovyalbert]

Timing didn't help. Played when goalkeeping standards were arguably the highest they'd ever been.

Schmeichel
Kahn
Buffon
Toldo
Van Der Sar
Cech
Casillas
Peruzzi
Seaman
Dida

Levels were insane, and there are probably more to add to that list. Mad to think that all the above's careers overlapped.

 

[crossy1686]

Wasn't he prone to making silly mistakes?

Not that I remember, maybe later in his career. Didn’t he do a spell in England? Or did I make that up?

Nevermind, I was thinking about someone else. I think Frey was pretty reliable

 

[Dancfc]

Not that I remember, maybe later in his career. Didn’t he do a spell in England? Or did I make that up?

Nevermind, I was thinking about someone else. I think Frey was pretty reliable

He didn't play in England but there was some rumours we were looking into him when he had problems with Koeman and we were down to our third choice keeper.

www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-cech-canizares-719610.amp

The rumours never really grew into anything strong and quickly petered out.

 

[ZolaWasMagic]

Vitor Baía deserves a special mention too, won everything that a player can win at club level.

he was a brilliant keeper. So many top keepers back in the day Jorge Campos another with his outrageous home made jerseys.

Pagliuca. Seb Rossi Milan. Coupet. Bodo Ilgner. Ruud Hesp was decent for a spell. Songo'o Deportivo. Kopke. Roa. Zubizarreta.

List is endless.