As a seriously limited outfield player I never felt it my place to tell a goalkeeper what to do, after all I was never crazy enough to give it a go. But in some extreme circumstances outfield players have to put in a shift between the sticks, Mamadou Sakho's was not a great one.
Goalkeeper is the only specialised position on the football field. Anyone can fill in at left-back when really needed and plenty of managers have thrown a defender up-front in the dying minutes of a game.
But in between the sticks only those people who have donned the gloves on a regular basis should really stand in between the sticks because most of us mere mortals show ourselves up if we ever attempt it.
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John O'Shea once had a very short spell in goal at the end of a Manchester United game with Tottenham Hotspurs. Fellow Irishman Robbie Keane was shown up when the man of every position tackled Keane as the striker tried to round O'Shea.
Was there a position John O'Shea didn't play in for Manchester United? Image: PA
More recently Ludogorets defender Cosmin Moti went in net for a penalty shoot-out that resulted in the Bulgarian side making the Champions League after he made a penalty save.
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One defender who is less adept in net is Liverpool's unwanted centre-back Mamadou Sakho who once went in net for PSG on the last day of the season with his team already 3-0 up to face a spot kick, he wasn't great:
Credit: Canal +
The moment in 2013 came after goalkeeper Alphonse Areola was subbed off at half-time, only for his replacement to be sent off with seven minutes left of the game after a challenge in the box.
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As you can see Sakho wasn't exactly that interested in saving the penalty.
Perhaps he should have taken hints from Gareth Bale after the Welshman's keeping skills in Spurs training a few years back:
Credit: Spurs
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Sakho is currently in limbo with his defensive career, his time as a goalie is well over, as he hopes that someone will pay the £30 million that Liverpool want for his services.
The price means that Crystal Palace, where he impressed on loan last season, can't afford to sign the Frenchman.
Wherever he ends up they won't be using him as a backup goalkeeper.
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