QUOTE (dst @ Aug 19 2007, 12:08 PM)
You are right. Dida had shown flashes of brilliance... Storari never exceeded the normal!
It's no guarantee that once a keeper hits 30, their skills will show improvement; they need precious playing time as well. Storari was a good goalie for a lower-level team in Messina but never was able to assert himself with Milan, so he wasn't really going to have a breakout season to begin with.
Dida was already playing well (maybe not world class, but darn close) with Corinthians and he was still in his twenties. I do think, though, that he really hit his stride when he permanently returned to Milan, and the rest, as they say, is history. Buffon and Cech were already established stars in their early 20s, while other youngsters like Akinfeyev and Amelia still have a ways to go before they can
really be considered among the elite.
I think it's just about being able to use what the Good Lord gave you instead of an age factor.