That is the view of England goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence who witnessed Green's South African pain at first hand.
West Ham's stopper was vilified after fumbling Clint Dempsey's soft equaliser for the States.
He was axed for the next match against Algeria and the remaining World Cup games as David James took over.Green is back in the squad for next Tuesday's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro - the first time he has figured in manager Fabio Capello's plans since the USA nightmare.And Clemence fully understood why Green had to be removed from the firing line.
He said: "It was Fabio's decision. You felt it was the right thing to do."There was so much pressure on the boy that if, God forbid, he had made another mistake then he would have been in tatters for the rest of his life."Green, 30, made a gesture towards the Press box after West Ham's 1-0 win over Spurs last month, indicating how he felt about the criticism he received.But Clemence insists Green is a strong character and that he would never have walked away from the Three Lions.England's goalkeeping guru added: "I didn't think he would retire after the World Cup. He will welcome coming back into this squad with open arms and see it as a challenge."It's not that long ago he had No 6 on his gloves and he ended up playing the World Cup only two years later."He's not old where goalkeepers are concerned.
"Good goalkeepers play until they're 40 so a lot can happen."He's a strong character and only a strong character would have done what he did after the USA game."A lot of players would have skulked away and not wanted to speak to anybody. But he was strong enough to come out and say 'Right this is it. I know I made a mistake and we get on with it'."Obviously over the next three or four days Fabio decided to go with David but Rob's a strong lad who will come back from that."He's one of those lads you get in football who do everything they possibly can to be the best they can. There's no reason why he couldn't be England's No 1 again.
"The problem he has now is Joe Hart has come in, Ben Foster is playing regular football at Birmingham, while Scott Carson is also playing well for West Brom - so there is a lot of competition.
"Obviously Rob is a good goalkeeper, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the World Cup in the first place.
"It was a difficult summer for him. It was a difficult start to the season which you can understand because there was an awful lot of pressure on him. But during the last two games he has played very well and looks to be getting back to where he was before the World Cup.
"All of a sudden from not having a lot we've got four keepers who are going to be battling it out.
"Joe is the one in possession and, having been there myself, possession is nine-tenths of the law in England goalkeeping."
Hart did not play in the World Cup at all.
But Clemence says the Manchester City ace has made major improvements in a short space of time.
He said: "It's in Joe's decision making where I've seen the biggest difference from the start of last season to where he is now.
"There is still the occasional blip - and one was not so long ago. But they will hopefully be fewer and further apart because that's what the great ones do."
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