WEBVTT
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Welcome back to Catching Up With EvoGK.
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I'm incredibly excited today, to welcome none other than Simon Moore to the show.
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So Simon's one of those players every squad needs He's calm, experienced, trusted and by all accounts, from what I see on social media, a massive presence behind the scenes at Sunderland AFC And he's had a proper career, too.
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Simon came through Southampton's Academy and he played senior football with clubs including Brentford, Cardiff city, Sheffield United, Coventry City, and now Sunderland and has been in and around some huge football environments across championship and Premier League.
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But what makes Simon really interesting for this episode isn't just the number of clubs or the level he's played at.
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It's the interesting role that he now plays at Sunderland.
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Simon's been part of a brilliant goalkeeper setup, working every day alongside Robin Roefs, Melkor Elborg, two of the most talked about young keepers in the Premier League and inside a squad that has just had An unbelievable season.
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I'm trying not to get too outta control here he's also, congratulations, just agreed a one year extension, which I think says a lot about the trust that the club has in him, not only as a keeper, but as a professional, a leader, and someone who helps set the to in the building.
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And now with Sunderland now heading into European football next season after qualify in for the Europa League, that role becomes even more interesting, more games, bigger stages, higher standards, more pressure on the hall squad to be ready.
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And now with Simon starting to move more into the coaching side of goalkeeping and having just run his first EvoGK goalkeeper camp, this feels like the perfect time to sit down with him, because for young Keepers, this is a chance to hear from someone who's lived the game properly, the highs, the setbacks, changing rooms, the pressure, the training, ground standards and the reality of being ready even when you're not playing, and the quiet work that helps team succeed Today's episode is between the Sticks with Simon Moore Simon.
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It's, a big, it's a big writeup.
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Welcome to the show
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Cheers.
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I mate, I was, yeah, taking it all in there mate, to be fair.
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Taking it back.
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Yeah.
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It's a hell, I think, don't think I've ever had a better intro, to be honest with you honest with you.
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So thank you.
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Thank you.
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I think you've earned it, right?
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I think we were talking before the show started around, when you first signed for the club and you're a bit of an unknown for all the experience that you brought to the club.
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You were a bit of an unknown and that, moment when you had to step in for Patto(Anthony Patterson) being injured at the last minute and the amazing few games that you had to do that.
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Really, I think it helps show everyone who's watching this, if you think back to that time, you weren't expecting to have to go into goal and it just thrust upon you.
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You've gotta be ready at every moment to be able to perform.
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Yeah
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before we get into your journey too much though, I wanna know, who was your goalkeeping idol when you were growing up?
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it's a bit of a different one really.
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my dad used to run a local football team on the Isle of Wight called Brading Town.
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and there was a goalkeeper there called Steve Lawton and he was my idol.
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And I used to love watching
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lts.
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I loved him, still love him now.
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he gave me his gloves and stuff and I literally, he was, the best because he was one of the nicest blokes ever as well.
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my dad was a goalkeeper, didn't get to see my dad play much.
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He went into management very early.
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and then later did play a few games and everyone used to tell me how good your dad is.
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Your dad's a really good goalie, Your dad's a really good goalie, It was only when I watched him on four Christ he used a blooming good goalie like But yeah, I was lucky, very lucky that I say Steve Lawton goalkeeper idol.
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Very lucky to have a dad who was very supportive and taught me a hell of a lot So yeah.
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But in terms of watching and following someone, then yeah, I'd love to say lords
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I think that's interesting.
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do you think that's what inspired, is that what inspired you to be a goalkeeper?
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Yeah, Or is it
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Yeah, I'd say it was because I went down to Braden and like I used to stand behind his goal.
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I just wanted to be like him and I remember him giving me his big Reusch gloves and I just loved everything about it.
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And it's pretty weird for young people to want to go in goal.
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But that's all I wanted.
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Like I just wanted to be a goalkeeper.
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So from about the age of 5, 6 years old, that was it, i just wanted to playing in goal
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that's interesting, cause there's a lot of the keepers that I've spoken to who were just happy playing outfield until one day somebody phones sick or couldn't make it to the game or whatever and got thrown in and thought, actually I'm gonna stick with this, so you've always intended being a keeper
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What
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was the moment where you got first picked up?
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What, how were you, what were
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do So, I've obviously grew up in the Isle of Wight.
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and it's very difficult to get picked up over there because you have to get a boat to the mainland.
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So when I was, I didn't start playing for a team until I was 11 maybe.
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I used to play for a team called Brading and new church youth.
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and yeah, I thought I was pretty good.
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our team used to get battered every week.
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We did.
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And you know what, I look back now and that was the best thing that could have happened for me because the, my mates who were playing in, teams that won 20, 25 Nil every week were stood on the goalpost, sat there for most of the game having nothing to do.
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Yeah, I was getting peppered week in, week out.
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And if we kept it down to 5, that was a win.
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So at the time it was disappointing.
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cause I'm thinking we're losing week in, week out.
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But I look back now and I'd advise any young goalie go and play for a team that's not the best because you will have a lot to do and you'll learn a lot when you are younger.
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yeah.
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But yeah, when I first actually got picked up professionally was when I was 12.
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I went over to Southampton and like I say, so fortunate to have a supportive family that Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday used to have to go over on the boat.
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My dad had finished work at half two.
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Drive me to the boat, get the boat over, get a taxi or a friend would pick us up, take us to the training ground, get back 11, 12 o'clock at night.
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so yeah, that was, pretty, it was pretty Unique.
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Unique experience
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sounds incredibly tiring.
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It was.
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And I look back now and it's like now I see the parents taking the kids today and how much support goes into it.
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And I'm so lucky to have the mum and dad that I do because they give me everything.
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They literally gimme everything.
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They give everything for me and my brother to be happy.
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And yeah, I wouldn't be in the position I'm today if it wasn't for them
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going off on a slight tangent from the questions I've told you, I'll ask you, but, was there a point where I guess for a lot of parents, they worry that you're not keeping up with your academic studies'cause you that's a lot of hours, it's a lot of times a lot of commitment.
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You can be tired.
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Did they ever worry that football might not be your thing and you're not really focusing too much on your academics?
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Or I think, do you know what I mean?
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This sums'em up.
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So they never put any pressure on me, never.
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When I played, when I was at school, I quit school at, I finished my school at 16 and I went into 6th form for 3 months.
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I wasn't enjoying it.
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And I said, I turned around to'em, I said, oh, I wanna be a golfer.
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So they said, go on in, go for it.
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So they let me just play golf for 6 months and when I realised I'm not gonna be a golfer, I went and got a job.
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But the fact that they just didn't put ever put any pressure on me to force me down any avenues.
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Just always so supportive in everything And that's, I say that's why I'm so lucky.
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And my brother as well
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It's incredible.
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I guess one day some of the audience watching this might, might realise how lucky they've been as well so you've had a long career across some really big clubs, some amazing dressing rooms What do you think kept you in the game for that length of time?
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I
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I think it's just something in you.
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It's, I'm very chilled as a person.
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but I was very driven.
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I'm very driven.
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And when I was younger, all I wanted to do was be a footballer.
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I always wanted to be a footballer and I would do anything it took to be a footballer.
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And I think that I worked really hard when I did get the opportunity at Brentford at 19, I'd be, I'd go for runs before training.
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I'd do gym, I'd train, I'd kick balls after training, I'd stay behind and I would literally do anything to make myself the best I possibly could be.
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And I think that all that hard work in my early years of the career has allowed me to be where I am now.
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And don't get me wrong, there are times now where I feel a little bit burnt out and I've been playing for, I think this, I'm not too sure.
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I think it might be my 18th season.
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And there are times where you're like, like you do feel that burnout.
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But I really did sacrifice a lot when I was younger to be here.
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And I think now I've, I'm able to get that balance really.
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I enjoy myself.
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I think people probably know, I like to go out, I like to have a beer.
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I like to go to music festivals.
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I like to enjoy myself.
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But on the training pitch, when we're playing a small sided game, I still wanna win.
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It's a personal pride.
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I was actually speaking to, to granit about it, in the gym just before we broke up.
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And we were talking about, so obviously we're a little bit older now when he's saying that he's still got that drive.
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And I said to him, it's like when we do shooting drills, I still wanna save everything.
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Still something in you that just, you got that competitive side, refuses to quit.
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You refuse, just to quit.
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And my next challenge now is play as long as you can.
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Yeah Play as long as you can and when you can't play anymore, because you only get one career.
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So I might as well carry on playing.
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And then one of the times for I to go into coaching, I'll do that.
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So the drivers now see where you can get to
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Yeah How long can.
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you keep it going and keep at the top I think it's been an incredible journey.
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you've been through some amazing moments of no doubt.
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what's, probably the hardest moment that you remember through your career where you maybe, doubted whether you wanted to
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continue, you didn't?
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I had a lot of self-doubt when I was younger.
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I used to overthink things a lot, even still overthink things a little bit now.
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But that was one thing.
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I'd be going into games and I'll be out in the pitch thinking about like where my hands were, where my feet were and overthinking technique.
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But I'm the same with everything.
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My goal, my darts, my cricket, every, I'd always be thinking about technique and I was probably my own worst enemy.
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And that's another reason probably why I've gone into coaching, is because I don't want kids to feel how I felt when I was playing.
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I want them to go out on that pitch and to be free and to feel like they're the best goalies in the world because I've had, my best games have been when I've not when I've not thought.
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It sounds weird, but I've just gone, you know what, just keep the ball out the back of the net and then you end up making saves where you look back and you go, how did I do that?
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Because you didn't think about it.
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The moment you start thinking about it, the ball's already gone past you.
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It's just muscle memory.
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So
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I want to, that is my challenge of teaching the young kids do all the technical stuff.
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It's like being on the driving range, mess out with it, test the way your hands are, stand at 4 yards, stand at 2 yards.
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But when you're across that white line, just keep the ball out the back of the net.
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And I think that's a very underrated skill
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Yeah Doing what it takes.
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And when we talk before about melker's Stand in header against, was it Leed's game when he
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did, I think it was Port Vale, wasn't it?
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It was Port Vale in the FA cup.
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Yeah.
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Like Lukey's, hit him a monster back pass and he's leapt like a salmon to header over the bar.
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And that is, that's goalkeeping.
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And do you know what the improvisation there?
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He can't have been thinking about technique.
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he can't, he just been thinking, he looks at the ball and going, I just keeps out the back of the neck.
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Desperately needed to keep headed it away.
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And, yeah, see Lukey sort of chuckling back and that, that's Lukey in a nutshell.
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He is, he's a top, human being coming back to
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Sunderland then, you signed in 2024 just before Regis arrived.
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what
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was it like when you first walked into the building?
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What was your first impressions?
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I'd, I've played against Sunderland the year before.
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I played against Sunderland like before that, but never at the stadium
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alike
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of light and I knew what a big club there were.
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I had opportunities to go elsewhere but when Sunderland come in, I, they were in the championship, huge club.
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I thought, what a great opportunity.
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And, to be honest, I didn't know what to expect because I think they'd finished 17th, 18th from the championship the season before.
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And the club was in a little bit of a little bit of a sticky sport.
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I didn't think they had a manager for 3 months, 4 months.
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And I got to work with Doddsy at the start and I really liked Doddsy.
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I think he's a top man and he's an excellent coach.
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And yeah, I was sad to see him leave, but obviously he needs to go down his own path and, but yeah, it was, I imagine it was difficult for him taking over and uncertainty and no manager and the fans are thinking, Christ, what's going on?
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'cause obviously sunderland have had difficult periods before and then, yeah, so I come up here and my job was to help Patto just to be there for him and just be the older experience pro.
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And he's ended up becoming a really good friend and absolutely loved working with him And I'm not sure what the future holds for him, but he's a top goalie and a top lad as well.
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yeah.
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But did I think we'd be in Europe when I signed a couple of years ago?
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probably not to be honest with you.
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I don't think anybody did.
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That season you are talking about, that's the season I first started taking my young lad when we first started going to games and I remember we, our first game was Bristol City.
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it would've been Remembrance Day that year.
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I never
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got a chance to go with my dad.
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we'd never been able to afford it as a family until then And I was just like you know what we're gonna go.
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And it wasn't the greatest end of the season.
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I was like, I remember putting my arm around him going, this your school, at school, they teach you about resilience and being a sunderland fan teaches you about resilience.
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Yeah.
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You get used to this.
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This is what we do.
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We do really well at the beginning of the season.
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We do awful at the end of the season and then I feel like I've just lied to him'cause we've just been on this amazing rollercoaster ever since.
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what was it like inside the dressing room after the Chelsea game mate I've gotta ask
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Do you know what mate?
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It was like, it is just it was in Incre.
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I think it was almost disbelief really for a lot of people.
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But we've got players who have played, we've got players at the World Cup, we've got players that played Champion's League, to them, I think it's normality and it's what they expect.
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And when you're signing players like Granit, their standards are so like that that is just the norm for them And bringing characters like that in obviously brings everyone else up.
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And, yeah, it's incredible.
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But yeah, to come in at the start of the season in the championship, even the season before to get promoted to the Premier League, I thought it would be up there.
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I really did, because Sunderland's such a big club.
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I did think that we'd be up there, but did I think that the way that the season would end, would end?
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No.
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In my whole career that Coventry game was I must've watched Ballard's header 50 plus times like the feeling and I've got a lot of friends at Coventry, so when the game finished, I went and spoke to them and they were obviously devastated.
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And it's football's a brutal sport.
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And that for them, fair play to them for going this season and getting promoted because to pick themself up off the canvas and do what they've done is a credit to him but for that moment, I just remember turning around to my mum dad looking up oh my God and then 2 weeks, wait, later at Wembley.
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Yeah One nil down.
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And again, one of my old clubs, Shefield United, like absolutely loved Sheffield United to pieces.
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And when we went one nil down and then two nil down, I just sat there and thought, you know what, I'm just gonna enjoy the day.
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Hope mum and dad have a nice time.
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Like I probably won't be at Wembley again.
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I'm 35 years old.
00:16:03.475 --> 00:16:03.596
and
00:16:03.732 --> 00:16:08.383
the goal got disallowed, Eli scored and then the rest is history in it.
00:16:08.533 --> 00:16:10.393
Tommy, Super Tommy Watson.
00:16:11.802 --> 00:16:13.633
what a magical, day.
00:16:13.663 --> 00:16:15.732
And, yeah, experiences.
00:16:15.732 --> 00:16:16.572
It's always nice.
00:16:16.572 --> 00:16:22.513
I've been so fortunate in my career to live amazing experiences at every club I've been at.
00:16:22.513 --> 00:16:25.153
So feel very fortunate to have done that.
00:16:26.245 --> 00:16:32.096
So then we touched on it at the beginning, but I follow the YouTube account for Sunderland and obviously there's lot, there's always lots.
00:16:32.336 --> 00:16:41.696
The marketing's incredible but there's always lots of interviews with the players and time again, I've been really surprised when guys like Luke have been asked, who do you look up to in the club?
00:16:41.696 --> 00:16:42.655
Who's your role model?
00:16:42.655 --> 00:16:48.265
Who's your leader that you see And I've always fully expected Luke to say Granit or something like that.
00:16:48.265 --> 00:16:51.985
And actually probably about 75% of the time the answer is you.
00:16:53.426 --> 00:16:54.625
and I think that speaks volumes.
00:16:54.625 --> 00:16:56.426
Like people don't need to speak for themselves like
00:16:56.442 --> 00:16:56.832
that,
00:16:57.576 --> 00:17:07.208
that that un requested sort of support, is that something that you've always had, like that impact on people or is it something you worked on
00:17:07.563 --> 00:17:09.333
No, it's not anything I've worked on.
00:17:09.333 --> 00:17:16.323
I'm just me, I just can't help being me and I just wanna I think I've always liked helping people.
00:17:16.383 --> 00:17:17.522
And before football,
00:17:17.557 --> 00:17:17.583
I
00:17:18.542 --> 00:17:25.212
before I went to Brentford, so I went to Brentford on trial and I was a teaching assistant at a special needs school on the Isle of Wight.
00:17:26.073 --> 00:17:29.702
cause my football career wasn't really going the way I wanted it to.
00:17:29.702 --> 00:17:32.883
And I thought I'd probably have to go to university and become a teacher.
00:17:32.883 --> 00:17:43.173
So the first step was to become a teaching assistant as such And I got offered this job at a school in the isle of wight to help in the special needs unit.
00:17:43.173 --> 00:17:51.542
And I think I've just always liked helping and as I've gone on throughout my career, I've been number 2, a fair amount of it.
00:17:51.542 --> 00:18:06.002
And I've been number 2 to some incredible goalkeepers, Wojciech Szczęsny, Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale, David Marshall, like I try, Ben Wilson when I was number two to him at the season of his life.
00:18:06.782 --> 00:18:08.133
but I just want them to do well.
00:18:08.403 --> 00:18:13.143
I want other people to do well and if they do well, the team does well and everyone does well.
00:18:13.143 --> 00:18:16.502
So I get you have to have the competitive environment.
00:18:16.502 --> 00:18:17.252
Of course you do.
00:18:17.823 --> 00:18:22.803
But for me, I just can't help being in me really and just want to help.
00:18:22.803 --> 00:18:33.663
So I think that's probably why, another reason that I will go into coaching because it probably just pass on all my experience to and it's nice to see people do well
00:18:33.907 --> 00:18:44.167
I think when you say you go into coaching I think you're doing yourself a disservice Simon cause I think you've probably been doing it most of your career already, just in case of having the qualifications behind it to be able to make it official.
00:18:44.167 --> 00:18:48.893
But I, tend to find that there are people out there who just naturally coaches Yeah,
00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:49.980
yeah.
00:18:50.018 --> 00:18:50.798
comes naturally to them
00:18:51.060 --> 00:18:56.191
And, I've worked with a lot of goalkeeper coaches as well and I'd like to just pick the best bits out of each one.
00:18:56.401 --> 00:18:59.280
I really have worked with some unreal coaches.
00:18:59.280 --> 00:19:05.580
I can't obviously name'them all, but they've all helped me to get to where I'm today.
00:19:05.580 --> 00:19:12.601
And, yeah, my current coach, Cuts, he's top tier, top human and top coach as well.
00:19:12.601 --> 00:19:15.451
So I think that for me, I always look at the, person first.
00:19:15.931 --> 00:19:20.461
I always think if you're a good person, then that's good enough for me and everything else can come with it
00:19:21.337 --> 00:19:27.998
So then for the young Keeps who watching, like from the outside perspective, football's all about Saturday, Sunday.
00:19:28.688 --> 00:19:32.501
it's all about that one match, but there's a whole goalkeeping department.
00:19:32.887 --> 00:19:36.188
Alright So what does a week in the goalkeeping department look like?
00:19:36.188 --> 00:19:37.357
How does it, how do you prepare for the
00:19:37.381 --> 00:19:37.621
weekend?
00:19:37.657 --> 00:20:00.181
Yeah, so again, that's something like, I'll just go for example, this year, like we've got a very tight union and again, the season before with like me, patto, Blondy, we had a really good union together And, again, I didn't even mention being number 2 to Patto'cause it was, it wasn't that long ago, but he's an exceptional goalkeeper.
00:20:00.601 --> 00:20:03.391
And I wanted Patto to do well, I really did.
00:20:05.340 --> 00:20:07.411
but you work together day in, day out.
00:20:07.590 --> 00:20:15.480
So for me, I don't see the point in having any malice against each other because you have to work with these boys every day.
00:20:16.111 --> 00:20:22.290
So if you try and be the best version of you, try and be the best you can be and support the other person.
00:20:22.290 --> 00:20:30.090
Because I've in a 1, i've been in a 2, i've been a 3 and one day, if you're 1 now you might be a 2 one day and then you might be a 3.
00:20:30.101 --> 00:20:30.871
Yeah So
00:20:31.560 --> 00:20:34.230
just be the best version of you and just help the others.
00:20:34.260 --> 00:20:38.777
And I think that's something that's probably stood me in good stead for throughout my career.
00:20:39.076 --> 00:20:52.356
How would you say that, we talked earlier about you stepping in, in the midst of that season, how do you stay ready and sharp mentally switched on when you know you are not the 1st choice keeper?
00:20:53.178 --> 00:20:57.468
Yeah, and that's something that probably has come a little bit more natural to me as I've got older.
00:20:57.468 --> 00:21:03.588
I think that I worked incredibly hard as a 2 and a 3 when in my younger days.
00:21:04.159 --> 00:21:11.959
And sometimes it probably went against me if I'm being honest with you, because when you did get your opportunity, you might not play for 3 months.
00:21:12.409 --> 00:21:18.259
And then when you did play, if it didn't go well, you'd go, oh, for God sake, why did I do absolutely everything?
00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:20.388
Like I did everything so rigidly.
00:21:20.989 --> 00:21:25.189
And I'm not saying don't work hard and don't do the right things because I still do that.
00:21:25.189 --> 00:21:27.259
I still do the right things and work hard.
00:21:27.739 --> 00:21:29.689
But I'm saying just be a little bit kinder to yourself.
00:21:29.749 --> 00:21:40.969
Don't put as much pressure on those games then, because if, for me it was like, oh I know I'm playing in the carling cup'cause the 1st choice isn't gonna play And all I could think about was that game.
00:21:41.358 --> 00:21:44.148
And it sometimes it'd go well, sometimes it wouldn't.
00:21:44.479 --> 00:21:55.459
So for now I'll be like, If I know I'm playing in a month's time, I'll go, do you know what, I'll do everything I can and I'll just go out there and I'll just try and keep ball back of net.
00:21:55.489 --> 00:21:56.088
I'll try and enjoy it.
00:21:56.088 --> 00:21:57.019
I'll still live my life.
00:21:57.348 --> 00:21:59.148
I'll still go out with my friends.
00:21:59.148 --> 00:22:00.108
I still enjoy myself.
00:22:00.108 --> 00:22:01.699
I'll work hard when I need to work hard.
00:22:01.703 --> 00:22:01.884
Yeah.
00:22:02.118 --> 00:22:04.219
But I'm just a little bit more relaxed now.
00:22:04.219 --> 00:22:09.019
And I think that's one of the biggest, things that I've learned as I've got older
00:22:09.679 --> 00:22:22.098
I think that's, something that maybe a lot of younger goalkeepers are yet to experience is that how do you be a teammate Because it's not just about being a goalkeeper, it's not just about being an outfield player it's about building that team.
00:22:22.098 --> 00:22:25.219
And I guess you don't get to that until you're early mid-teens.
00:22:25.219 --> 00:22:25.659
At least
00:22:25.959 --> 00:22:32.659
something that my dad taught me was like when they had the team on the island, Braden, the team spirit was always amazing.
00:22:32.898 --> 00:22:37.578
And if there was like a social event to support a club, my dad would make sure every single player was there.
00:22:37.608 --> 00:22:42.798
Even if you stayed for 1 or 2 beers, like you be there because you are all teammates.
00:22:43.098 --> 00:22:47.239
And if you get on well together and do things together that the success comes.
00:22:47.239 --> 00:23:06.679
And for me, the biggest thing about success is team spirit It really has, you could have 11 individuals who are unbelievable but not successful and I'd sooner rather have 11 good men together because 11 together is stronger than 11 ones on their own Yeah
00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.028
Yeah.
00:23:08.459 --> 00:23:16.298
and I've always said that you see a lot of the bigger teams building an entire team around one central superstar.
00:23:16.489 --> 00:23:19.608
And I often wonder how, the mechanics on that work.
00:23:19.909 --> 00:23:24.259
if you are there, your roles to support that one person, pass to messi,
00:23:25.436 --> 00:23:25.557
Yeah.
00:23:26.179 --> 00:23:27.108
living in the shadow of that
00:23:27.446 --> 00:23:27.517
right?
00:23:27.576 --> 00:23:34.977
Messi is pretty good, but I can imagine that the, I often obviously never met him, but I can imagine that everyone gets one of him and stuff.
00:23:34.977 --> 00:23:44.817
But I do see a lot of teams that do struggle at times who have world worldclass players, but don't have the success, but also think you need a good manager to create that environment as well.
00:23:44.906 --> 00:23:45.027
Yeah.
00:23:45.176 --> 00:23:50.007
So I think obviously the manager creates that environment and then you get a good dressing room.
00:23:50.007 --> 00:24:02.363
The dressing room tends to run itself and yeah, so I've been part of some incredible dressing rooms and I've always found the ones that get on and do stuff together are the ones that have the success.
00:24:02.861 --> 00:24:06.181
we've talked about pretty much everybody except the man of the moment, Robin Roefs.
00:24:06.820 --> 00:24:18.038
this season's had an absolutely incredible season considering and I think what a lot of people forget con when they watch Robin play is that he's still pretty much in his breakout season.
00:24:18.131 --> 00:24:22.601
Like he, what he'd only played a few, like one season senior level prior to
00:24:22.604 --> 00:24:22.804
joining.
00:24:22.804 --> 00:24:25.003
what Robin's done this season is incredible.
00:24:25.003 --> 00:24:33.794
And to be honest with you, when he first signed, I think there's probably a few raised eyebrows about oof, not quite sure about this lad'cause probably not heard of him.
00:24:33.794 --> 00:24:33.973
And
00:24:34.310 --> 00:24:36.105
we were all loyal to Patto'cause he's a Sunderland lad right?
00:24:36.884 --> 00:24:52.094
And, also as well, Patto for me probably deserved to start the season because he'd had a really good season before he was man the Match Wembley and it was probably his shirt to lose and Patto can feel very hard done by that.
00:24:52.094 --> 00:24:55.253
He didn't get to start the season and that's no fault of Robins.
00:24:55.253 --> 00:24:55.844
Robin got
00:24:55.871 --> 00:24:56.290
Yeah Robin
00:24:56.413 --> 00:25:00.644
the opportunity to play and he's absolutely grasped it with both hands.
00:25:01.574 --> 00:25:10.364
and again another really nice lad top, top lad, real calm, real, real nice demeanour about him.
00:25:10.364 --> 00:25:12.584
And, very competitive as well.
00:25:12.614 --> 00:25:13.544
Very competitive.
00:25:13.544 --> 00:25:15.134
He played head tennis, you play table tennis.
00:25:15.134 --> 00:25:16.243
He wants to win everything.
00:25:16.243 --> 00:25:18.973
But I'm really happy for him because he deserves it.
00:25:18.973 --> 00:25:26.653
Like he's a lovely lad and he's gonna go on to have an incredible career I said I couldn't, be happy for him I have
00:25:27.018 --> 00:25:41.891
I've no doubt whatsoever I think we're very fortunate to have captured him at the level that he has and I hope, we hang on to him for as long as we can, but I've no doubt that he will migrate to somewhere, somewhere else and when he does, he'll always be a Mackem at heart, right?
00:25:41.891 --> 00:25:43.326
Like we, we adopt, I mean
00:25:43.384 --> 00:25:44.180
he's Christ.
00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:46.075
He couldn't have, he couldn't have asked for a better season, could he?
00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.410
He couldn't have asked for a better start to his career here.
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.210
and
00:25:50.615 --> 00:25:53.230
it's, funny, we were watching England pit at the World Cup.
00:25:54.191 --> 00:26:04.780
me and my son were watching on the telly and we were watching it and Pickford made an amazing save And my, son's there ready to shout ROEEEEEEFS you just can't help it.
00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:05.800
It's just in now.
00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:06.611
It's just part of it.
00:26:06.611 --> 00:26:10.000
And I think, I pity whoever comes next after Robin to be fair.
00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.645
I'd like to think we keep him.
00:26:10.826 --> 00:26:11.405
But you know
00:26:11.463 --> 00:26:17.374
what that, and that's as a goalkeeper, that is something that is really hard when you are following someone.
00:26:17.493 --> 00:26:18.753
Yeah Who has done so well.
00:26:19.564 --> 00:26:24.933
You have to be so mentally strong to come in after, because it's really, I've been there myself.
00:26:25.384 --> 00:26:30.213
Again say, I followed the footsteps of some incredible goalies.
00:26:30.634 --> 00:26:35.943
And that was also the difficulty of being a number 2 is your goalkeeper, say Deano at sheffield United.
00:26:36.574 --> 00:26:37.364
Everyone loved Deano.
00:26:37.743 --> 00:26:42.963
As soon as he touched the ball, Deano, and I'm thinking, I'm playing in the cup thinking, right?
00:26:42.963 --> 00:26:43.023
Yeah.
00:26:43.804 --> 00:26:45.334
He's thinking I have to be a 10 outta 10.
00:26:46.229 --> 00:26:51.423
But a again, that is mentally goalkeeper's always a mental challenge.
00:26:51.933 --> 00:26:54.213
And, that's something that, that you have to deal with
00:26:54.536 --> 00:27:03.529
and so what would you say that young play, young goalkeepers, who are watching Robin should take on board beyond the amazing saves that we see?
00:27:03.955 --> 00:27:04.226
what
00:27:05.644 --> 00:27:09.575
just, every day, just being, wanting to be the best.
00:27:09.785 --> 00:27:19.744
Like as soon as you cross that white line and go onto the training pitch, wanting to keep the ball outta the back of the net, be solid in your technique, but also be calm with it as well.
00:27:19.775 --> 00:27:21.214
It's almost like he goes out on the pitch and he
00:27:21.830 --> 00:27:22.121
gets
00:27:22.894 --> 00:27:23.734
gets himself right.
00:27:23.734 --> 00:27:25.714
I need to get in the zone here.
00:27:26.944 --> 00:27:30.335
but off the pitch, just a lovely lad and just be a good person.
00:27:30.335 --> 00:27:34.654
And, but yeah, he's got everything there, hasn't he?
00:27:35.105 --> 00:27:39.214
he's unbelievable with The ball at his feet, he comes for crosses, he's which is a little bit old school.
00:27:39.214 --> 00:27:39.515
Really?
00:27:39.545 --> 00:27:42.634
'cause you don't see many keepers come for crosses nowadays yeah.
00:27:43.420 --> 00:27:44.494
but yeah, very calm.
00:27:44.494 --> 00:27:47.585
I think calmness is a very good attribute to have as a goalkeeper.
00:27:47.585 --> 00:27:53.194
I thought patto was almost horizontal and sometimes it Yeah, it went against him a little bit.
00:27:53.194 --> 00:27:54.484
'cause people go, you don't care.
00:27:54.484 --> 00:27:55.144
You don't care.
00:27:55.144 --> 00:27:57.394
And you put Patto on that football pitch.
00:27:57.605 --> 00:27:58.535
You see some of the saves.
00:27:58.535 --> 00:28:00.694
He makes that Yeah he's
00:28:00.715 --> 00:28:06.145
I remember speaking to Patto after, we went when we, Eric Steel Camp this time last year.
00:28:06.175 --> 00:28:06.415
Yes.
00:28:06.685 --> 00:28:16.452
And I remember I Patto was fresh back from Wembley and I asked him about that save And I remember thinking like his answer was just, oh yeah, it was all right.
00:28:17.323 --> 00:28:17.721
It's okay
00:28:18.021 --> 00:28:19.821
But you watch his reaction when he gets up.
00:28:20.031 --> 00:28:21.592
He's not giving it all sorts.
00:28:21.592 --> 00:28:22.761
He's not celebrating.
00:28:22.761 --> 00:28:24.321
He's, he just gets up what's next?
00:28:24.412 --> 00:28:25.402
Yeah what's next?
00:28:25.432 --> 00:28:28.461
And that's Patto and that is his, that's his unique skill.
00:28:28.852 --> 00:28:30.652
Now that might not work for other keepers.
00:28:30.741 --> 00:28:30.801
Yeah.
00:28:31.132 --> 00:28:32.932
But for him, that works.
00:28:32.932 --> 00:28:35.602
And that's something that I wouldn't change.
00:28:36.082 --> 00:28:39.382
and you don't wanna change it'cause it's an advantage for him
00:28:40.204 --> 00:28:45.321
So then European football next season, what do you, how do you think that's gonna impact on the squad generally Like
00:28:45.622 --> 00:28:46.281
Yeah.
00:28:46.612 --> 00:28:49.192
I think it's obviously going to, there's gonna be.
00:28:50.682 --> 00:28:57.582
to be honest with you, for me personally speaking, I've never been involved in European football, so I don't really know what it's gonna look like.
00:28:57.672 --> 00:28:59.412
But it's exciting.
00:28:59.711 --> 00:29:00.281
It's amazing.
00:29:00.281 --> 00:29:04.781
It's amazing for, the city, it's amazing for everyone connected with the club.
00:29:04.801 --> 00:29:11.592
And it's something that I think that we should just embrace and enjoy because you don't get to enjoy football very often.
00:29:11.741 --> 00:29:18.942
It's it's very, yeah it's a very tense environment, but I think, you know what, we just, go for it.
00:29:18.942 --> 00:29:20.981
Just go and give it a go and give it the best we can.
00:29:21.968 --> 00:29:29.827
we've touched on Neil Cutler a couple of times and I know, when I spoke to Jonny a couple of episodes back, Jonny was very complimentary on Neil.
00:29:30.157 --> 00:29:31.147
What's it like working with Neil?
00:29:31.448 --> 00:29:32.625
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
00:29:32.625 --> 00:29:40.066
Cuts been class since he come in and I think I've met him a couple of times in the past, just like playing against lot.
00:29:40.066 --> 00:29:46.965
I remember back playing against like Warsaw and playing against Aston Villa and Wolves, just shaking his hand saying hello.
00:29:47.596 --> 00:29:53.114
But meeting him as a person now that, like I said, for me it's, the man that he is.
00:29:53.898 --> 00:30:04.050
He's just been top tier and I had a, I had little bit of difficulty to start the season going from number 2 to number 3 thinking I don't really feel like I'm doing a lot here.
00:30:04.090 --> 00:30:10.846
I don't really know what my sort of role is, but when I sat down and spoke to Cuts about it, he gave me a different perspective on it.
00:30:10.846 --> 00:30:13.486
And then since then I'm like, yeah do you know what you're right.
00:30:13.486 --> 00:30:16.306
So he is just got that, he's got that knowledge and experience
00:30:17.297 --> 00:30:17.626
and
00:30:18.496 --> 00:30:20.925
his sessions are class and that's the thing that I really enjoy.
00:30:20.925 --> 00:30:25.875
Like his sessions are, excellent, always different and there's always a reason behind it.
00:30:25.875 --> 00:30:26.992
So yeah.
00:30:27.012 --> 00:30:28.523
Cuts is top tier
00:30:28.967 --> 00:30:39.136
I think it's clear that there's a, there's definitely a bigger thinking going on at the club and there's plans for the future, which is something that's, I'm not gonna lie, I feel like this is a sunderland podcast.
00:30:39.136 --> 00:30:52.366
Sorry, Newcastle fans, if you're watching this going oh God he's still talking about Sunderland But I feel like, it's been a long time since I've seen that drive towards a single common goal from all departments and all angles and it's really interesting to watch.
00:30:52.846 --> 00:30:56.368
But obviously you are now moving towards coaching yourself.
00:30:59.176 --> 00:31:04.277
when do you think that you realised that coaching was something that you need to concentrate on now?
00:31:05.012 --> 00:31:05.758
That's a good question.
00:31:05.758 --> 00:31:06.057
Really.
00:31:06.057 --> 00:31:09.627
It's something that just I dunno, something that just happened
00:31:09.648 --> 00:31:09.769
for you.
00:31:09.773 --> 00:31:11.929
It's not a trigger moment, it's a You've grown into
00:31:11.968 --> 00:31:12.147
into it.
00:31:12.208 --> 00:31:17.847
no'cause I still feel young, like I still feel young, probably too young at times.
00:31:17.877 --> 00:31:18.597
Probably need to grow up a
00:31:18.663 --> 00:31:18.903
little bit.
00:31:19.003 --> 00:31:21.663
But, it's time for that there, mate.
00:31:22.167 --> 00:31:23.667
I just thought that Yeah, true.
00:31:23.667 --> 00:31:28.468
But I'm 36 now and then I, so i'll soon be 40, I'll soon be 45.
00:31:28.468 --> 00:31:29.758
Time just goes so quickly.
00:31:29.758 --> 00:31:38.008
And I think that my, one of my, closest friends, Billy Sharpe wants to be a manager and he'll be an excellent manager.
00:31:38.248 --> 00:31:49.115
And he said to me, he wants me to be his goalkeeper coach And Phil Jagielka, who's also one of my best friends to to be the assistant And the experience between those two is is ridiculous.
00:31:49.347 --> 00:31:57.778
And I think if we get a team together, then we can pass all our knowledge on to whoever we take over.
00:31:57.778 --> 00:32:09.178
And I just loved, I loved my time at Shefield United and I loved, and them two boys, have become some of my closest friends and to reunite with them.
00:32:09.178 --> 00:32:12.028
And they've got the sort of same morals and the same values as I do.
00:32:13.258 --> 00:32:15.387
and that's something that excites me to be honest
00:32:16.548 --> 00:32:19.848
and you've just run your first EvoGK camp this morning.
00:32:20.598 --> 00:32:25.108
it's been a 9 til 3 job as so thank you very much for doing the interview straight
00:32:25.108 --> 00:32:25.704
afterwards Yeah, no worries.
00:32:25.848 --> 00:32:27.409
I appreciate you've done a long day.
00:32:28.338 --> 00:32:30.409
What was that experience like for you from a coaching angle?
00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:30.779
Do you know?
00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:40.230
What I just feel, I was saying to the coaches out there, I feel like natural I feel at home when I'm walking around and coaching.
00:32:40.230 --> 00:32:44.190
And it's something that that I enjoy.
00:32:44.250 --> 00:32:46.690
And I think it's, like I said, I just enjoy helping I've got
00:32:49.068 --> 00:32:49.608
I'm I've
00:32:49.769 --> 00:32:58.710
so much to learn, like I've got loads to learn and the way the game's going, like with the laptops and stuff, I know that's gonna be an absolute stinker for me because I am hopeless that, that sort of stuff.
00:32:58.829 --> 00:33:09.420
But, coaching does excite me, but not just yet, like I'm gonna just feed my way into it, feed my way into it and I'm gonna have to learn the ropes.
00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:13.559
I'm gonna have to do, I'm gonna have to start at the bottom and build my way to the top.
00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:17.815
But it's almost starting like a bit like I did with football starting.
00:33:17.815 --> 00:33:24.325
I didn't start at the bottom as such, but you start there and you try and get yourself up to the Premier League eventually and that's something that's happened.
00:33:24.325 --> 00:33:26.875
So it's a new challenge really.
00:33:26.875 --> 00:33:28.525
So one that I'm looking forward to
00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:37.940
was there, anything at the camp today that made you think, cool, that's, exactly what I think Young Keepers should be doing more of or experiencing more of,
00:33:38.243 --> 00:33:47.909
Yeah, I think that it's funny obviously like speaking to other coaches as well and watching their sessions and thinking about what would I do here?
00:33:47.909 --> 00:33:51.088
And so Ads, one of the coaches, I thought, do you know what?
00:33:51.088 --> 00:33:52.409
His detail is really good.
00:33:52.409 --> 00:33:53.638
He steps in at the right moment.
00:33:53.638 --> 00:34:00.929
And that's the thing for me, stepping in at the right time and also I think at young kids are like sponges.
00:34:01.568 --> 00:34:05.999
and if you can teach them something early that's going to be really good for them in the future.
00:34:05.999 --> 00:34:08.969
Maybe for me now, it's probably a little bit harder to learn a skill.
00:34:09.208 --> 00:34:10.018
I'm still learning.
00:34:10.018 --> 00:34:11.349
And that's the great thing about Cuts.
00:34:11.369 --> 00:34:12.478
I'm still learning.
00:34:12.509 --> 00:34:16.438
I said to him, I want you to tell me I wanna learn, I wanna keep learning'cause you are always learning.
00:34:16.829 --> 00:34:21.958
But if you can get them foundations at a young age, you're gonna have a really good chance of having a good career
00:34:22.063 --> 00:34:30.014
What would you say is the biggest difference for you between telling a young keeper what to do and helping them actually understand what they're doing?
00:34:32.235 --> 00:34:41.085
I think it is hard because you're speaking to a couple of the young kids out there and it's just being, just breaking it down really.
00:34:41.864 --> 00:34:44.954
cause I'm thinking, I'm not sure you understand that.
00:34:45.014 --> 00:34:53.625
And just being, just taking a step back and saying, Gordon, you show me, I think you only learn by trying and getting things wrong.
00:34:53.954 --> 00:34:56.985
Because if you got everything right all the time, then you would never be learning.
00:34:56.985 --> 00:34:59.025
So it's getting it wrong.
00:34:59.025 --> 00:35:03.764
It's getting it wrong, but it's trying to just keep going until you get it right.
00:35:05.204 --> 00:35:07.304
and it's nice to see smiles on faces.
00:35:07.304 --> 00:35:16.034
I said to the kids, before we went out, I said, the main thing for me today is that you enjoy yourselves and if you enjoy yourselves, that's what it matters
00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:24.643
And it, I guess from a parent's angle, when I hear that, I think oh, we're not gonna be learning things today'cause we're just having fun.
00:35:24.643 --> 00:35:32.534
And as a parent, you want to, you want, your kids to have the best experiences but like football gets taken quite seriously and I want them to be developing.
00:35:32.534 --> 00:35:37.483
But it's, what you've said is actually something that, that I've been through in the last couple of years.
00:35:37.483 --> 00:35:43.934
And it's just the more I see my son having that fun the better his football gets alongside it.
00:35:43.938 --> 00:35:44.219
Yeah.
00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:46.903
And it, but you've almost gotta commit to that as a parent.
00:35:46.903 --> 00:35:47.684
You've gotta commit to that.
00:35:47.713 --> 00:35:48.074
Yes.
00:35:48.074 --> 00:35:49.003
This has to be fun.
00:35:49.244 --> 00:35:59.773
Yeah It's not me shouting at you from the sideline, it's not me stressing about whether you're learning enough or not It's about watching you develop and helping to your like, you talked about your parents being supportive
00:35:59.775 --> 00:36:00.405
and Yeah.
00:36:00.764 --> 00:36:04.005
I think for me it's almost like a man management thing.
00:36:04.155 --> 00:36:10.724
There might be kids who need shouting and that might be certain kids that you need to be harder on because it brings the best out of them.
00:36:10.994 --> 00:36:13.744
But there's certain kids who might need an arm around them.
00:36:13.744 --> 00:36:19.934
And that is a skill, that is a coaching skill to know which personalities know it, it's the same skill in a first team dressing room.
00:36:20.445 --> 00:36:24.164
If you shout at one certain player, he might just do the opposite.
00:36:24.284 --> 00:36:26.204
He might just be like, go back in his chair.
00:36:26.655 --> 00:36:26.744
Yeah.
00:36:26.775 --> 00:36:32.804
But there might be other characters who need shouting out, who need telling and they puff their chest out and go, I'm gonna show you.
00:36:33.224 --> 00:36:38.144
But the skill as a person is to know which ones need what.
00:36:39.135 --> 00:36:43.815
and that's something that I feel that again is probably one of my strong points because I probably know,
00:36:44.893 --> 00:36:45.043
I
00:36:45.045 --> 00:36:49.605
just get a good sort of feel for certain people and know what, drives them and what they need really
00:36:50.704 --> 00:36:52.143
And I think, you know what?
00:36:52.204 --> 00:36:56.014
I think no matter what business you are in, we're all in the game of people Yeah.
00:36:56.014 --> 00:36:56.793
Like ultimately
00:36:57.070 --> 00:36:57.311
Yeah.
00:36:57.311 --> 00:36:57.460
And
00:36:58.443 --> 00:37:03.153
emotional intelligence is as important as anything else especially with young kids.
00:37:03.246 --> 00:37:16.893
But it's also like different learning styles everybody's got their own way of learning things and some kids love being taught from books and charts and diagrams and things and other kids need to be shown and other, there's, 1,000,001 different ways of doing it.
00:37:17.021 --> 00:37:17.351
Yeah
00:37:17.793 --> 00:37:21.724
How would you build a Keeper's confidence without letting them get too comfortable then
00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:24.371
I think confidence is a great thing.
00:37:24.550 --> 00:37:24.771
but
00:37:24.913 --> 00:37:30.432
also you always, there's always something over your shoulder, like when you think it's a bit like the golf game.
00:37:30.492 --> 00:37:32.713
You play golf and you think, Christ, I've cracked it.
00:37:33.193 --> 00:37:40.992
And then the next day you go out there and you haven't, i think for me, consistency is probably the biggest word I'd use for that.
00:37:41.166 --> 00:37:41.346
Yep
00:37:42.043 --> 00:37:42.103
Yeah.
00:37:42.103 --> 00:37:46.632
When you can get consistent, your performances are consistent, that's when you're doing something right.
00:37:47.052 --> 00:37:52.452
If you are having a 10 outta 10 one week and a 2 outta 10, the next week, something isn't quite right.
00:37:52.452 --> 00:38:08.713
So the moment you can get to that consistency is when you know that whatever you're doing in that environment, whether that's you need to go out for 2 beers on a Tuesday or whatever, you need to have a protein shake and some rice cakes on a thursday, whatever works for you because everyone's different.
00:38:08.833 --> 00:38:10.003
Every goal is different.
00:38:10.512 --> 00:38:20.563
That balance, if you can find that balance and you perform consistently, I don't care whether you have Red Bull, a flipping McDonald's, or whether you have the most perfect meal.
00:38:21.635 --> 00:38:21.965
it doesn't
00:38:21.972 --> 00:38:25.362
bother me if you are performing consistently because there is a lot of art.
00:38:25.362 --> 00:38:27.402
You have to have this, you have to do that, you have to do that.
00:38:27.913 --> 00:38:29.233
There's no one rule fits all.
00:38:29.802 --> 00:38:32.413
But just find something that works for you.
00:38:32.413 --> 00:38:38.112
Because if you are eating McDonald's every day and you're not performing, then that's something that you have to look at.
00:38:38.773 --> 00:38:40.963
But, and then you can change it.
00:38:40.963 --> 00:38:45.402
But if you eat McDonald's every day, you're gonna score hat tricks and you're doing unbelievable.
00:38:45.402 --> 00:38:47.384
Then listen, that's fine with me.
00:38:47.684 --> 00:38:50.706
Like I could just imagine the parents at home now cursing you like,
00:38:50.726 --> 00:38:50.862
Yeah.
00:38:50.862 --> 00:38:51.452
Sorry guys.
00:38:51.572 --> 00:38:52.655
Like, Dad, dad.
00:38:53.226 --> 00:38:56.706
Simon Moore says, I can have a kind of Red Bull and a McDonald's to see if it helps me.
00:38:56.773 --> 00:38:59.652
Hey, if you score a hat trick or if you're saving penalties every week, then yes you can.
00:38:59.713 --> 00:39:01.797
But if you're not, then that's probably something you have to look up
00:39:01.925 --> 00:39:18.498
but it is interesting because my mind automatically, when you say consistently, my mind automatically goes to things that we're doing in the moment, things that we're doing out on the pitch now, our mindset when we're there, but actually what you are referring to is what's your routine like outside, like how do you impact on your performance before you even get to the pitch.
00:39:19.085 --> 00:39:25.782
Yeah, and the thing is, I used to be quite regimented in my routine.
00:39:26.713 --> 00:39:32.952
And then I thought, do you know what I probably, I used to go at Sheffield tonight, I used to have a Boost chocolate bar before every game.
00:39:32.952 --> 00:39:33.733
I had to have my boost.
00:39:33.733 --> 00:39:39.193
I had to have it But then it's do I it's just, you go through stages.
00:39:39.193 --> 00:39:40.422
You learn throughout your career.
00:39:40.663 --> 00:39:43.963
I used to have to have the same meal, or I used to have to do this, I have to do that.
00:39:43.963 --> 00:39:50.262
Do I, Now I'm very more relaxed about it because it's like, I've done what I can, I do what I can in the week.
00:39:50.353 --> 00:39:53.233
Yeah like on a Saturday, anything can happen.
00:39:53.413 --> 00:39:56.742
Someone could shoot from 40 yards if you go in the top corner, I can't control that.
00:39:57.253 --> 00:39:58.333
I've just gotta go out there.
00:39:58.813 --> 00:40:02.532
And you just gotta make yourself feel unbelievable in that pitch.
00:40:02.532 --> 00:40:08.052
Even if you don't feel unbelievable, try and convince yourself and just pretend and just be like, I feel great.
00:40:08.112 --> 00:40:08.563
I feel great.
00:40:08.563 --> 00:40:09.043
It's fine.
00:40:10.063 --> 00:40:14.023
and that for me is, something that I've learned as you get older, but you only learn that of experience.
00:40:14.023 --> 00:40:20.472
I wouldn't, if you spoke to me 10 years ago, 15 years ago, we'd be having a different conversation right now.
00:40:20.472 --> 00:40:21.793
I'd be saying you have to do this you
00:40:21.795 --> 00:40:22.096
have to do that
00:40:22.242 --> 00:40:29.222
that But because I'm older, I've gone through all the different experiences and, yeah, totally different.
00:40:30.166 --> 00:40:38.445
Do you think it'd probably be falls into like superstition at some point oh it's not actually true, you just believe in it'cause I did that last week and I had a brilliant game
00:40:38.469 --> 00:40:44.918
Oh, I know so many people that are mentally superstitious and do you know what if that works for them?
00:40:44.918 --> 00:40:47.228
It's like I said, it doesn't matter.
00:40:47.648 --> 00:40:47.978
That's fine.
00:40:47.978 --> 00:40:50.708
If that works for you and you believe that works for you, that's fine.
00:40:50.708 --> 00:40:53.706
It comes to the individual, do what is right for you.
00:40:53.775 --> 00:40:56.425
Just because that's right for you doesn't mean it's the same as Goalkeeping.
00:40:56.545 --> 00:40:56.635
Yeah.
00:40:56.936 --> 00:41:03.626
Just because you have a 6ft 7 goalkeeper and you say, I need you to crouch down and try and get in that position You can't because you can't move.
00:41:04.135 --> 00:41:07.016
Whereas if you just get the basic foundations right.
00:41:07.016 --> 00:41:07.610
I want you to do that.
00:41:07.945 --> 00:41:09.655
You can do that yet you can do that yet.
00:41:10.025 --> 00:41:12.115
The rest of it, is down to you.
00:41:12.115 --> 00:41:14.036
And everyone's got different styles.
00:41:14.704 --> 00:41:18.003
Yeah you can't have, like every goalkeeper can't be the same course.
00:41:18.063 --> 00:41:19.204
Not, nor would it work.
00:41:20.313 --> 00:41:23.914
and JP1's probably a fantastic example of not fitting the mould.
00:41:24.266 --> 00:41:27.115
No, He's, yeah, he's definitely different to the rest.
00:41:27.115 --> 00:41:28.045
But look at his career.
00:41:28.045 --> 00:41:30.206
His career has been incredible.
00:41:30.206 --> 00:41:36.295
He is been so consistent with his performances and now he's gone on to do, great things
00:41:36.585 --> 00:41:42.949
What would you say is the hardest part of being a keeper That that people outside that aren't keepers just don't get,
00:41:44.831 --> 00:41:49.094
it's just you on the pitch and you have a lot of time to think.
00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:51.731
As an outfield player, you are constantly on the move.
00:41:51.731 --> 00:41:52.570
You're constantly scanning.
00:41:52.570 --> 00:41:54.311
You constantly, you haven't got time to think.
00:41:54.851 --> 00:42:00.311
But as a goalkeeper, you've got so much time to think And that's a dangerous thing because you're in your own head.
00:42:00.371 --> 00:42:12.371
And especially after making a mistake everyone's at the other end and you could be dwelling on it, thinking it's just running over in your head, running over in your head And as much as you try and block that out, it's running over in your head.
00:42:12.371 --> 00:42:16.331
But you have to try and find a way to forget about it.
00:42:17.351 --> 00:42:19.181
Go, do you know what Yeah, that happened.
00:42:19.990 --> 00:42:25.690
And learn from it and go, next time I'm in that situation, I'm grateful for.
00:42:25.751 --> 00:42:31.594
I'm grateful for all of my mistakes because it's allowed me to learn from it going forward.
00:42:32.061 --> 00:42:38.481
On that note, then, have you got any tips for kind of, when a keeper has made that mistake in the game, what's, your reset?
00:42:38.780 --> 00:42:42.726
Yeah, for me it's, I, used to beat myself up massively.
00:42:43.414 --> 00:42:44.373
I used to be gutted.
00:42:44.373 --> 00:42:47.224
I wouldn't speak to people for 2 days, I'd be devastated.
00:42:47.224 --> 00:42:50.253
And I look back now, what good did that do Me?
00:42:50.494 --> 00:42:51.693
What good did that actually do?
00:42:51.693 --> 00:42:51.844
Me?
00:42:51.903 --> 00:42:54.978
I wasted 2 days of dwelling on something that happened to that.
00:42:54.983 --> 00:42:57.447
I can't change that And that's the attitude I've got now.
00:42:57.567 --> 00:42:58.467
I, can't change it.
00:42:58.617 --> 00:43:02.726
I don't go out on the pitch to to purposely let the ball in.
00:43:03.266 --> 00:43:04.166
I got the pitch.
00:43:04.286 --> 00:43:05.157
I try and save it.
00:43:05.976 --> 00:43:07.565
If I don't, i don't..
00:43:07.677 --> 00:43:08.427
Does it hurt me?
00:43:08.456 --> 00:43:09.476
Yeah, of course it hurts me.
00:43:09.927 --> 00:43:15.177
I'm not gonna let it ruin my, the rest of my time because time is precious.
00:43:17.097 --> 00:43:34.766
and it's hard as a young kid, it's so hard to, I wish I could put my brain into some of these young children and that's why I, will obviously eventually go into the coaching game to, the sooner they can realise that yeah the more freer they're gonna be able to play when they go out on the football pitch
00:43:35.744 --> 00:43:45.954
Do you think, young keepers get enough, I guess I'm gonna call it psychological support if but do you think that there's enough time spent on the mindset for young keepers?
00:43:46.153 --> 00:43:47.713
is it's all focused on technical isn't it
00:43:47.782 --> 00:43:48.416
all technical, Yeah.
00:43:49.077 --> 00:43:50.996
no, and I said that out there to the, guys,
00:43:51.134 --> 00:43:51.793
to the guys
00:43:53.186 --> 00:44:04.309
mindset is so big and the sooner you start working on that, the better chance you're gonna have of having a successful career of getting to wherever you want to get to because it's so important.
00:44:04.978 --> 00:44:15.856
so I see quite a lot of comments on grassroots pages and things like that around, Keepers where they're playing in a grassroots team get to a certain age and the coach decides to bring a second keeper in.
00:44:15.856 --> 00:44:17.896
I can understand why you've got a bit resilience there.
00:44:17.896 --> 00:44:23.565
You've got 2 keepers, certainly when you get to like U9s, U10s, U11s, where the teams start to get bigger.
00:44:24.496 --> 00:44:32.266
What's your advice, for that young keeper who's perhaps not the 1st choice in that sort of environment, that young age?
00:44:32.326 --> 00:44:34.335
What's how do they keep their head
00:44:34.476 --> 00:44:34.606
right?
00:44:35.056 --> 00:44:37.936
at that young age, it's just about attitude.
00:44:38.927 --> 00:44:47.476
it's being the best you can be in training, turning up, I used to turn up for Farmborough Town on a Saturday.
00:44:47.476 --> 00:44:54.407
I used to get up at 7 in the morning, get the hovercraft or the red jet over to Portsmouth.
00:44:54.407 --> 00:44:56.476
Southampton get picked up,
00:44:56.806 --> 00:44:57.376
that just
00:44:57.483 --> 00:44:59.112
yeah, literally get, it's ludicrous.
00:44:59.237 --> 00:45:13.456
Get picked up, get taken an hour and a half up the motorway, go and travel up to maybe Birmingham, get up there for 2 o'clock and then the manager would come to me and say"sorry, Si, you're not in the squad today" and that happened loads of times.
00:45:13.487 --> 00:45:18.827
And you know what, the manager was really good, a guy called Francis Vines and a lot of respect for Vines.
00:45:19.036 --> 00:45:21.317
Like he didn't have to pull me to one side, but he did.
00:45:21.887 --> 00:45:24.163
And I'd be like, it's alright, gaffer.
00:45:24.376 --> 00:45:40.606
No problem But those moments I look back now have allowed me on this journey to where I am because I look back now and think, why did I travel all the way from the Isle of Wight to sit in the stands on the Saturday and not get back till 11/12 at night?
00:45:40.606 --> 00:45:44.717
But I did it because I wanted to be a professional footballer.
00:45:44.717 --> 00:45:49.606
And if it wasn't for those moments, then yeah, I wouldn't be where I am.
00:45:49.606 --> 00:45:53.722
So it's just, it's attitude and that's the most important thing.
00:45:54.076 --> 00:46:01.186
I guess the moments you don't get on the team that day are building the character for when you do get on the team and you'll appreciate that moment all the more
00:46:01.291 --> 00:46:01.485
again.
00:46:01.661 --> 00:46:03.436
And you do you really appreciate.
00:46:03.436 --> 00:46:08.507
And that's something that as I've got older, appreciate the good times, say to the boys, when you win, enjoy it.
00:46:09.016 --> 00:46:13.907
Enjoy the success because you'll have more lows in your career probably
00:46:14.835 --> 00:46:15.135
unless
00:46:15.137 --> 00:46:17.327
you're superstars, than highs.
00:46:17.327 --> 00:46:23.146
And I've certainly had far more lows than highs, but when I've had them highs, they've been special The chart Yeah
00:46:23.175 --> 00:46:31.695
I love it So I guess if you could give one piece of advice to a young keeper now who wants to play at the highest level, what would you be telling them to do
00:46:32.056 --> 00:46:33.376
I'd just say, just be a sponge.
00:46:33.376 --> 00:46:37.487
Learn as much as you can watch YouTube videos of goalies.
00:46:37.996 --> 00:46:39.317
Pick little bits outta them.
00:46:40.246 --> 00:46:46.757
Do everything you possibly can at a young age to, to be the best you can be.
00:46:46.757 --> 00:46:48.376
Learn, learn about the mindset.
00:46:49.427 --> 00:46:50.356
learn about the mindset.
00:46:51.436 --> 00:46:52.516
and just learn.
00:46:52.521 --> 00:46:53.056
Just keep learning.
00:46:53.056 --> 00:46:53.447
Keep learning.
00:46:53.447 --> 00:47:00.572
But don't be afraid of failure because those failures will help you out and make you stronger going forward
00:47:01.306 --> 00:47:02.507
Looking at a game now.
00:47:02.706 --> 00:47:08.797
what do modern keepers need now, maybe that wasn't demanded in the same way 15, 20 years ago?
00:47:09.097 --> 00:47:15.034
I think the obvious things, playing with a ball at your feet and that's something that's become huge.
00:47:15.034 --> 00:47:22.623
I think obviously since Pep's come in, I think everyone's tried to implement that and yeah, you need to be good at everything now.
00:47:22.623 --> 00:47:25.054
And for me, I'm a little bit old school.
00:47:25.143 --> 00:47:27.724
I like my goalkeepers to keep the ball out the back of the net.
00:47:28.324 --> 00:47:29.523
If they're good with their feet.
00:47:29.614 --> 00:47:31.773
You have to of course be good with your feet.
00:47:31.773 --> 00:47:37.173
But the most important thing for me is keep the ball out the back of the net and that will never change.
00:47:37.173 --> 00:47:45.483
And obviously I'm a little bit older and all the new generation coming through now are zing side winders and clipping it into the air and playing through the lines and doing this.
00:47:45.483 --> 00:47:50.764
But the standard of the goalkeeping isn't as good because that gets forgotten about.
00:47:50.764 --> 00:47:55.291
So you need to be good at everything to be a top level goalkeeper
00:47:56.166 --> 00:47:56.677
must admit.
00:47:56.677 --> 00:48:07.927
It never feels to impress me when I see professional level keepers warmed upon the pitch and the long distribution passes that I see getting zinged from the penalty spot to pass the halfway line.
00:48:07.927 --> 00:48:08.856
And it blows my mind.
00:48:08.856 --> 00:48:12.367
Like from the stand that looks like just such a simple thing to do.
00:48:12.367 --> 00:48:15.336
And you actually get down there a pitch, you realise how much of a horrific distance
00:48:15.364 --> 00:48:15.514
that Yeah.
00:48:15.817 --> 00:48:16.146
is.
00:48:17.556 --> 00:48:18.996
it makes it all the more impressive.
00:48:19.807 --> 00:48:27.338
that, but coming onto that point though, what's, is there any advice you've got for practicing distribution, like long balls for young kids?
00:48:27.367 --> 00:48:27.623
'cause it's
00:48:27.934 --> 00:48:35.152
that's the only thing, and I was saying to, the, young guys earlier, the only thing as a goalkeeper in practise is you kicking
00:48:36.128 --> 00:48:36.547
and
00:48:36.574 --> 00:48:37.833
it is passing against the wall.
00:48:38.514 --> 00:48:43.773
And for me it's just, I used to get a mannequin out after training, just kick balls.
00:48:43.780 --> 00:48:48.824
And that's because as a goalie, you can't, you need people to take a shots at you.
00:48:48.824 --> 00:48:50.193
You need someone there, you need someone there.
00:48:50.193 --> 00:49:01.173
But I used to go over the field, back over late middle school and kick balls, practise into the wind, up the hill, like when it's driving rain.
00:49:01.173 --> 00:49:02.193
Like just, practise.
00:49:02.193 --> 00:49:02.494
Yeah.
00:49:02.554 --> 00:49:05.704
So yeah And
00:49:05.708 --> 00:49:13.657
then I guess bringing it back to your goalkeeping idols, you talked about your dad and you're the goalkeeper for your local team.
00:49:13.882 --> 00:49:19.222
what's the one thing that they did back then that's still relevant today that kids could pick up
00:49:19.554 --> 00:49:24.173
just let your kids enjoy football, Like literally, enjoy it.
00:49:24.653 --> 00:49:28.463
And it's knowing whether they need, they might need a little poke, maybe.
00:49:28.733 --> 00:49:30.347
it depends what, your child's and
00:49:31.768 --> 00:49:32.039
some,
00:49:32.364 --> 00:49:36.684
might need a little push, but don't push them too far that, that they don't enjoy football.
00:49:36.684 --> 00:49:40.434
And myself and my brother's a professional goalkeeper.
00:49:40.434 --> 00:49:42.833
He's been a professional goalkeeper since he was 16.
00:49:42.833 --> 00:49:44.574
He's, how old is stu now?
00:49:44.579 --> 00:49:45.474
He's 31.
00:49:45.923 --> 00:49:47.364
So 15 years.
00:49:47.454 --> 00:49:52.423
My brother's been professional goalkeeper and he's playing at wycombe wanders now, and he's doing really well.
00:49:53.954 --> 00:49:54.293
and
00:49:54.313 --> 00:50:03.864
He's had a, like a real up and down career, but for him to play professional football for the amount of time he has done is, just a credit to, my mum and dad.
00:50:04.733 --> 00:50:06.264
And, for us it worked.
00:50:06.324 --> 00:50:09.864
They were very, they just let us get on with what we wanted.
00:50:09.864 --> 00:50:13.507
Never pushed And we're both so fortunate that they did that.
00:50:13.889 --> 00:50:16.239
You guys must have cost your parents a fortune in keeper
00:50:16.298 --> 00:50:17.849
gloves Yeah, we certainly did.
00:50:18.414 --> 00:50:19.094
certainly did.
00:50:20.219 --> 00:50:20.579
Brilliant.
00:50:20.778 --> 00:50:22.588
that's it for the regular episode.
00:50:22.588 --> 00:50:32.068
If you are not already a member of the EvoGK community, drop on the website and sign up and you'll get some of the behind the scenes questions where we go in a little bit more detail with Simon.
00:50:32.699 --> 00:50:34.559
Thank you very much for watching or listening along.
00:50:34.619 --> 00:50:36.983
And Simon, thank you very much for coming Pleasure mate.
00:50:37.074 --> 00:50:37.648
Thanks for having me.
00:50:43.648 --> 00:50:51.268
Welcome back for the bonus section for the EvoGK community questions for Simon Moore's Catching up podcast episode.
00:50:51.748 --> 00:50:57.528
So Simon, you've been the experience keeper behind someone of the calibre of Robin Roefs.
00:50:58.619 --> 00:51:04.318
What can young keeper learn about supporting another goalkeeper even when they want the shirt themselves?
00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.744
Welcome back to Catching Up With EvoGK.
00:00:09.507 --> 00:00:13.554
I'm incredibly excited today, to welcome none other than Simon Moore to the show.
00:00:13.894 --> 00:00:26.347
So Simon's one of those players every squad needs He's calm, experienced, trusted and by all accounts, from what I see on social media, a massive presence behind the scenes at Sunderland AFC And he's had a proper career, too.
00:00:27.347 --> 00:00:43.817
Simon came through Southampton's Academy and he played senior football with clubs including Brentford, Cardiff city, Sheffield United, Coventry City, and now Sunderland and has been in and around some huge football environments across championship and Premier League.
00:00:44.478 --> 00:00:49.128
But what makes Simon really interesting for this episode isn't just the number of clubs or the level he's played at.
00:00:49.753 --> 00:00:51.755
It's the interesting role that he now plays at Sunderland.
00:00:52.149 --> 00:01:06.316
Simon's been part of a brilliant goalkeeper setup, working every day alongside Robin Roefs, Melkor Elborg, two of the most talked about young keepers in the Premier League and inside a squad that has just had An unbelievable season.
00:01:07.150 --> 00:01:20.260
I'm trying not to get too outta control here he's also, congratulations, just agreed a one year extension, which I think says a lot about the trust that the club has in him, not only as a keeper, but as a professional, a leader, and someone who helps set the to in the building.
00:01:21.099 --> 00:01:33.909
And now with Sunderland now heading into European football next season after qualify in for the Europa League, that role becomes even more interesting, more games, bigger stages, higher standards, more pressure on the hall squad to be ready.
00:01:34.510 --> 00:02:03.248
And now with Simon starting to move more into the coaching side of goalkeeping and having just run his first EvoGK goalkeeper camp, this feels like the perfect time to sit down with him, because for young Keepers, this is a chance to hear from someone who's lived the game properly, the highs, the setbacks, changing rooms, the pressure, the training, ground standards and the reality of being ready even when you're not playing, and the quiet work that helps team succeed Today's episode is between the Sticks with Simon Moore Simon.
00:02:03.819 --> 00:02:04.929
It's, a big, it's a big writeup.
00:02:04.929 --> 00:02:05.629
Welcome to the show
00:02:05.677 --> 00:02:05.977
Cheers.
00:02:05.977 --> 00:02:09.217
I mate, I was, yeah, taking it all in there mate, to be fair.
00:02:09.788 --> 00:02:10.508
Taking it back.
00:02:10.508 --> 00:02:10.807
Yeah.
00:02:10.812 --> 00:02:13.492
It's a hell, I think, don't think I've ever had a better intro, to be honest with you honest with you.
00:02:13.598 --> 00:02:14.557
So thank you.
00:02:14.774 --> 00:02:15.153
Thank you.
00:02:15.338 --> 00:02:16.479
I think you've earned it, right?
00:02:16.838 --> 00:02:24.818
I think we were talking before the show started around, when you first signed for the club and you're a bit of an unknown for all the experience that you brought to the club.
00:02:24.818 --> 00:02:35.649
You were a bit of an unknown and that, moment when you had to step in for Patto(Anthony Patterson) being injured at the last minute and the amazing few games that you had to do that.
00:02:35.979 --> 00:02:43.929
Really, I think it helps show everyone who's watching this, if you think back to that time, you weren't expecting to have to go into goal and it just thrust upon you.
00:02:43.929 --> 00:02:46.359
You've gotta be ready at every moment to be able to perform.
00:02:46.538 --> 00:02:46.598
Yeah
00:02:48.908 --> 00:02:54.008
before we get into your journey too much though, I wanna know, who was your goalkeeping idol when you were growing up?
00:02:54.457 --> 00:02:56.348
it's a bit of a different one really.
00:02:56.437 --> 00:03:00.728
my dad used to run a local football team on the Isle of Wight called Brading Town.
00:03:01.747 --> 00:03:06.397
and there was a goalkeeper there called Steve Lawton and he was my idol.
00:03:06.698 --> 00:03:08.737
And I used to love watching
00:03:08.769 --> 00:03:09.218
lts.
00:03:09.548 --> 00:03:11.138
I loved him, still love him now.
00:03:13.087 --> 00:03:20.048
he gave me his gloves and stuff and I literally, he was, the best because he was one of the nicest blokes ever as well.
00:03:21.008 --> 00:03:24.457
my dad was a goalkeeper, didn't get to see my dad play much.
00:03:24.548 --> 00:03:26.858
He went into management very early.
00:03:27.728 --> 00:03:31.122
and then later did play a few games and everyone used to tell me how good your dad is.
00:03:31.147 --> 00:03:42.337
Your dad's a really good goalie, Your dad's a really good goalie, It was only when I watched him on four Christ he used a blooming good goalie like But yeah, I was lucky, very lucky that I say Steve Lawton goalkeeper idol.
00:03:42.758 --> 00:03:50.318
Very lucky to have a dad who was very supportive and taught me a hell of a lot So yeah.
00:03:50.467 --> 00:03:54.457
But in terms of watching and following someone, then yeah, I'd love to say lords
00:03:55.359 --> 00:03:56.318
I think that's interesting.
00:03:56.709 --> 00:03:59.378
do you think that's what inspired, is that what inspired you to be a goalkeeper?
00:03:59.378 --> 00:03:59.764
Yeah, Or is it
00:03:59.948 --> 00:04:04.448
Yeah, I'd say it was because I went down to Braden and like I used to stand behind his goal.
00:04:04.657 --> 00:04:10.657
I just wanted to be like him and I remember him giving me his big Reusch gloves and I just loved everything about it.
00:04:10.657 --> 00:04:13.807
And it's pretty weird for young people to want to go in goal.
00:04:14.527 --> 00:04:15.698
But that's all I wanted.
00:04:15.907 --> 00:04:17.677
Like I just wanted to be a goalkeeper.
00:04:17.677 --> 00:04:21.588
So from about the age of 5, 6 years old, that was it, i just wanted to playing in goal
00:04:22.088 --> 00:04:35.319
that's interesting, cause there's a lot of the keepers that I've spoken to who were just happy playing outfield until one day somebody phones sick or couldn't make it to the game or whatever and got thrown in and thought, actually I'm gonna stick with this, so you've always intended being a keeper
00:04:35.627 --> 00:04:35.807
What
00:04:35.810 --> 00:04:38.841
was the moment where you got first picked up?
00:04:39.141 --> 00:04:40.100
What, how were you, what were
00:04:40.136 --> 00:04:42.771
do So, I've obviously grew up in the Isle of Wight.
00:04:44.201 --> 00:04:48.581
and it's very difficult to get picked up over there because you have to get a boat to the mainland.
00:04:48.581 --> 00:04:53.891
So when I was, I didn't start playing for a team until I was 11 maybe.
00:04:53.980 --> 00:04:56.110
I used to play for a team called Brading and new church youth.
00:04:57.401 --> 00:05:00.250
and yeah, I thought I was pretty good.
00:05:01.331 --> 00:05:03.071
our team used to get battered every week.
00:05:03.130 --> 00:05:03.730
We did.
00:05:03.821 --> 00:05:16.091
And you know what, I look back now and that was the best thing that could have happened for me because the, my mates who were playing in, teams that won 20, 25 Nil every week were stood on the goalpost, sat there for most of the game having nothing to do.
00:05:16.271 --> 00:05:18.521
Yeah, I was getting peppered week in, week out.
00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:21.370
And if we kept it down to 5, that was a win.
00:05:21.461 --> 00:05:24.060
So at the time it was disappointing.
00:05:24.130 --> 00:05:25.961
cause I'm thinking we're losing week in, week out.
00:05:25.961 --> 00:05:35.500
But I look back now and I'd advise any young goalie go and play for a team that's not the best because you will have a lot to do and you'll learn a lot when you are younger.
00:05:37.990 --> 00:05:38.321
yeah.
00:05:38.350 --> 00:05:42.040
But yeah, when I first actually got picked up professionally was when I was 12.
00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:52.781
I went over to Southampton and like I say, so fortunate to have a supportive family that Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday used to have to go over on the boat.
00:05:52.781 --> 00:05:54.370
My dad had finished work at half two.
00:05:54.670 --> 00:06:04.420
Drive me to the boat, get the boat over, get a taxi or a friend would pick us up, take us to the training ground, get back 11, 12 o'clock at night.
00:06:06.011 --> 00:06:08.846
so yeah, that was, pretty, it was pretty Unique.
00:06:09.396 --> 00:06:10.516
Unique experience
00:06:10.540 --> 00:06:11.750
sounds incredibly tiring.
00:06:12.130 --> 00:06:12.641
It was.
00:06:12.646 --> 00:06:18.581
And I look back now and it's like now I see the parents taking the kids today and how much support goes into it.
00:06:18.581 --> 00:06:25.990
And I'm so lucky to have the mum and dad that I do because they give me everything.
00:06:26.261 --> 00:06:27.221
They literally gimme everything.
00:06:27.430 --> 00:06:30.995
They give everything for me and my brother to be happy.
00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.110
And yeah, I wouldn't be in the position I'm today if it wasn't for them
00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:47.651
going off on a slight tangent from the questions I've told you, I'll ask you, but, was there a point where I guess for a lot of parents, they worry that you're not keeping up with your academic studies'cause you that's a lot of hours, it's a lot of times a lot of commitment.
00:06:47.651 --> 00:06:48.430
You can be tired.
00:06:48.940 --> 00:06:54.281
Did they ever worry that football might not be your thing and you're not really focusing too much on your academics?
00:06:54.281 --> 00:06:56.110
Or I think, do you know what I mean?
00:06:56.170 --> 00:06:56.891
This sums'em up.
00:06:56.891 --> 00:06:59.500
So they never put any pressure on me, never.
00:06:59.591 --> 00:07:07.538
When I played, when I was at school, I quit school at, I finished my school at 16 and I went into 6th form for 3 months.
00:07:08.201 --> 00:07:09.130
I wasn't enjoying it.
00:07:09.701 --> 00:07:11.899
And I said, I turned around to'em, I said, oh, I wanna be a golfer.
00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:14.591
So they said, go on in, go for it.
00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:21.011
So they let me just play golf for 6 months and when I realised I'm not gonna be a golfer, I went and got a job.
00:07:21.709 --> 00:07:30.971
But the fact that they just didn't put ever put any pressure on me to force me down any avenues.
00:07:31.031 --> 00:07:35.860
Just always so supportive in everything And that's, I say that's why I'm so lucky.
00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:36.821
And my brother as well
00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:38.021
It's incredible.
00:07:38.350 --> 00:07:52.961
I guess one day some of the audience watching this might, might realise how lucky they've been as well so you've had a long career across some really big clubs, some amazing dressing rooms What do you think kept you in the game for that length of time?
00:07:54.646 --> 00:07:54.766
I
00:07:54.821 --> 00:07:56.471
I think it's just something in you.
00:07:56.771 --> 00:07:59.800
It's, I'm very chilled as a person.
00:08:00.461 --> 00:08:01.240
but I was very driven.
00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:01.901
I'm very driven.
00:08:01.901 --> 00:08:05.290
And when I was younger, all I wanted to do was be a footballer.
00:08:05.290 --> 00:08:09.011
I always wanted to be a footballer and I would do anything it took to be a footballer.
00:08:09.011 --> 00:08:18.401
And I think that I worked really hard when I did get the opportunity at Brentford at 19, I'd be, I'd go for runs before training.
00:08:19.271 --> 00:08:28.300
I'd do gym, I'd train, I'd kick balls after training, I'd stay behind and I would literally do anything to make myself the best I possibly could be.
00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:35.230
And I think that all that hard work in my early years of the career has allowed me to be where I am now.
00:08:35.650 --> 00:08:43.421
And don't get me wrong, there are times now where I feel a little bit burnt out and I've been playing for, I think this, I'm not too sure.
00:08:43.421 --> 00:08:44.921
I think it might be my 18th season.
00:08:45.400 --> 00:08:49.150
And there are times where you're like, like you do feel that burnout.
00:08:49.150 --> 00:08:53.831
But I really did sacrifice a lot when I was younger to be here.
00:08:54.100 --> 00:08:58.211
And I think now I've, I'm able to get that balance really.
00:08:58.660 --> 00:08:59.591
I enjoy myself.
00:08:59.620 --> 00:09:02.620
I think people probably know, I like to go out, I like to have a beer.
00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:03.791
I like to go to music festivals.
00:09:03.791 --> 00:09:04.780
I like to enjoy myself.
00:09:05.410 --> 00:09:09.821
But on the training pitch, when we're playing a small sided game, I still wanna win.
00:09:10.301 --> 00:09:12.010
It's a personal pride.
00:09:12.010 --> 00:09:16.780
I was actually speaking to, to granit about it, in the gym just before we broke up.
00:09:16.780 --> 00:09:22.541
And we were talking about, so obviously we're a little bit older now when he's saying that he's still got that drive.
00:09:22.541 --> 00:09:26.230
And I said to him, it's like when we do shooting drills, I still wanna save everything.
00:09:26.831 --> 00:09:30.316
Still something in you that just, you got that competitive side, refuses to quit.
00:09:30.431 --> 00:09:31.390
You refuse, just to quit.
00:09:31.390 --> 00:09:34.811
And my next challenge now is play as long as you can.
00:09:35.230 --> 00:09:40.390
Yeah Play as long as you can and when you can't play anymore, because you only get one career.
00:09:40.870 --> 00:09:42.791
So I might as well carry on playing.
00:09:43.030 --> 00:09:46.150
And then one of the times for I to go into coaching, I'll do that.
00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:48.821
So the drivers now see where you can get to
00:09:49.091 --> 00:09:50.260
Yeah How long can.
00:09:50.260 --> 00:09:54.520
you keep it going and keep at the top I think it's been an incredible journey.
00:09:55.150 --> 00:09:58.421
you've been through some amazing moments of no doubt.
00:09:59.020 --> 00:10:04.250
what's, probably the hardest moment that you remember through your career where you maybe, doubted whether you wanted to
00:10:04.350 --> 00:10:04.870
continue, you didn't?
00:10:05.056 --> 00:10:06.946
I had a lot of self-doubt when I was younger.
00:10:08.505 --> 00:10:12.466
I used to overthink things a lot, even still overthink things a little bit now.
00:10:12.495 --> 00:10:13.905
But that was one thing.
00:10:13.905 --> 00:10:20.446
I'd be going into games and I'll be out in the pitch thinking about like where my hands were, where my feet were and overthinking technique.
00:10:20.446 --> 00:10:21.826
But I'm the same with everything.
00:10:21.826 --> 00:10:28.546
My goal, my darts, my cricket, every, I'd always be thinking about technique and I was probably my own worst enemy.
00:10:28.546 --> 00:10:36.556
And that's another reason probably why I've gone into coaching, is because I don't want kids to feel how I felt when I was playing.
00:10:36.975 --> 00:10:48.024
I want them to go out on that pitch and to be free and to feel like they're the best goalies in the world because I've had, my best games have been when I've not when I've not thought.
00:10:48.024 --> 00:10:56.754
It sounds weird, but I've just gone, you know what, just keep the ball out the back of the net and then you end up making saves where you look back and you go, how did I do that?
00:10:56.933 --> 00:10:57.864
Because you didn't think about it.
00:10:57.864 --> 00:11:00.264
The moment you start thinking about it, the ball's already gone past you.
00:11:00.333 --> 00:11:01.114
It's just muscle memory.
00:11:01.114 --> 00:11:01.395
So
00:11:01.703 --> 00:11:08.004
I want to, that is my challenge of teaching the young kids do all the technical stuff.
00:11:08.004 --> 00:11:13.644
It's like being on the driving range, mess out with it, test the way your hands are, stand at 4 yards, stand at 2 yards.
00:11:13.854 --> 00:11:17.244
But when you're across that white line, just keep the ball out the back of the net.
00:11:17.604 --> 00:11:19.764
And I think that's a very underrated skill
00:11:20.134 --> 00:11:21.364
Yeah Doing what it takes.
00:11:21.364 --> 00:11:26.734
And when we talk before about melker's Stand in header against, was it Leed's game when he
00:11:26.754 --> 00:11:28.293
did, I think it was Port Vale, wasn't it?
00:11:28.293 --> 00:11:29.423
It was Port Vale in the FA cup.
00:11:29.423 --> 00:11:29.663
Yeah.
00:11:29.663 --> 00:11:35.484
Like Lukey's, hit him a monster back pass and he's leapt like a salmon to header over the bar.
00:11:35.484 --> 00:11:36.703
And that is, that's goalkeeping.
00:11:37.073 --> 00:11:39.083
And do you know what the improvisation there?
00:11:39.083 --> 00:11:40.943
He can't have been thinking about technique.
00:11:41.453 --> 00:11:44.524
he can't, he just been thinking, he looks at the ball and going, I just keeps out the back of the neck.
00:11:44.524 --> 00:11:46.254
Desperately needed to keep headed it away.
00:11:46.254 --> 00:11:51.264
And, yeah, see Lukey sort of chuckling back and that, that's Lukey in a nutshell.
00:11:51.264 --> 00:11:56.094
He is, he's a top, human being coming back to
00:11:56.114 --> 00:12:00.303
Sunderland then, you signed in 2024 just before Regis arrived.
00:12:01.703 --> 00:12:01.884
what
00:12:01.894 --> 00:12:03.573
was it like when you first walked into the building?
00:12:03.573 --> 00:12:04.576
What was your first impressions?
00:12:05.844 --> 00:12:08.874
I'd, I've played against Sunderland the year before.
00:12:09.653 --> 00:12:12.504
I played against Sunderland like before that, but never at the stadium
00:12:12.543 --> 00:12:12.903
alike
00:12:14.224 --> 00:12:17.453
of light and I knew what a big club there were.
00:12:18.563 --> 00:12:24.504
I had opportunities to go elsewhere but when Sunderland come in, I, they were in the championship, huge club.
00:12:25.073 --> 00:12:26.543
I thought, what a great opportunity.
00:12:26.573 --> 00:12:33.053
And, to be honest, I didn't know what to expect because I think they'd finished 17th, 18th from the championship the season before.
00:12:33.053 --> 00:12:36.624
And the club was in a little bit of a little bit of a sticky sport.
00:12:36.624 --> 00:12:39.413
I didn't think they had a manager for 3 months, 4 months.
00:12:39.413 --> 00:12:43.283
And I got to work with Doddsy at the start and I really liked Doddsy.
00:12:43.283 --> 00:12:46.854
I think he's a top man and he's an excellent coach.
00:12:46.854 --> 00:13:00.144
And yeah, I was sad to see him leave, but obviously he needs to go down his own path and, but yeah, it was, I imagine it was difficult for him taking over and uncertainty and no manager and the fans are thinking, Christ, what's going on?
00:13:00.173 --> 00:13:13.764
'cause obviously sunderland have had difficult periods before and then, yeah, so I come up here and my job was to help Patto just to be there for him and just be the older experience pro.
00:13:13.764 --> 00:13:23.214
And he's ended up becoming a really good friend and absolutely loved working with him And I'm not sure what the future holds for him, but he's a top goalie and a top lad as well.
00:13:24.789 --> 00:13:24.984
yeah.
00:13:24.984 --> 00:13:28.403
But did I think we'd be in Europe when I signed a couple of years ago?
00:13:29.754 --> 00:13:31.043
probably not to be honest with you.
00:13:31.048 --> 00:13:32.080
I don't think anybody did.
00:13:32.330 --> 00:13:39.566
That season you are talking about, that's the season I first started taking my young lad when we first started going to games and I remember we, our first game was Bristol City.
00:13:40.015 --> 00:13:42.405
it would've been Remembrance Day that year.
00:13:43.005 --> 00:13:44.086
I never
00:13:44.086 --> 00:13:45.265
got a chance to go with my dad.
00:13:47.306 --> 00:13:51.355
we'd never been able to afford it as a family until then And I was just like you know what we're gonna go.
00:13:51.836 --> 00:13:53.456
And it wasn't the greatest end of the season.
00:13:53.456 --> 00:14:01.885
I was like, I remember putting my arm around him going, this your school, at school, they teach you about resilience and being a sunderland fan teaches you about resilience.
00:14:01.946 --> 00:14:02.245
Yeah.
00:14:02.605 --> 00:14:03.625
You get used to this.
00:14:03.625 --> 00:14:04.285
This is what we do.
00:14:04.285 --> 00:14:05.696
We do really well at the beginning of the season.
00:14:05.696 --> 00:14:12.076
We do awful at the end of the season and then I feel like I've just lied to him'cause we've just been on this amazing rollercoaster ever since.
00:14:14.035 --> 00:14:17.875
what was it like inside the dressing room after the Chelsea game mate I've gotta ask
00:14:18.408 --> 00:14:18.995
Do you know what mate?
00:14:18.995 --> 00:14:21.628
It was like, it is just it was in Incre.
00:14:21.668 --> 00:14:24.192
I think it was almost disbelief really for a lot of people.
00:14:24.192 --> 00:14:32.923
But we've got players who have played, we've got players at the World Cup, we've got players that played Champion's League, to them, I think it's normality and it's what they expect.
00:14:32.923 --> 00:14:43.903
And when you're signing players like Granit, their standards are so like that that is just the norm for them And bringing characters like that in obviously brings everyone else up.
00:14:44.143 --> 00:14:47.232
And, yeah, it's incredible.
00:14:47.232 --> 00:14:55.932
But yeah, to come in at the start of the season in the championship, even the season before to get promoted to the Premier League, I thought it would be up there.
00:14:55.932 --> 00:14:58.602
I really did, because Sunderland's such a big club.
00:14:58.722 --> 00:15:05.023
I did think that we'd be up there, but did I think that the way that the season would end, would end?
00:15:05.023 --> 00:15:05.302
No.
00:15:05.302 --> 00:15:20.923
In my whole career that Coventry game was I must've watched Ballard's header 50 plus times like the feeling and I've got a lot of friends at Coventry, so when the game finished, I went and spoke to them and they were obviously devastated.
00:15:20.923 --> 00:15:24.785
And it's football's a brutal sport.
00:15:25.092 --> 00:15:43.023
And that for them, fair play to them for going this season and getting promoted because to pick themself up off the canvas and do what they've done is a credit to him but for that moment, I just remember turning around to my mum dad looking up oh my God and then 2 weeks, wait, later at Wembley.
00:15:43.942 --> 00:15:44.923
Yeah One nil down.
00:15:44.923 --> 00:15:49.062
And again, one of my old clubs, Shefield United, like absolutely loved Sheffield United to pieces.
00:15:49.062 --> 00:15:57.283
And when we went one nil down and then two nil down, I just sat there and thought, you know what, I'm just gonna enjoy the day.
00:15:57.312 --> 00:15:58.783
Hope mum and dad have a nice time.
00:15:58.932 --> 00:16:00.523
Like I probably won't be at Wembley again.
00:16:00.523 --> 00:16:01.903
I'm 35 years old.
00:16:03.475 --> 00:16:03.596
and
00:16:03.732 --> 00:16:08.383
the goal got disallowed, Eli scored and then the rest is history in it.
00:16:08.533 --> 00:16:10.393
Tommy, Super Tommy Watson.
00:16:11.802 --> 00:16:13.633
what a magical, day.
00:16:13.663 --> 00:16:15.732
And, yeah, experiences.
00:16:15.732 --> 00:16:16.572
It's always nice.
00:16:16.572 --> 00:16:22.513
I've been so fortunate in my career to live amazing experiences at every club I've been at.
00:16:22.513 --> 00:16:25.153
So feel very fortunate to have done that.
00:16:26.245 --> 00:16:32.096
So then we touched on it at the beginning, but I follow the YouTube account for Sunderland and obviously there's lot, there's always lots.
00:16:32.336 --> 00:16:41.696
The marketing's incredible but there's always lots of interviews with the players and time again, I've been really surprised when guys like Luke have been asked, who do you look up to in the club?
00:16:41.696 --> 00:16:42.655
Who's your role model?
00:16:42.655 --> 00:16:48.265
Who's your leader that you see And I've always fully expected Luke to say Granit or something like that.
00:16:48.265 --> 00:16:51.985
And actually probably about 75% of the time the answer is you.
00:16:53.426 --> 00:16:54.625
and I think that speaks volumes.
00:16:54.625 --> 00:16:56.426
Like people don't need to speak for themselves like
00:16:56.442 --> 00:16:56.832
that,
00:16:57.576 --> 00:17:07.208
that that un requested sort of support, is that something that you've always had, like that impact on people or is it something you worked on
00:17:07.563 --> 00:17:09.333
No, it's not anything I've worked on.
00:17:09.333 --> 00:17:16.323
I'm just me, I just can't help being me and I just wanna I think I've always liked helping people.
00:17:16.383 --> 00:17:17.522
And before football,
00:17:17.557 --> 00:17:17.583
I
00:17:18.542 --> 00:17:25.212
before I went to Brentford, so I went to Brentford on trial and I was a teaching assistant at a special needs school on the Isle of Wight.
00:17:26.073 --> 00:17:29.702
cause my football career wasn't really going the way I wanted it to.
00:17:29.702 --> 00:17:32.883
And I thought I'd probably have to go to university and become a teacher.
00:17:32.883 --> 00:17:43.173
So the first step was to become a teaching assistant as such And I got offered this job at a school in the isle of wight to help in the special needs unit.
00:17:43.173 --> 00:17:51.542
And I think I've just always liked helping and as I've gone on throughout my career, I've been number 2, a fair amount of it.
00:17:51.542 --> 00:18:06.002
And I've been number 2 to some incredible goalkeepers, Wojciech Szczęsny, Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale, David Marshall, like I try, Ben Wilson when I was number two to him at the season of his life.
00:18:06.782 --> 00:18:08.133
but I just want them to do well.
00:18:08.403 --> 00:18:13.143
I want other people to do well and if they do well, the team does well and everyone does well.
00:18:13.143 --> 00:18:16.502
So I get you have to have the competitive environment.
00:18:16.502 --> 00:18:17.252
Of course you do.
00:18:17.823 --> 00:18:22.803
But for me, I just can't help being in me really and just want to help.
00:18:22.803 --> 00:18:33.663
So I think that's probably why, another reason that I will go into coaching because it probably just pass on all my experience to and it's nice to see people do well
00:18:33.907 --> 00:18:44.167
I think when you say you go into coaching I think you're doing yourself a disservice Simon cause I think you've probably been doing it most of your career already, just in case of having the qualifications behind it to be able to make it official.
00:18:44.167 --> 00:18:48.893
But I, tend to find that there are people out there who just naturally coaches Yeah,
00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:49.980
yeah.
00:18:50.018 --> 00:18:50.798
comes naturally to them
00:18:51.060 --> 00:18:56.191
And, I've worked with a lot of goalkeeper coaches as well and I'd like to just pick the best bits out of each one.
00:18:56.401 --> 00:18:59.280
I really have worked with some unreal coaches.
00:18:59.280 --> 00:19:05.580
I can't obviously name'them all, but they've all helped me to get to where I'm today.
00:19:05.580 --> 00:19:12.601
And, yeah, my current coach, Cuts, he's top tier, top human and top coach as well.
00:19:12.601 --> 00:19:15.451
So I think that for me, I always look at the, person first.
00:19:15.931 --> 00:19:20.461
I always think if you're a good person, then that's good enough for me and everything else can come with it
00:19:21.337 --> 00:19:27.998
So then for the young Keeps who watching, like from the outside perspective, football's all about Saturday, Sunday.
00:19:28.688 --> 00:19:32.501
it's all about that one match, but there's a whole goalkeeping department.
00:19:32.887 --> 00:19:36.188
Alright So what does a week in the goalkeeping department look like?
00:19:36.188 --> 00:19:37.357
How does it, how do you prepare for the
00:19:37.381 --> 00:19:37.621
weekend?
00:19:37.657 --> 00:20:00.181
Yeah, so again, that's something like, I'll just go for example, this year, like we've got a very tight union and again, the season before with like me, patto, Blondy, we had a really good union together And, again, I didn't even mention being number 2 to Patto'cause it was, it wasn't that long ago, but he's an exceptional goalkeeper.
00:20:00.601 --> 00:20:03.391
And I wanted Patto to do well, I really did.
00:20:05.340 --> 00:20:07.411
but you work together day in, day out.
00:20:07.590 --> 00:20:15.480
So for me, I don't see the point in having any malice against each other because you have to work with these boys every day.
00:20:16.111 --> 00:20:22.290
So if you try and be the best version of you, try and be the best you can be and support the other person.
00:20:22.290 --> 00:20:30.090
Because I've in a 1, i've been in a 2, i've been a 3 and one day, if you're 1 now you might be a 2 one day and then you might be a 3.
00:20:30.101 --> 00:20:30.871
Yeah So
00:20:31.560 --> 00:20:34.230
just be the best version of you and just help the others.
00:20:34.260 --> 00:20:38.777
And I think that's something that's probably stood me in good stead for throughout my career.
00:20:39.076 --> 00:20:52.356
How would you say that, we talked earlier about you stepping in, in the midst of that season, how do you stay ready and sharp mentally switched on when you know you are not the 1st choice keeper?
00:20:53.178 --> 00:20:57.468
Yeah, and that's something that probably has come a little bit more natural to me as I've got older.
00:20:57.468 --> 00:21:03.588
I think that I worked incredibly hard as a 2 and a 3 when in my younger days.
00:21:04.159 --> 00:21:11.959
And sometimes it probably went against me if I'm being honest with you, because when you did get your opportunity, you might not play for 3 months.
00:21:12.409 --> 00:21:18.259
And then when you did play, if it didn't go well, you'd go, oh, for God sake, why did I do absolutely everything?
00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:20.388
Like I did everything so rigidly.
00:21:20.989 --> 00:21:25.189
And I'm not saying don't work hard and don't do the right things because I still do that.
00:21:25.189 --> 00:21:27.259
I still do the right things and work hard.
00:21:27.739 --> 00:21:29.689
But I'm saying just be a little bit kinder to yourself.
00:21:29.749 --> 00:21:40.969
Don't put as much pressure on those games then, because if, for me it was like, oh I know I'm playing in the carling cup'cause the 1st choice isn't gonna play And all I could think about was that game.
00:21:41.358 --> 00:21:44.148
And it sometimes it'd go well, sometimes it wouldn't.
00:21:44.479 --> 00:21:55.459
So for now I'll be like, If I know I'm playing in a month's time, I'll go, do you know what, I'll do everything I can and I'll just go out there and I'll just try and keep ball back of net.
00:21:55.489 --> 00:21:56.088
I'll try and enjoy it.
00:21:56.088 --> 00:21:57.019
I'll still live my life.
00:21:57.348 --> 00:21:59.148
I'll still go out with my friends.
00:21:59.148 --> 00:22:00.108
I still enjoy myself.
00:22:00.108 --> 00:22:01.699
I'll work hard when I need to work hard.
00:22:01.703 --> 00:22:01.884
Yeah.
00:22:02.118 --> 00:22:04.219
But I'm just a little bit more relaxed now.
00:22:04.219 --> 00:22:09.019
And I think that's one of the biggest, things that I've learned as I've got older
00:22:09.679 --> 00:22:22.098
I think that's, something that maybe a lot of younger goalkeepers are yet to experience is that how do you be a teammate Because it's not just about being a goalkeeper, it's not just about being an outfield player it's about building that team.
00:22:22.098 --> 00:22:25.219
And I guess you don't get to that until you're early mid-teens.
00:22:25.219 --> 00:22:25.659
At least
00:22:25.959 --> 00:22:32.659
something that my dad taught me was like when they had the team on the island, Braden, the team spirit was always amazing.
00:22:32.898 --> 00:22:37.578
And if there was like a social event to support a club, my dad would make sure every single player was there.
00:22:37.608 --> 00:22:42.798
Even if you stayed for 1 or 2 beers, like you be there because you are all teammates.
00:22:43.098 --> 00:22:47.239
And if you get on well together and do things together that the success comes.
00:22:47.239 --> 00:23:06.679
And for me, the biggest thing about success is team spirit It really has, you could have 11 individuals who are unbelievable but not successful and I'd sooner rather have 11 good men together because 11 together is stronger than 11 ones on their own Yeah
00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.028
Yeah.
00:23:08.459 --> 00:23:16.298
and I've always said that you see a lot of the bigger teams building an entire team around one central superstar.
00:23:16.489 --> 00:23:19.608
And I often wonder how, the mechanics on that work.
00:23:19.909 --> 00:23:24.259
if you are there, your roles to support that one person, pass to messi,
00:23:25.436 --> 00:23:25.557
Yeah.
00:23:26.179 --> 00:23:27.108
living in the shadow of that
00:23:27.446 --> 00:23:27.517
right?
00:23:27.576 --> 00:23:34.977
Messi is pretty good, but I can imagine that the, I often obviously never met him, but I can imagine that everyone gets one of him and stuff.
00:23:34.977 --> 00:23:44.817
But I do see a lot of teams that do struggle at times who have world worldclass players, but don't have the success, but also think you need a good manager to create that environment as well.
00:23:44.906 --> 00:23:45.027
Yeah.
00:23:45.176 --> 00:23:50.007
So I think obviously the manager creates that environment and then you get a good dressing room.
00:23:50.007 --> 00:24:02.363
The dressing room tends to run itself and yeah, so I've been part of some incredible dressing rooms and I've always found the ones that get on and do stuff together are the ones that have the success.
00:24:02.861 --> 00:24:06.181
we've talked about pretty much everybody except the man of the moment, Robin Roefs.
00:24:06.820 --> 00:24:18.038
this season's had an absolutely incredible season considering and I think what a lot of people forget con when they watch Robin play is that he's still pretty much in his breakout season.
00:24:18.131 --> 00:24:22.601
Like he, what he'd only played a few, like one season senior level prior to
00:24:22.604 --> 00:24:22.804
joining.
00:24:22.804 --> 00:24:25.003
what Robin's done this season is incredible.
00:24:25.003 --> 00:24:33.794
And to be honest with you, when he first signed, I think there's probably a few raised eyebrows about oof, not quite sure about this lad'cause probably not heard of him.
00:24:33.794 --> 00:24:33.973
And
00:24:34.310 --> 00:24:36.105
we were all loyal to Patto'cause he's a Sunderland lad right?
00:24:36.884 --> 00:24:52.094
And, also as well, Patto for me probably deserved to start the season because he'd had a really good season before he was man the Match Wembley and it was probably his shirt to lose and Patto can feel very hard done by that.
00:24:52.094 --> 00:24:55.253
He didn't get to start the season and that's no fault of Robins.
00:24:55.253 --> 00:24:55.844
Robin got
00:24:55.871 --> 00:24:56.290
Yeah Robin
00:24:56.413 --> 00:25:00.644
the opportunity to play and he's absolutely grasped it with both hands.
00:25:01.574 --> 00:25:10.364
and again another really nice lad top, top lad, real calm, real, real nice demeanour about him.
00:25:10.364 --> 00:25:12.584
And, very competitive as well.
00:25:12.614 --> 00:25:13.544
Very competitive.
00:25:13.544 --> 00:25:15.134
He played head tennis, you play table tennis.
00:25:15.134 --> 00:25:16.243
He wants to win everything.
00:25:16.243 --> 00:25:18.973
But I'm really happy for him because he deserves it.
00:25:18.973 --> 00:25:26.653
Like he's a lovely lad and he's gonna go on to have an incredible career I said I couldn't, be happy for him I have
00:25:27.018 --> 00:25:41.891
I've no doubt whatsoever I think we're very fortunate to have captured him at the level that he has and I hope, we hang on to him for as long as we can, but I've no doubt that he will migrate to somewhere, somewhere else and when he does, he'll always be a Mackem at heart, right?
00:25:41.891 --> 00:25:43.326
Like we, we adopt, I mean
00:25:43.384 --> 00:25:44.180
he's Christ.
00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:46.075
He couldn't have, he couldn't have asked for a better season, could he?
00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:48.410
He couldn't have asked for a better start to his career here.
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.210
and
00:25:50.615 --> 00:25:53.230
it's, funny, we were watching England pit at the World Cup.
00:25:54.191 --> 00:26:04.780
me and my son were watching on the telly and we were watching it and Pickford made an amazing save And my, son's there ready to shout ROEEEEEEFS you just can't help it.
00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:05.800
It's just in now.
00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:06.611
It's just part of it.
00:26:06.611 --> 00:26:10.000
And I think, I pity whoever comes next after Robin to be fair.
00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.645
I'd like to think we keep him.
00:26:10.826 --> 00:26:11.405
But you know
00:26:11.463 --> 00:26:17.374
what that, and that's as a goalkeeper, that is something that is really hard when you are following someone.
00:26:17.493 --> 00:26:18.753
Yeah Who has done so well.
00:26:19.564 --> 00:26:24.933
You have to be so mentally strong to come in after, because it's really, I've been there myself.
00:26:25.384 --> 00:26:30.213
Again say, I followed the footsteps of some incredible goalies.
00:26:30.634 --> 00:26:35.943
And that was also the difficulty of being a number 2 is your goalkeeper, say Deano at sheffield United.
00:26:36.574 --> 00:26:37.364
Everyone loved Deano.
00:26:37.743 --> 00:26:42.963
As soon as he touched the ball, Deano, and I'm thinking, I'm playing in the cup thinking, right?
00:26:42.963 --> 00:26:43.023
Yeah.
00:26:43.804 --> 00:26:45.334
He's thinking I have to be a 10 outta 10.
00:26:46.229 --> 00:26:51.423
But a again, that is mentally goalkeeper's always a mental challenge.
00:26:51.933 --> 00:26:54.213
And, that's something that, that you have to deal with
00:26:54.536 --> 00:27:03.529
and so what would you say that young play, young goalkeepers, who are watching Robin should take on board beyond the amazing saves that we see?
00:27:03.955 --> 00:27:04.226
what
00:27:05.644 --> 00:27:09.575
just, every day, just being, wanting to be the best.
00:27:09.785 --> 00:27:19.744
Like as soon as you cross that white line and go onto the training pitch, wanting to keep the ball outta the back of the net, be solid in your technique, but also be calm with it as well.
00:27:19.775 --> 00:27:21.214
It's almost like he goes out on the pitch and he
00:27:21.830 --> 00:27:22.121
gets
00:27:22.894 --> 00:27:23.734
gets himself right.
00:27:23.734 --> 00:27:25.714
I need to get in the zone here.
00:27:26.944 --> 00:27:30.335
but off the pitch, just a lovely lad and just be a good person.
00:27:30.335 --> 00:27:34.654
And, but yeah, he's got everything there, hasn't he?
00:27:35.105 --> 00:27:39.214
he's unbelievable with The ball at his feet, he comes for crosses, he's which is a little bit old school.
00:27:39.214 --> 00:27:39.515
Really?
00:27:39.545 --> 00:27:42.634
'cause you don't see many keepers come for crosses nowadays yeah.
00:27:43.420 --> 00:27:44.494
but yeah, very calm.
00:27:44.494 --> 00:27:47.585
I think calmness is a very good attribute to have as a goalkeeper.
00:27:47.585 --> 00:27:53.194
I thought patto was almost horizontal and sometimes it Yeah, it went against him a little bit.
00:27:53.194 --> 00:27:54.484
'cause people go, you don't care.
00:27:54.484 --> 00:27:55.144
You don't care.
00:27:55.144 --> 00:27:57.394
And you put Patto on that football pitch.
00:27:57.605 --> 00:27:58.535
You see some of the saves.
00:27:58.535 --> 00:28:00.694
He makes that Yeah he's
00:28:00.715 --> 00:28:06.145
I remember speaking to Patto after, we went when we, Eric Steel Camp this time last year.
00:28:06.175 --> 00:28:06.415
Yes.
00:28:06.685 --> 00:28:16.452
And I remember I Patto was fresh back from Wembley and I asked him about that save And I remember thinking like his answer was just, oh yeah, it was all right.
00:28:17.323 --> 00:28:17.721
It's okay
00:28:18.021 --> 00:28:19.821
But you watch his reaction when he gets up.
00:28:20.031 --> 00:28:21.592
He's not giving it all sorts.
00:28:21.592 --> 00:28:22.761
He's not celebrating.
00:28:22.761 --> 00:28:24.321
He's, he just gets up what's next?
00:28:24.412 --> 00:28:25.402
Yeah what's next?
00:28:25.432 --> 00:28:28.461
And that's Patto and that is his, that's his unique skill.
00:28:28.852 --> 00:28:30.652
Now that might not work for other keepers.
00:28:30.741 --> 00:28:30.801
Yeah.
00:28:31.132 --> 00:28:32.932
But for him, that works.
00:28:32.932 --> 00:28:35.602
And that's something that I wouldn't change.
00:28:36.082 --> 00:28:39.382
and you don't wanna change it'cause it's an advantage for him
00:28:40.204 --> 00:28:45.321
So then European football next season, what do you, how do you think that's gonna impact on the squad generally Like
00:28:45.622 --> 00:28:46.281
Yeah.
00:28:46.612 --> 00:28:49.192
I think it's obviously going to, there's gonna be.
00:28:50.682 --> 00:28:57.582
to be honest with you, for me personally speaking, I've never been involved in European football, so I don't really know what it's gonna look like.
00:28:57.672 --> 00:28:59.412
But it's exciting.
00:28:59.711 --> 00:29:00.281
It's amazing.
00:29:00.281 --> 00:29:04.781
It's amazing for, the city, it's amazing for everyone connected with the club.
00:29:04.801 --> 00:29:11.592
And it's something that I think that we should just embrace and enjoy because you don't get to enjoy football very often.
00:29:11.741 --> 00:29:18.942
It's it's very, yeah it's a very tense environment, but I think, you know what, we just, go for it.
00:29:18.942 --> 00:29:20.981
Just go and give it a go and give it the best we can.
00:29:21.968 --> 00:29:29.827
we've touched on Neil Cutler a couple of times and I know, when I spoke to Jonny a couple of episodes back, Jonny was very complimentary on Neil.
00:29:30.157 --> 00:29:31.147
What's it like working with Neil?
00:29:31.448 --> 00:29:32.625
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
00:29:32.625 --> 00:29:40.066
Cuts been class since he come in and I think I've met him a couple of times in the past, just like playing against lot.
00:29:40.066 --> 00:29:46.965
I remember back playing against like Warsaw and playing against Aston Villa and Wolves, just shaking his hand saying hello.
00:29:47.596 --> 00:29:53.114
But meeting him as a person now that, like I said, for me it's, the man that he is.
00:29:53.898 --> 00:30:04.050
He's just been top tier and I had a, I had little bit of difficulty to start the season going from number 2 to number 3 thinking I don't really feel like I'm doing a lot here.
00:30:04.090 --> 00:30:10.846
I don't really know what my sort of role is, but when I sat down and spoke to Cuts about it, he gave me a different perspective on it.
00:30:10.846 --> 00:30:13.486
And then since then I'm like, yeah do you know what you're right.
00:30:13.486 --> 00:30:16.306
So he is just got that, he's got that knowledge and experience
00:30:17.297 --> 00:30:17.626
and
00:30:18.496 --> 00:30:20.925
his sessions are class and that's the thing that I really enjoy.
00:30:20.925 --> 00:30:25.875
Like his sessions are, excellent, always different and there's always a reason behind it.
00:30:25.875 --> 00:30:26.992
So yeah.
00:30:27.012 --> 00:30:28.523
Cuts is top tier
00:30:28.967 --> 00:30:39.136
I think it's clear that there's a, there's definitely a bigger thinking going on at the club and there's plans for the future, which is something that's, I'm not gonna lie, I feel like this is a sunderland podcast.
00:30:39.136 --> 00:30:52.366
Sorry, Newcastle fans, if you're watching this going oh God he's still talking about Sunderland But I feel like, it's been a long time since I've seen that drive towards a single common goal from all departments and all angles and it's really interesting to watch.
00:30:52.846 --> 00:30:56.368
But obviously you are now moving towards coaching yourself.
00:30:59.176 --> 00:31:04.277
when do you think that you realised that coaching was something that you need to concentrate on now?
00:31:05.012 --> 00:31:05.758
That's a good question.
00:31:05.758 --> 00:31:06.057
Really.
00:31:06.057 --> 00:31:09.627
It's something that just I dunno, something that just happened
00:31:09.648 --> 00:31:09.769
for you.
00:31:09.773 --> 00:31:11.929
It's not a trigger moment, it's a You've grown into
00:31:11.968 --> 00:31:12.147
into it.
00:31:12.208 --> 00:31:17.847
no'cause I still feel young, like I still feel young, probably too young at times.
00:31:17.877 --> 00:31:18.597
Probably need to grow up a
00:31:18.663 --> 00:31:18.903
little bit.
00:31:19.003 --> 00:31:21.663
But, it's time for that there, mate.
00:31:22.167 --> 00:31:23.667
I just thought that Yeah, true.
00:31:23.667 --> 00:31:28.468
But I'm 36 now and then I, so i'll soon be 40, I'll soon be 45.
00:31:28.468 --> 00:31:29.758
Time just goes so quickly.
00:31:29.758 --> 00:31:38.008
And I think that my, one of my, closest friends, Billy Sharpe wants to be a manager and he'll be an excellent manager.
00:31:38.248 --> 00:31:49.115
And he said to me, he wants me to be his goalkeeper coach And Phil Jagielka, who's also one of my best friends to to be the assistant And the experience between those two is is ridiculous.
00:31:49.347 --> 00:31:57.778
And I think if we get a team together, then we can pass all our knowledge on to whoever we take over.
00:31:57.778 --> 00:32:09.178
And I just loved, I loved my time at Shefield United and I loved, and them two boys, have become some of my closest friends and to reunite with them.
00:32:09.178 --> 00:32:12.028
And they've got the sort of same morals and the same values as I do.
00:32:13.258 --> 00:32:15.387
and that's something that excites me to be honest
00:32:16.548 --> 00:32:19.848
and you've just run your first EvoGK camp this morning.
00:32:20.598 --> 00:32:25.108
it's been a 9 til 3 job as so thank you very much for doing the interview straight
00:32:25.108 --> 00:32:25.704
afterwards Yeah, no worries.
00:32:25.848 --> 00:32:27.409
I appreciate you've done a long day.
00:32:28.338 --> 00:32:30.409
What was that experience like for you from a coaching angle?
00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:30.779
Do you know?
00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:40.230
What I just feel, I was saying to the coaches out there, I feel like natural I feel at home when I'm walking around and coaching.
00:32:40.230 --> 00:32:44.190
And it's something that that I enjoy.
00:32:44.250 --> 00:32:46.690
And I think it's, like I said, I just enjoy helping I've got
00:32:49.068 --> 00:32:49.608
I'm I've
00:32:49.769 --> 00:32:58.710
so much to learn, like I've got loads to learn and the way the game's going, like with the laptops and stuff, I know that's gonna be an absolute stinker for me because I am hopeless that, that sort of stuff.
00:32:58.829 --> 00:33:09.420
But, coaching does excite me, but not just yet, like I'm gonna just feed my way into it, feed my way into it and I'm gonna have to learn the ropes.
00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:13.559
I'm gonna have to do, I'm gonna have to start at the bottom and build my way to the top.
00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:17.815
But it's almost starting like a bit like I did with football starting.
00:33:17.815 --> 00:33:24.325
I didn't start at the bottom as such, but you start there and you try and get yourself up to the Premier League eventually and that's something that's happened.
00:33:24.325 --> 00:33:26.875
So it's a new challenge really.
00:33:26.875 --> 00:33:28.525
So one that I'm looking forward to
00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:37.940
was there, anything at the camp today that made you think, cool, that's, exactly what I think Young Keepers should be doing more of or experiencing more of,
00:33:38.243 --> 00:33:47.909
Yeah, I think that it's funny obviously like speaking to other coaches as well and watching their sessions and thinking about what would I do here?
00:33:47.909 --> 00:33:51.088
And so Ads, one of the coaches, I thought, do you know what?
00:33:51.088 --> 00:33:52.409
His detail is really good.
00:33:52.409 --> 00:33:53.638
He steps in at the right moment.
00:33:53.638 --> 00:34:00.929
And that's the thing for me, stepping in at the right time and also I think at young kids are like sponges.
00:34:01.568 --> 00:34:05.999
and if you can teach them something early that's going to be really good for them in the future.
00:34:05.999 --> 00:34:08.969
Maybe for me now, it's probably a little bit harder to learn a skill.
00:34:09.208 --> 00:34:10.018
I'm still learning.
00:34:10.018 --> 00:34:11.349
And that's the great thing about Cuts.
00:34:11.369 --> 00:34:12.478
I'm still learning.
00:34:12.509 --> 00:34:16.438
I said to him, I want you to tell me I wanna learn, I wanna keep learning'cause you are always learning.
00:34:16.829 --> 00:34:21.958
But if you can get them foundations at a young age, you're gonna have a really good chance of having a good career
00:34:22.063 --> 00:34:30.014
What would you say is the biggest difference for you between telling a young keeper what to do and helping them actually understand what they're doing?
00:34:32.235 --> 00:34:41.085
I think it is hard because you're speaking to a couple of the young kids out there and it's just being, just breaking it down really.
00:34:41.864 --> 00:34:44.954
cause I'm thinking, I'm not sure you understand that.
00:34:45.014 --> 00:34:53.625
And just being, just taking a step back and saying, Gordon, you show me, I think you only learn by trying and getting things wrong.
00:34:53.954 --> 00:34:56.985
Because if you got everything right all the time, then you would never be learning.
00:34:56.985 --> 00:34:59.025
So it's getting it wrong.
00:34:59.025 --> 00:35:03.764
It's getting it wrong, but it's trying to just keep going until you get it right.
00:35:05.204 --> 00:35:07.304
and it's nice to see smiles on faces.
00:35:07.304 --> 00:35:16.034
I said to the kids, before we went out, I said, the main thing for me today is that you enjoy yourselves and if you enjoy yourselves, that's what it matters
00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:24.643
And it, I guess from a parent's angle, when I hear that, I think oh, we're not gonna be learning things today'cause we're just having fun.
00:35:24.643 --> 00:35:32.534
And as a parent, you want to, you want, your kids to have the best experiences but like football gets taken quite seriously and I want them to be developing.
00:35:32.534 --> 00:35:37.483
But it's, what you've said is actually something that, that I've been through in the last couple of years.
00:35:37.483 --> 00:35:43.934
And it's just the more I see my son having that fun the better his football gets alongside it.
00:35:43.938 --> 00:35:44.219
Yeah.
00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:46.903
And it, but you've almost gotta commit to that as a parent.
00:35:46.903 --> 00:35:47.684
You've gotta commit to that.
00:35:47.713 --> 00:35:48.074
Yes.
00:35:48.074 --> 00:35:49.003
This has to be fun.
00:35:49.244 --> 00:35:59.773
Yeah It's not me shouting at you from the sideline, it's not me stressing about whether you're learning enough or not It's about watching you develop and helping to your like, you talked about your parents being supportive
00:35:59.775 --> 00:36:00.405
and Yeah.
00:36:00.764 --> 00:36:04.005
I think for me it's almost like a man management thing.
00:36:04.155 --> 00:36:10.724
There might be kids who need shouting and that might be certain kids that you need to be harder on because it brings the best out of them.
00:36:10.994 --> 00:36:13.744
But there's certain kids who might need an arm around them.
00:36:13.744 --> 00:36:19.934
And that is a skill, that is a coaching skill to know which personalities know it, it's the same skill in a first team dressing room.
00:36:20.445 --> 00:36:24.164
If you shout at one certain player, he might just do the opposite.
00:36:24.284 --> 00:36:26.204
He might just be like, go back in his chair.
00:36:26.655 --> 00:36:26.744
Yeah.
00:36:26.775 --> 00:36:32.804
But there might be other characters who need shouting out, who need telling and they puff their chest out and go, I'm gonna show you.
00:36:33.224 --> 00:36:38.144
But the skill as a person is to know which ones need what.
00:36:39.135 --> 00:36:43.815
and that's something that I feel that again is probably one of my strong points because I probably know,
00:36:44.893 --> 00:36:45.043
I
00:36:45.045 --> 00:36:49.605
just get a good sort of feel for certain people and know what, drives them and what they need really
00:36:50.704 --> 00:36:52.143
And I think, you know what?
00:36:52.204 --> 00:36:56.014
I think no matter what business you are in, we're all in the game of people Yeah.
00:36:56.014 --> 00:36:56.793
Like ultimately
00:36:57.070 --> 00:36:57.311
Yeah.
00:36:57.311 --> 00:36:57.460
And
00:36:58.443 --> 00:37:03.153
emotional intelligence is as important as anything else especially with young kids.
00:37:03.246 --> 00:37:16.893
But it's also like different learning styles everybody's got their own way of learning things and some kids love being taught from books and charts and diagrams and things and other kids need to be shown and other, there's, 1,000,001 different ways of doing it.
00:37:17.021 --> 00:37:17.351
Yeah
00:37:17.793 --> 00:37:21.724
How would you build a Keeper's confidence without letting them get too comfortable then
00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:24.371
I think confidence is a great thing.
00:37:24.550 --> 00:37:24.771
but
00:37:24.913 --> 00:37:30.432
also you always, there's always something over your shoulder, like when you think it's a bit like the golf game.
00:37:30.492 --> 00:37:32.713
You play golf and you think, Christ, I've cracked it.
00:37:33.193 --> 00:37:40.992
And then the next day you go out there and you haven't, i think for me, consistency is probably the biggest word I'd use for that.
00:37:41.166 --> 00:37:41.346
Yep
00:37:42.043 --> 00:37:42.103
Yeah.
00:37:42.103 --> 00:37:46.632
When you can get consistent, your performances are consistent, that's when you're doing something right.
00:37:47.052 --> 00:37:52.452
If you are having a 10 outta 10 one week and a 2 outta 10, the next week, something isn't quite right.
00:37:52.452 --> 00:38:08.713
So the moment you can get to that consistency is when you know that whatever you're doing in that environment, whether that's you need to go out for 2 beers on a Tuesday or whatever, you need to have a protein shake and some rice cakes on a thursday, whatever works for you because everyone's different.
00:38:08.833 --> 00:38:10.003
Every goal is different.
00:38:10.512 --> 00:38:20.563
That balance, if you can find that balance and you perform consistently, I don't care whether you have Red Bull, a flipping McDonald's, or whether you have the most perfect meal.
00:38:21.635 --> 00:38:21.965
it doesn't
00:38:21.972 --> 00:38:25.362
bother me if you are performing consistently because there is a lot of art.
00:38:25.362 --> 00:38:27.402
You have to have this, you have to do that, you have to do that.
00:38:27.913 --> 00:38:29.233
There's no one rule fits all.
00:38:29.802 --> 00:38:32.413
But just find something that works for you.
00:38:32.413 --> 00:38:38.112
Because if you are eating McDonald's every day and you're not performing, then that's something that you have to look at.
00:38:38.773 --> 00:38:40.963
But, and then you can change it.
00:38:40.963 --> 00:38:45.402
But if you eat McDonald's every day, you're gonna score hat tricks and you're doing unbelievable.
00:38:45.402 --> 00:38:47.384
Then listen, that's fine with me.
00:38:47.684 --> 00:38:50.706
Like I could just imagine the parents at home now cursing you like,
00:38:50.726 --> 00:38:50.862
Yeah.
00:38:50.862 --> 00:38:51.452
Sorry guys.
00:38:51.572 --> 00:38:52.655
Like, Dad, dad.
00:38:53.226 --> 00:38:56.706
Simon Moore says, I can have a kind of Red Bull and a McDonald's to see if it helps me.
00:38:56.773 --> 00:38:59.652
Hey, if you score a hat trick or if you're saving penalties every week, then yes you can.
00:38:59.713 --> 00:39:01.797
But if you're not, then that's probably something you have to look up
00:39:01.925 --> 00:39:18.498
but it is interesting because my mind automatically, when you say consistently, my mind automatically goes to things that we're doing in the moment, things that we're doing out on the pitch now, our mindset when we're there, but actually what you are referring to is what's your routine like outside, like how do you impact on your performance before you even get to the pitch.
00:39:19.085 --> 00:39:25.782
Yeah, and the thing is, I used to be quite regimented in my routine.
00:39:26.713 --> 00:39:32.952
And then I thought, do you know what I probably, I used to go at Sheffield tonight, I used to have a Boost chocolate bar before every game.
00:39:32.952 --> 00:39:33.733
I had to have my boost.
00:39:33.733 --> 00:39:39.193
I had to have it But then it's do I it's just, you go through stages.
00:39:39.193 --> 00:39:40.422
You learn throughout your career.
00:39:40.663 --> 00:39:43.963
I used to have to have the same meal, or I used to have to do this, I have to do that.
00:39:43.963 --> 00:39:50.262
Do I, Now I'm very more relaxed about it because it's like, I've done what I can, I do what I can in the week.
00:39:50.353 --> 00:39:53.233
Yeah like on a Saturday, anything can happen.
00:39:53.413 --> 00:39:56.742
Someone could shoot from 40 yards if you go in the top corner, I can't control that.
00:39:57.253 --> 00:39:58.333
I've just gotta go out there.
00:39:58.813 --> 00:40:02.532
And you just gotta make yourself feel unbelievable in that pitch.
00:40:02.532 --> 00:40:08.052
Even if you don't feel unbelievable, try and convince yourself and just pretend and just be like, I feel great.
00:40:08.112 --> 00:40:08.563
I feel great.
00:40:08.563 --> 00:40:09.043
It's fine.
00:40:10.063 --> 00:40:14.023
and that for me is, something that I've learned as you get older, but you only learn that of experience.
00:40:14.023 --> 00:40:20.472
I wouldn't, if you spoke to me 10 years ago, 15 years ago, we'd be having a different conversation right now.
00:40:20.472 --> 00:40:21.793
I'd be saying you have to do this you
00:40:21.795 --> 00:40:22.096
have to do that
00:40:22.242 --> 00:40:29.222
that But because I'm older, I've gone through all the different experiences and, yeah, totally different.
00:40:30.166 --> 00:40:38.445
Do you think it'd probably be falls into like superstition at some point oh it's not actually true, you just believe in it'cause I did that last week and I had a brilliant game
00:40:38.469 --> 00:40:44.918
Oh, I know so many people that are mentally superstitious and do you know what if that works for them?
00:40:44.918 --> 00:40:47.228
It's like I said, it doesn't matter.
00:40:47.648 --> 00:40:47.978
That's fine.
00:40:47.978 --> 00:40:50.708
If that works for you and you believe that works for you, that's fine.
00:40:50.708 --> 00:40:53.706
It comes to the individual, do what is right for you.
00:40:53.775 --> 00:40:56.425
Just because that's right for you doesn't mean it's the same as Goalkeeping.
00:40:56.545 --> 00:40:56.635
Yeah.
00:40:56.936 --> 00:41:03.626
Just because you have a 6ft 7 goalkeeper and you say, I need you to crouch down and try and get in that position You can't because you can't move.
00:41:04.135 --> 00:41:07.016
Whereas if you just get the basic foundations right.
00:41:07.016 --> 00:41:07.610
I want you to do that.
00:41:07.945 --> 00:41:09.655
You can do that yet you can do that yet.
00:41:10.025 --> 00:41:12.115
The rest of it, is down to you.
00:41:12.115 --> 00:41:14.036
And everyone's got different styles.
00:41:14.704 --> 00:41:18.003
Yeah you can't have, like every goalkeeper can't be the same course.
00:41:18.063 --> 00:41:19.204
Not, nor would it work.
00:41:20.313 --> 00:41:23.914
and JP1's probably a fantastic example of not fitting the mould.
00:41:24.266 --> 00:41:27.115
No, He's, yeah, he's definitely different to the rest.
00:41:27.115 --> 00:41:28.045
But look at his career.
00:41:28.045 --> 00:41:30.206
His career has been incredible.
00:41:30.206 --> 00:41:36.295
He is been so consistent with his performances and now he's gone on to do, great things
00:41:36.585 --> 00:41:42.949
What would you say is the hardest part of being a keeper That that people outside that aren't keepers just don't get,
00:41:44.831 --> 00:41:49.094
it's just you on the pitch and you have a lot of time to think.
00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:51.731
As an outfield player, you are constantly on the move.
00:41:51.731 --> 00:41:52.570
You're constantly scanning.
00:41:52.570 --> 00:41:54.311
You constantly, you haven't got time to think.
00:41:54.851 --> 00:42:00.311
But as a goalkeeper, you've got so much time to think And that's a dangerous thing because you're in your own head.
00:42:00.371 --> 00:42:12.371
And especially after making a mistake everyone's at the other end and you could be dwelling on it, thinking it's just running over in your head, running over in your head And as much as you try and block that out, it's running over in your head.
00:42:12.371 --> 00:42:16.331
But you have to try and find a way to forget about it.
00:42:17.351 --> 00:42:19.181
Go, do you know what Yeah, that happened.
00:42:19.990 --> 00:42:25.690
And learn from it and go, next time I'm in that situation, I'm grateful for.
00:42:25.751 --> 00:42:31.594
I'm grateful for all of my mistakes because it's allowed me to learn from it going forward.
00:42:32.061 --> 00:42:38.481
On that note, then, have you got any tips for kind of, when a keeper has made that mistake in the game, what's, your reset?
00:42:38.780 --> 00:42:42.726
Yeah, for me it's, I, used to beat myself up massively.
00:42:43.414 --> 00:42:44.373
I used to be gutted.
00:42:44.373 --> 00:42:47.224
I wouldn't speak to people for 2 days, I'd be devastated.
00:42:47.224 --> 00:42:50.253
And I look back now, what good did that do Me?
00:42:50.494 --> 00:42:51.693
What good did that actually do?
00:42:51.693 --> 00:42:51.844
Me?
00:42:51.903 --> 00:42:54.978
I wasted 2 days of dwelling on something that happened to that.
00:42:54.983 --> 00:42:57.447
I can't change that And that's the attitude I've got now.
00:42:57.567 --> 00:42:58.467
I, can't change it.
00:42:58.617 --> 00:43:02.726
I don't go out on the pitch to to purposely let the ball in.
00:43:03.266 --> 00:43:04.166
I got the pitch.
00:43:04.286 --> 00:43:05.157
I try and save it.
00:43:05.976 --> 00:43:07.565
If I don't, i don't..
00:43:07.677 --> 00:43:08.427
Does it hurt me?
00:43:08.456 --> 00:43:09.476
Yeah, of course it hurts me.
00:43:09.927 --> 00:43:15.177
I'm not gonna let it ruin my, the rest of my time because time is precious.
00:43:17.097 --> 00:43:34.766
and it's hard as a young kid, it's so hard to, I wish I could put my brain into some of these young children and that's why I, will obviously eventually go into the coaching game to, the sooner they can realise that yeah the more freer they're gonna be able to play when they go out on the football pitch
00:43:35.744 --> 00:43:45.954
Do you think, young keepers get enough, I guess I'm gonna call it psychological support if but do you think that there's enough time spent on the mindset for young keepers?
00:43:46.153 --> 00:43:47.713
is it's all focused on technical isn't it
00:43:47.782 --> 00:43:48.416
all technical, Yeah.
00:43:49.077 --> 00:43:50.996
no, and I said that out there to the, guys,
00:43:51.134 --> 00:43:51.793
to the guys
00:43:53.186 --> 00:44:04.309
mindset is so big and the sooner you start working on that, the better chance you're gonna have of having a successful career of getting to wherever you want to get to because it's so important.
00:44:04.978 --> 00:44:15.856
so I see quite a lot of comments on grassroots pages and things like that around, Keepers where they're playing in a grassroots team get to a certain age and the coach decides to bring a second keeper in.
00:44:15.856 --> 00:44:17.896
I can understand why you've got a bit resilience there.
00:44:17.896 --> 00:44:23.565
You've got 2 keepers, certainly when you get to like U9s, U10s, U11s, where the teams start to get bigger.
00:44:24.496 --> 00:44:32.266
What's your advice, for that young keeper who's perhaps not the 1st choice in that sort of environment, that young age?
00:44:32.326 --> 00:44:34.335
What's how do they keep their head
00:44:34.476 --> 00:44:34.606
right?
00:44:35.056 --> 00:44:37.936
at that young age, it's just about attitude.
00:44:38.927 --> 00:44:47.476
it's being the best you can be in training, turning up, I used to turn up for Farmborough Town on a Saturday.
00:44:47.476 --> 00:44:54.407
I used to get up at 7 in the morning, get the hovercraft or the red jet over to Portsmouth.
00:44:54.407 --> 00:44:56.476
Southampton get picked up,
00:44:56.806 --> 00:44:57.376
that just
00:44:57.483 --> 00:44:59.112
yeah, literally get, it's ludicrous.
00:44:59.237 --> 00:45:13.456
Get picked up, get taken an hour and a half up the motorway, go and travel up to maybe Birmingham, get up there for 2 o'clock and then the manager would come to me and say"sorry, Si, you're not in the squad today" and that happened loads of times.
00:45:13.487 --> 00:45:18.827
And you know what, the manager was really good, a guy called Francis Vines and a lot of respect for Vines.
00:45:19.036 --> 00:45:21.317
Like he didn't have to pull me to one side, but he did.
00:45:21.887 --> 00:45:24.163
And I'd be like, it's alright, gaffer.
00:45:24.376 --> 00:45:40.606
No problem But those moments I look back now have allowed me on this journey to where I am because I look back now and think, why did I travel all the way from the Isle of Wight to sit in the stands on the Saturday and not get back till 11/12 at night?
00:45:40.606 --> 00:45:44.717
But I did it because I wanted to be a professional footballer.
00:45:44.717 --> 00:45:49.606
And if it wasn't for those moments, then yeah, I wouldn't be where I am.
00:45:49.606 --> 00:45:53.722
So it's just, it's attitude and that's the most important thing.
00:45:54.076 --> 00:46:01.186
I guess the moments you don't get on the team that day are building the character for when you do get on the team and you'll appreciate that moment all the more
00:46:01.291 --> 00:46:01.485
again.
00:46:01.661 --> 00:46:03.436
And you do you really appreciate.
00:46:03.436 --> 00:46:08.507
And that's something that as I've got older, appreciate the good times, say to the boys, when you win, enjoy it.
00:46:09.016 --> 00:46:13.907
Enjoy the success because you'll have more lows in your career probably
00:46:14.835 --> 00:46:15.135
unless
00:46:15.137 --> 00:46:17.327
you're superstars, than highs.
00:46:17.327 --> 00:46:23.146
And I've certainly had far more lows than highs, but when I've had them highs, they've been special The chart Yeah
00:46:23.175 --> 00:46:31.695
I love it So I guess if you could give one piece of advice to a young keeper now who wants to play at the highest level, what would you be telling them to do
00:46:32.056 --> 00:46:33.376
I'd just say, just be a sponge.
00:46:33.376 --> 00:46:37.487
Learn as much as you can watch YouTube videos of goalies.
00:46:37.996 --> 00:46:39.317
Pick little bits outta them.
00:46:40.246 --> 00:46:46.757
Do everything you possibly can at a young age to, to be the best you can be.
00:46:46.757 --> 00:46:48.376
Learn, learn about the mindset.
00:46:49.427 --> 00:46:50.356
learn about the mindset.
00:46:51.436 --> 00:46:52.516
and just learn.
00:46:52.521 --> 00:46:53.056
Just keep learning.
00:46:53.056 --> 00:46:53.447
Keep learning.
00:46:53.447 --> 00:47:00.572
But don't be afraid of failure because those failures will help you out and make you stronger going forward
00:47:01.306 --> 00:47:02.507
Looking at a game now.
00:47:02.706 --> 00:47:08.797
what do modern keepers need now, maybe that wasn't demanded in the same way 15, 20 years ago?
00:47:09.097 --> 00:47:15.034
I think the obvious things, playing with a ball at your feet and that's something that's become huge.
00:47:15.034 --> 00:47:22.623
I think obviously since Pep's come in, I think everyone's tried to implement that and yeah, you need to be good at everything now.
00:47:22.623 --> 00:47:25.054
And for me, I'm a little bit old school.
00:47:25.143 --> 00:47:27.724
I like my goalkeepers to keep the ball out the back of the net.
00:47:28.324 --> 00:47:29.523
If they're good with their feet.
00:47:29.614 --> 00:47:31.773
You have to of course be good with your feet.
00:47:31.773 --> 00:47:37.173
But the most important thing for me is keep the ball out the back of the net and that will never change.
00:47:37.173 --> 00:47:45.483
And obviously I'm a little bit older and all the new generation coming through now are zing side winders and clipping it into the air and playing through the lines and doing this.
00:47:45.483 --> 00:47:50.764
But the standard of the goalkeeping isn't as good because that gets forgotten about.
00:47:50.764 --> 00:47:55.291
So you need to be good at everything to be a top level goalkeeper
00:47:56.166 --> 00:47:56.677
must admit.
00:47:56.677 --> 00:48:07.927
It never feels to impress me when I see professional level keepers warmed upon the pitch and the long distribution passes that I see getting zinged from the penalty spot to pass the halfway line.
00:48:07.927 --> 00:48:08.856
And it blows my mind.
00:48:08.856 --> 00:48:12.367
Like from the stand that looks like just such a simple thing to do.
00:48:12.367 --> 00:48:15.336
And you actually get down there a pitch, you realise how much of a horrific distance
00:48:15.364 --> 00:48:15.514
that Yeah.
00:48:15.817 --> 00:48:16.146
is.
00:48:17.556 --> 00:48:18.996
it makes it all the more impressive.
00:48:19.807 --> 00:48:27.338
that, but coming onto that point though, what's, is there any advice you've got for practicing distribution, like long balls for young kids?
00:48:27.367 --> 00:48:27.623
'cause it's
00:48:27.934 --> 00:48:35.152
that's the only thing, and I was saying to, the, young guys earlier, the only thing as a goalkeeper in practise is you kicking
00:48:36.128 --> 00:48:36.547
and
00:48:36.574 --> 00:48:37.833
it is passing against the wall.
00:48:38.514 --> 00:48:43.773
And for me it's just, I used to get a mannequin out after training, just kick balls.
00:48:43.780 --> 00:48:48.824
And that's because as a goalie, you can't, you need people to take a shots at you.
00:48:48.824 --> 00:48:50.193
You need someone there, you need someone there.
00:48:50.193 --> 00:49:01.173
But I used to go over the field, back over late middle school and kick balls, practise into the wind, up the hill, like when it's driving rain.
00:49:01.173 --> 00:49:02.193
Like just, practise.
00:49:02.193 --> 00:49:02.494
Yeah.
00:49:02.554 --> 00:49:05.704
So yeah And
00:49:05.708 --> 00:49:13.657
then I guess bringing it back to your goalkeeping idols, you talked about your dad and you're the goalkeeper for your local team.
00:49:13.882 --> 00:49:19.222
what's the one thing that they did back then that's still relevant today that kids could pick up
00:49:19.554 --> 00:49:24.173
just let your kids enjoy football, Like literally, enjoy it.
00:49:24.653 --> 00:49:28.463
And it's knowing whether they need, they might need a little poke, maybe.
00:49:28.733 --> 00:49:30.347
it depends what, your child's and
00:49:31.768 --> 00:49:32.039
some,
00:49:32.364 --> 00:49:36.684
might need a little push, but don't push them too far that, that they don't enjoy football.
00:49:36.684 --> 00:49:40.434
And myself and my brother's a professional goalkeeper.
00:49:40.434 --> 00:49:42.833
He's been a professional goalkeeper since he was 16.
00:49:42.833 --> 00:49:44.574
He's, how old is stu now?
00:49:44.579 --> 00:49:45.474
He's 31.
00:49:45.923 --> 00:49:47.364
So 15 years.
00:49:47.454 --> 00:49:52.423
My brother's been professional goalkeeper and he's playing at wycombe wanders now, and he's doing really well.
00:49:53.954 --> 00:49:54.293
and
00:49:54.313 --> 00:50:03.864
He's had a, like a real up and down career, but for him to play professional football for the amount of time he has done is, just a credit to, my mum and dad.
00:50:04.733 --> 00:50:06.264
And, for us it worked.
00:50:06.324 --> 00:50:09.864
They were very, they just let us get on with what we wanted.
00:50:09.864 --> 00:50:13.507
Never pushed And we're both so fortunate that they did that.
00:50:13.889 --> 00:50:16.239
You guys must have cost your parents a fortune in keeper
00:50:16.298 --> 00:50:17.849
gloves Yeah, we certainly did.
00:50:18.414 --> 00:50:19.094
certainly did.
00:50:20.219 --> 00:50:20.579
Brilliant.
00:50:20.778 --> 00:50:22.588
that's it for the regular episode.
00:50:22.588 --> 00:50:32.068
If you are not already a member of the EvoGK community, drop on the website and sign up and you'll get some of the behind the scenes questions where we go in a little bit more detail with Simon.
00:50:32.699 --> 00:50:34.559
Thank you very much for watching or listening along.
00:50:34.619 --> 00:50:36.983
And Simon, thank you very much for coming Pleasure mate.
00:50:37.074 --> 00:50:37.648
Thanks for having me.
00:50:43.648 --> 00:50:51.268
Welcome back for the bonus section for the EvoGK community questions for Simon Moore's Catching up podcast episode.
00:50:51.748 --> 00:50:57.528
So Simon, you've been the experience keeper behind someone of the calibre of Robin Roefs.
00:50:58.619 --> 00:51:04.318
What can young keeper learn about supporting another goalkeeper even when they want the shirt themselves?
