City’s Academy recently held a Goalkeeper Coaching Workshop for local Academies, in keeping with our aim of building connections with Welsh clubs.
The event was organised by Academy Head of Goalkeeping, Matt James, as well as Academy Head of Recruitment, Keiran Davies.
Benefitting a series of local academies, a collaborative approach has been set for the advantage of both parties.
Providing an insight into the workshop, Matt began: “When I came in coming up to 12 months ago in the role of Head of Academy Goalkeeping, part of my thinking was to build that collaboration and community feel with Welsh academies.
“The purpose of which is to look at how we can maximise our recruitment strategy. We arranged to bring in coaches and show them our environment, show them the standard and in this particular workshop, it was around the goalkeeper characteristics that we’re looking for in a Cardiff City Academy goalkeeper.
“We communicate what we’re after, and they may then after seeing the standard, have goalkeepers that meet that standard. That’d be one strand, but also for myself as a coach educator, I look at how we can develop coaches within the local area. That raises the standard and the bar externally, which will help us if we’re recruiting players, but also, it provides a succession plan in that we can identify potential coaches.
“It’s a really useful exercise on numerous fronts and that’s something that I want to develop alongside our day-to-day work.”
Linking with our U21s competing in a Welsh domestic competition, the Nathaniel MG Cup on a seasonal basis, part of the Academy’s aim is to build connections with local clubs and academies.
“We had around 16 coaches from numerous clubs and academies, with a real range geographically, which was pleasing,” Matt continued.
“We requested feedback on the workshop and it was something that everyone stated was useful and there was an appetite for more of it.
“The aim is to roll out more workshops across the season and we asked them to request what they may look like in order for them to feel part of it and connected to what we’re teaching them. There was a positive representation.
“It’s massive for us as an Academy to connect with local clubs. They’re a huge resource that we can utilise. We can have that community feeling and collaborative effort, which is beneficial for both parties.”
In the workshop, Matt communicated the key characteristics for a City shot-stopper.
As well as Matt Turner making his First Team debut on the opening day against Peterborough United, Danny Higgs has gained invaluable experience at U21 level, highlighting positive stories between the sticks.
Matt concluded: “What we look for in a goalkeeper works across our four pillars of development, which are technical, tactical, physical and psychological.
“From the latter perspective, we’re looking for goalkeepers that make good decisions and are winners, who are invested in their own development.
“From a physical standpoint, we’re looking at agile movers. The tactical pillar is about their understanding of the game and finally their technical ability in whether they’re effective in and out of possession, whilst also making match-defining saves.
“We want to see hard work and that is massive, it underpins everything. I’m one of the fans who if I wasn’t an employee of the Club, I would be in the stand and I have been all my life.
“I understand what the fans expect and that is emphasised in my coaching and how the players train on a day-to-day basis. There’s no cutting corners in this game.
“You’ve got to earn the right and that comes from working really hard, even when your body doesn’t want to do it. It’s about showing up, because that’s what the fans do through thick and thin.”