Albion's keeper praised the collective spirit amongst the club's shot-stoppers.
Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper David Stockdale spoke proudly of the goalkeepers’ union at the club and also highlighted the positive impact of goalkeeper coach Ben Roberts.
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Ex-Albion player Roberts rejoined the club last summer and has been hailed by Stockdale as having a major influence on himself and the other goalkeepers.He said, “Ben has had a massive impact on my season so far and he has been brilliant behind the scenes with all of us.
“Niki (Maenpaa) has been excellent this season. I have been in his position and second choice isn’t a great place to be but he has been a gentlemen about it. When he has come in, he has been brilliant and we look over our games together. He is an international goalkeeper and has put in man of the match performances, especially against Hull City in the FA Cup.
“If you’re looking at third choice keepers, we have one of the best up and coming keepers in Christian (Walton) and Casper (Ankergren), and they can play in the first team with no problem. This year we have been lucky with goalkeepers and Ben Roberts has helped us all massively.
“Even going down further with women’s goalkeeper Faye Baker, I speak to her all through the season about goalkeeping because that’s what we as keepers do; whoever it is, we are all open to advice. She might ask me things and I will always help her further her ability and it looks like she is doing that."
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Stockdale has been frequently hailed by his manager and fellow team-mates all season for pulling off fantastic saves, most recently against Hull City and Bolton Wanderers.“Both saves gave me equal satisfaction. You don’t think to yourself that you need to save this, it is just a reaction as a goalkeeper.
“The Bolton save when Feeney was running at me, as a keeper there are hundreds of things going through your head. His touches, the distance between Bruno and the striker, do I come out or not, those are some of the things going through my head and I made the right choice by coming out and closing down the angle. He could have gone around me because I’m like the Titanic turning!
“The way the match ended against Hull made my save seem more decisive, it certainly looked better than the Bolton one but that is my job."
The Albion shot-stopper faces his boyhood club on Monday night and expressed his excitement and what the build-up to the match is like for him.
“My phone is on fire when approaching a match against Leeds, I started getting texts three weeks ago! My mates give me banter asking if I can let a few in, as I'll be doing a great service to my birthplace, but they always say good luck at the end - though that could just be sarcasm!
“My father-in-law is another one; he’ll be sat in the Leeds stand, there is no chance of him sitting with the Albion fans but hopefully we will win and he won’t talk to me for a few days - that’s usually the script.
“It will always be a dream to play for Leeds, hopefully one day it will come true. It will be like Bobby (Zamora) coming back here albeit I have never played for them.
“I was a Leeds City boy (county team) so to play for Leeds United would be amazing. Hopefully I can have a few seasons with Brighton in the Premier League first."
[h=3]ALBION V LEEDS UNITED
[/h]MONDAY 29TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY **
[/h]TUESDAY 8TH MARCH, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V READING
[/h]TUESDAY 15TH APRIL, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
Original article
Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper David Stockdale spoke proudly of the goalkeepers’ union at the club and also highlighted the positive impact of goalkeeper coach Ben Roberts.
*
Ex-Albion player Roberts rejoined the club last summer and has been hailed by Stockdale as having a major influence on himself and the other goalkeepers.He said, “Ben has had a massive impact on my season so far and he has been brilliant behind the scenes with all of us.
“Niki (Maenpaa) has been excellent this season. I have been in his position and second choice isn’t a great place to be but he has been a gentlemen about it. When he has come in, he has been brilliant and we look over our games together. He is an international goalkeeper and has put in man of the match performances, especially against Hull City in the FA Cup.
“If you’re looking at third choice keepers, we have one of the best up and coming keepers in Christian (Walton) and Casper (Ankergren), and they can play in the first team with no problem. This year we have been lucky with goalkeepers and Ben Roberts has helped us all massively.
“Even going down further with women’s goalkeeper Faye Baker, I speak to her all through the season about goalkeeping because that’s what we as keepers do; whoever it is, we are all open to advice. She might ask me things and I will always help her further her ability and it looks like she is doing that."
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Stockdale has been frequently hailed by his manager and fellow team-mates all season for pulling off fantastic saves, most recently against Hull City and Bolton Wanderers.“Both saves gave me equal satisfaction. You don’t think to yourself that you need to save this, it is just a reaction as a goalkeeper.
“The Bolton save when Feeney was running at me, as a keeper there are hundreds of things going through your head. His touches, the distance between Bruno and the striker, do I come out or not, those are some of the things going through my head and I made the right choice by coming out and closing down the angle. He could have gone around me because I’m like the Titanic turning!
“The way the match ended against Hull made my save seem more decisive, it certainly looked better than the Bolton one but that is my job."
The Albion shot-stopper faces his boyhood club on Monday night and expressed his excitement and what the build-up to the match is like for him.
“My phone is on fire when approaching a match against Leeds, I started getting texts three weeks ago! My mates give me banter asking if I can let a few in, as I'll be doing a great service to my birthplace, but they always say good luck at the end - though that could just be sarcasm!
“My father-in-law is another one; he’ll be sat in the Leeds stand, there is no chance of him sitting with the Albion fans but hopefully we will win and he won’t talk to me for a few days - that’s usually the script.
“It will always be a dream to play for Leeds, hopefully one day it will come true. It will be like Bobby (Zamora) coming back here albeit I have never played for them.
“I was a Leeds City boy (county team) so to play for Leeds United would be amazing. Hopefully I can have a few seasons with Brighton in the Premier League first."
[h=3]ALBION V LEEDS UNITED
[/h]MONDAY 29TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY **
[/h]TUESDAY 8TH MARCH, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V READING
[/h]TUESDAY 15TH APRIL, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
Original article