Goalkeeping coach Jack Stern has spoken about working for his boyhood club on the latest edition of the Official Brighton & Hove Albion Podcast.
The former West Bromwich Albion and Cincinnati FC coach grew up a Seagulls fan and covered a range of topics in the latest episode, including our current crop of keepers and how much goalkeeping coaching has changed in his career.
“In the past you would maybe work once or twice a week on goalkeeping, with an overweight guy that would just smash a ball at you," Jack said.
“It’s changed completely. I’ve been lucky enough to see that. The access I had as a young player and early on as a goalkeeping coach, to when I started coaching full time in 2010 [it changed] and since then it’s moved on so much in terms of what you’re expected to do.
“Also the way we train is so different, moving from static exercises; volleying the ball into people’s hands and simple things.
“Now, we look at the opposition, the stats and analysis of what a goalkeeper has to do in a game. We do more live practices that look like a game. It’s changed for the better.
"I’ve seen the ‘old school’ way of coaching and the new way, and I want to bring some of that together, because what goalkeepers were doing for 60 years before wasn’t all wrong, there were still really good goalkeepers.
“There were good things going on 20, 25 years ago. It’s a hybrid model, you look at the modern trends, but also keep some of the fundamentals.”
Jack also discussed his role with Albion and how they’re always looking for the next number one.
“It’s well known that we loan out a lot of goalkeepers – we’ve got Carl [Rushworth] and James [Beadle] playing in the Championship. Keeping track of how they're doing, looking at recruitment, seeing who is next, where might we lost a goalkeeper and how do we replace them.
“It’s definitely a bigger role than just coaching the first team goalkeepers, but that’s enjoyable as well. I’ve done it in other clubs, but it’s special for me to be able to do it here, a club that I supported as a kid. To be involved in future-proofing us as much as possible, it’s exciting.”
To listen to the latest edition of the podcast, please click here.