Dubravka relaxes at home with his piano
vSt James’ Park: 5.30pm
IT’S not just on the pitch that Martin Dubravka has been hitting the right notes. Newcastle’s Slovakian keeper is much more than a safe pair of hands, his fingers are pretty nimble too. Because when it comes to “Toon” heroes, Dubravka is top of the hit parade, preparing for games by playing the piano at his Tyneside home.
“I’ve been playing for quite a few years now,” he said. “It helps me relax. I can’t read notes but I’m quite good.” Not quite as good as some Newcastle fans may think after a clip on social media showed Dubravka reeling off “The Blaydon Races” on his keyboard.
“That is me playing.” he said. “But the music is an overdub. When I lived in Slovakia, a friend who had a video company filmed me at the piano but the tune I was playing was by Linkin Park. I still have that piano and bought one for my Newcastle house too. Usually I play music by James Arthur, Beyonce or Justin Timberlake.
”But I play for myself, not to show off. I don’t like to perform in front of people because they expect me to play this song or that song and I have to say, ‘Come on guys, I’m not that good.’
Dubravka certainly knows how to perform between the posts, not that he’s particularly thrilled at the latest stats doing the rounds.
With 180 saves this season ahead of today’s game against Chelsea, the former Sparta Prague No.1 has been called into action more often than any of his Premier League rivals.
It suggests a keeper at the top of his game but Dubravka has mixed feelings about topping that particular chart.
“It’s not a big deal,” he added. “People may look at the figures and think the Newcastle defence is not good enough and that isn’t true. I am there to help my team-mates and they are there to help me and that’s what we’ve been doing this season. We are all in it together and I would far rather the whole team was praised than just myself.”
Dubravka earned plaudits for a series of stunning saves to keep Wolves at bay (below) in a 1-1 draw but insists the game doesn’t stand out. “Keepers often say they prefer to be busy and that is because it can be easier to be heavily involved than having nothing to do for 89 minutes and then making a crucial save,” he said.
“They are the ones that give me most satisfaction because concentration is one of the best qualities you can have.”
Dubravka is a student of the art of goalkeeping and of his homeland’s history – two subjects that occupy his spare time, along with his love of music. Girlfriend Luca bought him a book about the Mafia in his native Slovakia, which he’s been reading.
“I read a lot of books about my country and its people because I like to know what happened in the past and how difficult it was for my parents and grandparents.
“Everyone knows about the famous Italian mafia but back home, I am learning how the Slovakian mafia worked with politicians.”
Dubravka is hoping to meet one of his childhood heroes today in Petr Cech, now the director of football at Chelsea.
“I admired him but Iker Casillas was my role model because he had a similar frame to me,’’ he added. “Whereas Cech was six foot one, I am not the biggest, which means I have to be faster, more agile and jump higher than the big guys.
“Casillas was small for a keeper but had amazing reactions. Before every game, I used to watch clips of him and that would inspire me.”
These days, Dubravka warms up for games watching another fine keeper in action. “Yes, it’s true, I look at clips of myself,” he said.
On current form, you can hardly blame him.