Robbie’s Mutch improved after Leighton talks
ROBBIE MUTCH admits learning under the fearsome gaze of legendary keeper Jim Leighton steeled him to stare down the barrel of an early-season setback at Falkirk.
The 22-year-old goalie is in line for his 40th Bairns game at home to Partick Thistle this lunchtime, having forced his way back into the team with back-toback starts.
A senseless sending-off for lashing out at a Forfar player then a positive Covid test reduced the Aberdeen youth graduate to a spectator for seven games.
His first stint out of the league leaders’ 11 under co-gaffers Lee Miller and David McCracken may have been enough to break others.
But he learned from a young age the importance of being up to standard under Dons keeper turned coach Leighton – and with it the mental toughness required to stay there.
Mutch, who vowed his red was a “mistake I will never make again”, said: “What a career he had with the number of games he played for Scotland, Aberdeen and Manchester United.
“I was 15 going to train with all these first-team goalies at Aberdeen.
“He (Leighton )was a good coach and tough, which at the time I was like, ‘woah, I’m not sure if I’m having this’ but looking back, you can see why he was tough and it definitely works.
“I did end up meeting him a couple of years later when I got called up to Scotland. But as a 15-year-old I was a bit taken aback, I wasn’t used to it I suppose.
“If a keeper is to make a mistake, nine times out of 10 it’s going to lead to a goal. So it helps to be mentally strong.”
Both sides were in training yesterday and Jags boss Ian McCall said: “You have got to get goals from everywhere and in the next nine games that’s one thing we will be looking to improve on.”