THE 1 SHOW
Keeper coach Eric has mentored Old Firm heroes and says Scottish game has been great for both stars
ERIC STEELE might be the only viewer who tunes into the Old Firm on Sunday hoping for a goalless draw – and both keepers to be grabbing a share of the limelight.
But he has good reason to want Jack Butland and Joe Hart to be the stars of the show at Ibrox – as the former Manchester United and Manchester City goalkeeping coach rates the duo as two of his best students.
And when you consider he’s worked directly with Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar and David de Gea down the years then that’s a pretty high bar
Steele was Hart’s mentor when the Celtic keeper grabbed his big chance with City at the age of 20. On his old protege’s decision to call it a day at the end of this season, Steele could only shake his head and say: “What a waste of a fantastic goalkeeper.”
On the flip side, as Hart prepares to bow out, Steele reckons the summer could yet still see Butland as an England goalkeeper at the Euros.
He insists the Rangers No.1 – who he coached at Derby – will definitely be in the thoughts of Gareth Southgate and Three Lions goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson.
But before any of that comes a blockbuster Old Firm that could prove decisive in the Premiership title race.
And Steele can’t wait to watch two giants of English goalkeeping strut their stuff in the biggest Scottish top- flight game for a generation.
He said: “What an occasion and both these guys are absolutely built for it.
“I’ll be delighted with a 0-0, a clean sheet for Joe and Jack and then let battle commence after that to win the title!
“Scottish football has been brilliant for Joe and Jack. Their moves came at a time where they were needing to get back to where they should be.
“What separates the greats is when they need to be, they are the calmest men on the field. Those two are great examples of that.
“There have been crucial moments in games where both demonstrated unbelievable concentration levels when they’ve had to make the big save at the right time.”
Only six years separate the duo but in terms of what the summer holds it’s as if they’re at opposite ends of their careers. Steele said: “Joe retiring, deary me, what a waste of a fantastic goalkeeper. I’m 100 per cent behind Joe’s decision but I’ve watched some of our old clips and I just think, wow, we will miss him massively.
“It just seems a waste. I’m so pleased Scotland have seen the Joe Hart I knew. He had a slight hiccup at Tottenham.
“But all credit to him he thought, ‘I’m going to have a right good shot at it up in Scotland’.
“That takes guts and heart. Joe has a huge heart. Every time I’ve spoken to him since the move to Celtic he’s said he is loving it. He’s played with a big smile on his face. That’s what I’ll miss.
“People ask who the best goalkeeper I’ve worked with is. I don’t have favourites. But boy, did I love working with Joe.
“He’ll always be up there with the best and I mean Edwin van der Sar, David De Gea and Peter Schmeichel.
“Jack is getting back up there now, rebuilding his reputation and credit to him. It’s going to be an exciting end to the season for him, he has a good chance of making the Euros squad.
“He is definitely going to be in the thinking of Martyn Margetson. The fact Jack is playing first-team football at a big club week in, week out, can only do him good. They watched Jack before the last call-up and he was close then.”
Few would argue the two No.1s vying for the title have also been the best between the sticks in the top flight this term. But how does the man dubbed the goalie guru at Alex Ferguson’s United compare them? Call it a no-score draw.
Steele, who runs GK Nexus Goalkeeping Academy, added: “I love how Joe transfers the pressure to the striker at the right time.
“He says, ‘go on then, beat me’. He knows he has the size and build, he spreads himself and makes the save. “We had Jack on loan at Derby in 2014. I remember speaking to Southgate and he said ‘what have you been doing with Jack? He has so much confidence about building from the back’. “The confidence came from playing regularly again. And that’s what’s happened at Rangers.”
ERIC ON JACK... He’s getting back up there ... he has a good chance of making the Euros squad
ERIC ON JOE... He has a huge heart... and he’ll always be up there with the best