New stoppers coach happy with Stack of talent vying for No.1 role
CARDIFF City’s new goalkeeping coach Graham Stack admits he’s already been impressed by the level of competition for the number one jersey ahead of the new season.
Rohan Luthra and Dillon Phillips have been joined by Jak Alnwick and Ryan Allsopp this summer, with all four seemingly showing signs of promise during the initial stages of the pre-season period, much to the delight of Stack, who recently left his position at Watford to take over from Andy Dibble.
“It’s been brilliant,” he told Cardiff City TV.
“Early days but we’ve got a really good group. The staff have made me feel extremely welcome.
“Being on the training ground during pre-season gives you the opportunity to speak to the staff a little bit more, with a little more time on their hands. But the group’s been different class. They seem like a really good bunch.
“They’re really good characters. Really good goalkeepers and it looks like they’re going to be fun to work with them. “First and foremost I want to improve them as goalkeepers and I
want to get them ready to go out on a Saturday and perform. That’s my aim. That’s what we’ll be judged by as a group. Certainly as a coach.
“They’re different characters. But they’ve got on great with each other. They drive each other. Pushing each other in training and they’ve been very supportive. I’ve been blown away at the minute by their attitude to training. They’ve been a joy to work with.
“The beauty of the goalkeeping department at the moment and the goalies that we’ve got is that I honestly believe that they believe anyone is capable of playing.
“They will know that there will be one come the weekend or come the Tuesday night but I like to think that the good characters they are, they’ll support the one who’s playing and they’ll continue to work hard and try and force their way into the team.
“We’ve created competition within a small group, but it’s going to be healthy competition. As I say, between us we seem to be getting on really well together. But when the team has to be selected, there’s going to have to be some disappointed players. That’s something they’ll have to deal with and show some character to get over.”