I’d rather work on mental side of my game than go out training every day of week TOM HEATON EXCLUSIVE
TOM HEATON’S mantra is that the only thing to fear in football is fear itself.
So there have been no sleepless nights this week for Burnley’s keeper and captain, as he contemplates the visit of Premier League leaders Chelsea to Turf Moor today.
No nightmares about the brilliance of Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
Because, in the six years since Heaton told Sir Alex Ferguson he wouldn’t be taking up his offer of a new Manchester United contract, he has been busy arming himself with all the psychological tools a man in his position can’t live without.
Heaton recalls his mindset when he walked out of Old Trafford to seek regular football in the Championship with Cardiff, Bristol City and then Burnley. He said: “I wouldn’t say I have ever been mentally weak. But there came a point in my career when I looked at the psychological side of my game and realised it wasn’t the best it could be.
“It was fine for the level I was at – in the Championship – but I needed it to be much better if I wanted to get back to t he Premie r League.
“My form was hit-and- miss. I knew that there were no big technical issues, but I came to understand that working on the mental side of my game could give me a little advantage. “It’s all about making marginal gains. I have been working with Dr Karl Morris for the last three years and I have a personal routine that puts me in the emotional zone I need to operate in to perform at my best. “Psychology is such an u n t a pp e d resource in football, but I TOM HEATON has revealed the secret behind Burnley’s success – boss Sean Dyche likes to make a big song and dance about it.
Dyche is loathe to fine his players for bouts of petty indiscipline, so every Friday he orders them to perform a series of embarrassing have embraced it fully – to the extent that if I had to choose between my half-hour mental routine before games or train all week, I would always take the half-hour routine.”
Heaton added: “One of the big things I have tried to get away from is self- analysing during games. It doesn’t matter whether I make a good save or make a mistake. The secret is to park that event and move on to the next event, whether it’s kicking, catching, whatever.
“It took me a long time to get my head around the reality that you are never too far from forfeits in front of the rest of the squad.
A ‘wheel of fortune’ decides what routines have to be done.
Heaton said: “Every Friday, anyone who has broken any rules has to get up and do a forfeit.
“It might be singing or dancing, but you must do it – and it really does bring everyone closer.” making an error. But I now accept that, if and when it happens, you deal with it. You only analyse it after the game when you have calmed down.
“My mindset is, ‘ There’s the ball, try to save it’.”
Being made Burnley captain has been a challenge Heaton has relished too. He added: “I have had to open the doors a bit more and become a bigger influence on other people around me.
“When I joined United as an 11-year-old, Peter Schmeichel was the keeper; when I left it was Edwin van der Sar ( left).
“I tried to be like Edwin. I liked the way he brought a calmness to the entire team. If he made a mistake, he’d just forget about it.
“Peter was much more aggressive. Even when he was driving out of the car park, he would be shouting at people to get out of his way.
“I suppose, since becoming captain, I’ve had to be less like Van der Sar and more like Schmeichel.” Burnley:
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