Fettis could prove a vital piece in the Boro jigsaw
NEW COACH TO TAKE ON A RANGE OF RIVERSIDE ROLES
ALAN Fettis will have far more responsibility at Middlesbrough than a traditional goalkeeper coach.
Boro boss Chris Wilder will lean heavily on his new staff addition for opinions on recruitment, player development and academy matters.
Fettis has joined Boro from Manchester United with the chance to get back into first-team goalkeeper coaching at an ambitious football club a major factor behind his decision.
It brought an end to his 11-and-ahalf-year stay at Old Trafford after he was brought to the club by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Over those years Fettis’ role changed plenty as he worked as a first-team coach, an academy coach and most recently as head of academy goalkeeping.
In all of those roles Fettis built experience and developed skills which made him the ideal candidate for Wilder as he sought to revamp a goalkeeping department at Boro which had been a particular issue for some years.
In the last two seasons in particular the Teessiders have found it costly that their goalkeepers haven’t made key saves at key moments in games - the stats showing clearly they have conceded more goals than they should have done.
While that was not a reflection of the work of Fettis’ predecessor Ian Bennett, Wilder just felt he needed to freshen things up in that regard ahead of a crucial summer and campaign for the club.
Liam Roberts has already been recruited by Boro, having been tracked for a long time by the club.
Wilder has noted that, at 27, he is seen as somebody who under Fettis’ wing could improve a lot given he is yet to reach the age goalkeepers tend to hit their peak.
While Roberts has been brought in with the idea of initially being the back-up option, Wilder feels he has the right character and determination to want to prove himself and push hard for his place in the team.
Exactly who he will be pushing is unknown at this stage. Boro are still in the market for a first-choice goalkeeper this summer and that is where Fettis’ recruitment experience will come into play.
As part of his recent role at Manchester United, Fettis would take charge of academy goalkeeper recruitment, 22-yearold Matej Kovar one of his major finds.
The Czech goalkeeper impressed on loan at Burton Albion last term and is expected to have a bright future.
Asked if Fettis could take on similar responsibilities at Boro, Wilder confirmed: “He is going to be part of the recruitment process.
“I’ve always tried to have that with my goalkeeper coaches. It’s a specialist subject and specialist position now and so important to the team. So is Alan part of the senior management? Yeah.
“He’s played football at a good level and been involved at one of the best clubs in the world. He was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson and has worked with and helped improve some fabulous goalkeepers as well.
“I’m all-inclusive from a staff point of view in terms of how we get to the finishing line. Alan will be involved in all aspects.
“He’s a club signing. He works for the club, he doesn’t just work for me, but certainly in terms of recruitment and the work which goes into that he will play a key role in that.
“Then with the coaching, it’s such an important role now and has evolved a lot. Goalkeepers can ultimately start your attacks now.
“Ultimately they have to make big saves as well and hopefully Al will help make sure they’re ready to do that.”
Once Boro sign a new goalkeeper this summer Fettis’ role will be, for the immediate future, prioritising the coaching of the first-team goalkeepers.
At Manchester United he worked with Edwin van der Sar, David De Gea and Dean Henderson and helped make improvements to them all.
In his impressive first club interview he noted how it wasn’t just the technical side of the game which interested him,but the mental side as well.
He noted how important it was to get to know the players he works with so he knows what makes them tick and how to get the best out of them. That will be important as the season progresses and Boro face different challenges throughout.
Indeed, ex-Boro stopper Victor Valdes noted Fettis’ personability and how his wise words helped prolong his career as he almost called it a day after being frozen out under Luis van Gaal.
Fettis will continue to oversee things at the club with regards to the goalkeeping department on a larger scale too.
The club are blessed with hugely -talented young goalkeepers in their academy, Sol Brynn and Zach Hemming both heading out on loan and Oli Swan signing his first professional contract this summer.
He’s been training with the first team since the start of pre-season.
Fettis said: “I know of most of the goalkeepers here. Luke Daniels has been around a long time and I’ve known Sol and Zach coming through the academy and playing against them. So you have an idea of who the goalkeepers are.
“Liam is a new face coming in and that brings a new vibrancy if you like, for want of a better word.
“He wants to come in and work hard and add something else to the group - that gives the other two lads the chance to go out and play, which is what they want and need.
“That will give them the best chance of eventually playing for Middlesbrough and if they do then brilliant because that’s the whole meaning of them going out on loan.”
Fettis’ appointment might not have anywhere near the same buzz signing actual players receives.
Yet building a successful club is almost like putting together a jigsaw – it will not ever be completed unless all the pieces are together and in the correct positions.
In Fettis, Boro very well may have found a crucial piece to their jigsaw for such an important department.
Alan will be involved in all aspects. He’s a club signing. He works for the club, he doesn;t just work for me.
Chris Wilder