HAVE A LAURIE OPPORTUNITY
surely?’ It means nothing. We’ve got to step out on the pitch and perform.”
Brennan’s side have been doing that a lot this season, with Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Yeovil Town seeing them sat fifth in the table, seven points inside the play-off places.
Experience
“It’s been a very good season so far, we’re achieving a lot this year,” Walker said. “With a new squad as well that was completely built over the summer. It’s always nice to be in a winning side. Rather than sitting mid-table, it’s nice at this point to have something to play for.
“I obviously played for Deano at Hemel and he is very good at building a squad. Looking at the players he was bringing in over the summer you could tell it could be a successful season if we could get it right tactically. We picked up very quickly on what he wanted us to do and it’s all flowed nicely for us.”
And for Walker too, who reunited with his former Hemel Hempstead boss Brennan after leaving League Two Stevenage.
“Deano is one of these managers,” Walker said. “He did it at Hemel and he’s doing it now. He seems to be able to get the best out of me. He knows my strengths and tells me
to play to them. He kind of just lets me get on with it.
“I am experienced enough to be able to. It’s nice I have that relationship with him where he lets me do my thing and tells me what else I need to do. It was the same at Hemel.”
Of course, Walker is able to use all his own experience to make sure he is maximising himself and his performance levels.
“From a young age you think you know everything – you don’t,” Walker, who also praises Mel Gwinnett, his former MK
Dons and Barnet goalie coach who recently took over at Hampton & Richmond, said. “There are a couple of things I wish I’d done when I was a lot younger – listen more than I did! But it comes with time and games.
Consistency
“The good form comes from that experience. You go into games relaxed, you know what you need to do and you understand your own performance.
“You know what your
strengths are and you know what your weaknesses are. So you play to your strengths and don’t over-complicate it. As a youngster you can get drawn into over-complicating your game and trying to do much.
“Realistically, as a goalkeeper, you need to keep it as simple and basic as possible to be most effective. Managers want consistency. They want a keeper who is going to do his job and be a solid 7/10 every week. The experience has played into me having a decent season so far.”