Goalkeepers will have to battle it out for #1 jersey
DEAN Holden wants every player in the Stoke City squad to believe they have a shot of winning a first team shirt to start the season – including goalkeepers.
Joe Bursik and Jack Bonham slugged it out for the gloves in the second half of last season following the departure of Adam Davies, while Frankie Fielding was brought in as experienced cover and Blondy Nna Noukeu and Tommy Simkin are emerging prospects.
Stoke have also been strongly linked with a move for Zander Clark, the 30-year-old St Johnstone favourite who is a free agent this summer and will confirm a decision on his future when he returns from his honeymoon. Holden said: “As we stand now we’ve got a good goalkeeping department working with Rousey. It’s important that every player in every position in the squad that the place is up for grabs. It’s the only way you can get the best from an individual.
“If goalkeepers were coming in knowing that such and such a body was going to be number one, how does that affect their mind set? It has to be there to be fought for. That’s the case with everybody in the team. “No doubt the side at the start of the season will reflect the players who have performed in pre-season. There are shirts available. There are players who have left the football club, there’s youngsters coming through, there’s established players. “The only way to get that competition for places is knowing that if you train consistently well, that you’re a good teammate and give everything every day, then you’ve got a shot at it. “Time will tell on it once we get into the season but one thing is for sure, we’re really happy with that department. There are good goalkeepers in there.”
Bursik, above, still only 21, started last season as first choice on the back of an eyecatching breakthrough campaign in 2020/21. He ended the year as number one for England under-21s too, but was frustrated in between by a niggling quad injury that left him in the treatment room for the best part of three months. Bonham, aged 28, joined from Gillingham as a free agent last summer and took his chance when it came in January, going on to start 17 games. Holden is confident that neither will be fazed by competition.
He said: “In recent experience from last season, Jack came in the team and Joe dropped out for a period and took it well. He got back to working on more basics in his training week. Jack the same towards the end of the season when Joe came in for the final games.
“It shows the mentality of the guys in there. We don’t want anyone who is going to be happy when they’re left out of the team. That’s non-negotiable. What you want is someone who can put it to the back of his mind and is focused purely on doing the best he can to get back in or change the manager’s mind or whatever the scenario is.”