In episode two of Tony Talks: The Podcast about All Things Goalkeeping we discuss the power of connection between the goalie and their coach. We speak with England Blind Football Goalkeeper Dylan Malpas about his experiences in developing a relationship with his coach that's based on mutual respect and trust.
Note: Parts of the interview with Dylan are published in Q&A form to make it accessible for readers. If you wish to listen to the full interview with Dylan we recommend you listen to the podcast episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
What can goalkeepers and coaches do to make that strong first impression when working together?
“You know, we speak back from the coach to the goalkeeper, but the goalkeeper is going to want to have a relationship with the coach also. This is really important. Be open minded to different ideas, different philosophies, different beliefs. Goalkeeping is not black and white. It's about trying to find that way together. When you meet your goalkeeper coach for the first time, for me, especially, from an England point of view, it's just about trying to work out what the behaviors and non-negotiables are that this goalkeeper coach expects from me.”
And then?
"It's being, that open book, being that person who's willing to listen to ideas, listen to what the coach has to say and not being afraid to also share your own thoughts. I'm thinking as more of a senior goalkeeper now. But being able to say this is where I currently am and how can we work together to get better? It needs a collaborative approach, it's a shared experience. And ultimately, when it comes down to winning and losing, you win and lose together, and that's including all the players and staff.”
What advice do you have for goalkeepers in general?
"That it doesn't matter how old you are or how much experience you've got. You’ve got to be a sponge. You've got to be open and taking the ideas and trying things. You should always want to improve. For me, I'm always wanting to stretch, evolve as a number one, you know, the game I've been playing for 10 years now for England and over them 10 years, the game is constantly changing, the demands are always changing, the players are getting better. And it's important that you're staying sort of on top of the curve. When I joined the blind football team for the first time, I walked into a sort of goalkeeper group with arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the world on current form, a goalkeeper coach that is known for blind football, para football, futsal, and then a group of outfield players that are blind. I had never been around a blind person before. So, you know, how do I build that connection? By asking questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions. And not just on the pitch, but off the pitch too, have them open conversations.”
Did a coach ever do something that you remember made you feel welcomed?
“I think from a goalkeeper point of view now reflecting on it, when coaches were trying to work me out. So they'd asked me how I was, what I was up to. They tried to find out who Dylan is as a person. I didn't know that at the time I thought they're just asking questions and being chatty. I probably felt most welcome and accepted when they started to ask me questions about me, finding out they actually want to know about me. And not: “Keeper, come here. Keeper, jump in this." It was never that, it was always Dylan. That’s huge, and I always try and make this sort of happen with all the young players, as I'm now a senior player on the squad. I always make sure that everyone feels like they’ve got a voice within the team and like they can talk. Even if you've got one cap or a hundred caps, it doesn't matter. You’ve got experiences that we can share and all learn from.”
How important do you consider the mentorship from a coach to be in regards to your personal development?
“Huge, because you can be very influenced by a coach as you look up to them and they become a role model. So if the coach is showing values that are transferable to your everyday life you’re going to pick up on that. So, for example, honesty, communication, being openminded. But you know, you're not always going to have all these highs and your coach can't always keep giving you praise. There's going to be times where you need to have conversations too. What I would say without going into too much detail about it is that the sort of skills and behaviors that I took from my coaches are definitely transferable to make me a better husband, a better dad, a better educator in my job, a better goalkeeper. This is the influence that a coach can have on you and and these things are really important. Because it is not just about winning the Golden Glove as that doesn't last forever. But the skills that you get from that individual relationship are very important in life.”
What do you do when things don't go to plan, when you don't get selected for an international game?
“You're gonna have highs and lows. It's not always all amazing. What my coach has done so good for me is over the years is that he's taught me how to flip the focus to what I'm trying to achieve. So when it comes to setbacks it becomes about controlling what I can. So I'll give you a good example of this. Last year we didn't do so well in the world championship, which meant we didn't make the Paralympic games from this. We didn't actually play a fixture for one whole year. So no international fixture. So, okay, how can I make sure that when the next one comes around, I'm ready to go? My coach was really good at telling me, okay, what can we control? Let's make sure that we're sort of hitting all our targets. We're thinking about our nutrition. We're ensuring that I’ve got energy on and off the pitch. These are really important things for me as a goalkeeper. Because now I'm understanding that it's not just about what I do on the pitch in that moment. It's everything I do for me to be at my best in that moment. It's what I do day to day. So I suppose, understanding what I can control and ensuring that I'm managing that load.”
Would you say, the confidence from a coach helps you make the right choices on the pitch?
“Ultimately, I'm the person in the driver's seat when the moment is happening. But if you go back that goalkeeper coach is next to me the whole time. A coach can give you all the tools and ideas, but you've got to be in a flow, you've got to be in a rhythm, you've got to do it. And that comes down to trusting all the elements that, that you've been working on. So I suppose then it's about not just him going, well, I'm going to play this game and I've got all the knowledge. No, this is where we are. This is what, you know you're good at. And you know, Tony does this thing, before every game, he always says to me, prove it to yourself, son. You don't need to do it for anyone else. You know, that's the trust he has in me. He knows. That I'm good to go.”
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