McLaughlin and Duke keeping each other on their toes at Bradford City (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Jon McLaughlin and Matt Duke keeping each other on their toes at Bradford City
7:00am Friday 21st September 2012 in Sport
By Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter
Matt Duke began the season in City’s goal but then had to step aside to make way for Jon McLaughlin and only took over again when his fellow keeper picked up a midweek side injury
Goalkeeping stand-offs are all the rage in the Premier League these days.
Anders Lindegaard and David De Gea are slugging it out for the Manchester United starting job, while French international Hugo Lloris may have cost Spurs £8million but he cannot dislodge veteran Brad Friedel.
Three divisions below, a similar battle is developing at Valley Parade between Jon McLaughlin and Matt Duke.
Senior partner Duke kicked off the campaign before McLaughlin got his chance a fortnight ago at Accrington. They then both took to the pitch on Tuesday after McLaughlin went off in the closing minutes with a side injury.
In the battle of the Bantams number ones, there is no obvious first choice.
McLaughlin admitted: “It’s an interesting situation for this league, although you often see it higher up.
“When you feel you’ve got the ability to be in that first-team squad and playing on a Saturday, that’s what you want to be doing. Myself and Dukey both feel we’re more than good enough to play at this level.
“We’ve just got to do our job on the training pitch and try and put in performances if we get selected. Then it’s up to the manager who he picks.
“It might not be a case of getting the shirt for the full season but it does mean you’re being kept on your toes every week.”
Phil Parkinson highlighted Duke’s attitude after being dropped. While the competition between them is fierce, both keepers get on well.
Duke’s promotion to goalkeeping coach following Kevin Pressman’s sudden departure for Millwall adds an extra dimension.
McLaughlin said: “It’s still early days but it has been working so far. It’s more like a partnership, with Dukey taking the training sessions.
“We are good friends, training partners and team-mates, so it’s not really like a boss and player mentality.
“I’m sure there will be pros and cons, like anything, but we’ve got to do the best we can with it and make sure it doesn’t affect us in any negative way.”
McLaughlin should be well used to the competition after previously fighting the likes of Rhys Evans, Matt Glennon and Lenny Pidgeley for a regular slot in the team. But he senses a more fluid system this season.
He said: “There are different ways of looking at it. Sometimes it’s nice to have the confidence of knowing you are the first-choice goalkeeper.
“At the same time, it is never a good thing in football to get complacent and think that there’s nobody behind you to take your place if performances drop.
“Dukey’s played at the highest level, he is a really experienced keeper and still in great physical shape and form.
“We’ve seen already that this is a really competitive league and if someone’s not doing it, you’ll get replaced. That’s going to be the case with us this year.
“Often with goalkeepers you keep the shirt until you make mistakes. This season might not be a case of that.
“If you’re not putting in eight out of ten each week, they might think that Dukey or Jon could come in and do better.
“It’s a real season of fighting and competing for that spot to make it one of the strongest in the team.”
Comments(10)
audal
says...
11:06am Fri 21 Sep 12
Bantam_eccy
says...
11:09am Fri 21 Sep 12
audal wrote:Im pretty sure it was the croud Shouting "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
I may be wrong or it could have been a different issue but i am sure that i heard boo-ing when Duke came on against Morecombe, if so then those concerned should be ashamed, one chap was even heard to say "well ,thats it, we will draw now".
uke"
northyorksbantam
says...
1:41pm Fri 21 Sep 12
1 bingley bantam wrote:I don't think Duke has reached the expectations PP had in mind when he brought him in, and ideally would have sold him to Northampton or someone else in the summer and got another solid dependable keeper in that Duke was meant to be in the first place. As no one came in i suspect having 3 keepers on the books was to much of a luxury for a league 2 club especially since Duke is probably on a pretty decent whack, so we had to stick with what we got..
Is it just me or do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in? Goalkeeper was one position i hoped we would strengthen in the summer as i feel IMO a great goalie is the basis for a good confident team..Out of the 2 when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence. As for Duke as goalie coach 50/50 as first choice isnt this the same player we told to find another club in the summer? Baffling.
I'd probably go for Mac out of the 2. He gives more confidence like you say, my only concern with Mac is he seems to do well initially then mistakes start creeping in to his game...so lets hope he can put in a consistant run if he gets the shirt.
Waynus1971
says...
4:55pm Fri 21 Sep 12
audal wrote:Bantam-ecy is right. When Duke replaced McLaughlin, the 'chanting' was Duuuuuuuuke, which does sound similar to Boooooo.
I may be wrong or it could have been a different issue but i am sure that i heard boo-ing when Duke came on against Morecombe, if so then those concerned should be ashamed, one chap was even heard to say "well ,thats it, we will draw now".
That doesn't excuse the comment you heard though. Personally, I think both have their strengths and weaknesses and if we could merge them into one player, he would be a top keeper.
Waynus1971
says...
4:58pm Fri 21 Sep 12
1 bingley bantam wrote:"do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in?" and "when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence". So, is it you that believes we are more assured when Jonny Mc plays or is it the defence? I'm confused.
Is it just me or do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in? Goalkeeper was one position i hoped we would strengthen in the summer as i feel IMO a great goalie is the basis for a good confident team..Out of the 2 when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence. As for Duke as goalie coach 50/50 as first choice isnt this the same player we told to find another club in the summer? Baffling.
COLATS
says...
5:21pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Waynus1971 wrote:I agree nothing between them. I've got much more confidence in them now we've sorted the defence out?
audal wrote:Bantam-ecy is right. When Duke replaced McLaughlin, the 'chanting' was Duuuuuuuuke, which does sound similar to Boooooo.
I may be wrong or it could have been a different issue but i am sure that i heard boo-ing when Duke came on against Morecombe, if so then those concerned should be ashamed, one chap was even heard to say "well ,thats it, we will draw now".
That doesn't excuse the comment you heard though. Personally, I think both have their strengths and weaknesses and if we could merge them into one player, he would be a top keeper.
pride of yorkshire
says...
5:55pm Fri 21 Sep 12
1 bingley bantam
says...
8:38pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Waynus1971 wrote:Have a day off like you im no english teacher but other people got my point.
1 bingley bantam wrote: Is it just me or do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in? Goalkeeper was one position i hoped we would strengthen in the summer as i feel IMO a great goalie is the basis for a good confident team..Out of the 2 when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence. As for Duke as goalie coach 50/50 as first choice isnt this the same player we told to find another club in the summer? Baffling."do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in?" and "when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence". So, is it you that believes we are more assured when Jonny Mc plays or is it the defence? I'm confused.
Waynus1971
says...
11:50pm Sat 22 Sep 12
1 bingley bantam wrote:Nothing to do with being an English teacher. I wasn't correcting what you had typed, I was simply asking you to clarify whether it was the team that looked more composed with McLaughlin in goal, or just your view they were.
Waynus1971 wrote:Have a day off like you im no english teacher but other people got my point.
1 bingley bantam wrote: Is it just me or do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in? Goalkeeper was one position i hoped we would strengthen in the summer as i feel IMO a great goalie is the basis for a good confident team..Out of the 2 when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence. As for Duke as goalie coach 50/50 as first choice isnt this the same player we told to find another club in the summer? Baffling."do the defence seem to have been more assured since Jonny Mac came back in?" and "when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence". So, is it you that believes we are more assured when Jonny Mc plays or is it the defence? I'm confused.
1 bingley bantam says...
10:38am Fri 21 Sep 12
Goalkeeper was one position i hoped we would strengthen in the summer as i feel IMO a great goalie is the basis for a good confident team..Out of the 2 when fit i would go for Jonny Mac every time gives me more confidence.
As for Duke as goalie coach 50/50 as first choice isnt this the same player we told to find another club in the summer? Baffling.