Eric Steele on Coaching Manchester United Goalkeepers: De Gea, Van der Sar, and Lammens

Eric Steele's Manchester United Journey

• 🔑 Eric Steele served as Manchester United's goalkeeping coach for five years under Sir Alex Ferguson.
• 💡 His arrival involved a call from Sir Alex Ferguson after a recommendation from Tony Cotton, despite Steele initially having a contract with Sven Goran Eriksson at Manchester City.
• 🎯 Sir Alex tasked him with assessing Edwin van der Sar's longevity and finding his replacement, giving him significant responsibility.

Developing David de Gea

• 🧠 Steele played a pivotal role in scouting and recruiting David de Gea, having watched him play 17 times.
• ⚠️ De Gea faced initial challenges, including adapting to the physical demands of the Premier League and learning English, with his diet needing adjustment from a "Mediterranean way."
• ✅ A key turning point was a Chelsea game in 2012, where De Gea made a crucial save, leading Sir Alex to declare, "We've got a goalkeeper."
• 💬 De Gea had to learn specific goalkeeping language like "squeeze" for defenders and adapt to the league's harshness, often learning through on-field failures.

The Role of a Goalkeeping Coach

• 🛠️ Steele emphasizes the importance of understanding the manager's playing philosophy when recruiting a goalkeeper.
• 💡 He highlights the value of the "eye test" in scouting players, contrasting it with over-reliance on data.
• 🤝 Edwin van der Sar exemplified professionalism, proactively requesting clips on opponents like Pirlo for preparation.

Current Goalkeeper: Senne Lammens

• 📈 Steele believes Senne Lammens started well but saw a dip in form due to team changes, now benefiting from a new goalkeeping coach, Craig Morrison.
• ⏳ The lack of European football this season is seen as beneficial for Lammens, providing more training time to develop his game and adapt to the Premier League.
• 🧠 Lammens is described as a calm character who needs to maintain total focus, as Manchester United goalkeepers are often at the other end of the pitch.

Sir Alex Ferguson's Leadership & Legacy

• 🏆 Sir Alex's management style focused on knowing players as people and trusting his staff, allowing them autonomy in their departments.
• 👑 He set high standards and values, emphasizing winning with style and making players feel valued, as demonstrated by including Steele in a staff photo after a Carling Cup win.
• ⚽ The club's culture under Ferguson and David Gill involved strengthening the team by acquiring key players from rivals, a practice Steele feels has been lost.

Career Highlights and Insights

• 🌟 Steele considers Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, and David de Gea among the best goalkeepers he's worked with, with Schmeichel potentially being the top.
• 🌱 He praises the Wallsend Boys Club for producing disciplined players like Michael Carrick and Steve Bruce, emphasizing its role in grounding young talent.
• 🚀 Steele continues to work as a consultant, mentoring coaches and setting up academies, driven by a passion for sharing knowledge within the goalkeeping community.