SWINDON TOWN: It's all in your head! (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

SWINDON TOWN: It's all in your head!

7:00am Wednesday 1st July 2009

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TOWN’S new goalkeeping coach will delve deep into the minds of the club’s stoppers in a bid to eradicate the kind of howlers which blighted their campaign last year.

George Wood was only appointed at the County Ground less than a fortnight ago, but with a keen interest in psychology he is determined to mentally toughen up Swindon’s custodians.

Keeper Phil Smith made some high-profile errors in the early part of the 2008/09 season before nailing down the number one jersey at the end of the year.

Peter Brezovan, who has since been released, was far from faultless either, and Wood is confident he can get the very best out of Smith and new signing David Lucas.

“All goalkeepers can do fitness training, but the biggest factor without a doubt is the psychology, the mental strength and preparing properly for a game,” said the 56-year-old.

“Every keeper makes mistakes from time to time. We had the problem at Hartlepool last season where the keepers carried the can, and at Swindon you had the same problem.

“But at the end of the season the boy Smith came in and did really well. Now we hope to build on that and progress him through.

“We’ve signed a good keeper - Lucas from Leeds, who’s got good pedigree. I’ve also heard very good things about Mark Scott, so there’s good competition all round.

“If we can get into Phil and bring a bit more out of him personality-wise and get him stronger mentally then he could be an outstanding keeper.”

Wood had an illustrious playing career with a number of clubs including Arsenal and Everton, as well as being part of Scotland’s 1982 World Cup squad.

And he revealed: “I was 27 when I got my first goalkeeping coach. It was when I went to Arsenal, and that coach was Bob Wilson.

“I had never had a goalkeeping coach before that, and the biggest factor I found with Bob was how good he was with the talking and psychology of it all.

“It’s a massive factor, and if you aren’t strong mentally then there is no use crossing that white line.”

Meanwhile, Roberto Di Matteo is set to be named as West Bromwich Albion’s new manager within the next 48 hours.

The MK Dons boss is expected to move into the hotseat at the Hawthorns and one of his first jobs will be to decide whether to approve the club’s £2million move for Swindon striker Simon Cox.

If Di Matteo gives the deal the go-ahead, Cox could be a Baggies player in a matter of days, with just personal terms and a medical to complete.

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