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Young Posh keepers are in safe hands
Darren Ward is determined to grab his big Posh opportunity with both hands. An ideal approach for a goalkeeping coach to be fair.
Darren Ward is determined to grab his big Posh opportunity with both hands. An ideal approach for a goalkeeping coach to be fair.The 35 year-old has been appointed to one of the most important posts at London Road. He will have to nurture the talents of England Under 21 keeper Joe Lewis as well as bolster the confidence of young James McKeown, a rookie who suffered a torrid hour in the first-team spotlight a couple of weeks ago.
But Ward won't fail because of a lack of enthusiasm and original ideas. He also brings a wealth of experience and knowledge accumulated from his own Football League career which spanned 574 appearances over a 17-year period.
Ward started out as a 17 year-old at Mansfield and finished at the end of last season when released by Sunderland. In between he helped Notts County to a promotion from the old Division Three, played for Nottingham Forest in Division One and acted as England keeper Robert Green's understudy at Norwich City where he bumped into Lewis, a gangly individual tipped to have a big future in the game.
Ward, who started work at Posh on Monday, said: "I got to know Joe Lewis quite well at Carrow Road and I'm looking forward to working with him again. He was an apprentice at Norwich when I was there.
"I always fancied going into coaching when I stopped playing, but this opportunity came right out of the blue. I was coaching the young keepers at Derby, but I sent my CV out in the summer and I got a call from Darren Ferguson the other week.
"It's a great opportunity for me and I'm determined to take it. When Sunderland let me go, I had to think 'have I still got two or three years of good service in me as a player or do I try and move into coaching where I've probably got 15 years of service in my right leg'?
"It was a difficult decision, but I think it was the right one. I've got a lovely family at home and my kids want daddy to be able to play football with them in the garden.
"In fact thinking about it, it was a no-brainer really. I still had a great appetite for football, but my body didn't. If I'd tried to carry on playing I could have done some long-term damage so it was time to stop."
A back injury blighted the twilight of Ward's playing career. He also suffered a five-month break from the game after a frightening fall at home caused by an unexplained dizzy spell.
He's fit again now and eager to dispense his vast knowledge to two young and willing students. Ward takes over at a time when the team's morale, never mind the last line of defence, is at a low ebb.
Eleven Championship games have yet to yield the clean sheets that managers, defenders, and especially goalkeepers, love.
Ward added: "I know the team have had a few defeats lately and we will obviously be working hard on the training ground.
"I like to think I will bring plenty of energy to the sessions and the lads will enjoy them.
"I was fortunate to have a pretty decent career in the game and I hope to use that experience in coaching. Goalkeeping doesn't change whether it is coaching or playing, the goals don't move!"
Factfile: Darren Ward
Height: 5ft 11ins
Weight: 13st
Age: 35
Born: Worksop
Playing career
Clubs Apps
Mansfield (1992-1995)97
Notts C (1995-2001) 302
N Forest (2001-2004) 137
Norwich (2004-2006) 3
Sunderland (2006-2009) 35
TOTAL 574
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