Huddersfield Town coach and Birmingham City stopper key in Smithies’ development

Mar 13 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Alex Smithies

ALEX SMITHIES aims to put the brakes on League I’s most prolific attack today – with the help of John Vaughan and a dash of inspiration from Joe Hart.

Birmingham’s on-loan Manchester City and England goalkeeper has proved something of a role model for Smithies, the Galpharm club’s only ever-present going into today’s big home clash with Norwich.

With the Canaries having chalked up 73 goals in their 35 league games to date, including three against Town at Carrow Road back in December, it promises to be a tough test for the 20-year-old stopper and his seventh-placed teammates.

But thanks to Town goalkeeping coach Vaughan, Smithies will have a good idea of what’s likely to come his way this afternoon.

“We always get detailed information on our opponents, and Vaughany specialises in looking into the opposition attackers,” explains the England junior international.

“We look at who likes to cut in and shoot, who is willing to have a go from distance and who is dangerous from set-pieces.

“Vaughany also studies penalty takers, so I have an idea which way they like to shoot, and that kind of detail has already proved useful this season.

“I remember when we played Yeovil at home back in August. During the warm-up, we were looking at their players, and Vaughany pointed to Gavin Tomlin and said ‘if he takes one, go right’.

“Sure enough, they got a penalty, he took it, I went right and managed to save it. It stopped them going two up and we ended up wining 2-1.”

Vaughan, who made more than 400 appearances between the posts in a career which took in West Ham, Fulham, Cambridge, Charlton, Preston and Lincoln, has been a big influence on Smithies.

The pair have worked together day in, day out since 2006, when the likeable Londoner arrived at the Galpharm having had coaching spells at York, Grimsby and Macclesfield.

“He’s been great for both myself and Simon Eastwood, and we’ve both learned a huge amount from him,” added Smithies.

“He’s always developing his coaching techniques and looking into different methods and approaches, and it makes our training interesting.”

Smithies himself is a keen student of other keepers, hence his interest in 22-year-old former Shrewsbury star Hart, who joined Manchester City in a deal worth a potential £1.5m in the summer of 2006 and won a full England cap against Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain in 2008.

“I think he’s one of the best around,” he explained.

“He was playing regular first-team football at 17 and has gone on to shine in the Premier League.

“The thing about Joe is he never seems to be at fault for any of the goals he concedes.

“Goalkeeping can be a lonely job, and because you’re in the spotlight individually, the pressure is immense, particularly at Premier League level.