The Big Interview Stevie Woods

The Celtic goalkeeping coach has nothing but admiration for his star charge Fraser Forster.

Fraser Forster may be motivated by the chance of securing a place in the England squad for the World Cup Finals in Brazil next summer. His manager, Neil Lennon, has admitted the big keeper’s form this season could soon lead to a multi-million-pound offer the Hoops can’t refuse. But Celtic goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods has revealed he keeps the shot-stopper at his best for playing in the money-spinning Champions League with the incentive of winning a FIVER in training challenges.

Forster was once again the hero for the Parkhead club as he produced an outstanding performance in the Group H win over Ajax in midweek.

That has led to Lennon being resigned to losing his No. 1, and once again increased calls for Roy Hodgson to hand the Geordie his first international cap, and include him in his squad for the World Cup Finals.

While the glamour of the international stage, and the prospect of an £8-million move to AC Milan, beckon for the 24-year-old, Woods has more modest ways to bring out the best in him at the club’s Lennoxtown training base.

“We like to keep training as competitively as we possibly can during the week,” he said. “It’s important to maintain that and keep the keepers on their toes and motivated. If we are having shooting practice or a specific aspect of training, then we often make it a competition. There always has to be something at stake or an incentive on offer. So we’ll quite often play for a £5 note, or to avoid having to collect in all the equipment at the end of a session.

“We’ll sometimes play head-tennis myself and Fraser take on Luzasz Zaluska and young Leo Fasan and everyone wants to win and much as they do on a Saturday!”

The major talking point when it comes to Forster is whether or not he will be included in England’s World Cup squad. Manchester City’s Joe Hart remains the No.1, and Forster is now competing with John Ruddy of Norwich City and West Brom’s Ben Foster for the two places as back-up keepers.

Three into two clearly doesn’t go, but Woods is convinced his man deserves to be given the chance to travel to Brazil.

“Do I believe he deserves to be on board the plane which will be taking the England squad to Brazil? Of course I do,” says Woods. “It’s not for me to pick anyone’s squad for them, but I think Fraser is more than good enough to play at international level.

“I heard Gordon Strachan say the other day if you can not only handle playing in the Champions League, but actually excel at that level, then you are good enough to play international football. I’d have to agree with that. I’m not saying Fraser deserves to be England’s No.1 because Joe Hart is a world-class keeper. But behind him, the big man is as good as anyone.”

In fact, the former Motherwell and St Mirren shot-stopper believes he is now working with one of the best keepers Europe has to offer. That was given impressive credence by the news that Forster had been voted on to UEFA’s Team of the Week on Friday, joining the likes of Ibrahimovic, Ribery and Aguero.

“Look at the Champions League, the competition where all the best players are performing, and point out a better keeper in the tournament. We’ve played three group matches this season, and Fraser has been a key player for us in every single one.

“He was great over in Milan, made important saves at home to keep us in the game against Barcelona and it was the same during the week when we defeated Ajax. I watch all the matches on TV and pay particularly close attention to all the goalkeepers and Fraser’s three performances so far are without question as good as anyone else has offered up.

“Listen, last season Gianluigi Buffon approached me after our last 16 match with Juventus, and said he thought Fraser was the best keeper throughout the group stage of the competition. He’s not only one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but one of the best of all time. So praise doesn’t come any higher than that for me.

“The same goes for Barcelona’s Victor Valdes. When guys of that ilk are speaking about Fraser in such complimentary terms, that’s good enough for me.”

Having not been deemed good enough for a first-team jersey at Newcastle United, the transformation in Forster’s game has been incredible since joining the Parkhead club. Woods, like the Celtic supporters, has witnessed huge improvements in the Englishman’s game. He is, of course, hugely responsible for making sure that has been the case.

But with the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and Benfica all being linked with big-money moves for Forster in recent weeks, the goalkeeping guru knows his man is in high demand.

“My job is to make sure Fraser continues to improve and performs at a high standard for Celtic,” says Woods. “I don’t pay any attention to any of the speculation surrounding him, and it isn’t something we discuss.

“What I would have to point out is Fraser is a pleasure to work with. He is a very humble guy. There is nothing at all ‘big-time’ about him.

“There are so many parts to his game he has improved. For a start, his kicking now compared to when he first arrived is night and day. He is comfortable with either foot and that makes life so much easier for defenders. He is so much physically stronger now, and a lot of that is down to the hard work Fraser has put in working with Bill Styles, the Head of Sports Science at the club, so when he comes for a cross there is no stopping him.

“The gaffer also deserves praise for showing a lot of faith in Fraser when he first arrived, and possibly even patience when he took a while to settle after first coming to the club.

“But Fraser himself is the reason why he’s now one of the best around and he’s only going to get better.”