Goram can save Pars promotion hopes
Friday, 13th Feb 2015Andy Goram has come in to replace goalkeeping coach Brian Potter after his departure to Hamilton Accies.
Andy spoke to the website about his appointment:-
"It came out of the blue. I was at Fernando Ricksen's benefit game and I had left Ayr after I got a phone call from one of the directors to tell me that Ian McCall didn't want my services anymore so that was that.
"After three or four weeks of a break I met Neil McCann at that game and he said that he had just lost their goalkeeping coach to Hamilton Accies and asked if I fancied coming. I said 'no bother at all'.
"It is good to get straight back in. Ian McCall obviously had his own plans and doing his own thing, which is fine."
After just one session with the Pars keepers and one game at Cowdenbeath on Saturday he is happy to describe them as 'different class'.
"They have a great attitude and the club is in a false position. They are ten points off the top but I think we will get that back no problem and from what I have seen, we have a great chance of getting promoted."
Andy's school contains Ryan Scully, Ryan Goodfellow, Cammy Gill and Jamie Wilson and his first impression is that he had good talent to work with.
"You don't want to work with keepers that you can't help. Improving ten per cent is of benefit to the club and to themselves. I didn't realise how young Scully was, that's a bonus at 22 year old. Goodfellow is only 21 and at 16 Cammy is interesting. He could be anything, he is a good size, he has everything he wants to be a top class keeper. It is good to work with good keepers."
The former Scotland keeper joked that after just one game as goalie coach, the club had made a cup final. The win over Cowdenbeath saw the Pars through to meet Raith Rovers in the Fife Cup final and he was willing to forget Ryan Goodfellow's second half mistake that had allowed Dean Brett to equalise:-
"He will get over that, if it was a bad technique or if he had taken the ball in and been a bad technique then that would have been a problem but he just made one bad decision.
"If the same situation arises again, he wouldn't do the same thing or if he does he will get a ballocking. If you come out quicker you get more time on the ball. He was second there but we have won the game 3-1, the semi final of the Fife Cup. I think that I have good kids to work with."
Andy Goram's goalkeeping coaching style is modelled on former English international keeper Alan Hodgkinson. Hodgkinson coached at Manchester United for seven years before becoming Scotland national team goalkeeping coach.
"I had Alan as coach for twenty years of my life from Oldham right through to Rangers and Scotland. I have obviously taken a lot from him. I have my own way of doing things, it worked for me so I don't see why it won't work for anybody else. Scully and Goodfellow are a similar size to me, it is not as though they are 6 foot 5. I have the same philosophy as when I was playing and I will give that to Scully and the others.
"I am in two days every week. I can pick my days which is decent of the manager to let me do that but normally it will be Tuesday and Thursday. I get two days a week and then the games on Saturday. I am delighted."
Andy still works for The Sun, writing a column every week for them. Recently he also become involved in a company dealing with security systems.
"When I left Ayr United I didn't think anything else would come about. I do my own private coaching at nights as well."
The 50 year old with 43 international caps for Scotland is certain that he can help Dunfermline out of League One:-
"They have got the best defensive record in the league, which is surprising considering they are ten points off the top because if you have the best defensive record your are on the top of the league. We can build on that with 14 games to go. We play the top teams two or three times.
"We have got a game in hand and it is pretty easy to claw back. From what I have seen not just on Saturday but in training, there are some decent players here and I think we have a great chance,"
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