Eric Steele: 'Award Was Special Coming From Peers'

Rams' Goalkeeping Coach says 'evolving' role has allowed him to give something back to the game

Eric Steele says it felt ‘special’ to be recognised by his own peers after he was awarded the Goalkeeper Coach of the Year award at The 2014 FA Licensed Coaches' Club Coaching Awards on Thursday evening.

Alongside Steele, 14 more coaches from across grassroots and elite football were recognised for their achievements over the past year, while four new coaching legends were also inducted into The FA’s Hall of Fame.

Steele attended the awards dinner alongside Steve McClaren, the Derby Head Coach, and Paul Simpson, the First Team Coach, after he had been informed that he had been shortlisted for the award.

Speaking exclusively to Rams Player, the Rams’ Goalkeeping Coach, says he has always tried to give something back to the game in the form of coaching and says the award is just another indication of the work Derby are doing as well.

“We attended the dinner, Steve, Paul and myself, I had been shortlisted,” he said.

“I knew that much. I was pleased to attend because I want to support the coaching set up. I have done that for a long, long time and it has come from them so it is special.

“I am pleased to accept it personally, but also on behalf of the club, it shows how far we have come.

“You try and give something back, which I have always done. If you can’t play, the next best thing is to coach and I have been very lucky to do it.

“It is not a job; it’s always been a profession to me. The work I have done has continued and gone on.

“I worked with Mart Poom, who is now Goalkeeping Coach with the Estonia national team, Dave Watson, who is now with England and then there is Andy Quy and Steve Sutton at Forest.

“That’s the nice thing. We are teachers, not coaches, so you want to give something back.”

Recognised as one of the best goalkeeping coaches around, Steele’s journey as a goalkeeping coach, after his playing days had come to an end, led to him working for three different clubs at the same time.

Speaking for the upcoming Chelsea edition of The Ram, Lee Grant delivered a glowing reference about his mentor for the work he does, not just for the first time, but with the Academy kids at the club.

Steele believes the role of the goalkeeping coach is a specialist role that has ‘evolved’ since he first started out.

He added: “When I finished playing and went into coaching in 1988, I went into business with a pub/ restaurant and the goalkeeper coaching that I did was only part-time.

“I worked with Graham Turner at Wolves, Leeds United with Howard Wilkinson and Arthur Cox invited me to come and do some work with Derby.

“The role is now recognised as an important part of the coaching structure. It is a role that has evolved over time.”

You can see the full interview with Eric Steele on Rams Player.Tweets by @ dcfcofficial