Kevin Poole is looking forward to building a solid working relationship with Derby County’s goalkeepers after joining the coaching staff earlier this month.
Poole, 53, was appointed as Derby’s goalkeeping coach as part of new manager Gary Rowett’s backroom staff just under two weeks ago.
Arriving with him to form Rowett’s new-look coaching team were Kevin Summerfield (assistant manager), Mark Sale (first team coach) and Joe Carnall (head of performance analysis), while Kevin Phillips is remaining part of the Rams’ coaching staff in the role of first team coach.
Poole racked up over 500 professional appearances between the posts in career which began in the 1980s at Aston Villa, before he went on to represent several clubs and play at the very top in the Premier League.
He also turned out for Northampton Town, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool United, Leicester City, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Derby and then Burton Albion, where he was named on their substitutes bench at the age of 50.
Poole’s previous stint at Derby came in 2005/06 as goalkeeping coach under Phil Brown but, in his early 40s, he was called into action on seven occasions at first-team level.
Now though, he’s looking to pass on his experience to the Rams’ current crop of custodians.
Rowett says all his backroom team bring different qualities to provide what he feels is a perfect blend, with Poole handed more responsibility than just looking after the goalkeepers.
Poole told
RamsTV: “
The organising and things like that is left to me – from fines to hotels it’s down to me to sort – but the main job is to look after the goalkeepers, of course.
“Scott Carson is obviously a really good goalkeeper; he has played at the top level and England – so it’s about staying on top of him really.
“He has all the experience there, so we need to keep him sharp and ready for matches.
“I haven’t seen too much of Jonathan Mitchell in the past but from my short time working with him, he looks to be a top talent and I’m looking forward to working with all the goalkeepers here.”
Poole first linked up with Rowett during their playing days at Birmingham City towards the end of the 1990s.
They went on to play together at Burton Albion further down the line and, after Rowett inherited Poole on his coaching staff when he took charge of the Brewers in 2012, the pair have worked together ever since.
Poole explained:
“I first came into contact Gary when we were playing at Birmingham City and we had two seasons together there.
“It was at Burton Albion where I met up with him again. I was helping out a bit at first, as they needed a goalkeeper, and I was playing alongside Gary once more during that time.
“He packed it in after that, with his knee, and when Paul Peschisolido came as manager I was still there and Gary came back as the number two before eventually replacing him a few years later.
“I was player-coach at the time, so we worked together on the coaching staff. I am still with him to this day, so it’s obviously worked out really well.”
Looking back on Rowett’s early days in management, Poole added: “It was a good grounding for Gary to learn his trade in League 2 at Burton.
“He took to it like a duck to water, taking them to the top end of the table before going to Birmingham.”
Although Poole was on the books with the Rams 11 years ago, a lot has changed since then in terms of the working environment.
Reviewing the current facilities at the Training Centre in Oakwood, Poole admits to being very impressed the set-up.
Now a Category One Academy set-up, the Rams’ training base has seen several improvements in recent history with Chairman Mel Morris overseeing its continued development.
Poole said:
“I’m no stranger to the place having been here previously.
“The Training Ground has certainly changed since then; the facilities are fantastic now.
“The swimming pool and hydrotherapy centre wasn’t in place in my day, it was pretty much just the pitches back then – it’s really impressive.”Tweets by @ dcfcofficial
