New Goalkeeper Coach Shay Given has settled well into life at Derby County Football Club.


The Irishman is adapting to life as a coach after calling time on a professional career which spanned 23 years.

Manager Frank Lampard has given the former Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa goalkeeper his first taste and he is relishing the opportunity.

“It’s an early part of my career as a coach and I like to learn off Jody [Morris] and Chris [Jones] who have been coaching for a couple of years now,” he told RamsTV.

“I would like to learn from them, not just from a goalkeeping point of view, but from the outfield stuff as well. I want to learn from this experience and become better, be that a goalkeeper coach or an outfield coach, I want to try and get as much information as I can.”

And how does being on the pitch compare to sat in the dugout?

“I think when you are playing you feel more in control of the situation but when you are on the bench you are a bit more anxious and nervous,” Given replied.

“You are willing the lads to perform well, get the result and at the end of the day. When you win you feel amazing and when you don’t win it’s the opposite effect.

“We have lost to a couple of teams and it was low after, even more so as a coach than as a player, but I’ve really enjoyed the highs of winning games.

“It’s refreshing to get the feeling again, especially because I was out of the game for 12 months. I think it has all come flooding back.

“That first game against Reading when we scored in injury time, we were all going crazy on the touchline and it brought back the emotions of playing and I thought that had gone forever when you stop playing football. It was a nice feeling.”

Given’s task is to work with the goalkeepers at Derby County, from first team level to youth level. Since his appointment in June, Given has worked closely with Scott Carson and was full of praise for the number one.

“Scott has been brilliant since I’ve walked through the door,” he said. “He is very professional, experienced and wants to work hard and improving. His consistency levels are brilliant and that’s what makes top goalkeepers.

“Scott has been a seven or eight out of 10 each week. We are playing more from the back so Scott has had to work on that but he has been comfortable with the ball at his feet and that has been encouraging, not just for me but for the gaffer, Jody and Chris.

“We have got a few young goalkeepers coming up as well. They train with us regularly so it’s important that we mix the younger goalkeepers with the more experienced ones as well.”

Derby County sit inside the top six of the Sky Bet Championship, and despite the season still being young, he believes the squad are in a good position.

“It was nice to finish with a victory at Hull, and another late goal as well,” he commented. “It was nice to have the two-week gap to sit on the back of a victory.

“We said that at half time, it will be a long two weeks if we don’t get the victory and we got that. We can’t rest now. We have a big game against Rotherham and we have to prepare for that.

“We want to keep the run going because it breeds confidence and belief in the squad. There is a feel-good factor around the place and that’s what we want.”