28 October 2023 , 06:30
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There are few more versed in the brutality of football than modern-day goalkeepers.
After all, it seems like barely a week goes by without relentless levels of scrutiny being passed on those between the sticks. Already this term, goalkeeping issues have dominated the narrative at Arsenal and Manchester United; who would fancy that level of scrutiny in their lives?
As a seasoned shot-stopper himself, just like his father before him, Freddie Woodman is no stranger to said scrutiny - but that doesn't mean he hasn't become disillusioned with certain elements of modern-day goalkeeping.
Woodman tells Mirror Football: "I think that goalkeeping can be overcomplicated and miscommunicated. You see a lot of s*** now - people jumping over boxes and stuff before making a save - it's a load of rubbish. It's important that we still try to stress to young goalkeepers the importance of keeping it simple.
"At the end of the day, goalkeeping is about keeping the ball out of the net. I try to do that myself because I don't want these kids to get caught up in the rubbish that surrounds goalkeeping at the minute."
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Perhaps the most obvious thing that springs to mind in that aspect is a goalkeeper's ability with the ball at his feet. Being comfortable building possession from the back with pinpoint distribution to break lines is the attribute seemingly coveted above all others at the moment.
That aspect of the game played a big factor in Manchester United's decision to move on from David de Gea, for example: a thirst for evolution. That's all well and good, but is too much emphasis placed on a goalkeeper's feet rather than what they're paid to do: keep the ball out of the goal? As is so often the case, balance is key.
"I think you can overlook that," Woodman reflects. "You can pick a goalkeeper who's just good with his feet, but you have to get a goalkeeper who does it all, really. It does frustrate me.
Woodman spent time with Crystal Palace and Newcastle as a youngster (Dave Howarth/CameraSport)"I was lucky enough when I first went to Newcastle as a YTS we had a fantastic coach, Chris Terpcou, and he really helped in terms of adding certain aspects to my game. We used to go out in the afternoon and that was the time to practice things like playing with my feet, using my left foot and being able to clip the ball into second and third lines. Those little bits helped me, but at the same time it's important to reinforce the basics every day.
"I think things get miscommunicated by certain coaches trying to reinvent the game. In terms of goalkeeping, the game is keeping the ball out of the net as best you can and the rest is just a bonus. I always try and stress that to young goalkeepers as best I can. I feel like I do that in the right way. That's certainly the way that I was taught as I was being brought up."
Goalkeeping is, quite literally, in Woodman's blood. Although he had no interest in pursuing a career in goal himself until his teenage years, Woodman's father, Andy, clocked up over 400 career appearances as a goalkeeper for a horde of EFL clubs.
Woodman's marriage with goalkeeping transcended his playing career, too. After hanging up his gloves, Woodman senior worked as a goalkeeping coach at Newcastle and Crystal Palace. He coached his son at the former, while the latter gave Woodman junior his big break.
After begrudgingly donning the gloves on a school trial day, Woodman was sent for a trial at Palace - the same club his father started his career. He chose to mask his identity, showing up as Freddie Wood, rather than Woodman, in a bid to evade the inevitable.
"I didn't want to go down there as Andy Woodman's son. My dad has always had a massive influence on me, but it's even greater now because he's literally stood where I am now. Sometimes being between the posts can be a tough place to be."
Woodman's father, now flourishing as a manager in the National League with Bromley, rings him both before and after training every day. Even with the distance between them, his influence on Woodman has not waned.
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Working apart is preferable, though, with Woodman outlining that working alongside his father at Newcastle presented a unique challenge in itself. The influence and coaching of the club's senior pros, in some ways, provided Woodman with respite from the pressure of working underneath a parent.
Woodman has played a crucial role in Preston North End's promising start to the season (Lewis Storey)"I'd call him chief at training rather than dad; I still call him that now! It was tough [working together]. He's a fantastic coach, but I felt like I had to prove myself twice as much as anyone else.
"I was very lucky, because at the time we had Tim Krul as first-choice goalkeeper and Rob Elliott as No.2: two good pros. In the end, Tim almost became like my coach. He really took it upon himself to go out of his way to help me and he added so much to my game. So did Rob Elliott, too.
"I'm in the same situation myself now - it feels like I've almost taken Tim's role on. He always used to say to me, 'You'll be in this position someday' and I used to think, 'Tim - I'm 16 mate, I'm never going to get to your age!'
"We've got a young pro here called James Pradditch and he's brilliant. I've been involved in like 400 odd games so I'm always trying to pass little bits on that I've picked up through my career. Goalkeeping is a unique position and I feel like if you've stood under those posts that input is something that can really help the younger lads."
With first-team opportunities at St. James Park at a premium, Woodman has enhanced his burgeoning reputation since branching out into the Championship on a permanent basis. After a season of flirting with the top-six at Deepdale last year, Preston are fourth in the league standings after a strong start to the season.
Bromley manager Andy Woodman is Freddie's father and was also a goalkeeper (David Price/Arsenal FC)Marginal gains and incremental improvement, rather than reinventing the wheel, have helped propel Ryan Lowe's side into the promotion picture since his appointment back in 2021.
"I think we recruited well in the summer," Woodman says of PNE's positive start. "We've brought some very good players in and they've taken us up a level. I don't think we've changed too much.
"If you look at the games last year [that we drew] they could have gone either way, there wasn't much in them. It's fine margins. I think when you start well in this league and build a bit of momentum, it can count for a lot.
"There's not much between all 24 teams; all the games are tight and most are decided by mistakes or a bit of brilliance. The teams who were near the bottom this time last year ended up in the play-offs, so you just don't know what to expect."