The Official Manchester United Podcast
Eric Steele - Being Sir Alex's GK Coach
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Episode notes
A familiar face joins hosts Helen Evans, Sam Homewood and David May on the latest UTD Podcast as Eric Steele lifts the lid on his time at the club.
The Reds’ former goalkeeping coach has some fascinating tales to tell about working under Sir Alex Ferguson and helping the team lift the Premier League title in 2012/13.
After starting out at the Wallsend Boys’ Club, like our previous guest Steve Bruce, the Geordie retired from his playing career in 1988 but was determined to start a new chapter in coaching. There was a back-up option, buying a pub, but he ended up working with some of the best in the game, including Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar and, of course, David De Gea.
Piecing together his journey in the game, Eric reveals how he felt compelled to re-enact one of the most famous saves of all time, Gordon Banks’s jaw-dropping dive to keep out Pele’s header, at the same stadium in Guadalajara, while on tour.
There is great insight into what his job entails on a day-to-day basis, his working relationship with Sir Alex and the Reds he felt were the best and worst trainers. In addition to his thoughts on van der Sar and De Gea, Eric recalls how Ben Foster became the penalty shootout hero in the 2009 League Cup final win over Tottenham, with the help of an iPad.
Steele reveals the fall-out from Ferguson’s retirement and how much a new project means to him, as he continues to appreciate how lucky he is to work in the sport.
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