Stevie Woods Appreciation Thread

So who was the big bald guy with a tash? lol

Sure it wasn't Pendrey?

 

Celtic TV interview with Stevie
https://streamable.com/dj843

 

Always signed him for my teams in Champ' Manager.

 

Love ye Stevie big man, you and yer baldy hair!

 

Strachans assistsnt?

 

Yeah. Only guy I can think of with a tasche who woulda trained Boruc.

 

Yes he was really bad in my opinion weird one

 

Done wonders with De Vries

 

Jim Leighton had a few goals put past him. All 'keepers have at some point. Doesn't make 'em *.

Except for Gordon Marshall and Rab Douglas.

 

BEHIND every great player is a great coach, and in the case of Craig Gordon, Celtic goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods is that influential figure.

As the dust begins to settle on the ‘Invincible’ treble-winning season, Celtic's No.1 has paid tribute to the dedication and professionalism of the club's goalkeeping coach, who is now in his 10th year at the club.

The two men have worked closely since Craig Gordon joined Celtic in the summer of 2014 after being out of the game for over two years through injury, and he's now gone on to make 159 appearances to date for the club.

Ahead of Celtic’s record-breaking 2016/17 campaign, the shot-stopper had already won two league titles and a League Cup with the Hoops, before going on to become an ‘Invincible’ treble-winner this term.

However, it wasn’t all plain-sailing last season as Gordon found himself behind Dorus de Vries in the pecking order in the early part of the campaign, and he admits his part in this historic treble-winning season might not have been so prolific had it not been for the commitment and perseverance of his goalkeeping coach.

“The influence that Woodsy’s had on me has been huge," Craig Gordon told the Celtic View. "It was difficult when I was out of the team in the early part of the season, and it was important that the manager and Woodsy didn’t give up on me.

"They showed me what they were looking for, and Woodsy would cut up clips and make sure I knew how we were looking to play, and then it was up to me to be able to go out and do that.

“I told them right there and then that I could play the way they wanted me to. If I was given the opportunity, then I felt that I could go back in and prove that I could play in that style. But, it had to be worked at as it wasn’t something that I’d done before.

“I had to be shown exactly what they were looking for and once they did that, and once I took it on board and studied it, I could understand it and put it into practice. It’s one thing knowing what to do, but it’s another thing actually having the ability to do it. From the confidence I had in myself, I knew I could. I just needed the chance to prove it.

“It could easily have gone the other way,” added the Celtic No.1. “The club could have brought in another goalkeeper but I was treated fairly. I was given the chance to improve my game, even when I wasn’t in the team, I was still given the chance to get better.

“Both the manager and Woodsy wanted to work hard with me to make me the best that I could be. They didn’t give up on me and they made sure that I was given a fair crack at it, which is something that I’ll always be grateful for.”

Since the arrival of Brendan Rodgers last summer, the style of play that has become synonymous with the six-in-a-row champions has developed over the course of the Irishman’s first season in charge, beginning with the last line of defence, something Craig Gordon has adapted to.

“The whole team is playing in a different style now,” he said. “The manager works with every player on where he wants them positioned and how he wants them to play. There’s been an awful lot of hard work put into that.

“It’s been a challenge, but it’s something that I’ve enjoyed proving to people that I can do. There are still things that we can improve and it’s always a work in progress - we can never stand still. The amount of work we’ve done on it, and adapted for different opposition, has kept it fresh and interesting.

“Woodsy has spent so many hours watching videos of not only me, but other teams and how they play out from the back and what positions they take up. It’s been a massive learning curve for me but that’s what has made it so enjoyable. For me, at this stage in my career, to be playing in this way is so much more enjoyable than anything I’ve ever had at any other stage in my career.”

 

3 years later and a * of a lot of improvement in Gordons game, would you still agree?

 

Not sure, mate. I only saw him improve under Rodgers TBH. Before that, we were all saying he wasn't the keeper he once was.

 

He's unbelievable, helped Fraser become one of the best young keepers in the world, and has helped turn Craig's career from near retirement to a treble winning invincible who plays like a natural gifted passer.

 

Linked with the Scotland Goalkeeper job.

https://celtsarehere.com/top-celtic-coach-linked-with-international-role/

 

Big Baldy Tashie Woods.

Grow the tash back.

 

He looks bald without it.