The Wellington Phoenix have signed highly-experienced goalkeeper coach Jonathan Gould for the 2022/23 A-League season.
Moving quickly to fill the void left by Paul Gothard’s departure, the Phoenix have secured Gould (53) who is also the current goalkeeper coach for the All Whites.
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Gould has had two previous stints in the Phoenix role, from 2009-2011 and 2012-2015, either side of a season in Perth, after coaching Hawke’s Bay United in the old New Zealand Football Championship.
“I’m delighted to be able to come back,” Gould said.
“It’s the people really that is part of the reason why you go to a football club and I still have an intrinsic knowledge of the place.
“It’s just a really good, solid football club that has some tremendous backers behind it.
“I also look forward to the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport facility that the club’s going to move out to and the fact the team will be back at Sky Stadium.
“It’s an exciting period for the football club and I am very grateful to Ufuk Talay for providing me with this opportunity to return.”
Eight years’ experience with top UK clubs
The former Celtic goalkeeper has built an impressive CV since leaving the Phoenix in 2015. He spent three years with West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League, before stints with Championship clubs Middlesbrough and Preston North End.
“Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison encouraged me to make the move to the U.K. to gain experience,” Gould said.
“I worked with Tony Pulis for four years, at West Brom in the Premier League and with Middlesbrough in the Championship, and then I spent some time at Preston North End with Alex Neil and I got to learn from really good coaches.
“I also got to understand my role as a goalkeeping coach which is to support the head coach and the assistant and everybody around and to make sure your impact within the group of players is a positive one.”
Gould has more recently worked with Bristol City’s U-18 and U-23 sides and has been the All Whites’ goalkeeper coach since the national team returned to action last year.
He also served as New Zealand Football’s goalkeeping development manager in 2021.
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“I know all the goalkeepers at the Phoenix. I’ve obviously worked with Oli Sail, I’ve spent some time with Alex Paulsen and I know the two younger ones under him in Alby Kelly-Heald and Henry Gray.
“There’s talent there and the set-up behind the first team is great. Head of academy goalkeeping Ruben Parker’s relatively new into the environment but he’s a wonderful development coach.”
Ufuk Talay says Gould is another experienced set of eyes for him and his coaching staff.
“We’re very pleased he’s come on board,” Talay said. “Gouldy is going to be great for us and the technical staff with all the experience he has.
“He’s been in the game for such a long time, probably even longer than I have, so it’s great to have him part of the group and share his experience with us.
“He’s also worked with some very good goalkeepers and I’m sure our goalkeeper union will be very pleased to have him as the goalkeeper coach.”
Jonathan Gould will return home next month and will join the Wellington Phoenix once the full squad starts pre-season training.
Credit
This story is reproduced with the assistance of the Wellington Phoenix.
