Boss Mick McCarthy has praised “terrific” goalkeeper-coach Malcolm Webster for getting the best from Blues keepers Dean Gerken and Bartosz Bialkowski.

Former Arsenal, Fulham, Southend and Cambridge United glovesman Webster initially joined Town under George Burley’s management and also worked with the Scot at Colchester, Derby, Hearts and Southampton.

Webster, who celebrates his 65th birthday on Thursday, rejoined the Town staff under Paul Jewell’s management in 2011 and stayed on after McCarthy took over three years ago.

He first spotted Bialkowski when he spent time on trial with Hearts before he eventually joined Burley and Webster with the Saints, while he had previously worked with Gerken when he was a youngster with the U’s.

“It’s a vital relationship,” the Town boss said. “When we were choosing the goalkeepers I would lean heavily on Malcolm for that because it’s a really specific role and you need somebody who knows all about it.

“And both with Gerks and with Bart they were the ones that [he said] really, definitely sign those two. He had a big part in that.

“He knew them both as well so they wanted to come and work with him as well. He’s a terrific coach and he gets the best out of them. We’ve got two really good keepers.”

For Gerken, it’s been a few weeks in which he's gone from zero to hero in some fans' eyes, keeping back to back clean sheets against Cardiff and Bolton having been widely criticised for his part in Nottingham Forest’s last-gasp equaliser.

“You could say the same about me, couldn’t you?” McCarthy reflected. “That’s just football.

“Gerks, I just cannot believe that anybody has doubted him because he has actually kept us in games.

“I was asked a question at the Supporters Club AGM about being loyal [to him] and I met that chap who asked it the other night and I said ‘What about Gerks?’ and he said ‘I owe him an apology, I think’.

“I said ‘Yes, you do, you shouldn’t have been asking me the question anyway’. He’s terrific. I said the other day, we’ve got two really top, top class goalkeepers and it’s just sad that one of them has to sit it out.”

Photo: Action Images

trncbluearmy added 06:19 - Nov 11 All the keepers he has coached at ITFC have not been good at crosses and fail to command their area, in Mick I trust but he wrong about webster
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dirtydingusmagee added 07:23 - Nov 11 if he has got the best from Gerkin,that reinforces my belief we need to get a better keeper in im afraid.Sorry Mick .
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boroughblue added 07:24 - Nov 11 I'll agree that Gerken is a good shot stopper but that is it. He is very weak on crosses, he bottles coming of his line to often and when he does come out he tends to flap at the ball (forrest away). I don't really see what bart did to get dropped, he went away for family reasons having made no mistakes on the field and was"dropped" whe he came back. Must be a major blow to his confidence. I do feel for him tbf

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prebsa added 07:30 - Nov 11 Mick must be joking, if this is the best we can get out of our keepers then he really does watch something different, Gerken cant catch any crosses nor does he command his area, if Mick thinks he does then he is mental.
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Penguinblue added 08:04 - Nov 11 Great coach but between them they can't even pick the better keeper. And Mickey Mouse, you were not loyal to Gerkin, you were disloyal to Bart - he was your 'no 1' when he missed a game for personal reasons
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parkinshair added 08:10 - Nov 11 Sorry but in the back to back clean sheets Gerks didn't have an awful amount to do. If he had made a string of outstanding saves it would have been different but he just did what you expect any keeper at that level to be able to deal with.
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Surco72 added 08:34 - Nov 11 Well done for publicly backing your players and coaches Mick , but really .... "He's terrific. I said the other day, we've got two really top, top class goalkeepers and it's just sad that one of them has to sit it out.” We haven't got one keeper good enough for the premier league or top clubs of this league . A couple of clean sheets recently against teams destined for League 1 does not hide this fact

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BlueBadger added 08:36 - Nov 11 ...as long as what you look for in your keepers is one who never knows how to come off his life...
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Kropotkin123 added 08:41 - Nov 11 Pull the other one. Consistently produces the same weaknesses from a multitude of keepers. And Gerken hasn't gone from zero to hero, Bart is far better. Comparatively Gerken is a liability.
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cats_whiskers added 08:51 - Nov 11 I wonder what our former goalkeeping coach "Andy Rhodes" opinion would be of two keepers? He's now working at Sheffield Wednesday
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campowasgod added 09:22 - Nov 11 "spot the ball" photo ?
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Stato added 09:23 - Nov 11 I think I'm right in saying that not since Richard Wright have we had a goalkeeper come through the youth ranks and get anywhere nearer the match day squad on a regular basis. So why are incapable of developing a single young keeper to championship standard during that period ? It must be an issue with the coaching surely ?
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mikeybloo88 added 09:50 - Nov 11 Mick is yet again in denial about his keepers...although many of us think he could be spot on, we have seen the best of them...and it ain't good.
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Guthrum added 10:04 - Nov 11 Our 'keepers were good enough for a team which got into the play-offs, with joint 6th fewest goals conceded, last season. There aren't that many better-performing goalies in this division.
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MattinLondon added 10:08 - Nov 11 @BossMan Shane Supple and Lewis Price came through the youth ranks and played games for the first team. Michael Crowe iis highly thought of. But as MM is veery conservative and doesn't like taking risks I don't think he will ever put a youngster in the sticks
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busterjames added 10:17 - Nov 11 We need someone like kelvin davies back!! even in the good old days we david best ,laurie sivell and paul cooper they were what you call goalkeepers !!
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TR11BLU added 10:28 - Nov 11 Different Class.....
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runningout added 10:28 - Nov 11 No to Kelvin Davies back, not good enough... Think Malcom Webster has had his work cut out with recent keepers... Last decent one was Alexander
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GiveusaWave added 10:35 - Nov 11 Don't think it's one of our strong points. if this is the best of Gerken and Bialkowski, I would hate to see their worst.
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Surco72 added 10:39 - Nov 11 Webster has had Gerken for a few seasons and he hasn't improved in my view , still doesn't command area , still hesitant off his line , poor with crosses . Crystal Palace have 3 good keepers on their books Hennessey , McCarthy and Speroni all would do a better job for us in a promotion push as Gerken and Bart will drop us points during the season On a separate point I see Fulham , QPR and Blackburn have all parted with their managers for failing ... all within a few results of our position in the table . Is the ambition being shown or foolishness ?

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terryf added 10:52 - Nov 11 I think that we are all getting a little bit paranoid about our goal-keeping issues, when there are other areas of the Team that need addressing e.g. right -back. It makes me laugh when I see comments, including those from players, that Chambers is growing into the role. How long has he been playing right-back? He still has this tendency to move central, which is where he wants to be, rather than marking the winger and stopping the crosses coming in. Probably afraid he'll get done for pace. His persistence with playing territorial long balls out of defence is counter productive. Also long term Mick needs to play Freddie Sears down the middle. He is so much more valuable to the Team working off the shoulder of the last defender. When he was Manager Bobby Robson always talked about round pegs for round holes. Maybe if Mick disregards any of the fans opinions he'll listen to the wise words of Sir Bobby. Back to the saga of the two keepers, both have their strengths and weaknesses, like most keepers in this division. In fact given a choice there are only two other keepers I would love to see in our Team i.e. David Marshall or David Stockdale. Either would do nicely!

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SouperJim added 11:39 - Nov 11 I don't think us fans are in a position to have an informed opinion on Webster, as we don't see the vast majority of what he does. It does worry me however that in the years he has been here, we seem to have had more than our fair share of keepers who are weak on corners and crosses. Gerken is the latest example.
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carsey added 11:53 - Nov 11 You have to wonder whether Gerkin ever watches matches which involve the top teams with world class keepers playing. I'm sure if he did he would try to incorporate the way they react to situations in his play. It shouldn't really need a coach to work out when to come and when to stay just a bit of communication with your defenders and for them to know what you are going to do. The fear in their eyes when they have to play the ball back to him for the big hoof is clear to see and how many times have they been shielding the ball for him to come out and pick it up only for him to be rooted to the 6 yard line. I agree with those who say he is a good shot stopper and it is true he has made some good saves to keep us in the game but basic errors and fumbles cost in the end.

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sidtheswan added 12:00 - Nov 11 Had enough of this s!!! from MM . Bart is the best. End of . Move on .
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rabbit added 12:14 - Nov 11 Bobby Robson certainly one of the best English managers to ever grace the world of Association Football. He had rare insight, but to say he never played players out of position is simply wrong, 3 examples that spring instantly to mind are Mick Mills, a right back he converted to a left back, Kevin Beattie a 5'10" left back he converted to centre half and of course the majestic goal scoring mid fielder John Wark converted from a central defender. I'm afraid I simply don't recall Mr Robsons comment regarding pegs and holes!!

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