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

rugbytomc added 12:15 - Nov 11 Webster does indeed get the best out of the current keepers and we've had some great keepers in the past (Craig Forrest, Richard Wright, Kelvin Davis) and he probably got the best out of them too plus some not amazing keepers that again he got the best out of (Lewis Price, Andy Marshall). So for me his credentials are not in doubt. Are Gerken and Bart worse as Keepers than say our back 4 are as defenders or our midfield as midfielders - probably not. Is there anyone out there who is clearly better and obtainable? I personally can't name anyone but then i'm not a scout. I would imagine if there is or one becomes obtainable (as with any other position) Mick will go out and get them. I think it's time to get off Micks back about demanding new players and just let him do the best he can with each squad he has. It's got to be about Evolution not Revolution and we have progressed year on year under Mick and i hope and have faith we will continue to do so. If he were to leave, i think it would be another very long project to have someone come in and change how we play and build a new side

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Penguinblue added 12:16 - Nov 11 Fulham were once rumored to be interested in Mickey Mouse. Please take him (and the goalkeeping coach given his expertise with our different class keepers).
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StowTractorBoy added 12:30 - Nov 11 MM I am one of your greatest backers but these remarks must be about keeping a happy ship. I have commented on here more than once that no goalkeeper has really improved under Webster whilst he has been here except Richard Wright. I do realise that goalkeepers are in a vulnerable position as if they make mistakes they are more often than not costly. Both keepers are average in my opinion and are prone to error but this can be said of many of the keepers in our Division. Stockdale is always a mistake waiting to happen. Rob Green often makes bloopers and he has played for England. I think we have to accept we will go with what we have got and I hope our two keepers can excel in the future.

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goat_man added 12:36 - Nov 11 Nonsence MM. Malcolm Webster is one of our many failing as a football club. Get rid of him and bring in a goalkeeping coach who teaches the goalkeepers how to save shots that aren't hit right at them. Where does this Gerken is a good shot stopper rubbish come from? If the ball isn't hit straight at him, its ALWAYS a goal.
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Stato added 12:49 - Nov 11 @mattinlondon you're absolutely right of course but would you hold Price and Supple up as evidence we were producing keepers of Championship standard from the youth ranks ?
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Swailsey added 12:50 - Nov 11 hmmmm.
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tpsontour added 13:07 - Nov 11 If Malcolm Webster is doing such a good job why have we had a steady stream of at best average - Gerken - at worst dud - Scott Loach, Aaran Lee-Barrett, Lewis Price - keepers? And I have lost count of all the loanee keepers we have fielded at various stages. Over the past 15 years, the Budgies have had just three regulars - Robert Green, David Marshall and John Ruddy, all of them internationals. And they have had multiple promotions while we have been stuck in the Championship.

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cats_whiskers added 13:20 - Nov 11 Malcolm Webster; Over aged Over weight And Now Over the hill In these times where the game has changed You need some fresh ideas, not with a 65 year old in place Dean Kiely I believe is available and would be a better choice.
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warktheline added 13:37 - Nov 11 At least McCarthy defined 'class' .... Our keepers are TOP class, unlike others recently mentioned as DIFFERENT class. All I want is for our boys to be TOP of the class, sadly some on here have NO class, and are happy with their HALF-EMPTY class, or did I mean glass!
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peewee added 13:42 - Nov 11 Just seems spin once again to justify gerken in goal as Bart made some great saves last season I'd say difference between playoffs and mid table. Then again loach made a couple of mistakes then was dropped gerken made the same mistakes and stays in goal
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MattinLondon added 14:50 - Nov 11 @BossMan In the case of Supple and Price I think that both were good Championship standard keepers but both were at the club at the wrong time. ME coming in and everybody losing patience and wanting to be in the Premier League right then as opposed to building slowly and getting it right. If Supple were given more games - who knows. I don't think that Supple and Price are examples of the youth system realing out the goods. BUT I would argue that we haven't produced a high standard PL player for sometime. Granted that Bishop could well be the next-in-line but again he needs to be given the oppotunity to play. Despite the rhetoric of recent months I think that the Academy has only produced a lot of average players. Tommy Smith and Luke Hyam being the most successful youth products but they aren't PL players and I don' think they will ever reach that standard. We have heard a lot about Dozzell, McDonnell, Kayum, Mylock and Emmanuel but if they don't play now they will just stumble. Especially more so if average players like Coke and Toure get on their way. Bossman Sorry about the long answer but I don't think that the Academy is bearing fruit and hasn't been for a few years - and unlike Man U etc we can't buy world class players to make up for this shortfall.

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terryf added 15:55 - Nov 11 Rabbit maybe you never bought the EADT that day!!! Actually come to think of it he also mentioned it during a tour of the stadium. Definetely words from the great man's lips. As for your comments regarding Messrs Mills, Beattie and Wark the difference was that they were quite comfortable and accomplished in playing those alternative positions. It's called ability!!! How many of our present day players are capable of doing the same?

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warktheline added 16:00 - Nov 11 @rabbit, whether Sir Bobby said any such statement is irrelevant. The point is, Robson did, as you state, play players out of position, but the BIG difference is these players went on and more than exceeded expectations, unlike McCarthy's square pegs in round holes. Chambers is a must better centre half than right back, and no one on this forum will ever convince otherwise.

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carsey added 16:26 - Nov 11 I saw the whole of he Robson era and whilst he certainly played players out of their natural position at times all of them were capable of doing so. You can't possibly compare the likes of Beattie, Wark, Mills etc to the current players - hell we couldn't afford them if todays prices and wages were applied. Sadly almost all our current squad are one position players at best and the most you can hope for if played out of position is that they will work hard and give it their best shot.

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StochesStotasBlewe added 17:08 - Nov 11 Carsey, spot on, another point to consider was that Sir Bobby only had a VERY small squad compared to todays. I remember Mick Mills being played in midfield on numerous occasions & looking comfortable too.
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NSL added 17:27 - Nov 11 Ok, why haven't we ever produced a decent keeper since Richard Wright? And even then!!!....... WEBSTER OUT
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blueboy1981 added 17:56 - Nov 11 ........ is that why Gerks is still well short ......... ???
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blueboy1981 added 17:56 - Nov 11 ....... of the Championship standard.
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blueboy1981 added 18:01 - Nov 11 .......... MM obviously thinks there are a high percentage of 'mushrooms' - and he's not far wrong for once. Just a thought .......... !!!!
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Dissboyitfc added 18:48 - Nov 11 Rabbit... the 3 players you mention were all world class players capable of adapting, none of which can be said of our square pegs in round holes.
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grumpyoldman added 21:09 - Nov 11 Rabbit all the players you mention played at a very high level, and never looked out of place in the position you state that is the difference. By the way Wark was a midfield player who could cover at centre back, Beattie started at centre back not left back
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Warkys_Tash added 23:04 - Nov 11 Mick I like you but I am afraid you are talking total chuff my friend. Top top, top class keepers? What are their names? Didn't realise we had 5 keepers signed at the club. Webster has only coached 3 decent keepers at Town, Forrest, Wrighty (the best) & Davis...
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ChrisFelix added 08:35 - Nov 12 Wright was coached by Phil Parkes
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essex57 added 12:49 - Nov 12 Tpsontour the budgies have had multiple relegations as well
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essex57 added 12:54 - Nov 12 Oh well results have gone well so MM has thrown the moaners a carrot to crunch on
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