Asian Cup 2015: Socceroo goalkeeper Mat Ryan lets his feet do the talking

IT was his hands that got him into the Socceroos, but goalkeeper Mathew Ryan believes it has been his feet that have helped him stay there.

Australia's Mat Ryan press conference at the team hotel in Newcastle .Picture Gregg Porteous

IT was his hands that got him into the Socceroos, but goalkeeper Mathew Ryan believes it has been his feet that have played a crucial role in helping him to stay there.

Just 10 years after taking up goalkeeping for the first time, the 22-year-old is Ange Postecoglou’s undisputed No.1 as Australia prepares for an Asian Cup semi-final with the UAE on Monday.

A key part of Postecoglou’s ball-playing style has been Ryan’s willingness and ability to play as goalkeeper-sweeper, happy to receive the ball and redistribute it over distance with remarkable accuracy.

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Mat Ryan says his work with the ball at his feet has helped his international career.

Fostered by John Crawley, his goalkeeping coach for eight years, and by Graham Arnold at the Mariners, his quick feet also see the Club Brugges custodian regularly cover 5km in a game.

“Like a striker gets judged on his goals, keepers get judged by their saves,” Ryan said.

“But I’ve always thought that the use of my feet carries a pretty high importance — especially in that third season playing under Arnie [at the Mariners] where he placed more emphasis on me to play out.

“Here the boss has made us goalkeepers aware it’s a requirement we need to have. In terms of the way we want to play, the goalkeeper has to be comfortable with the ball at his feet and a good distributor of the ball.

Ryan says he has become more comfortable with his position in the Socceroos.

“The more games you play the more comfortable you become in playing out in tighter areas. In the last game it was our best in playing out from the back.

“I loved to score goals when I was young — it wasn’t until I was 12 I became a goalkeeper. Since then my goalkeeping coach John Crawley had the South American influence after his time in Chile.

“From a young age it was drilled into me to be good with either foot. At Westfield Sports High I was always working on my left foot, my weaker foot.”

With two games left, Ryan is unwilling to give himself a mark so far — still carrying the memories of the World Cup and in particular the soft goal he conceded as Holland beat Australia 3-2.

At least some good has come of that, though, helping to forge a noticeably more confident and vocal goalkeeper.

“I don’t like to rate myself — I know when I’ve had a good game or could do better,” he said. “The tournament’s still alive so I’ll give a rating on myself after it’s finished. I’ve just been enjoying my football since a bit of a difficult time at the World Cup.

Ryan talks with Mile Jediank after the Socceroos’ loss to South Korea.

“The Asian Cup isn’t quite at the same level, with all due respect to who we’re playing. I wanted to kill it at the World Cup but it wasn’t meant to be. So at this tournament I’ve tried to relax and play on my instincts a bit more, not overthinking things like maybe I did at the World Cup.

“The more you’re involved with the team the more relaxed you become and you get on with the boys. They respect you for the job you’re doing — previously maybe there were times when I was talking to the boys and felt a bit of a fresh-face — this tournament I feel it’s gone to another level.

“Ever since I was a kid it’s been drilled into me to be vocal, if there’s something we can fix we have to use our mouth and try to help the team.”

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroo goalkeeper Mat Ryan lets his feet do the talking