Socceroo Mat Ryan on life in the English Premier League bubble
It doesn’t seem that long ago that Mat Ryan was plugging away in Gosford. Now the Socceroos goalkeeper is keeping his head as one of the best stoppers in the biggest competition in the world.
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Six years ago he was a raw teenage footballer living in a caravan on the Central Coast.
Now the world could hardly have changed more for a player who has come to be regarded as one of the English premier League’s most consistent goalkeepers, but Mat Ryan insists that life away from the pitch has not been affected by the hype and scrutiny of playing in the world’s most watched football competition.
Back on Australian soil with Brighton teammate Aaron Mooy to face Nepal, as the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign takes another step forward, Ryan pulled the curtain back a little on life at the centre of an intense football bubble.
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His performances led this week to winning the PFA Player of the Year award from the players’ union, voted for by his peers, and the 27-year-old was to the fore as Brighton crushed Tottenham 3-0 last weekend. It all indicates a player at the top of his game but determined not to fall for the headlines and emotions that surround the EPL.
If anything, living in a relatively quiet town on the English south coast has made it easier to stay level-headed — along with the enduring influence of his mum Carol, a woman who Ryan has often credited with developing his drive and commitment.
“I had the upbringing to make sure I never forget where I came from, and off the field I honestly don't believe anything has changed that much,” Ryan told The Daily Telegraph.
“When Azza (Mooy) and Leandro Tossard were signed by the club in the off-season, I remember saying to them that down in Brighton you can walk the streets and hardly anyone recognises you. They let you be on a day-to-day basis, without people coming up and bothering you.
“For whatever reason people are coming up to me a bit more this year, maybe because it's my third season and my face is a bit more familiar.
“I just take that as recognition of where I've got to, almost a sense of pride — I've always tried to embrace the fans' interest, without them the sport is nothing like it is.”
Nor is the media hype something he pays too much attention to, well aware of how fickle that focus can be.
“Everyone’s different but in my case, you've got to try to listen to people who want the best for you,” he said. “That includes people employed in the club and you have to listen to their opinion.
“The boot can be on the other foot easily enough, you get praise when things go well but you can be heavily scrutinised when they're not going so well.
“I think you have to keep a sense of perspective, listen to those who are close to you and go about your business.
“I'm in a good space at the minute. From the start of the season you're just trying to find a rhythm and consistency in your performances.
“Since the last international break (in October), on a personal level I feel I've found that consistency, been in the right place at the right time to make a couple of saves. I'm enjoying my football.”
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Part of that is the style instilled by Brighton’s new coach Graham Potter, seen as one of English football’s young and thoughtful coaches.
“The manager Graham is one of these young managers, quite revolutionary, a bit like (England boss) Gareth Southgate, and the philosophy he's brought in has been embraced from day one.
“We've stuck with it and slowly starting to reap the benefits. The progression has been there and it was nice to see us get a result at the weekend to get what we deserved. It's nice to be a footballer in that system and to be able to contribute.”
Originally published as Socceroo Mat Ryan on life in the English Premier League bubble