News

Of all the new arrivals last summer, goalkeeper Nick Suman has made arguably the biggest impact at Balmoral Stadium.

He had to bide his time.

Having shared the Viaplay Cup group games with Balint Demus, it was Bal who got the nod when the League One campaign got underway, and it was not until the fifth match, away to Alloa Athletic, that Nick was given the starting place.

He has grabbed that opportunity with both hands:

“It’s the life of a keeper, there’s just the one spot and you’re both fighting for it. We push each other every day in training, and we definitely get pushed by Soapy (goalkeeping coach Derek Soutar) who makes us work hard in every session.

“There’s also young Jack Robertson, who’s a talented boy and a bit of fresh air, and Soapy makes everything competitive. We definitely have that keepers’ union, we’re a tight knit group, and it’s really enjoyable.

“I’m obviously fighting with Bal for the place in the team, but we have great respect for each other, and I hope we both have great seasons.”

Like everyone connected to Cove, last week’s victory over Annan Athletic came as a big relief to Nick, the keeper delighted to see the side finally put three points on the board:

“It was a great win for the team, something for us to really build on and take into the game against Montrose and the ones that follow. We do need to manage things a bit better, those two quick goals made it nervier than it should have been, but we did see that one out and we now have to move forward.”

Nick made an outstanding save from Aidan Smith’s header in that one, having performed heroics the previous week in the draw at Stirling, but the big man is typically humble when he reviews his performances:

“That’s my job! I have made some good saves, and you get the same kind of feeling I guess as strikers do when they score goals, but it’s all about performing at a high level, and that’s what I want to keep doing. It does build confidence, that’s for sure, and I just want to keep getting better week by week.”

Having moved halfway across the world to try to enhance his career, Nick says he has settled in well, and puts that down to the support he has been given by everyone at the club:

“I’m loving it, I’m loving training and playing in the matches: it’s been great! It was a massive step for me, a big change, but sometimes you have to take risks in life, and I’m enjoying every minute of it.

“They are a great bunch of guys, we all get along really well together, and the older boys have been a big help to the younger lads.”

Injuries and suspensions, and changes in formation, have meant that Nick has not had a settled defensive unit in front of him, but he has not seen that as a major impediment:

“I will say that whoever steps in does the job really well. I feel as if I’ve got a lot of confidence in all my defenders, no matter who comes in, and that makes my job a lot easier as well. That chopping and changing is part of football, and you just have to adapt to it. They all help me, and hopefully we’ll soon get that clean sheet that we’re all looking for!”

Nick believes the strong bond in training, around the stadium and during games is important, but just as vital is the connection away from the club, and he says there are no issues on that front:

“I’m not sharing with any of the guys, but I may as well be! I’m living on my own in town, but I catch up with them all as much as I can. We get together to watch games or go to play golf, we’re always doing something, and there’s a strong friendship there.

“I feel as if you build that respect, you get to know all the guys on a different level. You talk about things, you have a bit of crack, and you get to understand each other. It’s good that we’re all so close.

“You build that bond, then you take that into games, which is so important.”

“Generally, I’m loving it here. I know the weather is starting to turn, but I’m actually excited for winter, coming over from Australia, it’ll be the first nice cold one I’ve ever experienced and I’m looking forward to that!”

We will check back in with Nick around mid-January to see if he is feeling quite as enthusiastic about the weather then!

Article Copyright © 2023. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and to www.coverangersfc.com

Players’ Lounge Hospitality | Extended Offer »