Newcastle United under-23 coach is impressed with Matz Sels.
Newcastle United’s Matz Sels
Matz Sels arrived at Newcastle United with high hopes this season, and his spell at the club could hardly have turned out worse.
The goalkeeper signed in the summer from Belgian side Gent, and began the season as the Newcastle’s number one.
Sels struggled to cope with the pressure and quickly found himself down the pecking order.
Karl Darlow has assumed the role as first choice goalkeeper, while Rob Elliott’s return from injury has demoted Sels further to third option.
He has as a result been working with the under-23 squad to get game time under his belt, after not even making Rafa Benitez’s bench in recent games.
Sels has at least impressed under-23 coach Peter Beardsley, who has been able to play the 25-year-old as an overage player.
Beardsley told the club’s official website this week after he kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Southampton: “Matz has been amazing for us, and he didn’t really have a save to make today.
“But he’s a great lad, with a good attitude. He passed the ball for fun, and was a good example to the kids.”
For Sels this is just a case of killing time until the summer when he inevitably moves on.
Yet Newcastle discovered last season that an injury crisis can strike at the worst possible time, and Sels getting matches in is prudent management in case he is called upon.
Newcastle United’s Matz Sels
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