Sam Johnstone happy at West Brom, credits Graeme Jones for his improvement
Sam Johnstone has opened up about life at West Brom and given an insight into his three years at the club.
Albion have struggled this year but the goalkeeper has been a stand-out performer – he has made more saves than any other Premier League keeper with 93.
He has described what it feels like to play in the top-flight and paid tribute to former coach Graeme Jones while reflecting on his first season at The Hawthorns.
In an interview with The Athletic, Johnstone said, “[In 2018/19 we] had a top team but we didn’t go up straight away, even though we should have.
“We had Graeme Jones as assistant manager who made the team play football, which really improved me with the ball at my feet. It was tough to start with but I enjoyed it.
“I liked having all those options, I liked playing with better players because that makes you a better goalkeeper.
“I wish I’d got here earlier, but we’re there now.
“We played Leicester first game of the season and I couldn’t sleep the night before. I just lay awake excited and wondered how it would be against much better players.”
Key to a new style?
It is intriguing to see the influence one coach can have on a player’s career – particularly a keeper’s.
Jones was not the most popular figure at West Brom but he has had a lasting impact on Johnstone and we should be grateful for that.
Keeping the £32,500 a week player at the club beyond the summer is vital for success.
And given his skill in playing out from the back, we have the chance to adopt a new philosophy – whether we go down or not.
If we are relegated it is unlikely Sam Allardyce will stay.
That means we could recruit a manager who will play a fluid style, bringing in defenders who can play out from the back like Johnstone.
It is a style that Norwich and Brentford have used with success this season, and it could make us more prepared for the top-flight than we were this time around.
Leeds’ success is the best example of that.
They are not afraid to take risks playing out from the back and though it costs goals on occasion, it makes the team better overall.
In other West Brom news, ‘I didn’t want that’ – £70k/wk West Brom star opens up on why he wanted to leave on loan in Jan.