Why Hibs No. 1 Rafa will cherish clean sheet as Easter Road record holder says successor 'deserved more'
Turnbull’s Tornadoes No. 1 keeper impressed with goalie who ‘has everything’
It took a dozen games and a whole lot of effort. But Raphael Sallinger’s first clean sheet of the Scottish Premiership season felt like an important acheivement for the Hibs No. 1.
The Austrian goalkeeper was solidly dependable in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, as his team racked up their first league victory under new manager Marink Reedijk. If he wasn’t pushed as hard as he had been in some previous games, his performance was more than enough to catch the eye of one interested expert.
McArthur boasts unrivalled Easter Road experience
Jim McArthur, who holds the records for both long service and games played between the sticks for Hibs, is one of a select few goalkeepers to record 100-plus clean sheets. The No.1 for Turnbull’s Tornadoes, who played 296 games over 11 years at Easter Road, believes Sallinger has more than earned his first blank in the competition that matters most.
“Rafa will be so happy with his clean sheet,” McArthur told The Evening News. “Goalkeepers live for their shut-outs. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of, getting over 100 clean sheets. Even though it’s a team effort, goalies love that.
“He had a couple of games were things went against him, stuff that wasn’t his fault. I even had someone say to me they thought he should have stopped the cross for the Hearts goal in the semi-final at Hampden – but he couldn’t come for that ball, it was up to the defender to stop Braga, and it just lands on the boy’s head.
“It was a great win at the weekend. And he’s deserved more, to be honest. He’s been genuinely unlucky with some of the goals he’s lost.
“Rafa’s obviously a really good shot stopper, he’s a good height, he looks like a modern goalkeeper – and he’s good with his feet. That’s vital now.”
Nifty footwork and coping with pressure
Sallinger had to bide his time after being signed by David Gray at the start of last season, with Jordan Smith’s performances keeping the former Hartberg, Wolfsburg and Kaiserslauten goalie out of the line-up. But he’s been a virtual ever present since claiming the starting spot, with only a suspension – imposed after his moment of madness led to a red card in a derby loss to Hearts – interrupting his run.
The 30-year-old’s relative comfort with the ball at feet is a factor, with McArthur pointing out: “It used to be when clubs were looking for keepers, they’d ask if he was six-foot-four. That’s still an issue. You don’t get many five-foot-ten keepers any more.
“But now the first question they ask is: ‘Is he good with his feet?’ It’s absolutely vital in the modern game.
“Funnily enough, I was watching an under-13s game the other day because my pal is coaching. And the goalies were both playing out from the back.
“At the top level, of course, coaches will try to set traps for that sort of a build-up. And that’s why it’s good that Rafa will mix it up, going long when it’s on. He’ll be a big part of what Marink Reedijk is trying to do in the build-up, how they break the lines and get at teams, creating a bit of doubt in the opposition.”
Just like everyone who pulls on a Hibs jersey, of course, Sallinger faces a degree of pressure. Having begun his footballing journey as an attacking playmaker, there may be times when the big man is wondering why he ever volunteered to be the last line of defence, with all the slings and arrows that inevitably attracts.
McArthur laughed as he admitted: “Aye, I grew up wanting to be a striker as well - probably like a lot of goalkeepers! I wasn’t a goalie until I was 15, it happened by accident, but I had good hands.
“But the thing that appealed to me, once I got into it, was the responsibility. You feel that right away – but especially at a big club like Hibs.
“The idea that you could make a 90th-minute mistake to cost your team, or a 90th-minute save to get your team a win or a point, that can be quite onerous. And of course the fans are going to be demanding. It’s quite humbling, to be in that position.
“But I like that Rafa seems to handle it. And I think it’s important that an experienced guy Jordan Smith is fit again, to keep him on his toes. That’s really important, to know that you’re being challenged by the back-up, although young Freddie Owens has done a great job in the meantime – all he lacks is a bit of experience.
“I think he’s got it all, really. The size, the judgement, the ability. And I always say positioning is the most important thing.
“Andy Goram was the goalie who made the least mistakes. Look at his performances and you’ll see he was always in a good position. That should be the aim.
“It’s also great to see Scott Thomson in as goalie coach. He’s a brilliant coach, was a really good goalkeeper himself, and I’m sure Rafa will benefit from working with him.”