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Palace keeper Johnstone: McGuinness and Jones key to passing game

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has has highlighted two former coaches for building his passing game.

Johnstone admits his development began as a junior at Manchester United.

He said, “Even growing up at Manchester United, we [goalkeepers] weren't coached like that, but we did join in a lot of possession stuff, especially when I became scholar with Paul McGuiness as youth team manager. He got us involved with the boxes, the rondos that the team do, your possession drills and things like that.

“That was the first time I got into passing drills, but then on a game day, you wouldn't play out from the back, you'd kick it long, even until I was 25. I moved to West Brom, and Graeme Jones came in as assistant manager with Darren Moore, and he just wanted us to play total football!

“The way the game's gone now, it's one of the biggest lessons I've had: to change to that new way of playing around and having to do that… then having to do it on a Saturday while trying to win, and keep the ball out of the net, with 25,000 people watching...

"I hadn't done it before, so doing it in training, and then on a Saturday…!"

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Paul Vegas

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