.gif)
Simon Smith (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Simon Smith is a former footballer and currently working as U19's coach for the England national football team
.
in 1978, spending four years there before moving on to Whitley Bay
and then Gateshead
, where he played 501 games over a ten year period. He also signed as a non-contract player for Carlisle United, Sunderland
and again Newcastle United
.
In the summer of 1999, Smith became first-team goalkeeping coach working under Ruud Gullit
and Sir Bobby Robson. He was Sir Bobby Robson's goalkeeping coach over a five year period, coaching in the Premier League with goalkeepers Shay Given
, Steve Harper, Lionel Perez
, John Karelse
and Tony Caig
.
On 16 September 2004 Smith handed in his resignation and left the club. He was replaced by replaced by Roy Tunks
.
Smith has since worked for the Football Association as the goalkeeping coach to the England under-19
and under-17
teams and as a goalkeeping scout identifying and reporting on current and possible England goalkeepers. He has also worked as goalkeeping coach to the women's national football team
.
After successfully completing a B.A. Sports
studies degree in 1995, Smith also set up his own goalkeeping coaching company, Simon Smith Goalkeeping. In 2005, Simon Smith Goalkeeping joined forces with Bobby Charlton Soccer and Sports Academy to provide a specialist coaching programme and specialist staff.
In 2006 Smith moved to Vancouver
to undertake a year long secondment to research the biomechanics of goalkeeping, during this time he worked as a consultant to the Canadian Soccer Association
, working with the senior
and under-20
national soccer team. He also worked in the MLS
with Frank Yallop
at the LA Galaxy
, working with goalkeepers Steve Cronin
and Kevin Hartman
.
On 17 July 2007 Smith joined Carlisle United
as a part time goalkeeping coach. On 5 August 2008 he was replaced by Dave Timmins because the club wasn't satisfied with his only part time involvement at the team.
Smith is one of the world's most respected goal keeping coaches and also one of the most successful and highly sought after by both club and international managers alike.
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Playing career
Smith began his professional career with Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in 1978, spending four years there before moving on to Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay F.C.
Whitley Bay Football Club are an English football club based in the North-East of England. The present Whitley Bay Football Club was formed in 1950 and was known as Whitley Bay Athletic...
and then Gateshead
Gateshead F.C.
Gateshead Football Club are a professional Association football club, based in Gateshead, England. They currently play in the Conference National, the fifth level of the English football league system.Ian Bogie is the current manager....
, where he played 501 games over a ten year period. He also signed as a non-contract player for Carlisle United, Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and again Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
.
Coaching career
Smith returned to Newcastle United in 1993 as a goalkeeping coach, working firstly at the Centre of Excellence and latterly as Academy goalkeeping coach working with goalkeepers from the age of 8–19.In the summer of 1999, Smith became first-team goalkeeping coach working under Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
and Sir Bobby Robson. He was Sir Bobby Robson's goalkeeping coach over a five year period, coaching in the Premier League with goalkeepers Shay Given
Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....
, Steve Harper, Lionel Perez
Lionel Perez
Lionel Pérez is a retired French professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper and more recently was a goalkeeping coach at Stevenage Borough Football Club, following his retirement from the game in 2004....
, John Karelse
John Karelse
John Karelse is a retired Dutch football goalkeeper.He played for AGOVV Apeldoorn in his native country for a few years before moving to NAC Breda. It was here that he caught the attention of then Newcastle United manager Ruud Gullit, who signed him for £900,000 in August 1999...
and Tony Caig
Tony Caig
Antony "Tony" Caig is an English football goalkeeper who currently plays and coaches other goalkeepers for Football League One club Carlisle United.-Professional career:...
.
On 16 September 2004 Smith handed in his resignation and left the club. He was replaced by replaced by Roy Tunks
Roy Tunks
Roy William Tunks is a German-born English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He made over 850 appearances in a playing career spanning over twenty years....
.
Smith has since worked for the Football Association as the goalkeeping coach to the England under-19
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
and under-17
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
teams and as a goalkeeping scout identifying and reporting on current and possible England goalkeepers. He has also worked as goalkeeping coach to the women's national football team
England women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
.
After successfully completing a B.A. Sports
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
studies degree in 1995, Smith also set up his own goalkeeping coaching company, Simon Smith Goalkeeping. In 2005, Simon Smith Goalkeeping joined forces with Bobby Charlton Soccer and Sports Academy to provide a specialist coaching programme and specialist staff.
In 2006 Smith moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
to undertake a year long secondment to research the biomechanics of goalkeeping, during this time he worked as a consultant to the Canadian Soccer Association
Canadian Soccer Association
The Canadian Soccer Association is the governing body of soccer in Canada. It is a national organization that oversees the Canadian men's and women's national teams for international play, as well as the respective junior sides...
, working with the senior
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
and under-20
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team, also known as Canada Under-20s or Canada U-20s, is the youth club for national soccer in Canada. It plays a large role in the development of Canadian soccer, and is considered to be the feeder team for the Canada men's national soccer team...
national soccer team. He also worked in the MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
with Frank Yallop
Frank Yallop
Frank Walter Yallop is an English-born Canadian former professional association football player. He is currently the head coach of San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer....
at the LA Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
, working with goalkeepers Steve Cronin
Steve Cronin
Steve Michael Cronin is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:Cronin played college soccer at Santa Clara University from 2001 to 2003...
and Kevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman
Kevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...
.
On 17 July 2007 Smith joined Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
as a part time goalkeeping coach. On 5 August 2008 he was replaced by Dave Timmins because the club wasn't satisfied with his only part time involvement at the team.
Smith is one of the world's most respected goal keeping coaches and also one of the most successful and highly sought after by both club and international managers alike.