Goalkeeper coach Paul Heald will have three goalkeepers to work with next season, following the signing of academy graduate Charlie Burns on Monday.
- something the former Wimbledon number 1 is relishing.mkstadiumBurns will join David Martin and Irishman Ian McLoughlin in forming one of the largest groups of professional goalkeepers that Heald has ever had to work with during his time at
“I feel like quite lucky that I’ve got three keepers to work with,” Heald told mkdons.com. “We haven’t carried this many keepers for a while but I think it’s important that we’ve got that strength in depth.
“With the style that we play we have to make sure we have the right type of goalkeepers here. There are some talented keepers out there but could they all come into our side and play the way we want them to play?
“I feel we’ve got three keepers who are very good with the ball at their feet and can play out from the back. They can give us the build-up play that we need and the gaffer requires.
“Charlie has still got a lot to learn but so does Ian who, as we often forget, is young too. Dave, as well, has yet to reach his peak so I feel lucky that I’ve got three relatively young keepers to work with and it can only be a good thing for the Club.”
Burns became only the second ‘keeper to progress through the MK Dons Academy to sign professionally with the Club when he put pen-to-paper earlier this week and Heald praised the 18-year-old for his hard-work and performances over the past year.
He added: “Charlie has come a long way in the last 12 months. A year ago the gaffer didn’t feel he could impact on his first-team squad but we managed to find a way to bring him back.
“He worked hard with the youth team at the beginning the year and then, around Christmas time, we pulled him into the first-team and he flourished.”