Newly appointed Head of Goalkeeping, Aled Williams admitted it is a dream come true to join Coventry City.
Williams has always wanted to coach a side at first team level and joining the Sky Blues gives him the opportunity to fulfil that ambition ahead of the 2019/20 season.
Aled joins the Sky Blues having previously worked at the likes of New York Red Bulls, Cardiff City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Williams spoke of his delight at getting started the Sky Blues and his excitement for the start of pre-season.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted, Coventry is a massive club and it was a privilege to be asked to come in and do this role for the club, so I’m really excited to get started and for pre-season.
“It’s a dream come true really.
“I’ve worked all my life through the youth levels and I’ve always strived to want to coach at first team level and when the opportunity came knocking, I had a good conversation with the Gaffer and we got on really well and now I have to go and prove a point.
“It’s important coming in as Head of Goalkeeping to make sure that there is a continuous number of goalkeepers coming through the system and I think it’s important that you have those home-grown players and those Coventry City values and standards.
“I want it to start now to be honest. We will have a little break now and make sure everything is ready to go for when we come in at the end of June.
“I’m over the moon I just want to get started and I’ve got to come In and make an impact whilst developing the players at the same time.”
Having coached at youth level during his career to date, the chance to come in at Coventry City with the first team will mark his first role in that position.
Williams has had opportunities in the past to go to clubs but told how he has been waiting for the right opportunity and for when he was ready.
“I started coaching at New York Red Bulls in the MLS I was working with the Academy there and the Under 23s and then I eventually came back over to the UK and it was something I really wanted to do, in order to establish myself here and I eventually got in at Cardiff City.
“I then went to Wolves and more opportunities also came because whilst I was there I got selected to go with the Welsh squads at the EURO Qualifiers and then from there I was asked to help out with AFC Telford at first team level for a season with Rob Edwards who used to play for Wolves and then from there I’ve built myself up at Wolves to Under 23s.
“It was the right time for me this opportunity, I always said I want to do it when I was ready and not too soon.
“I wanted to make mistakes and I wanted to get success and find out different formulas and find out the best way to get the best out of goalkeepers because they’re a massive part of the team and the first name on the team sheet usually.
“You have to make sure that they are ready to go each week and building out from the back, keeping clean sheets and inspiring the players to play in front of them as well.”
Williams will come into the role, replacing the outgoing Coventry City legend, Steve Ogrizovic who retired at the end of the 2018/19 season.
Aled is looking to lay his own mark with the Sky Blues and bring his method of coaching to the goalkeepers at the club.
“I’m very innovative and very different to a lot of goalkeeper coaches - I like the ball moving and I like a lot of decisions made to inspire the goalkeepers and power them to think and put a lot of responsibility on them.
“I want to challenge them and make sure they’re set their goals for the season - what do they want to achieve short term, medium term and long term for the club and that has to match with the outfield and what we want to do at the club.”
Williams will be working with new signings Marko Marosi and Ben Wilson, as well as Corey Addai and those at youth level.
The new Head of Goalkeeping is excited to work with the keepers and believes the two latest signings are excellent additions for the club.
“I’ve done a lot of work already.
“We’ve signed two excellent goalkeepers, in my opinion, having watched and studied them and now its about putting my plans together with the Gaffer, Adi and the rest of the coaches and making sure there is a good contingency for pre-season and then heading into August.
“I’ve had a good chat with the ‘keepers and told them what we expect as a club and what I expect as their goalkeeper coach and the standards and values that we hold.
“I think we have two excellent characters for the changing room as well and hopefully they will help the younger ones out as well like Corey Addai and those coming through the system.”