Ex-Huddersfield Town man admits he ‘took foot off gas’ as difficult spell discussed

Owen Goodman admits he took his “foot off the gas” heading into last season’s loan spell

Former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Owen Goodman admits he took his “foot off the gas” heading into last season’s loan spell as he aims to recapture his best form at Dundee.

The Crystal Palace stopper earned a move to the Terriers off the back of a superb campaign with AFC Wimbledon, where he kept 25 clean sheets during the Dons’ promotion-winning campaign from League Two.

However, his time at Town didn’t pan out as hoped, with the goalkeeper making 12 appearances before his season-long loan was terminated early in January.

Goodman then spent the second half of last term with Barnsley, where he featured a further 22 times, before joining Scottish Premiership outfit Dundee for another loan this season.

The uncapped goalkeeper was named in Canada’s World Cup squad over the summer, and is currently away on international duty with the Canucks after receiving another call-up this month.

Reflecting on the previous campaign, Goodman told the Daily Record: “Last season I didn’t have the season I wanted to have. I came off the back of my Wimbledon loan on a real high. I probably took my foot off the gas going into last season, really. I didn’t work as hard.

“I took learning from it and how I can do better. But I went into the World Cup, and just being around those players who are at the top level, seeing what they do every day.

“If I want to make it to the top, where I think I can get, I know I can get to, and play for my country, I need to work hard every day. Whether that’s from how I train, how I eat, to how I sleep.”

Goodman has started all seven of Dundee’s league matches this term, helping them to sit fourth in the Scottish top flight, and the 22-year-old added: “I need to play well if I want to take the next step, and stay consistent, work hard, and do the right things off the pitch.

“I think the one thing I’ve definitely learned over the last couple of years is it’s not about what you do on the pitch, it’s what you do off the pitch. What you do off the pitch will talk for itself on the pitch. So it’s just making sure I’m doing everything right on and off the pitch.”