Boss praises Brill attitude

DEAN FAVOURITE FOR ’KEEPER ROLE

HOW do you solve a problem like a ’keeper?

Athletic boss Paul Dickov could be getting closer to an answer — by making Dean Brill his number one for the new season.

The former Luton Town shot-stopper had several shaky moments last term, dropping clangers which eventually led then-boss Dave Penney to drop him three times in favour of on-loan Darryl Flahavan.

But the 24-year-old’s season was something of a paradox. Errors aside, Brill managed to come up with an impressive 11 clean sheets in his 30 appearances in all competitions.

His pre-season form under Dickov’s watch has been top-notch. After producing a superb save to keep out Chris Iwelumo’s penalty in the 2-1 home defeat by Burnley — both goals on that day were conceded in the second half, with Greg Fleming between the posts — Brill was in similarly good form in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Boundary Park, producing a pair of smart reaction stops from Wigan pair Mauro Boselli and James McCarthy.

“From day one since I came in, his attitude has been spot-on,” said Dickov of Brill, who is entering his second season as an Athletic player.

“He has grown with confidence every day and you saw again against Wigan that he was outstanding — as he has been in all the other games.”

Dickov is at pains to point out that nothing is settled yet as regards his likely line-up for the first game of the season away at Tranmere on Saturday, August 7.

With fellow goalkeeper Fleming having been told to look for a new club, a new man will be sought to provide competition for Brill.

One player who could be in the frame is Linfield’s Alan Blayney. No stranger to Athletic, the full Northern Ireland international (28) made three appearances under John Sheridan in 2007, including both legs of the League One play-off tie against Blackpool, before being released at the end of the campaign.

Blayney recently starred in Linfield’s notable 0-0 home draw with Rosenborg in a Champions’ League second round qualifier, his side exiting the competition last night by way of a 2-0 defeat in Norway.