Preston North End goalkeeper Daniel Iversen: 'I'm just doing my job making good saves'

Whether it is just modesty or the psyche of a goalkeeper but Daniel Iversen’s feet are very much stuck to the floor when it comes to talking about the saves he makes.
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You won’t find Preston North End’s keeper shouting from the rooftops after the part he has played in games.

A case in point was the Lilywhites’ 1-0 win over Hull City last Saturday.

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Iversen made two superb saves in the first half at the MKM Stadium, the second of those from point-blank range to keep out a header from Tom Eaves.

Preston North End goalkeeper Daniel Iversen makes a stunning save from Hull City's Tom Eaves at the MKM StadiumPreston North End goalkeeper Daniel Iversen makes a stunning save from Hull City's Tom Eaves at the MKM Stadium
Preston North End goalkeeper Daniel Iversen makes a stunning save from Hull City's Tom Eaves at the MKM Stadium

It was one of those when you were waiting for the net to bulge, yet the Dane spread himself and put his right thigh in the way of the ball.

‘Just doing my job’ is Iversen’s response to those saves at Hull, likewise the many top-drawer stops he has made over the last 13 months in the North End keeper’s jersey.

On loan from Premier League side Leicester City, Iversen is a top-flight keeper in the making.

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“I have to make those saves, it is my job, that is the only thing I can say,” said Iversen as he faced the media at Euxton ahead of PNE’s next assignment against Huddersfield at Deepdale on Wednesday evening.

Daniel Iversen celebrates PNE's win at Hull with team-mate Greg CunninghamDaniel Iversen celebrates PNE's win at Hull with team-mate Greg Cunningham
Daniel Iversen celebrates PNE's win at Hull with team-mate Greg Cunningham

“You can’t keep thinking about a save you’ve made two minutes ago, it would be weird if you went off celebrating and conceded a goal a few minutes later.

“When called upon I have to make those saves to help us get the results we want.

“I’d rather have a quiet game because that means the team has done brilliantly in front of me.

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“A couple of games ago at West Bromwich Albion, they had no shots on target. That showed how well we played.”

Iversen allows himself to mention briefly the save from Eaves at Hull.

“I didn’t really have time to think too much,” said the 24-year-old.

“You make yourself as big as possible and the goals as small as possible.”

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Iversen came to PNE in January last year, signed for the rest of last season to cover the loss of Declan Rudd to injury.

In the summer he came back on a season’s loan and now has 55 appearances for the Lilywhites under his belt.

A big change for him of late has been the instruction to play out from the back.

That change came with Ryan Lowe’s appointment as manager in December, Lowe wanting to build play rather than go for a direct approach.

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When to pass short from goalkicks or go long, falls on Iversen’s shoulders.

It is more of the former but on occasions a longer goalkick is called for.

Said Iversen: “Playing out from the back is something I did with the national team and also when I played on loan in Belgium.

“It wasn’t new to me but I had to get back used to doing it when the new manager came in.

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“The whole team has had to get used to it and they’ve done well doing that.

“You have to find the right balance of when to play out and when to kick long.

“It’s in my hands because I can see the whole of the pitch and where the players are.

“If I can play it short, I will do. But if we can’t for some reason, I’ll kick it out.

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“Against Hull in the last 10 minutes it was a time to kick it long. We were 1-0 up and had a good result – why would you take a risk?

“When we played at West Bromwich, we knew they are one of the best pressing sides in the league so we decided to kick long there.”

While Iversen has worked under three managers/head coaches at PNE – Alex Neil, Frankie McAvoy and now Lowe – a constant for him has been goalkeeper coach Mike Pollitt.

Before coming to Preston he was already familiar with the work of Pollitt, having worked under him during a loan spell at Rotherham.

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Their paths crossed again, Pollitt having taken up a post at Deepdale in the summer of 2020 before Iversen made his way to Lancashire just over a year ago.

“Knowing Polly already when I signed was good for me,” said Iversen.

“I knew how he worked and I have didn’t have to get used to what a different keeper coach wanted.

“We work well together as do all the keepers.

“A day or two after a game, Polly and myself will look back at it – at the good things, the bad things, the things I could have done better.

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“It’s busy for us at the moment with a lot of games one after the other.

“We play, recover and play again. The day after a game I will rest but the second day Polly takes me out on to the pitch and we do some work.

“I get the feel of the ball again and start going through the things I need to do to be ready for a game.

“We play Huddersfield now who are going really well in the league. That is who our focus is on.”