Feature Article - Daniel Godley

Daniel Godley - April 2010

You may have seen Daniel Godley, goal keeper for the first team, mingling with the crowd on match day. He arrives very early and sits and watches the reserves play before his own match. You can be forgiven for thinking this is his way of mentally preparing for his own game, familiarising himself with the pitch, sussing out the opponents, but the truth is he is just there for support. The farthest thing from his mind is the game he is about to play. Confident, cool and calm, there is no room for doubt or scepticism in his thoughts. With complete faith in his team and in his own abilities, Godley finds no reason to worry or psych himself up before a game. But don't confuse his calmness for complacency. Godley is ready to play and to fight to the end. Come to warm up and he switches to game playing mode, determined his team will win and that ultimately, each match will lead them closer to claim the championship a second year in a row. This quiet confidence serves Godley well on the pitch, particularly during tense moments of pressure. Having saved 3 penalties in a row against Blue Eagles in the semi final of the pre season cup and 2 penalties in the cup quarter finals against Adelaide City, you can understand why Godley loves penalties. Now married to wife, Moira and with a 3 year old daughter, Amelie, Godley began playing for Metro in 2004. His soccer career began 29 years ago as a 5 year old playing for Elizabeth Grove, before a stint at Salisbury East led him to his first goal keeping position for Blue Eagles in Under 13's. At 17 Daniel played for Salisbury United before periods at Adelaide City and Olympic and then finally with Metro in 2004. He has also been selected to play in the SA State team for the past 4 years and trained with Adelaide United last season. Goalkeeping wasn't a position he chose but rather one that was chosen for him when his team at the time, Blue Eagles, needed a goal keeper. He has since thrived in the role and accepts that a goal keeper has to have a different presence than any other player on the pitch. "They have to be the loudest and they have to have the thickest skin…” he says. As a member of the leadership group Godley mentors the younger goal keeping players and attempts to lead in the same way that he finds to be useful as a player. When asked whether he would consider coaching in the future, Godley says yes. Which team? "Metro Stars of course…. or the Socceroos”. Despite his confident and calm approach to the game, Godley is open to criticism and accepts that there are always ways he can play better. When playing for Adelaide United the most useful advice he was given was when he had his mistakes pointed out to him. He is now able to evaluate his own game this way and is hoping to pass on the same skill to younger players. He is also quick to remind us that despite faith in his team this will be a tough year for Metro and that confidence is not enough without hard work. "Everyone will want to knock us off, they will be playing every game like it is a final which means Metro Stars will have to play at the top level every game”. When asked how he thinks Metro will cope with this pressure, he says simply "we will win”.