Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Moss tipping Jon to push star Jalal
FORMER Dean Court favourite Neil Moss is hoping Cherries star Shwan Jalal will benefit from increased competition in the club's goalkeeping ranks.[LNB] Boss Eddie Howe this week bolstered his squad by sealing a two-year deal for 21-year-old stopper Jon Stewart.[LNB] The former Swindon Town trainee, who is just returning from a two-month lay-off after fracturing his leg playing for Portsmouth, featured for Weymouth under Cherries assistant boss Jason Tindall prior to joining Pompey.[LNB] But Cherries swooped to land the Londoner and Moss believes the new arrival will help bring out the best in Jalal, one of the heroes of last season's promotion campaign.[LNB] Moss, the ex-Cherries keeper who is now the League One outfit's goalkeeping coach, told the Echo: We've been lightweight in the goalkeeping department. We've got Jal and Dan Thomas is a young lad learning his trade and he's had his injuries, so we haven't had a keeper sat on the bench recently.[LNB] I'm delighted to have a new lad on board another one of the goalkeeping fraternity.[LNB] I had a long sit down and chat with Jal on Wednesday and I was never more at my best than when Gareth Stewart was playing well behind me.[LNB] I think if you spoke to Gareth he would say the same. When he got in the side, both of us pushed each other to the limit and probably got the best out of each other.[LNB] Moss added: Jal gets on well with everyone he's a good lad and Jon seems the same from what I've seen of him and from speaking to him so far.[LNB] Everyone talks about the keepers' union but it is a truth. They will help each other and push each other along, and the one that plays the best consistently will play.[LNB] At the moment, Jal has been our most consistent performer for 18 months and, deservedly, he has got the number one shirt.[LNB] But with Jon here as well now, he knows he is going to have to work hard and play well to retain that place.[LNB] Stewart, who fractured his fibula playing in Pompey's tour of America, is likely to be on the bench for this afternoon's clash at Oldham Athletic.[LNB] Asked what his hopes were after joining Cherries, he said: Just to get football really and get fit. I just want to train I haven't trained for a long time.[LNB] They've got Shwan here who is a good goalkeeper and we get on very well. Neil Moss is a good goalie coach, so we'll see what happens.[LNB] I'll try to progress my game, get fit and see what happens.[LNB]
