Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Mossy hails Shwan
Cherries goalkeeper coach Neil Moss believes star stopper Shwan Jalal would swap willingly a second entry into the Dean Court hall of fame for another team triumph.
Jalals exploits have helped Cherries to their best start to a season since they joined the Football League in 1923, with victory over Burton on Saturday writing a new chapter in the record books.
He has kept no fewer than six clean sheets and been beaten only four times as Cherries have established a four-point lead at the top of League Two thanks to eight wins in their first nine games.
A seventh shut-out at Hereford tonight would see Jalal equal a record set by Kenny Allen when he conceded just four goals in Cherries opening 10 league games in 1981 another club-best start.
Allens heroics helped Cherries to promotion from the bottom flight under David Webb 27 years ago, co-incidentally, in a season when they last met the Bulls.
However, despite putting one of the best defensive records in the country on the line at Edgar Street, Moss says Jalal would trade the milestone for a ninth win.
Moss, who, in November 1995, equalled a club record of keeping seven successive clean sheets, told the Daily Echo: It was the same with me because, at any point during my run of clean sheets, I would have swapped a 0-0 for a 2-1 win. We are there to win games its as simple as that.
A 0-0 draw, especially at home, is a disappointing result regardless of whether the goalkeeper keeps a clean sheet. I would take a victory over that every day of the week and I know Jal would feel the same.
Moss, who started working with Jalal during pre-season, added: He has done ever so well. Consistency is a major part of goalkeeping and his consistency has been excellent.
Its all down to his attitude and the way he trains every day. He wants to improve and make himself better.
He has worked hard on the weaker points of his game and is getting to the stage where he hasnt really got any noticeable ones. For me, its just a case of being with him every day, keeping him sharp and preparing him as best we can for the games.
Moss, who helped Cherries to play-off glory in 2003, believes the club could again be on the brink of another memorable campaign.
He said: In terms of the opposition, I dont think there is anything to worry or scare us. The embargo and the injury situation arent helping matters though.
I thought they were going to wheel me out in the number five shirt to make up the numbers on Saturday!
