Extra West Brom hours is paying off for keeper Sam Johnstone
Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone believes hard work both on and off the training ground is the key to his impressive start to the season.
The shot-stopper has arguably been the Baggies’ best player since they returned to the Premier League with the 27-year-old having made a string of excellent saves.
Johnstone has not missed a single minute of league action since arriving at The Hawthorns from Manchester United in July 2018.
It means he has now started 101 consecutive league games for the club.
And he feels his constant availability – and impressive form – is down to doing extra work outside of regular training.
“You want to play every game, that is what I am here to do, and you just have to make sure are ready,” Johnstone said.
“I try and eat as well as possible, I have the odd bad treat but I work hard away from football.
“I do yoga away from football and go to the gym at around 7/8pm a few nights a week – as far away from a game as possible so it doesn’t affect that.
“I have a food prep company who deliver my food to make sure I’m getting the best nutrition into my body.
“And I also work one-on-one with a coach to do some specific exercises for my position to help me.
“Then on top of that, I do all the training in the club with the sports science guys and with Walshy (goalkeeper coach Gary Walsh).
“You have to do other things now to keep going.
“The best thing is going out and train on the training pitches, but I think there are lots of other elements which you have to stay on top of to be a professional now.
“I want to play in to my late-30s. I want another 10 or 12 years playing at the highest level, but I think you’ve got to make sacrifices to do that.”
Johnstone says there have been times over the past two-and-a-half years when he has been close to missing a league game.
But he says, in the end, he’s always managed to pull through.
“There have been times when it’s been close,” the goalkeeper added.
“And there has been times when I’ve got through the game and not trained for the next four or five days – you have to stay off the problem.
“I’ll always train the day before a game if I have got a niggle just to make sure.
“But you go into games with adrenaline. You want to play. And if the fans there you have their support which gets you through the game.
“There are not many times you will play at a 100 per cent fitness – there is always a niggle.
“There have been a few close calls but I do everything I can to make sure I get out on to the pitch.”
