Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has revealed he started COMMENTATING on games while between the sticks at Rangers to keep himself focussed.
Foderingham was signed by Mark Warburton in 2015, the 29-year-old helped Rangers seal the Scottish Championship title along with a return to the top flight in his first season at Ibrox. He remained first choice under Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty during the next campaign, but rapidly dropped down the pecking order when Steven Gerrard brought Light Blues icon Allan McGregor back to the club.
Foderingham spent fives years on the book at Rangers before leaving in 2020 as a free agent, before joining then English Premier League side Sheffield United as back up stopper. Now aged 31, he has claimed the gloves as first choice under former Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom with the Blades currently sitting on top of the English Championship table as they pursue a return to the top flight.
The England youth cap puts some of his success this term down to the steep learning curve in Govan. He also contributes a clash with Livingston as the reason he still talks himself through games.
He told the Sheffield Star : “I do it all the time, right the way through a game. I commentate all the way through them, in my head, as if I was on Sky Sports.
"I thought it was a bit strange when I first heard about it, then, after thinking about it for a bit, I thought ‘Why not?’ “I remember the first time that I did it.
"I was with Rangers, on a really cold day at Livingston, and it helped me. It doesn’t just help me stay in the game, make sure I’m switched on if the ball has been up the other end of the pitch for a while.
"It also helps me communicate with my defenders, give them the heads up about something that might be developing, because I can see it all unfolding in front of me and I’m talking to myself about what’s happening."
When looking back on his time at Rangers, he went on: “Being there, it really helped me understand my role. Sometimes, you might not be actually physically involved in a match much at all.
"That was often the case up there. But then there’s always going to be a time when you’re called upon. And being able to perform in those could turn out to be the difference between winning and losing.
"So you’ve got to be switched on at all times. There’s a pressure at Rangers, to be the absolute best you can be at all times.
"It’s the same here (at Sheffield United). You have to adhere to certain standards.”
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