Brady has '100 per cent' faith in Burge after 'tiny dip' in goalkeeper's form

Cobblers manager ​Jon Brady says he maintains ‘100 per cent’ faith in Lee Burge and has backed the goalkeeper to rediscover his best form in the coming weeks following a recent dip.

​The 30-year-old was almost faultless between the sticks as Cobblers secured promotion from League Two last season, but he’s endured a difficult start to the new campaign. Injury ruled him out for six weeks and when he returned he was at fault for goals against Barnsley and Reading, and Brady also felt his goalkeeper should have kept out Shrewsbury’s late winner last time out.

Young Max Thompson, on loan from Newcastle United, would be the man to come in should Cobblers make the decision to switch goalkeepers at some point, but Brady has no intention of doing so.

"If you look back at last season, he was so consistent for us,” said the Town boss. “Players go through ups and downs, as we all do as people throughout life.

"For him at the moment, even if those on the outside perceive it as a little bit of a trough, I think we have a top class goalkeeper.

"I wouldn't say Burgey was just consistent for us last season, he was highly consistent, and he was above the normal level of being solid and calm and strong and that's all we really want from a goalkeeper.

"I think that level has maybe dipped a tiny bit recently but knowing the person he is and knowing the goalkeeper he is, you just have to ride out those dips at times and I'm 100 per cert sure he'll be fine moving forward."

Brady is close with all of his players and it’s the tight-knit nature of those relationships that helps him to get the best out of his team when they take to the pitch.

He added: "As a manager, you speak to all of your players on a constant basis and it's not just about football. There are things outside of football that can go up and down and I don't think people always realise that.

"I know Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham's manager, spoke about this the other week. You have to make sure your players are feeling good and you help them in any way you can, even if it's outside of football because it can sometimes feed into their game.

"Once you speak to them and you find out a few things, you can see a weight being lifted off their shoulders and they feel a bit better when they go on the pitch.”