Looking after No 1: Ireland 'keeper Courtney Brosnan on 'inner-belief and positive self-talk'

The US-born shotstopper has grown into her role with the Girls in Green.

NET GAIN: Goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan at Castleknock Hotel in Dublin this week.

There was never a doubt that Courtney Brosnan possessed the means to be a top goalkeeper but developing the maturity and mindset to match that potential had to be acquired.

For several years, the American-born stopper operated on the fringes, both for West Ham United and Ireland.

The journey to becoming first-choice at Everton – recently keeping a clean sheet at Anfield – and her country was sometimes cathartic, a deep dive inside to present the best version of herself.

Her voice will holler through the Glasgow air on Tuesday night when Scotland at Hampden Park stand in their way of a World Cup place but that wasn’t always the Brosnan way.

Certainly, earning trust from coaches was paramount, yet so was trusting herself.

Set-backs like the blunder in Kyiv two years that contributed to missing out on a Euro playoff are more amplified for a goalkeeper, testing their mental boundaries.

Admitting she’s availed of sports psychologists at West Ham and Everton, the 26-year-old applies a sense of perspective to her duties.

It’s hardly a coincidence that Ireland have enjoyed their best-ever campaign when the custodian operating behind them is resoluteness personified.

Captain Katie McCabe elevated her to world-class following a string of saves in the memorable 1-1 draw away to top seeds Sweden.

“As time has gone on, I’ve matured,” stresses Brosnan, Vera Pauw’s first-choice for the eight qualifiers.

“Maybe I solidified myself a bit more. When you get more authority and build those relationships and that trust, it is easier to be more vocal and more demanding of the players.

“So much of being a goalkeeper is physical but so much of it is mental. The way you talk to yourself and self-talk, things like that. It’s really important for me to have that inner-belief and positive self-talk to get me in the best headspace to perform and do my best for the team.

“I think that is a bit learned. Playing at such a high level, we are hardwired to be tough on ourselves as elite athletes, to build ourselves up. It’s vital as a goalkeeper to have that foundation because we can be a bit more vulnerable.” 

 Being a pet project of Dutch coach Jan Williem de Ede has also been crucial.

PREPARATION: Brosnan during a Republic of Ireland Women training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown.

Marie Hourihan, now retired, was in command of the No 1 jersey when he accompanied Pauw on to the staff in October 2019 and, though Grace Moloney has also featured and another WSL stopper in Megan Walsh came onboard last year, the raw tools of Brosnan appealed to the goalkeeping coach.

“You have such a unique relationship with your goalkeeping coach,” the New Jersey native explains. “It has been great to work with Jan and you can see the progression from the relationship we built.

“I obviously have a certain style but it is great to hear different opinions about what you can add to your game.

“The style here is different to Everton’s, so being adaptable is important.” 

A familiar face will transform into a foe when she squares up against Toffees teammate Lucy Graham at Hampden. As evident in the Scots’ win over Austria, the margins are fine when the ticket to next year’s World Cup gets closer.

“I would say that it is,” said Brosnan when asked if this tie constitutes the highest profile occasion of her career.

“It doesn’t get bigger than the World Cup. Maybe, in the past, we’d be a bit nervous and just clear balls but now we are confident and able to keep possession. It is just having that football IQ as we have players with great footballing brains.

Brosnan’s penalty-saving skills could even be called upon if the battle descends into a cagey affair. She’ll be adequately prepped.

“I was involved in a lot of shootouts in college, which I think went well, and I saved two for West Ham against Brighton in the Cup a few years ago,” she recalls.

“Will I take one? I guess we’ll have to see.” 

 What we’ll see is a goalkeeper comfortable in her skin and thoughts.