Sheffield Wednesday: Ambitious Cameron Dawson spurred on by Owls glove rivals

When Keiren Westwood returns to full fitness, Wednesday will have an embarrassing wealth of goalkeeping talent.
Owls academy graduate Cameron DawsonOwls academy graduate Cameron Dawson
Owls academy graduate Cameron Dawson

The experienced shot-stopper faces a fight to regain the No 1 jersey, with Joe Wildsmith and Cameron Dawson performing admirably since last December.

While Wildsmith played the majority of the Championship matches, Dawson was handed the gloves in the final three fixtures. The academy graduate kept two clean sheets against Reading and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Keiren WestwoodKeiren Westwood
Keiren Westwood
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Although the trio are in direct competition for a starting spot, Dawson insists there is a real closeness and a camaraderie between the Owls goalkeepers.

The 22-year-old, who feels a goalkeeper will leave Hillsborough this summer, told The Star: “Goalies always get on, in general, and work hard together.

“Because we are all goalkeepers, and we know how tough that position is - how things can go wrong, very easily - there’s a mutual respect there between the three of us.

“We know how tough it is and how easy things can go wrong.

“Of course, you all want to play, and there are three players chasing one spot, but there’s a lot of respect there to the one who is playing. The other two are working hard to push each other.

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“At the end of the day, the manager makes the final decision. We all go in to try and do the best that we can and what will be will be.”

When pressed on where he still thinks he can improve, Dawson said: “There are always areas you can better.

“I am 22, nearly 23, so it’s not a (specific) case of (improve) this or that. It’s a case of building yourself as a goalkeeper, more of a personality, behind the back four.

“Becoming a real man in terms of making sure you are getting people in the right areas and you’re doing things right and then letting your goalkeeping take care of itself.

“I am not one to over-analyse. As a goalkeeper you can only play what’s in front of you, you can’t go into a match thinking ‘I have got to do this’.”