Declan Rudd spoke to Canaries TV about his return to Norwich City, his time as a player and his love for the club.
Rudd, who retired from professional football in March, has recently returned to Norwich as lead academy goalkeeping coach. With the academy graduate back at the club, he sat down with Canaries TV about his now role, as well as his time at Carrow Road as a player.
Canaries TV: Declan, you're back where it all began. How does it feel to be back at Norwich City?
It’s amazing to be back, it’s something that I always hoped would happen once I finished my playing career. Obviously, it happened a lot earlier than I would’ve wished for, but I couldn’t have asked for more support from the club, they’ve been unbelievable.
How did the opportunity come about?
As soon as the news came out that I was having to retire, Stuart (Webber) got straight on the phone. He said get yourself in with Ed (Wootten), and to begin with it was just observing training and to come in so I wasn’t sitting at home thinking about what’s happened. I came in just to watch training, and my knee was still really bad, so I couldn’t actually do any coaching or anything. As time went on, I started doing a little bit more and helping Ed out. Then the opportunity with the academy came up.
And how has the coaching gone so far?
It’s been brilliant so far, I’m really enjoying it. I’ve felt so welcomed from the beginning, working with the players that are here is really good. The attitude from everyone here is brilliant, it really is an enjoyable place to work. It’s changed a lot since I was here, and it’s turning into something quite special.
As someone who progressed through the academy and into the first-team, do you think that helps you as a coach?
You learn a lot along the way. You remember all the tough times, especially as a goalkeeper. It’s a lone position, and I call it a different sport. You’ve got to be completely different mentally, all the training is completely different. Having come through the system and then playing professionally, I think it does help my coaching but as I’ve learnt, and still learning, coaching is completely different too. I’m still learning as I go, but it’s going really well and I’m really happy with the position I’m in.
How was the transition from player to coach?
The transition has been good. I’ve done bits of coaching in the past. I was quite lucky, as I got my UEFA B badge whilst I was still playing, so I’ve learnt a bit then. I think that gave me an upper hand to come in and coach straight away. I’ve been getting on lots of courses, and learning more and more. It’s a completely different role to playing, you don’t quite realise what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s not until you become a coach, you start to appreciate the work all your previous coaches have done for you.
Moving onto your playing career, how was it be an academy player here?
It was amazing, it’s what every young boy wants when they grow up in this area. I was a season ticket holder as a kid, I went to watch games and then played for the academy on a Sunday. I got to travel around and play against some of the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, all the biggest clubs in the country. It was a dream for every kid that was part of the academy. The way the academy is now is completely different, it's like chalk and cheese compared to back then. What the academy players have now compared to when I was a player is unbelievable. It goes to show with the amount of players that the academy has produced in the last few years. It really shows that the work behind the scenes really makes a difference.
You then went onto make your debut for the club. How much of that can you remember?
I remember it all, Gillingham away. I remember when Fraser (Forster) had come off his line to come and smother. As soon as the penalty was given, my heart sort of sank, then I got that adrenaline rush. I knew it was a red card and from then it was a little bit of a blur. I can’t remember coming on the pitch, but I remember Simeon Jackson sticking it in the top corner, and that’s about it. It’s a day that I’ll never forget and to be given that opportunity at that age. To be playing in the first-team at a club like Norwich was unbelievable and it’s an occasion that will always be in the back of my mind.
You went on to play in the Premier League for the club. How was that?
Another dream come true. The club gave me all my dreams at once. To be given that opportunity and obviously it happened very early on when John \[Ruddy\] got sent off at Chelsea, then I came on to make my Premier League debut. To make that at Stamford Bridge was something pretty special. Then to start the next game at home, at Carrow Road. My first Premier League start, at the age of 19 or 20, that was a bit of a blur to be honest! That was a very special occasion. It’s hard to put into words how big it was for me.
What was your best moment in a Norwich shirt?
The best moment for me in a Norwich shirt was definitely winning at Old Trafford, that 2-1 win there. To go to a place like that, and beat them and deserve to win the game, and just being part of the 11 that was on the pitch. I witnessed a lot of success here as a player, but not much of it I was actually on the pitch, so to be part of that and be part of history. I don’t think Norwich had won there for a long, long time and to do that was really special.
You later played for Preston. How was that experience, compared to Norwich?
I felt like a number one there. The club gave me an opportunity to play there on loan when I was around 20 and played 18 months there and loved it. To go back there and sign permanently, it did feel like a second home as I’d been there and knew the place. I had a few injuries which would’ve given me less game time than I’d have liked, but I managed to play almost 200 games. I was playing week in, week out in the Championship. To be part of that as a player was a really good experience and it’s a time that I’m really grateful for. It gave me an opportunity to be a first-choice goalkeeper.
Then the choice to go into coaching, was that always the plan?
I guess as a player, you always think that you’d give coaching a try. It’s what most players do when they’ve finished playing and I’d always been told by people that I’d make a good coach. Managers I’ve played under had always suggested it, and players I played with said the same thing. When the opportunity came up, I thought I’d give it a go. Even the club said to give it a go for a couple of weeks. There’s been ex-pros who think they want to be coaches, but then they find out what really goes on and decide it’s not for them. But I really enjoyed it and within a week I knew that if there was an opportunity, I’d like to take it. I’m enjoying it and working with some really good goalkeepers, and still getting across to do some sessions with the first team, which is really enjoyable.
How has it been working with the academy staff?
I knew Greg Crane, he was in the youth team when I was in the Under-12s, so I knew him really well. I knew the senior staff well too, Steve Weaver has been great with me as well. He’s great to have at the top of the tree at the academy, he’s been there and done it. He knows exactly what’s going on. It’s a really close environment here, you’re all in the same office. Whether you’re a coach for the Under-9s, or the Under-21s coach, you’re all together. They’ve created a really good atmosphere for the coaches here, and it shows with the success they’re getting with the players coming through and playing in the first team. It goes to show that the work they’re putting in and the money being invested is worth it.
Finally, what does Norwich City mean to you?
Norwich City means everything to me. They gave me my football career and the life I get to live with my family. It's an honour to be part of the club again. When I left, it wasn't something I wanted to do but it's something I had to do for my own career. To be able to come back here and be part of it again, hopefully I can help bring through other players and give them opportunities that I got.
You can watch the interview in full on CanariesTV here.