Transcript: Thomas Kaminski talks to the press
On Friday, shot-stopper and quickly established Luton fan-favourite Thomas Kaminski conversed with the media and students at the University of Bedfordshire.
Before dropping yet another fine performance as the Hatters clinched an historic first Premier League home win with 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, the Belgian was considered and receptive as he answered our questions.
Reporter 1: How have you adapted to life down south after time in the north-west with Blackburn?
“It’s obviously always a bit different when you change clubs, adapting to the way they play and the way they train - the way they handle things. But, it went pretty quick. Also, it’s nice to live around here. There’s lots to do as well.”
What’s your favourite thing to do?
“I’m more of a calm person, but I like to go outside to have a coffee and round here there’s lots of places where I can do that. Also for my family, it’s really nice.”
What are the biggest differences you’ve seen from the Championship?
“In the Championship I think it’s a bit more predictable. It’s a bit more static. You know what’s coming, whereas the Premier League… the game can slow down at some point but then out of nothing, they are in front of you and they have a big chance. Individual quality from the players up front, that’s the main difference.”
What do you think, going into this very busy part of the season, the squad and yourself have to focus on to get those important points on the board?
“I think every game we have to focus to get the points but especially, I understand what you mean, t’s going to be a tough schedule but we have to look game by game. I think at home, it’s always a good chance to get points.”
We’re at a University today, of course for the press conference. I was just wondering when you were at school, what was your best subject and maybe what wasn’t?
“I like languages, so that was my best subject. I’m not going to talk about the other subjects! But yeah, it was mainly my best. I was really good at languages.”
Reporter 2: Hi Thomas, many would say you’ve been one of Luton’s stand out performers this season. How much are you enjoying life in the Premier League?
“At first, I’ll be honest, it was not easy. Because obviously you ask yourself questions like ‘Do I belong here?’, ‘Do I have the level?’, but game for game it went better and better. So, it’s a positive experience for now.”
You’ve made some big saves in some big games, but the only thing missing at the minute is that one clean sheet - that first clean sheet in the Premier League. How big will it be to get that?
“It’s obviously the main goal to keep a clean sheet every game. It gives you a good taste of taking points. It’s something we’ve all been working on and it’s something that the whole team wants to fight for.”
The manager talks a lot about the belief and togetherness within this squad, how key is that going to be for you and for the rest of the squad going forward?
“I think it’s one of the main principles we have to have as we know we come from the Championship. I think that the club at some point belongs in the Premier League as well, because they’ve earned it. Coming from the Championship to the Premier League, it’s something you have to keep believing - especially in the situation we’re in now. I think we’re outside of the relegation zone, now we have everything in our hands.”
How much do you look at the table?
“We look at it obviously, but it can quickly change. It’s up to us to pick up points as much as we can away from home, at home, and that’s it.”
Reporter 3: Thomas, how much do you analyse your game after matches? You’ve really improved, are you one that will study a game back and see how you’ve done?
“Yeah, I go into a lot of detail really. First of all I do it myself, and then with the goalie coach. I think it’s very important. Also after the game I mainly know ‘that’s the situation I have to look at’ or ‘that’s something I want to train, something I want to improve’. Yeah I’m really quick on that.”
Are you ultra critical of yourself when you see things you could’ve done a bit better? Do you have to be careful?
“I’m ultra critical because, as a goalie, I believe you can never stop learning even though I’m 31 already. Is that young or old? (Laughs) I don’t know. It’s something, I’ve always had it and it’s something that I want to keep. I can learn from everyone actually, people have different qualities, people have different beliefs as well. It’s something I’m really open for.”
I’m assuming you then look at the stats as well? Because your goalkeeping stats in the Premier League are very strong aren’t they?
“I think they’re quite good obviously, but it’s also the feeling of a game - you know when you’ve done well or when there was something where you could have done better. The stats are important for me, as you mentioned about clean sheets. That’s something we want to work on and it’s something we look at, yeah.”
Someone like Thibaut Courtois, who’s been Belgium’s number one - do you learn a lot from him?
“Yeah, definitely. Like I said, he has a lot of different qualities to me and it’s something I look at and like anybody else in the league - yeah it’s important.”
How big a goal is that, with the Euros coming up next year? I’m sure that you’ll be in the squad, but do you think you can make it as the number one goalkeeper?
“Well, I think that’s something we have to talk about after the season. I think Thibaut is injured for the moment. I guess that he’ll be fit for the Euros, but again, somebody asked me the other day as well. If he’s fit or not, we need the best goalkeeper as part of the squad. I wouldn’t do that (dropping him).”
Reporter 4: You mentioned, obviously, the clean sheet. Does that make the Liverpool equaliser doubly frustrating with how late that one came in the game?
“100% Because I think when you’re two minutes off having that clean sheet it’s… as a goalkeeper you want clean sheets, you want points on the board but I think as well, it’s a good sign that we were disappointed after that game but before the game, we would’ve taken the 1-1.”
With goal difference potentially so important this season, only conceding against Liverpool once, United and Spurs once - those are positives to take aren’t they?
“Yeah well, we have to keep in mind there might be a tough phase as well soon so you have to keep doing the right things and keep the scores going your way.”
And what’s it like when you’re out there and you see Salah there and Son. Nunez, players like that - do you just shut out who you’re coming up against?
“During the game, you go off the situations they give you. If it’s Salah, or if it’s Rashford, you don’t really see it in the moment itself.”
When Rob brought you in, he said he wanted to bring in someone obviously who’s a good shot-stopper for this season knowing that you’re going to be tested more. Did you change anything in your preparation knowing you were going to be busier, more than you were in the Championship?
“Not in my preparation, but it’s certainly a different way of playing. We are a little bit lower than what I’m used to with Blackburn, but I adapted really really quick and it’s something I’m enjoying.”
You’ve made some great close range saves recently, especially in the Man United game and the Aston Villa game. How pleased are you that those things come off?
“Very pleased. It’s something you want to work on and if you can make a big save to keep your team in the game - it’s something very positive for us in trying to get that clean sheet, really.”
Tim Krul, how much does he help you as well? Obviously, he’s a vastly experienced goalkeeper for club and country.
“I get on really well with Tim on and off the pitch. He’s somebody that I take advice from because he’s well known in the game. He’s had a brilliant career in the Premier League as well.”
Me: When you came in, what was your first impression? Obviously, you played against Luton before, what were your first impressions of the place and the team?
“Very high intensity in the sessions demanding a lot of effort. Intensity in the training sessions, I think I can say that was Luton Town. From when I played Luton Town, they were very aggressive on the pitch, very intense, had good organisation and that’s exactly what it is now.”
Coming into that changing room, the media will tell you it’s noisy enough when we come and do the press conferences at the training ground - what’s the changing room like?
“The changing room is good. I think there’s a lot of different characters and different natures as well, but we have a good mixture of everything and I think everybody respects each other which is very important. It’s also a group who wants to pick up mistakes for each other, which is going to give you a lot of positive results.”
As you say, you’re 31 now. You take inspiration from other goalkeepers like Tim Krul. How do you impart knowledge on to young goalkeepers from your perspective?
“When I was younger, I always asked a lot of questions. Even now to Tim, I can ask him about different situations. I try to help them (young goalkeepers) in terms of positioning and I’ve always said ‘I wish I knew what I know now when I was 18.’ My career maybe would’ve been different and I would’ve maybe made different choices in games.”
Reporter 6: Thomas, you’ve faced a lot of top strikers in this league already but the man of the moment is still to come. What are your views about coming up against Erling Haaland in a few weeks time?
“It’s not only Haaland, I think there’s a lot of top players. Let me tell you about Doku! He’s an exceptional talent. You know you’re going to come up against maybe the best team in the world, so it’s going to be a big, big test for us.”
Have you managed to frustrate Doku in Belgium training?
“(Laughs) I don’t think I can ever frustrate him. He’s so unpredictable. He’s good 1-v-1 and he’s very very hard to defend.”