Former Portsmouth and Ipswich coach pleasantly surprised after taking up role with National League South Hawks

Keeley, who also previously had spells working on the coaching staff at Ipswich and Blackburn, has been brought in by Paul Doswell to work with goalkeepers Ross Worner and Charlie Searle at Westleigh Park.

Worthing-based Keeley, himself a former stopper for Brighton and Southend in his playing days, took part in his first training session at National League South Hawks on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old was also present pre-match working with both Worner and Searle prior to Doswell's side suffering a 1-0 defeat at home to Dartford last night.

But despite arriving at a Hawks side who have now failed to win any of their previous eight league outings, Keeley was complimentary of the quality he saw on display all-round from a training perspective.

In his first interview since joining Hawks' staff, he said: ‘I'm very surprised by the standard of football and training. It's the first time working with Ross (Worner) so I enjoyed that.

‘When I was watching the small-sided games everyone looked in good shape, looked confident and looked like they were enjoying training.’

With Football League rules stating clubs must have grass surfaces in order to play in the top four tiers, Keeley would have spent very little time - if any - working with goalkeepers across his time at Pompey, Blackburn or Ipswich on a 3G surface, which the Hawks have at Westeigh Park.

But he revealed the period he spent playing on a 'plastic pitch' during a spell as an Oldham player between 1990-93.

And Keeley believes there are benefits for goalkeepers who play on 3G pitches. He added: ‘I think it's a positive thing (3G surface). You can train, you can everything you want to do on it.

‘The other good thing is - when I played for Oldham I played on plastic pitches - you get natural bounce so you get used to the bounce. On gras it can go either way. It's just a regular bounce, you get used to the bounce, I quite enjoyed it (first training session).’