Putting on the gloves to keep the lights shinning bright

We speak to Kyle Goldwin, Gibraltar national goalkeeper and an employee of the Gibraltar Electricity Authority whose role now becomes key to the community during the lockdown.

Many in Gibraltar wil know the name Kyle Goldwin, or Chino as he is affectionately known by fans and players. The Gibraltar and Lincoln Red Imps keeper has thrilled local supporters during the past couple of years since rising to the challenge and taking over the Number One shirt for the national team.
Only last week Chino should have been competing to maintain his name on the shirt once again as Gibraltar were due to play against Leinchtenstien and Malta, international friendlies which were postponed as Gibraltar, along with the rest of Europe entered lockdown. Although Chino has been playing at the top of game in Gibraltar, unlike other professionals across Europe competing in their top national divisions his work has not come to a halt. Kyle Goldwin, like many other home grown players in the Gibraltar National League has turned his focus to his primary employment. Working for the Gibraltar Electricity Authority Kyle Goldwin's role has taken on one of a keyworker. A safe paper of hands which Gibraltar as a community look towards to keep things going whilst it battles against the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
We had a chance to catch up with Kyle Goldwin and find out what it was like for him.

At the end of last month you should have been competing for the number one shirt in the national team, instead you have found yourself without football for nearly a month. As a player how hard has it been for you seeing all football stop?
As a player it has been hard as you are taken out of your daily routine of training and playing the sports you love. So yes its been tough but at the same time our health and that of those around us is more important. It just goes to show you how life can change in an instant, we should have been preparing ourselves for the last push of the league, Rock Cup and international football.

We have seen videos of you training, posted by the Gibraltar FA. What has it been like with the lockdown keeping active and physically fit?
To be honest I've been training hard at home on a daily basis keeping myself fit but its hard to replicate the intensity from specific training especially being a goalkeeper. Having said that I've enjoyed being creative and finding ways of keeping fit but nothing compares to putting on your kit and gloves and be put through your paces!

Life for you, unlike other professionals elsewhere hasn’t come to a stop. You are among one of the many hundreds who work within one of the key worker sectors. Can you explain what exactly you do? And what have your hours been now?
I work for the Goverment in the Gibraltar Electricity Authority so you can say we are essential workers. My department makes sure that we all have electricity at home, hospitals etc which at this crucial moment with the corona virus pandemic is very important.

How different has it been for you during the lockdown at work? And how important do you think it is for people such as yourselves and your workmates to continue working at this time of crisis? You see in the news what other countries are going through. What is your biggest concern? And how do you go about on a daily basis?
Its an eye opener when you see the news! Its quite concerning what is happening around the world, scary infact. I just stick to the advices of the experts.

Once the lockdown is over and things come back to normal how difficult will it be for someone such as yourself to get back into the sport?
I guess we will have to wait and see but i will go back to training knowing I have done the most I can considering the circumstances and I'm sure that will help me when comes to rejoining with the squad. I can't wait to get my gloves back on.

Whilst many others are not actively out there once you get back should organisations such as the Gibraltar FA consider those who have been at the frontline and ensure that their return, which could be harder for them, is managed so as not to place you in a possible unfair position?
For me personally it will be back to the norm as I've been working the same as always..infact I think that can be a positive as my routine hasn't changed much, but maybe something can be put in place for GHA staff as I know they have been working extremely long hours, something I know the whole of gibraltar is thankful for.

Do you think the league will be finished this summer?
Honestly i couldn't tell you as nobody really knows how long this pandemic is going to last but i surely hope we can all get back to normal as soon as possible because i for one surely miss football.
I would also like to take this moment to THANK every frontline worker especially the GHA, THANK YOU.