New Revs coach names Matt Turner as his top goalkeeper

Matt Turner has regained his spot as the New England Revolution’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Turner was unexpectedly named as the Revs’ starter at the beginning of the 2018 season, putting him ahead of incumbent Cody Cropper and veteran Brad Knighton. The youngster took advantage of the opportunity and it wasn’t long before pundits took notice of his raw athleticism.

Despite being pegged as a future all star or national team player, Turner hit a lull during late summer before losing his job in September. When 2019 began, Knighton was given the starting job while Turner wasn’t even in the 18.

Brad Friedel, the Revs’ head coach at the time, gave Knighton four games and Cropper seven games before returning to Turner. With Friedel now out of the picture, interim head coach Mike Lapper has put his full support behind Turner.

“I talked to Matt Turner, told him he’s my guy and that he’s going to be the guy until he shows that he’s not available,” Lapper said.

Turner had a good night on Saturday, recording six saves to tie his single-game career high. The netminder was also minutes away from achieving his first shutout of the season.

Turner played it cool after the game, stating that he wasn’t surprised to receive the starting job because he “always expected to play.” He did, however, acknowledge how good it feels to have Lapper’s support.

“It’s really good to have that,” Turner commented. “I think when [the coach says] that they have their confidence in you, you just want to repay that, make the most of that, and fulfill that so that you continue to build that confidence and build consistency within the team.”