The Shouting Men: Gillingham goalkeeper Tomas Holy writes exclusively for the KM Group
00:00, 03 May 2018
Playing in England has been an absolutely new experience for me and one I have enjoyed.
I have never played so many games in one season, 40-odd now at the moment. It’s like two seasons in the Czech Republic.
It will be a help for me for next season now because I know what it is all about. I have enjoyed it but I am really tired!
For me, I have one problem, I am a perfectionist. Most of the time I am unhappy with my performance on the pitch.
After every game I speak with myself, saying I could do this better and do that better. I could be better. Maybe after Charlton I was really happy, just one game out of 44!
That home game against Charlton was my most enjoyable game this season and one I will remember all my life.
We won the game 1-0 and I had a bit of luck because Charlton had a couple of chances. It was a local derby and I enjoy an atmosphere like that, it is different class.
We have a brilliant atmosphere from our fans and I have enjoyed that. They have made me feel welcome and that makes things much easier.
The manager made a change the other week in goal. He told me I had played well but he wanted to give Tom (Hadler) a chance. He deserved it.
Tom is 21 and he is the future for this club or for another club. I was in the same situation last season and I got a chance to play a few games so I understood. We will see now who plays on Saturday.
There is a difference between the football in England and the Czech Republic and I have had to adapt. The speed in England is so much faster, there are more challenges and harder challenges.
When it comes to improving, as a goalkeeper it’s about not making stupid mistakes so maybe I have to make improvements in my head, mentally, and focus. It is the same technique I need, the same movement, but I have to learn between Czech and English football.
Life off the field is different, too. Living in England has been tough because I am on my own in Gillingham for the whole year. My family have come over a couple of times, but it is better than it was in the first few weeks. I am getting used to it.
To be honest, in the last month or so I have been so tired that I have just been sitting on the sofa watching movies and football and I am happy at that because I don’t have the energy for anything else!
Read the full column in this week's Medway Messenger.