St Johnstone great Sergei Baltacha is delighted that Dimitar Mitov is flourishing with his old club.
But he has warned Saints fans to enjoy watching the Bulgarian make spectacular saves and earn precious points while they can.
Because he believes the goalkeeper he worked with at Charlton Athletic as a teenager is destined to go to the very top of the game.
Baltacha played a part in developing a number of stars to come out of The Valley, including Joe Gomez, Ezri Konsa and Ademola Lookman.
And that’s the bracket he put’s Mitov in.
“Dimitar is a very good goalkeeper and a very good person as well,” said Baltacha, who left Charlton recently to take a job as head of football at a private school in Surrey.
“I was the under-18 manager at Charlton when he came to us and he was an important player.
“We won the Professional Development League 2 title three times in four years (2015, 16 and 18) and he was a big part of that successful period.
On This Day in 2015 as Academy GK Coach at Charlton Athletic FC. U18 Professional Development League 2 Winners against Brentford.
Our GK on the day was Dimitar Mitov (now Cambridge). We were also fortunate to work with Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), and Ademola Lookman (Atalanta) pic.twitter.com/mv4HmxFEA0
— Matthew Burt (@mbgoalkeeping) May 12, 2023
“Charlton had never won it before.
“He saved penalties for us and was outstanding.
“He’s got a good temperament, works hard and keeps his feet on the ground.
“He has everything you want in a goalkeeper who will play at the top level.
“He’s not the type of person to shout about himself – I’ve known a lot of goalkeepers who talk about themselves a lot more but can’t play nearly as well!”
Mentor
Mitov didn’t speak a word of English when he arrived for trials with Charlton a decade.
Ukrainian, Baltacha helped the 16-year-old adapt to life in a new country.
“I knew his agent at the time,” the Dynamo Kyiv legend told Courier Sport. “We still keep in touch.
“Dimitar spoke no English.
“I remembered what it was like for me when I came to England – but I had family.
“Dimitar was only 16 and on his own.
“I spoke with him a lot – Bulgarians and Ukrainians, we can understand each other.
Dimitar Mitov returns to Charlton tomorrow, with Cambridge United.
Mitov joined the Charlton academy in 2013, but never made a first-team appearance before his release 4 years later.
The Bulgarian keeper once scored from his own area for the U18s. #cafcpic.twitter.com/vgU7silqYi
— The Garnerama (@TheGarnerama) August 19, 2022
“It was a surprise to me that Charlton let him leave.
“I don’t know why other people didn’t see what I saw. They didn’t offer him a contract.
“I didn’t understand it. My opinion was totally different.
“I’m glad he’s done so well since he left Charlton because he’s an outstanding goalkeeper.”
All the way to the top
Mitov’s career curve has taken a sharp rise over the last few weeks.
First, there was a man of the match performance to keep a clean sheet against the Scottish champions and then a first call-up and debut for Bulgaria.
This won’t be a peak, though, as far as Baltacha is concerned.
“I saw how well he played for Cambridge against Newcastle in the FA Cup and I know the St Johnstone fans are very happy with his performances this season,” he said.
“You need to have a strong personality to play your best at Celtic Park.
“Getting in the Bulgaria team is a big step for him.
“He’s 26 and for outfield players that’s like 21.
“St Johnstone is a club I love so I’m very happy he’s now playing for them.
“I think the supporters need to enjoy watching him because I don’t think he’ll be there for a long time unfortunately.
“He will play in the Premier League.
“A big club will spot him and take him away but he’s a valuable member of the team just now and if St Johnstone do sell him they will get a good transfer fee.”
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