When All Hope Is Lost…

There has been a lot said about Hope Solo’s (the US woman’s national goalkeeper) dismissal from the national team, and there are a few things to point out about professional conduct both on Solo’s end and with coach Greg Ryan’s decisions.

• Voted Off The Island By Team Mates & The Boss: Now, I’m certain that if Hope Solo kept goals for most of the tournament, she has the goods to don the number one jersey. On the other hand, to be voted off by the whole team and the coach, it seems to me that there had to be some harsh “words” said by Hope in having to hand over her spot to veteran Scurry. It points to maturity in the team dynamic. Something I learned a long while ago, was to question decisions made by people above you, but do so in a mature manner, shut up, and if you are right about the convictions in your own ability, they will show in the results of the team without you between the sticks.

• The Boss Got It Wrong Too: Decisions, no matter how hard to contemplate by the team, should be adhered to whether wrong or right. But I do question coach Greg Ryan’s decision. If Solo had been number one choice throughout the tournament, she should not have been replaced before such a large clash with Brazil. Two things to note here from a goalkeepers perspective. 1) It damages the goalkeepers faith in their own ability, being replaced for no other reason than to give Scurry a chance to shine one last time in what could possibly be her final World Cup appearance. 2) Scurry had not played in three months, and it showed in the 4-0 loss to Brazil, if it ain’t broke, why try to fix it?

Well, it seems that coach Ryan’s decision ultimately helped break a winning streak that spanned 51 games for the US women’s national team. On the other hand, Solo would have done well to have showed some maturity, and approaching the decision without letting “emotion” run its course. I know, it’s a hard thing to not be emotional as a goalkeeper (we are a different breed), but in this case, Solo would have won the war by letting the results without her prove her own ability to her team mates and coach.

Could Mark Bosnich Be The Comeback Kid?

There has been a whirlwind of press in the local Australian papers about good old Bozza getting back between the sticks, and it leads to some pretty convincing (or concerning) arguments toward the longevity of goalkeepers. From Lehmann, James and Van der Saar to Middlesbrough’s Schwarzer, there is a growing trend and preference toward the ageing goalkeeper in the Premiership. Why do goalkeepers tend to peak their skills with age? And will Mark Bosnich make his presence known in the global game again at the age of 35?

• Goalkeeper Physiology Is Different: Goalkeepers tend to peak with age, as opposed to their outfield counterparts. It comes down to the progressive development of the goalkeeper, it takes time to cerate a fine wine, same rule applies with goalkeeping. Goalkeeper physiology tends to focus on the anaerobic aspects of development, with peak power and strength as a focal point, as opposed to maximal aerobic and endurance training. Focusing on purely aerobic development leads to oxidative stress on the body, which may be a reason why outfield players have a shorter shelf life than the goalkeeper.

• Goalkeepers Grow With Age: Goalkeepers tend to develop progressively, and from a mental aspect mature with age. Also, positioning becomes more solid and the ability to command defense, shape and influence attack becomes more effective. Younger goalkeepers tend to be antsy as they develop their skills (which is why guys like Casillas and Cech are total freaks of nature), but mature goalkeepers have their head screwed on well. The ability to read all scenarios and react calmly in high pressure situations is also a hallmark of the older, more developed goalkeeper.

Everyone loves to hear the tale of the fallen hero turned good. Will Bosnich ever play at the higher echelons of the Premiership? Why not, but somehow I don’t think so. Bosnich will forever (in my opinion anyway) be one of the greatest goalkeeping exports Australia has ever produced. Making a determined comeback from hardship, being able to get back into shape and play at some level again shows the resilience that every young goalkeeper can take note of and learn from.

Petr Cech: The Best Goalkeeper In Europe, Or, The World?

You can’t fault Petr Cech. No, not even a skull fracture can keep the man down. Having recently been voted the best goalkeeper in Europe by UEFA, the question remains…is this larger than life Czech the best in the world?

• Great Kicking Game: If you have ever watched Cech distribute the ball you will notice just how powerful and fluent his kicking game really is. It’s funny to note that Cech started out as a mid fielder. We always mention just how important it is for younger goalkeepers to learn effective technique when it comes to distribution. Being a jack of all trades when one is younger allows you to enhance your skills, so why not get out on the field for a few games to get a feel for the ball?
• Starting Out Young: Cech started his first team football at the tender age of 17 between the sticks for FK Chmel Blsany. Being thrown into the limelight at an early age can make or break a goalkeeper. It shows that Cech had brilliant ability and maturity at a young age to face the complexities and challenges of first team goalkeeping. Nothing is more important than game time for a goalkeeper, and first team football at such a young age really shows Cech’s extraordinary ability to keep goal.

• Resilience In Hardship: Apart from Cech’s recent head injury and at a time where Chelsea transitioned from Claudio Ranieri to Jose Mourinho, Cech had to prove his worth where Carlo Cudicini left doubt in every Chelsea fans minds as to his ability. Cech proved that at a young age he could hold his own against the best in the Premiership, showing maturity, patience and resilience where many would have given up. Resilience is the true measure of great goalkeeping. You might not always be gifted the chance, but when you are given the opportunity you must prove your worth.

So, with amazing all round goalkeeping ability and a fortitude that can hold back a modern day cruise missile, Petr Cech deserves the title of not only the best in Europe, but also the best in the world. But I guess that may be up for debate?

Goalkeeper Blunders Getting a Little Ridiculous?

It seems that some powerful force in the heavens above is playing a cosmic joke with the best goalkeepers around the globe of late, with a recent swath of injuries and blunders. Artur Boruc pretty much topped the accolades as probably one of the worst performances this season thus far, not only in the Scottish Premier League…but in any league.

Completely uncharacteristic of someone of Boruc’s ability to have squandered two simple shots on goal against Hibernian yesterday, but it is a telling tale of the constant and unrelenting demands of European competition. Following is a video of Celtic vs. Hibernian, with some jaw dropping blunders by poor Boruc, guess the video speaks for itself.

After the game was completed , Boruc threw his gloves to the floor and stormed off to the dressing rooms, I would have too. One Celtic fan ran over to Boruc’s gloves and stomped them into the ground, possibly an added slap in the face to both Boruc and Celtic fans after a dismal all round performance by the Pole.

Goalkeeping, River Plate Style.

From Pablo Carizzo to Juan Ojeda, it seems that River Plate have a knack for creating some great goalkeepers. That South American flavour of goalkeeping is extremely dynamic, that “thinking out of the square” type of goalkeeping. In the following video, you’ll see some uncanny saves from guys like Carizzo and Ojeda (most notably the latter), and it resonates the point blank, super quick style of South American goalkeeping that any young goalkeeper can take notes from and learn.

The Double Save: Being able to recover from a punch, to a quick dive, is a critical element of goalkeeping. Having the agility and speed to be able to both attack and re-position oneself quickly is important, but being able to visually keep focused in these high paced situations is also vital. Keeping your eyes on the ball at all times throughout these movements will better enable any goalkeeper to reach the ball on time during their second attempt.

The Backward Dive: Committing to attack the ball and then recovering quickly to parry the ball away or over the post is an extremely important facet of the goalkeepers toolkit. In one of the scenes from the video above, we see Ojeda (from what I can tell), commit off his line, get chipped and then recover stunningly to parry the ball away to his right hand side. Being able to use shorter, more dynamic steps in a backward motion will allow a goalkeeper to effectively reach a ball when being chipped.

There are many other great saves in the video, and all point to that fascinating South American goalkeeping flavour that only River Plate can produce. Carizzo, Ojeda and others provide a great insight into how goalkeepers should evolve from simple technique into a more dynamic, “outside the square” style of goalkeeping.

Keeper Skool Interviewed on Ziga Zoga!

Following is a pretty long interview with Jason, Chris and Steve over at Ziga Zoga (the fastest growing soccer social network on the web). It is about 70 minutes, and it gives some insights into my views on goalkeeper specific performance. It was my first podcast, hope you enjoy!

Playing Through The Pain, Can Be Just Plain Stupid!

You gotta love bravado! Every girl goes gooey over a big tough goalkeeper right? But at the end of the day, how much is too much? Jens Lehmann stated yesterday, before today’s Champion’s League game against Seville that he won’t give into the pain of his elbow injury. While it might score brownie points with the team, I think it is an overall stubborn strategy that Lehmann would well regret.

Some of the following points ring true when one is fighting to recover in time for a crucial match:

• Think Straight: Is one game really worth your long-term future? Almunia had played in place of Lehmann since the German had been benched, and by all accounts he has not lived up to expectations. Remembering to think rationally about recuperation, and giving yourself active rest is possibly the best way to get back onto the park quickly. Lehmann will do well to take some time off getting back into form, rather than jumping the gun to get out onto the pitch whilst still injured.

• Active Rest: Thinking back a couple of years ago whilst recovering from knee surgery, being active with my recuperation was essential. Many days slipped by where I did not follow my strength training plan, or felt de-motivated by my injury. Now, having come back into training regularly I can see what a major difference it has made to the stabilization and recovery of my knee. If Lehmann focuses on recovery without straining himself, he will be in top form again.

• Don’t Half Guess: Thinking that you are right to battle it out on the field whilst injured will only prolong recovery. A lesson from my experience…two years back, while still nursing ligament damage to my knee, I risked playing in a very important semi-final. Now, we subsequently won the match and ended up winning the league, but in that one game I bit off more than I could chew. Having the ACL tear (as most of our readers know) took 2 years out of my development, and I have never really been the same goalkeeper since.

Focusing on the the recovery process should be part of Lehmann’s overall strategy. Being active and staying hungry on a long term goal will help every goalkeeper who faces injury recuperate effectively. So, don’t think you will be a wuss, if you don’t get on the pitch whilst injured. Keeping your smarts, and focusing on active recovery will help get you out on the park quickly, and help you stay there longer.

What It Means To Be An “Attacking” Goalkeeper

Nick over at The Offside dug up an old video of goalkeeping great Peter Schmeichel scoring a cheeky goal. It made me think about the “attacking” transition in play that goalkeepers have undertaken since the back pass rule was created. Have you adapted to it? Or are some of us still playing the role of a “line hog”? Being able to effectively aid your attacking line shows great initiative and determination. First the video of Schmeichel in action, then some commentary from me.

Don’t Be Restricted By Your 18 Yard Box: In times where you may be a man down, or you feel that your attacking line can be bolstered by your presence in the oppositions 18, get out over your own 18 yard box and help aid both your defense and your attack. Schmeichel shows how effective an extra man can be during a corner situation in the oppositions half. So, don’t ever be restricted by the 18 yard box, come off your line.

Learn How To Use Your Head: Increasingly, beginner goalkeepers should be developing skills such as trapping the ball, heading and chesting the ball. Schmeichel showed brilliant heading technique and a great ability to place himself in an advantageous position within the oppositions 18 yard box. The video also shows the great use of timing and moving off your man.

Get Strategic: Learn how to use attacking situations wisely. This means, that attacking play (as opposed to just defending your goal) should be a staple part of your overall goalkeeping strategy. Looking for cracks in opposition defense, your own unmarked men in the oppositions territory and quick, dynamic plays in counter attacking situations will help aid your attack, and increase your own effectiveness on the field.

So, some of the above points encompass the need for goalkeepers to continually adapt and become “complete” players. This means, that we should endeavour to not only be great at just goalkeeping, but also great with other facets of the game that are not inherit in the position (like heading and trapping the ball effectively, for example). Look at some of the great things Schmeichel did to contribute to the evolution of the modern goalkeeper and take some notes for yourself to utilize during your own games and training.

Powerful Goalkeeping Tips For The 6-a-Side Goalkeeper…

Small things pack a punch, kind of like a tiny Jorge Campos in-between the sticks. If old Jorge was still plying his goalkeeping trade and was placed in the 6-a-Side goal-mouth, then I assume that a giant chaos would ensue. I’ve played one game of 6-a-side thus far and it is a revelation that I had not payed attention to it for quite some time. Following are some of the things I’ve learned from 6-a-side:

When It Comes To Small Things, Big Is Everything: It sucks to see goalkeepers being…well, typical goalkeepers when it comes to 6-a-side. Getting large in goal, acting as an integral part of the defensive unit by contibuting to offensive play ultimately allows a 6-a-side goalkeeper to be more effective in goals. What I mean here, is that the goalkeeper is being large, playing off his line at all times.

Get Used To Your Feet: 6-a-side goalkeepers should be able to use their feet effectively. In fact, being able to distribute the ball effectively from the ground is vital with 6-a-side goalkeeping. This same vital skill with the feet also transitions to larger football fields, where getting a feel for the ball and how to distribute directly to your outfield players is essential. Having the ability for one-touch plays (which are part and parcel of effective 6-a-side football) will also enhance your ability to distribute the ball effectively.

Get To Know “Other” Parts Of Your Body: Another great aspect of 6-a-side goalkeeping is the need to get creative with the way you attack and distribute the ball. Sometimes you will need to trap the ball with your chest, or head out a ball in a one to one situation. One other important aspect is attacking the ball when the ball is at the players feet. 6-a-side goalkeeping will allow any goalkeeper to be more aggressive, as the pace of the game is dynamic.

6-a-side goalkeeping is great for enhancing goalkeeper fitness, it’s truly pure interval training as the pace is relentless and the time a game pans out for is short with the activity being intense. So, don’t let yourself get chubby in the off season, utilize 6-a-side to enhance your goalkeeping skills and push your overall fitness to new heights.

Turkish Rustu Got The Goods…

Something you have to admire about balls-to-the-wall goalkeeping. One goalkeeper that has always stood out for me, and whom I have admired for quite some time (especially the 1998 World Cup) is Turkish shot stopper Rustu. Looking more like a camp linebacker with the shoe polish under his eyes, Rustu’s style is no holds barred, and he does not mind putting his body on the line.

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