No Aston Villa For Brad Guzan.

Brad Guzan, the 2007 Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year and US National Team Keeper will not be headed to Aston Villa for the reported sum of 4 million dollars. Guzan was set to step into an Aston Villa keeper jersey pending his work permit being approved. Today, Guzan’s work Permit application was turned down and thus the 4 million dollar contract cancelled. “We’re very disappointed with the outcome as we were really looking forward to Brad joining us but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be,” Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill said.

According to Sky Sports, “Guzan’s work permit application was rejected because he hasn’t gotten enough caps with the U.S. national team in the last year or so. He’ll need to get more international experience before he can reapply.”

Guzan will return to the United States and rejoin the U.S. national team training camp this weekend in California. The United States is preparing for their Wednesday February 6^th exhibition game against Mexico.

Chivas USA coach Preki Radosavljevic had these comments about the deal falling through, “Although we share in his disappointment at the denial of his British work permit, we know that Brad, like the true professional he is, will continue to work hard to improve every day on and off the field with Chivas USA,”

After all is said and done, this is a great save for Chivas. Guzan’s departure would have left Chivas USA with a tough decision on who would mind the net in place of Guzan.

Brad Guzan is young and time and experience will only help his case for another journey across the Pond. Guzan has been very strong in goal for the US National Team and because of this he should see much more time in the net for the U.S. side.

So, where does Celtic now stand? Celtic’s interest last week was very genuine. If the ‘ Bhoys’ are going to extend their offer from earlier this week to Guzan, they have until Midnight tonight to settle a deal at which time the transfer window closes.

And the Winner is…?

The U.S. Goalkeeper representation in Europe is growing once again. Twenty three year old Brad Guzan is very close to putting his name onto the growing list of United States Keeper’s playing in Europe. The question is where is Brad going?

The Chivas USA and US National Team Keeper has several European Clubs taking a long hard look at the 23 year old in recent weeks. It is rumored that not only Celtic but Liverpool, Arsenal, Olympiacos, Auxerre and recently Aston Villa and Fulham are looking at the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

Guzan, who spent 4 days training with Celtic at Parkhead was reportedly presented with an offer from the Scottish Champions last week. Not to lose out in the acquisition of the latest US produced goalkeeper phenomenon, Aston Villa has also entered the race to make things even more interesting.

It is reported that Aston Villa has made a transfer offer worth close to $4 million for Guzan, doubling the offer made last week by Scottish champions Celtic.

Reportedly, Guzan had been talking to Aston Villa for whom Martin O’Neill is sure to do all he can to persuade the goalkeeper to come to Villa Park to take over the starting position from Scott Carson next season if not sooner. Carson, the current Aston Villa No. 1 keeper, is playing on loan from Liverpool and will return to his regular club when the loan expires in June.

American goalkeepers continue to provide a rich vein of talent for European clubs to mine. With names like Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahneman, Guzan is in great company. While leaving Chivas and the MLS would be a great loss to U.S. soccer, it is a great move for Guzan.

This is an opportunity Guzan has spoken eagerly about in becoming the next stateside guardian to find a home in the British game. Guzan’s future is extremely bright.

It’s Bouna Time!

Senegal Goalkeeping with American Style

Bouna Coundoul, a 25-year-old goalkeeper, has spent the past 11 years playing soccer in the United States. At age 14, Bouna Coundoul moved to the United States from Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. Bouna played at Martin Luther King High School in Manhattan and went on to attend and play for the University at Albany in New York. Bouna is currently the starting goalkeeper for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Following an injury to Joe Cannon, Colorado’s first team keeper, Coundoul took over the starting role and has remained between the pipes. In 2007, Bouna played all 30 regular-season Major League Soccer games for the Rapids finishing third among MLS’s keepers with a 1.08 goals against average with nine shutouts. “Bouna Time!” as created by Coundoul in an interview last year, has become a catch phrase supported by not only the Rapid fans but by the Colorado Rapids team as well.

Following his 2007 top level performance in MLS, Coundoul was called up to the Senegal National Team in November as one of the squad’s three keepers for the African Cup of Nations. Coundoul made his international debut for Senegal in November, playing the second half in a 3-2 victory over Mali in Paris. Coundoul will be competing for Senegal’s No. 2 goalkeeper spot behind Tony Sylva.

Word about Bouna Coundoul is getting out. Bouna’s strengths; very good quickness, agility and communication. With his fluent French and spot on Senegal’s National team, Coundoul could soon find several European clubs seeking his services.

Senegal is currently ranked No. 38 in the world among national teams by FIFA and started play in the African Cup of Nations Tournament on Jan. 20. Senegal will face Angola, South Africa and Tunisia in group play.

The Senegalese team shocked the world when it upset France, the 1998 World Cup Champion, in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Senegal advanced into the knockout stage, after beating Sweden in the second round but lost to Turkey in the quarter-finals.

Goalkeeper Glove Promotion: Kaliaaer Aqua H2O

Remember those games when your gloves were drenched right through and the only thing you were catching in the pounding rain was a cold? Yes, we have all been there before, and playing in the wet weather can be quite a calamity for many goalkeepers if they don’t have the right gloves for the occasion. Kaliaaer have stepped up with one of the most innovative wet weather goalkeeper gloves on the market to date, the Aqua H20^(c). Following are some specs for this exciting new glove:

The idea behind the Kaliaaer Aqua H2O^(c) is to give goalkeepers a complete and secure feeling when attacking the ball in the rain. Following are some of the innovative features of the Kaliaaer Aqua H2O^(c):

• 4mm superior aer H2O Grip Latex^(c)- giving 15% better grip in wet weather.
• Neo Shock^(c) inside for aiding punching and shock on impact with the ball.
• 2 middle fingers are “Fingertiped Latex”^(c) giving secure fit and feeling.
• Thumb has latex wrap over for added feel while catching the ball in the wet.
• Backhand is embossed waterproof latex with embossed graphics. The backhand has latex from the palm running down the back of the little finger for extra secure fit during the wet.
• Neo-Secure^(c) wrist bandage as well as the latex from the backhand fitting onto the wrist bandage.
• Latex from palm is fully extended onto the wrist.
• Elasticized wrist strap with Kaliaaer logo.

Talk about features! The Kaliaaer Aqua H2O^(c) encompasses everything a goalkeeper needs in the wet weather from touch, feel and performance to comfort, the Kaliaaer Aqua H2O^(c) is truly the ultimate aqua glove.

Be sure to view more from the Kaliaaer range in the coming few weeks.

Artur Boruc Can Score Goals Too!

Over the last few weeks there has been much talk about Artur Boruc extending his deal with Celtic for the next couple of years in the Scottish Premier League. Boruc has had some stellar performances and some ups and downs back in 2007, but has really proven his goalkeeping ability in leaps and bounds over the last few years.

Following was a video I found at YouTube that showed Boruc scoring a great penalty for Legia Warszawa in Poland back in the day. Subsequently, his crazy celebrations, and hilarious white flag waving cost him a yellow card to boot. Very funny indeed, just what I needed to wrap up the Australia Day long weekend!

Something every goalkeeper can take away from the above video is that goalkeepers should never shy away from assisting the team in any way possible. Being able to step up in a high pressure situation and take a penalty kick or free kick shows great courage under fire.

Think about great goal scoring goalkeepers like Bazilian Rogerio Ceni who has scored many goals over the course of their career. Understanding that great footwork, and feeling for the ball is extremely important for every goalkeeper in the modern game, take a note out of Boruc’s career and rapid rise to fame, and start practicing with the ball at your feet as much, if not more, than just your hands.

Being able to play small sided games, practice long distance shots and take free kicks and corners at training, all help aid the goalkeepers kicking game. So, why not start getting more involved in your training sessions, and not just focus on goalkeeper specific work, but ball work as well, with the aim of maximizing the contribution you play in the team environment as a whole.

5 Tips To Fire Up When Playing in Cold Weather

Last weekend, I was in Portland, Oregon playing in the FC Portland Winter Showcase. The Alaskan in me was excited to see the temperatures drop below freezing and even below zero with wind chill on the last day of the showcase. I know I’m probably one of the only players here who is used to and even thrives on temperatures that cold, so here is my method of dealing with the adverse weather.

Hydration is key in football, and it’s even harder to stay hydrated in cold weather. Aside from drinking during the match, hydrating the day before is key. The desire to drink will be reduced in the cold, but it is still vital. The easiest way to check hydration is to check urine color. The clearer it is, the better hydrated the person is. Strive to be hydrated before stepping on to the pitch.

Layering is the best way to dress in the cold. When temperatures drop below 45 degrees, a good thermal base layer is helpful. Under Armour’s Cold Gear pants and mock turtlenecks are very warm, but not heavy. They are worth every dollar that they cost. Be completely in match kit when stepping out for the warm up in the cold. Spending time changing into boots or putting on shin guards in the cold will only make it seem colder. Be sure to bring plenty of heavy clothes, a hat, and gloves for the sidelines.

An extended warm up beginning with 7-10 minutes of running will get blood flowing and body temperature up. If the team performs static stretching, it is best done in intervals of 2-3 stretches followed by 2-3 minutes of movement. Be sure to be completely warmed up before moving to other goalkeeper specific activities. That being said, it might be beneficial to reduce the warm up time by 5-10 minutes. For instance, I normally take 45 minutes to warm up, but in very cold weather I reduce my warm up to 30 minutes.

Keep moving throughout the match. Field players have the benefit of running in the cold, just as we have the benefit of standing in the heat. Jump up and down, run in place, and constantly reposition to stay warm. Stiffness and shivering are the two killers in the cold. Both make it impossible to be effective in goal.

After the match get out of the cold as quickly as possible. Take a warm shower and hydrate as quickly as possible. Fifteen minutes of static stretching will reduce soreness the next day.

With a little preparation, the cold is bearable. If at all possible, train in the cold to get used to it before playing a match. However, remember that the focus is still on soccer, so spend as little time as possible worrying about the cold.

College Soccer Recruiting in the USA: An Insider Goalkeepers Guide

Last month, Brad Barnett wrote about what it takes for a goalkeeper to break in at the college level. For advice about how to perform on the field to get recruited to a college soccer program in the USA, see his post. This post is mostly about what to do off the field to attract attention from coaches.

Research
In their sophomore year, the goalkeeper should research schools that they would be interested in playing for. These schools should be ones that the goalkeeper would be happy going to even if they were not playing soccer for them. This is hard to do without visiting schools in person, but that part comes later.

Just a word on levels. I am a big advocate of goalkeepers going to junior colleges for their first two years and transfering to higher level schools afterwards. At a two year school, everybody plays more, the classes are generally easier, and it is a good way to adjust to life away from home for the first time.

Introduction letter
At the end of sophomore year or beginning of junior year, a goalkeeper looking to get recruited by any college needs to make contact with the coach. They should send a letter explaining who they are, who they play for, and why they want to play for the particular school. They should also include any letters of recommendation and videos they may have. Coaches generally ask for videos later, but it can’t hurt to be proactive.

Goalkeepers also need to include a player profile, or resume, with their information on it. On mine I had a picture, my contact details, my playing history (clubs, ODP, awards, etc), the camps I attended, references, and several physical test results (height, weight, 40 yard dash, etc).

Follow up
Two to three weeks after sending out their original packet, goalkeepers need to follow up with a phone call. Coaches cannot call players until their senior year, so at this point, the player will initiate most of the contact. In this phone call, the goalkeeper needs to ask if the coach received the packet (sometimes the addresses on web sites are wrong or outdated) and if the coach is interested in seeing the goalkeeper play.

Be seen
This section bleeds into the last one. Goalkeepers should tell coaches which tournaments and showcases they will be playing in so the coaches can make arrangements to watch them play. Usually an email is a nice way to send a schedule when the tournament releases it, and send directions to the fields if it is a big tournament with many locations. There are two tournaments and one showcase on the west coast that I always attended with the Alaska state select team: Nomads Thanksgiving Tournament in San Diego, FC Portland Winter Showcase in Portland, and FC del Sol President’s Day Tournament in Phoenix. There are many others.

Stay in contact
The goalkeeper should strive to stay in contact with the coaches of schools they are interested in pursuing. Eventually, some coaches will say that they are looking at other players and the goalkeeper should move on, but that’s just fine. It doesn’t mean that the goalkeeper will not be picked up by a school, but each school has unique needs and every coach has their own opinion.

Being at the end of my recruiting process, I can say that it’s a very stressful time. As long as a player takes all the possibilities into consideration and doesn’t close any doors too soon, they will find a good team for them. If I can get recruited out of Alaska, players in other states will have it much easier.

Youth Goalkeeping Series: Part 3 of 3

“KEEPER!”

The first word most young goalkeepers learn to communicate from the goal is, “Keeper!” When translated into our everyday language, “Keeper” means “I want the ball!”

A goalkeeper’s ability to communicate is a skill that must be developed and encouraged early in a goalkeeper’s formal training. Learning to communicate is as important as developing the correct footwork and handling skills. Young keeper’s take their first step to connecting with their team by learning how to communicate effectively and therefore establishing a presence on the soccer field.

Observing youth soccer games at the U10 and U12 ages we can recognize those young goalkeepers who are developing a confidence or “presence” on the soccer field through their ability to verbally and distinctly let everyone know they want the ball by simply stating, “Keeper!” Once the goalkeeper is comfortable saying “Keeper”, the priority is now to teach him or her when to use the term and what must occur when they use the term.

I recently observed a match between two U12 boy’s teams. One of the keepers called for the ball confidently, yet I noticed that when he called for the ball, the ball was already at his fingertips. Calling “Keeper!” at the moment the ball moves into the keeper’s hands places him or her in a very dangerous position, should teammates and/or the opposing players run after the ball and into his or her space while he or she anxiously waits for the ball to arrive.

There are two areas of focus where young keepers can improve their communication and become more effective.

· The first focus area is calling “Keeper!” as soon as the ball is released and making its way into the penalty area unchallenged. Calling “Keeper!” early can ensure a safe collection with little or no pressure from the opponent. At the same time teammates, can move away from the goalkeeper and into a positive position to receive the ball from the keeper.

· The second focus area is the young keeper moving forward to collect the ball after calling for it. Rather than waiting for the ball to come to the keeper at the goal line, the keeper should take steps forward to meet the ball as far away from the goal as safely as possible.

This verbal and kinesthetic action almost certainly prevents any miscommunication between the keeper and the players on the field.

To find out how effective the word “Keeper!” is when used by young goalkeepers. I conducted a study during the summer of 2007 to learn what the reactions of field players would be when a young goalkeeper called out “Keeper!” and moved forward to the ball.

During the 2007 summer season, I observed several U10 and U12 youth games in which I recorded the physical responses of teammates and opponents when the goalkeeper called, “Keeper!”

Note: These observations were recorded at the moment the goalkeeper called out “Keeper!” and moved forward to collect the ball during the normal flow of the game. I recorded the movement of the opponents and teammates as either into the area after the ball or stopped their movement to the ball when “keeper” was called out.

· At the U12 age group: 88% of opposing players and 86% of teammates stopped their movement toward the goal or in the penalty area when they heard the goalkeeper call out “Keeper!” during a game.

· At the U10 age group 87% of opposing players and 88% of teammates stopped their movement toward the goal or in the penalty area when they heard the goalkeeper call out “Keeper!” during a game.

Likewise, I observed games where the keeper was not able to communicate the simple command of “Keeper!” and the results were as follows.

· At the U12 age group: 89% of opposing players and 90 % of teammates followed the play into the penalty area and toward the goal not knowing what the keeper’s intentions were but knowing they needed to get the ball.

· At the U10 age group 92% of opposing players and 94% of teammates followed the play into the penalty area and toward the goal not knowing what the keeper’s intentions were but knowing they needed to get the ball.

The evidence supports the premise that offensive and defensive players associate the statement “Keeper!” with the goalkeeper coming to collect the ball. Therefore in over 85% of the balls played into the penalty area, players on both sides stopped their movement to the goal and allowed the keeper to collect the ball when they heard “Keeper!” Goalkeeper’s who communicated effectively, even at the youngest ages, encountered very minimal challenge.

These findings strongly support developing the keeper’s communication skills at the earliest ages possible.

Developing communication skills may follow this age group progression.

· U9-U10 keepers learn and are strongly encouraged to use “Keeper!” consistently in training and in game play.

· U11-U12 keepers continue to use “Keeper!” and begin to use “Away!” when they have chosen not to go and collect the ball in the penalty area. Keepers in this age may also begin to communicate to their teammates “Back!” which follows with the teammate making a back would pass to their keeper.

Incorporating communication consistently into the young goalkeeper’s formal training supports their first steps in understanding the leadership role needed to be an effective goalkeeper while also helping them to establish themselves as a strong presence on the soccer field.

This is the third part in a series of three writings focusing on Youth Goalkeeping. Part 1: Dec. 30, 2007 and Part 2: Jan. 5, 2008.

What’s Better… The Fancy Save or Technical Perfection?

To pull off the fanciest save of your life, or not…that my friends is the question. Although I may sound positively Shakespearean, the statement opens up a can of worms about whether the best goalkeepers in the world should be acrobatic dynamos or stoic walls of steel.

The question above was formulated by Frenchie (aka Sam), who IM’d me the other day to ask me whether it is better to make a deft defying save, or focus on proper technique and just keep the ball out of the net?

Frenchie was at a party and met an eccentric old guy who said that goalkeepers nowadays all go for the technically perfect save. What he meant by this is that goalkeepers use footwork, get into position and take an easy catch to get the job done.

The crazy old guy rattled on and came up with a dashing philosophy claiming that people are forgetting that soccer is all about entertainment, and goalkeepers should, for the best part, be good at entertaining the masses (he proceeded to dance around the room and show Frenchie what he meant…what a spectacle).

Therefore, the goalkeeper should try to do as dramatic a save as possible in all instances. So, the hypotheses by the old nutter at the party got Sam thinking about whether a goalkeeper and manager/owner of a club would take a goalkeeper who can put bums on seats over someone who is technically superior at the position?

Let me clear the fog very quickly by giving you some words of wisdom from one of my old goalkeeper trainers at Sydney United, Steve Watson (Wato, for short). Wato barked this very simple statement “I don’t give a S@#$ how you keep the ball out of the net…just keep it out!”, this was after I just finished throwing up from the intensity of the session at the merciless hands of Wato. I’ll call this statement, “The Wato Hypotheses”.

Now, what the club manager wants, and I’m assuming this from a very high level (say, English Premier League) is for the team to win games…simple. If you win games, the team stays in the top flight, you get paid a tonne (and then some) in bonuses and pretty girls…everyone is happy. “The Wato Hypotheses” applies.

What do I think? I think that technique is the underlying basis for perfection in goalkeeping. Learn the basics and your light years ahead of the rest of the goalkeepers out there sweating it out along side you (check out our 10 Weeks To Goalkeeping Success Report here).

As for dashing acts of goalkeeping acrobatics (AKA…fancy save)? Fancy saves are really the extra golden bits of your goalkeeping arsenal, the last minute stuff, the thing that you pull out of your guts when the trigger is at your temple and the team is even with the opposition in the last minute. Get me?

So, focus on technique first…and always. Fancy saves are the realm of The G-Code, where the extra stuff you do with plyometrics, strength training, aerobic/anaerobic fitness and proper nutrition give you that 1% advantage over your opposition and help you create the save that keep the hungry crowd in awe, and coming back for more.

Brad Guzan May Give Boruc a Run For His Money?

Celtic have given the green light for MLS goalkeeper of the year Brad Guzan to trial with the club. Some pundits are riding the rumor mill in suggesting that Guzan may be the favored first choice over Artur Boruc.

Don’t you just love rumor mills? While I think that Guzan is a very good shot stopper (as seen in the video below), I don’t see how or why Celtic would replace Boruc. The Pole has signed on a new contract extension, and he played a sublime season last year with some stellar performances.

The interesting thing to see is Boruc whom is Polish, and Guzan a young American of Polish descent get to train together. Boruc has been known for some provocation to opposing fans and has even gone toe to toe with his fellow players, so it will be interesting to see how Guzan shows of his wares in training sessions alongside Boruc.

Guzan has played superbly since appearing in the Milk Cup in 2003, and has courted interest from many of Europes tops clubs since, culminating in his selection as the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year for 2007. Following is a video of Guzan’s performances in the MLS for 2007.

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