Tall Goalkeeper v Short Goalkeeper: Does it really make a difference?

We live in a world where that “big” word is considered a good thing, or at least we’d like to think so. We love the big cars, the big house. Being taller can get you the girl…no lady likes the small runt-like guy. Oh, we also love the big paychecks and the big dinners. Did you smell a waft of generalization in the air? Thought so.

When it comes to goalkeeping, the age old question resonates (well at least in goalkeeping circles it does) around whether being a tall goalkeeper, compared to being a short goalkeeper, has its advantages? It’s a great question.

If we look toward scientific fact as a guide, we usually get some good answers around what lab rats call “anthropometric” measurements and how they align with playing positions on the field. And with some detailed scientific analysis you’ll soon see that for certain positions on the team, be it a goalkeeper, defender, mid fielder or striker, some sizes are preferred over others.

Whether the above statement revolves around a pre-defined notion of what height is required or desirable for certain playing positions is debatable. But the question really smacked me around over the past few weeks as a result of a query from one of our readers Jimmy, as follows:

hi i play divison 2 in melbourne and im 19 year old and only 175cm tall…im just curious to know do you have to be a specfic height for goalkeeping and any chances of me growing any more thank you….

Now to the science behind this question around goalkeeping height.

So, what is the best height for the competitive goalkeeper? It’s never really a straight answer, and again can be biased by what we perceive to be the best height based on a pre-defined judgment call or view. What you’ll see in the following bits of research is that generally a trend toward tall keepers, rather than their shorter counterparts ensues.

Thomas Reilly’s Science & Soccer (1996) pg. 27, pointed to the following research:

Data on height and body mass of soccer teams suggest that players vary widely in body size. Lack of height is not in itself a bar to success in soccer, though it might determine the choice of playing position. Being tall is an advantage for the goalkeeper, for centre-backs and for a forward player used as a ‘target’ for winning possession of the ball with the head. In contrast the players deployed in midfield, in full-back and on the wings tend to be smaller in size than those in other positional roles.

A mean test of heights (cm) from players from various elite level soccer clubs and national teams around the world (based on the above research by Reilly, et al.) showed some of the following results:

• English League, First Division (180.4 +/- 1.7)
• Danish National Squad (183.0)
• Aberdeen FC (174.6 +/- 0.9)

The list goes on…but it shows that anthropometric measurements can vary widely from country to country at an elite level of soccer, possibly due to genetic traits inherent in certain nationalities. We can look at a range of between 174 cm’s to up to 180 cm’s on average. So what about us goalkeepers?

I thought it would be interesting to look toward the top 5 best goalkeepers in the world as rated by the IFFHS for 2007, and see what the height differences are between them as follows:

1. Gianluigi Buffon (1.91 m; 6 ft 3 inches)

2. Petr Cech (1.97 m; 6 ft 5 ^1/2 inches)

3. Iker Casillas (1.85 m; 6 ft 1 inch)

4. Edwin van der Sar (1.97 m; 6 ft 5^1/2 inches)

5. Rogerio Ceni (1.88 m; 6 ft 2 inches)

Above we see the pattern of some of the best rated goalkeepers in the world, and the correlation of height between different goalkeepers from different regions of the world. Choice dictates, that usually goalkeepers whom are of greater height usually get selected for the position above shorter goalkeepers. But this again could be a generalization, and not a deciding factor in overall goalkeeping ability.

Great goalkeepers such as Jorge Campos only stood in at 1.68 m (5 ft 6 inches), so we must look to other factors other than height when it comes to the impact of a goalkeeper on the professional playing field. Having, strength, agility and other fitness characteristics alongside solid technique (especially positioning and timing) are vital facets of any goalkeepers game.

So does the height you are blessed with really matter for the competitive goalkeeper and their overall ability on the football pitch? In my opinion, not really. When it comes to the crunch, it comes down to your determination to source out strengths in your game, and iron out weaknesses that will enable you to be a better goalkeeper.

Height does have it’s advantages, especially around certain facets of goalkeeping, like presence, the ability to attack crosses and the ball in shooting situations in a more economical fashion, but it is not the be all end all of a goalkeepers ability. Working on strength, muscular power and agility can pay in spades when it comes to smashing the debate to bits over whether the tall goalkeeper is better than the short goalkeeper.

Let us know what you think in the comments box below.

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Its “Buona’s Time” Again

Colorado Rapids (MLS) goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul is making international headlines again for the country of Senegal. Bouna has been named to the Senegal National Team, who will play in the the first group round of World Cup qualifying in Africa. “I am excited to once again represent my nation,” Coundoul said. “I am going to Senegal to try and be the starter.” Read more

Who’s hot, who’s not: Premiership clubs go goalkeeper spring cleaning

With a whopping Premiership come and gone, the summer transfer market is hotting up. While we are out with the old goalkeepers, still some remain, but there is also some exciting speculation as to whom may be showing their brooding or bashful face around your favorite Premier League club in the very near future.

The following is derived from today’s article from the Times Online and gives a run down on some of the speculation around the summer transfer window, and which goalkeepers may be arriving on English soil:

Arsenal: With German Jens Lehmann heading off after a rough and tumble season, seeing his number one prospects being muscled out by Manuel Almunia, speculation has it that Wenger and Co. may well be looking toward Fiorentina’s stellar shot stopper Sebastien Frey. But with a budget of around 30 million (pounds) and Frey valued at 16 million, it may be a tight squeeze for The Gunners. Exciting speculation nonetheless.

Aston Villa: With Villa puffing out a big budget of around 30-40 million (pounds), they are also doing a massive sweep of the transfer window, and a new goalkeeper may be in order as Scott Carson battled out a topsy turvy season for club and country. Frenchman and Le Mans shot stopper Yohann Pele (watch the video it is impressive), could be an enticing new addition to The Lions squad in the coming Premiership season. Pele has spent his entire career at Le Mans, and at only 25 has plenty to grow into in the toughest competition on the planet if a transfer comes to fruition!

Bolton: The Trotters have a glut of goalkeepers to choose from namely, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ian Walker & Ali Al Habsi to name a few. Though with a budget of around 20 million (pounds), Gary Megson may have his sights on out of favor England shot stopper Paul Robinson. Robinson (although I believe is a great keeper), has been hammered to no avail for blunders at a club and country level and is out of favor with Juande Ramos.

Everton: The Toffees gaffer, David Moyes is on the hunt for a back up goalkeeper to Tim Howard and Birmingham City’s Maik Taylor is in his sights. German goalkeeper Stefan Wessels has moved on from the club and is out on the hunt for some game time.

Liverpool: The Reds and Rafa…anyone…anyone? It seems that Rafa may cull many players and with Carson probably moving on, whom else can step in line next to Pepe Reina? Anyone? Maybe Rafa will look to Spain?

Middlesbrough: Boro bidding adieu to Mark Schwarzer, it is interesting to see whom may fill the helm of the illustrious Aussie’s number one jersey. Can young Brad Jones step up to the plate? Maybe not? This from Wikipedia:

“With Mark Schwarzer’s departure to Fulham it has been suggested that Jones will be given a chance to be Middlesbrough number 1. This has been met by anger and disappointment from the Boro fans who do not rate Jones due to his constant errors.” (Source Wikimedia.com)

Stoke City: This should be interesting, we had a detailed chat with author Don Mullan (Check out the fantastic new site http://www.banksofengland.org/) the other day and I don’t think we discussed in detail their need for a goalkeeper? Carlo Nash whom was on loan has moved on and Russel Hoult also being released, The Potters will be hard pressed to come up with a goalkeeper or two to fill the void and challenge Steve Simonsen.

Tottenham: Spurs boss Juande Ramos is scratching his head over Paul Robinson (so are many fans alike). So whom will Ramos court in goals for Tottenham?

Any suggestions to the above would be great, or if you have heard of any goss…feel free to add to the comments below!

Great goalscoring goalkeepers in The Premiership

Goalkeepers can score goals. Not with pizzazz mind you…but we’ll give it a go to be certain. The following video shows some fantastic goals scored by some Premiership goalkeepers over the years.

Mart Poom’s goal was the best of the lot. What power, what momentum…what a damned hard head! With that goal, it’s funny to think the guy has played over 116 games for his country Estonia, but never really made a huge impact on The Premiership.

Although playing 146 games with Derby “It was at Derby that English commentators first found it hard to tell whether the crowed were booing or cheering Poom as his name is hard to make out when chanted” (Source: Wikipedia).

Jokes aside, it shows that having some bravado goes a long way in helping your team score vital goals, if you just take a chance. Thinking outside of your 18 yard box, and having the ability to chest, head and handle the ball at your feet, can come in very handy when your team is down.

Versatility is what goalkeeper coaches and team managers look for and what differentiates the great goalkeepers from the good. Look at Brazilian Rogerio Ceni, and in general just how widespread the Brazilian skill set has become ingrained in the global coaching community, it isn’t just a fad.

Therefore, goalkeeper trainers should always look at getting their young goalkeepers involved in every aspect of the training session, so they get a consummate feel for the ball. Specialized training is all well and good, but a great goalkeeper knows that in today’s game you will make little inroads into bettering your ability if it is just focused on specialized goalkeeper training alone.

It’s “Buona’s Time” Again!!

Colorado Rapids (MLS) goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul is making international headlines again for the country of Senegal. Bouna has been named to the Senegal National Team, who will play in the the first group round of World Cup qualifying in Africa. “I am excited to once again represent my nation,” Coundoul said. “I am going to Senegal to try and be the starter.”

Senegal will play in Group 6 with Algeria, Liberia and Gambia. The Lions of Teranga will host Algeria on May 31st, travel to Gambia on June 8th and continue on to Liberia on the June 15th before hosting Liberia on June 21st. The final two games of the Group 6 stage will be played in September and October of 2008.

The 12 group winners and eight best runners-up will advance to the second group round where the teams will be split into five groups of four. The winners of those five groups will join South Africa, the host nation, in the 2010 World Cup.

This season, Coundoul has played in the net every minute for the Rapids. He is currently tied for third among MLS goalies with a 1.13 goals-against average and is tied for first with four shutouts.

Bouna has shared that he has some mixed feelings about his upcoming hiatus from the Rapids, as he supports the Senegal National team in its bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

“Colorado is my team,” Coundoul has said. “These guys for the last four years have been loyal to me.”

During the 2007 season, Bouna Coundoul established himself as the starting first team goalkeeper for the Rapids. One of the top three goalies in the league, he earned himself the Rapids Defensive Player of the Year award. Coundoul was awarded the Rapids’ “U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year award” for his efforts in his native Senegal. Bouna raised funds for children in Senegal by selling jerseys in the style of the Senegal National Team emblazoned with his trademark “Bouna Time” slogan. Coundoul earned his first national team start for Senegal on January 31, 2008, when he appeared as the starting ‘keeper in a brilliant 1-1 draw performance in the African Cup of Nations.

Born March 4, 1982 in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, Bouna came to the US in 1997 and lived in the Bronx with his three older brothers, Amadou, Aly and Abe Coundol. The rest of his family lives in Senegal.

Coundoul plays Saturday, May 24^th, against Chivas USA before joining Senegal for a month. Senegal is looking to make a strong showing on the world stage and rebound from a disappointing campaign in the African Nations Cup this past winter. Senegal did not advance out of group play in the African Nations Cup having finished 0-2-1 with ties against Tunisia and South Africa and a loss to Angola.

The Senegal National Soccer team may be best known for its 1-0 upset of France in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup. The Senegal team went on to make it to the quarterfinals where they lost to Turkey in extra time. The Lions of Teranga are currently ranked no. 38 in the FIFA Rankings and are the fifth highest ranked African team.

Jens Lehmann Nike Video Spot

If you have not seen these yet, it’s quite a funny take on the German shot stopper Jens Lehmann. Jokes aside, the video shows the quality of his ability whether you like the guy or not, and gives a small fraction of a window view into how high level goalkeeper trainers strut their stuff…

Top Rated Keepers in the Serie A

Top Rated Keepers in the Serie A
by Steve Amoia for Keeper Skool.

Keeper Skool reader Matteo contributed an excellent commentary about the best keepers from the EPL. While I can’t match his detailed descriptions, what I would like to do is to provide a similar round-up of the Italian Serie A in statistical terms.

Ratings from La Gazzetta dello Sport

This publication is the Wall Street Journal of Italian football. After each game, their journalists rate players on a scale between 1 and 10. To provide you with an idea, most ratings are between 4.5 and 7.5. The Italian word for such a thing is “Pagelle,” and “Portieri” means keepers. The following list covers the first 37 fixtures. Please note how close the first five are in this table. If you click on each name, you will see a game by game analysis for each player.

1. Alberto Fontana of Palermo: 6.47.
2. Matteo Sereni of Torino: 6.45.
3. Sebastian Frey of ACF Fiorentina: 6.44.
4. Julio Cesar of Internazionale: 6.43.
5. Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus: 6.35.
6. Alexander Doni of AS Roma: 6.29.
7. Alexander Manninger of Siena: 6.25.
8. Marco Storari of Cagliari: 6.22.
9. Zeljko Kalac of AC Milan: 6.19.

For the sake of comparison, the best outfield player in the Serie A is Mauro Camoranesi of Juventus. His rating over 37 games is 6.61.

Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport, “Pagelle dei Portieri.”

Goals Against in the Serie A

I will list these by team rather than by keeper since not all of the top rated shot stoppers played the entire campaign and/or every fixture. Please note that a few teams close to the relegation zone (Catania: status uncertain, Siena: safe, and Torino: safe) made the top ten.

1. Internazionale: 26 goals conceded.
2. Juventus: 34 goals conceded.
3. AS Roma: 36 goals conceded.
4. AC Milan: 37 goals conceded.
5. ACF Fiorentina: 39 goals conceded.
6. Sampdoria: 43 goals conceded.
7. Siena: 43 goals conceded.
8. Catania: 44 goals conceded.
9. Torino: 48 goals conceded.
10. Udinese: 49 goals conceded.

Year to Date Statistics from the Serie A

Played matches	370
Remaining matches	10
% played	97%
Home wins	46%
Draws	29%
Away wins	25%

Goals	938
Goals per match	2.54
Away goals per match	1.05
Over 2.5 goals	46%
Under 2.5 goals	54%

For comparative purposes, here are the figures from the Barclay’s Premiership:

Played matches	380
Remaining matches	0
% played	100%
Home wins	46%
Draws	26%
Away wins	27%

Goals	1002
Goals per match	2.64
Home goals per match	1.53
Away goals per match	1.11
Over 2.5 goals	45%
Under 2.5 goals	55%

Statistics courtesy of Soccer Society.

Steve Amoia is the author and editor of World Football Commentaries. He writes for Soccerlens and Keeper Skool.

Auf Wiedersehen Oliver Kahn: Bundesliga farewells German goalkeeping great.

German goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn bid adieu a packed stadium in his last match for Bayern Munich. The 38 year old hung up his gloves after a super 20 year tenure between the sticks. FIFA named Khan as “goalkeeper of the year” 3 times over this period, and it was well deserved for a goalkeeper with 557 Bundesliga games under his belt.

Kahn reflected on his path after the stadium lights have been switched off on a spell binding career:

“I have to see what happens when I’m not in the goal Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday anymore,” Kahn said. “When all this turmoil is over, I have to find my essential self again. It would be stupid if nothing is there.” (Source: International Herald Tribune, May, 2008).

Following is a highlight reel of the final game for Oliver Kahn against Hertha Berlin (4-1 victory for Bayern Munich):

Sydney goalkeeper coach Elvis DeMarchi’s excellent new goalkeeping handbook (free download)

Back in 1995 I came back home to Australia from a short stint at training with various clubs in the UK, namely Bury FC. Unfortunately during this period I suffered an ACL reconstruction. I’d heard of Elvis DeMarchi from my time at Sydney United, and from the recommendations of other coaches, and through contact with a close friend of mine whom recommended Elvis, decided to contact him for some advice around my rehabilitation.

Elvis proved conscientious and without asking anything of me, or even knowing me for that matter, spent a good few hours on the phone discussing our playing experiences, coaching and the wonderful art form we call goalkeeping.

Over the past few years, Elvis and I have chatted and met up to discuss goalkeeping issues, the way we feel about goalkeeping development in Australia, and whom we think are some of the best goalkeepers in Australia…some Elvis has trained himself.

With that said, Elvis has a secret cookbook to goalkeeping that he has developed over many years of training, and he has agreed to release the manual for free to anyone who wants to grab hold of it. The handbook is available in .pdf format and you can download it directly at the end of this article, exclusive to Keeper Skool.

So, I know that each and every one of you will learn from the experience that Elvis brings to the table. Some of the topics covered in the free manual include:

• How to handle mental toughness.
• Unique fitness requirements for goalkeepers.
• How any goalkeeper can deal with stress.
• How a goalkeeper should prepare for trials.
• …and much more.

Keeper Skool would like to thank Elvis very much for being so open, and allowing all our readers the ability to gain insight into some of his ideas around maximizing your goalkeeping potential. You can download the free resource via the below link:

World Keepers Web Goalkeeper Handbook

Pleas drop a line to Elvis (his details are at the very bottom of the guide) to let him know what you thought about the handbook, and organize some training for yourself if you’re in the local Sydney area. Enjoy the read!

The best goalkeeper’s in The English Premier League for 2007/08: Reader’s choice!

Ahmed over at SoccerLens summed up this past year’s English Premier League the best:

If you believe the hype, the 2007/2008 English Premier League season was the most exciting and unpredictable season that we’ve had in a long, long time. (Source: SoccerLens.com)

For a definitive wrap up of each team’s performance, check out Ahmed’s post here.

With that said, it certainly was a stellar season. Manchester United in sublime form, Avram Grant’s Chelsea were troopers in the face of adversity (having lost Jose Mourinho), the bottom half of the league was just as intense as the top and we may never see the likes of a campaign such as the one past for a very long time…and hopefully I totally swallow those damned words!

Now what about the goalkeepers this season in the Premiership? I took a poll to the Keeper Skool readers, free 10 week report subscribers and G-Code customers to get some real “goalkeeper’s” votes on whom they thought were the best shot stoppers this past Premiership season…because goalkeepers know best!

We asked each of our readers to cast their vote against whom they thought were the best goalkeepers from all 20 teams. We had 159 respondents (this is still updating incrementally, but we’ll take the current stats) with the following results:

We then had an open ended question around why each of the voters thought the particular goalkeeper they selected was the best, with over 109 total responses. Each response was absolutely stand out (some of you guys should be working for the BBC)!

One in particular was from one of our Keeper Skool readers Matteo who did a huge overview of what he thought about every goalkeeper’s performance in the Premiership…not what was required, and because of the effort Matteo, you’re up for an awesome prize (more about this later)! Here is Matteo’s run-down:

"Well James because he's reached a well groomed maturity level

that has allowed him to be England's national team #1! Athletic,

smart, doesn't have an attitude (unlike Lehmann) and knows his limits.

Given because he 's so under-rated for the gk that he is!!! He's

athletic, sharp reflexes, well built (even though he's only 6 foot

tall), doesn't complain, great positioning, strong and accurate

distribution... he's actually very similar to Casillas in stature

 and physique and the way he plays !!! Go Given!!!

(Harper, Given's #2, is pretty good too... very similar

to Given's style of play)

Here's what I think of other gk's.

van de Saar - Tall, lanky... yeah but thanks to the the best

defense in the world and the best trainers in the world and

also thanks to Ferguson expertise and Manchester United Academy...

very "by the book" gk!!! Nothing fancy, no acrobatics...

just what needs to be done!!! solid and consistent!!!

Cech - Yeah... ok... very smart, great size, bulls-eye distribution

and incredibly strong!!! I'm surprised he's still standing after all

the injuries he conceded!!!

Reina - Great personality... big and strong!!! Again great defense not

many difficult saves but pretty cool acrobatics!! Fantastic distribution

and positioning!! Great commanding of the box... I have a feeling he's

under pressure by his fellow Spaniard Manager to perform better though!!!

Howard - Again coming from the Manchester United training ground...

has that American flare... acrobatic, consistent, solid, athletic...

he'll be excellent down the track and a well earned asset!!!

Carson - Good all-rounder but his defense has let him down so

many times and you can see that he's trying his best!! Solid GK

but with off days along the way... Especially in important games,

like the lemons he pulled when England lost the entrance for

Euro 08... Still #1.

Friedel - Haha man mountain!!! He needs to play for a super team

possibly somewhere in Italy or France (like Kalac for AC Milan)

or perhaps another PL team cause he could be so much better!!!

Great height, broad shoulders, huge presence, not afraid..

not so much American flare but definitely better than Van de Saar

in the big men department.

James - Smooth, athletic, great game vision, reads the game

well but his defense is not the best!!! Shouldn't be too long

till he retires now!!! He sure looks good for his late 30's.

Hart - Yeah very athletic, acrobatic (even though un-necessary sometimes)

... big man, great height, but I think he still needs to be developed

accordingly... he looks too cocky to me!!!

Green - Looks like a cool cat especially when he goes through the

dug out out onto the pitch sipping his toothpaste (or I think thats

what it looks like)... next time I'll ask Lucas Neil cause he sips

the same thing!!! Athletic, great positioning, very good distribution,

composed and reads the game well!!!

Robinson - Mmm... was good (and probably still is) but he finds it

hard to be consistent... (in the 2006 World Cup he was excellent

especially against Portugal) sometimes he'll pull these

amazing acrobatic saves and sometimes he'll be all over the place!!!

He's a solid all round GK but I think like all has his off days!!!

Same boat as Carson!!!

Given - Yeah I really like him... just solid and he gives you

security when he's in goals!! Sooo under-rated!!! Wish Juventus,

Inter or AC Milan would scoop him up.

Schwarzer -  Mmm... yeah has definitely international experience,

wise, knowledgeable, solid all rounder and will be a good right arm

to Buffon (if everything goes to plan with the transfer to Juventus)...

not as athletic as Bosnich but yeah he sure is Australia #1 by far!!!

Thing is though, when he plays for Middlesborough he's great but when

he's in charge of the Aussie goals he's magnificent!!! ???

Kirkland - Dunno much about this guy!!! he's that tall lanky

guy who plays for Wigam right???

Gordon - I reckon  he got paid too much for what he's worth!!!

Yeah is good but toward mid-season he started to slow down!!!

Yeah heaps of goals from close range and 1 on 1's!!! Great body but I

think he needs to work on his strength and reflexes!!! has everything

else though!!!

Jaaskelainen - ???

Hahnemann - Another yank!!! I like this guy.. again on the same boat

 as Friedel... consistent, big, great attitude, composed, athletic and

acrobatic, reflexes.. yeah definitely a great asset to have but I reckon

he deserves a better team or perhaps he can make his team better!!!

Keep an eye on him!!!

Taylor (Birmingham) - I'm surprised of this guy cause aestethically

he doesn't look like a pro gk... more like an amateur or semi-pro GK

but he can sure pull some amazing saves and some kick ass

reflexes!!! I mean some games that he played were just phenomenal!!!

He's got great command of his box... Distribution, positioning!!!

Its just a real shame he's got an inconsistent defense

that makes him look bad!!!

Bywater - Does he stil play for Derby???

Keller - Again like Schwarzer... international experience,

has been playing as Usa's #1 for a while now... getting

toward the end though!! However all rounder... knowledgeable,

solid performance, reliable and fearless!!!

Great asset to have!!! Cool guy!!

Almunia - Oohhhh great future ahead for this guy!!!

Very soon he'll be able to wear Arsenal's #1 (hopefully for a while too)!!!

What an honour!! Yeah... like Green.. a cool cat. Consistent,

solid gk, great height and presence, very agile for his size!

Great distribution and positioning!!! I reckon given the responsibility

of being the new #1 and not having the jealous and temperamental

Lehmann on his back, he's going to strive in his next season!!!

U watch!!! Best season to come yet!"

Matteo

Wow…what a response. And here is the rub! Matteo, we are teaming up with the team over at SoccerPro, the best online soccer retailer around (at least I think so), and we’ll be providing you with an awesome prize in the coming week, so stay posted!

With that said let’s get back to the stats, and the top 5 for “Keeper Skool’s [Inaugural] Best of The English Premier League Goalkeeper Awards” (I think that is that longest title in history):

1. David James, Portsmouth, (27% of votes).
2. Chris Kirkland, Wigan, (22% of votes).
3. Edwin van der Saar, Manchester United, (21% of votes).
4. Manuel Almunia, Arsenal, (18% of votes).
5. Petr Cech, Chelsea, (17% of votes).

Many outside of goalkeeping circles may disagree with the above results, and polls are polls, they can be skewed. But the the Keeper Skool readers have spoken, and some have won big time too! Can’t wait for next years poll. And for the rest of you, be sure to see regular (quarterly) prize give aways and reviews of the latest gear as provided by the super team at SoccerPro.com.

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