4 Powerful Tools of the “Attacking” Goalkeeper

Wouldn’t right now be a great time to change the way you play? I think the back pass rule was the scariest ruling ever, for any competitive goalkeeper. It ushered in a new way to view the role of the goalkeeper, and it separated the goalkeepers who were great at just “plain old goalkeeping”, from goalkeepers who are today considered the “complete package”. Today, clubs want the complete package. So what if you can save a ball…so can the next goalkeeper standing behind your goal waiting to get in on the goalkeeping drill.

Yup, today would be a great day for you to start practicing the fine art of attack. Let me break down the role of the attacking goalkeeper for you in 4 easy steps:

1. Learn To Kick: Seriously, if you don’t know how to kick a ball from your hand, or from the ground out into attack, you better get started quick smart. What can you do to maximize your technique? Remember the wall drill we spoke about the other day here? Can’t get distance on the ball? I talk about how to maximize power and strength in The G-Code. Learning how to maximize strength, power and technique will help increase your kicking game and help aid attack.
2. Learn to Throw: The most underutilized tool in the goalkeeper’s arsenal is the trusty old throw. Let’s take the corner kick for example. If you catch the ball from the corner kick, being able to distribute the ball quickly from your hands to your attack, will aid in helping your team mates to build momentum to crush the oppositions defence. Learning how to maximize the strength of your arms, will also help you maximize the distance of your throw.
3. Move Out of “The Square”: Your 18 yard box is constraining you. It helps you position yourself within goal, and outlines the angle of attack, but it is a visual deterrent at best. Imagine that there were no 18 yard box surrounding you? You could move anywhere you wanted to. Therefore, moving with your attack (outside of your 18 yard box) is a great way of bolstering your effort on the oppositions goal, and aiding your attack as an added cog in the attacking machine.
4. Use Your “Other” Body Parts: No, not what you’re all thinking (get your mind out of the gutter)! Great goalkeepers can also juggle the ball. Learn how to feel the ball at your feet, on your knees, with your shoulders and chest. Being able to have “feeling” for the ball, and trap or even deflect the ball with the aforementioned body parts will also help you attack…surprisingly enough.

Now with that said, I want to show you what the attacking goalkeeper does to help maximize the effectiveness of his forward line in a high pressure situation. The following is a video of lil’ Jorge Campos, the Mexican legend, like a miniature horse on some serious steroids. Jorge played a major role in shaping the modern goalkeeper’s attacking style, he redefined goalkeeping in many ways, being not only an accomplished goalkeeper (a short-arse too boot), but a great on field player who understood that the shift in the role of the competitive goalkeeper was not something to shy away from, but to embrace and enhance the nature of the beautiful game.

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