Roger’s fitness training philosophies have been embraced by the likes of Scotland and Kuwait National Teams, clubs such as Sporting Lisbon, Vitoria Setubal (Portugal), Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal, Manchester City, Vissell Kobe (Japan), FC Porto, AEK Athens and Panathinaikos to name a very few of his global clientele.World renowned managers such as Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Carlos Quieroz, Sir Bobby Robson, Mario Zagallo and Carlos Alberto Parreria have all embraced the elite training methodologies that have been developed by Roger. Currently, Roger is the CEO of Maximum Performance Limited, Consultant Coach Educator at U.E.F.A. and is the Head of Performance for the Austrian Football Association.In this exclusive interview, we ask Roger how specifically he has helped develop goalkeepers at top flight clubs he has worked with and what he for-see’s as the next evolution of goalkeeping development in the coming decade.

Roger, please accept a warm welcome to Keeper Skool.

1) Walk our readers through your background in football. You started as an apprentice at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the late 60s, though what initially attracted you to coaching?

RS: I had a series of bad injuries and had many conflicting treatments and training advice, so I decided to study alternative methods from Brasil, Portugal, Spain, Argentina etc and became addicted to the Latin methodology of training and coaching.

2) Over the years you’ve helped physically prepare players in some of the largest clubs in the world. Apart from outfield players, what are the key methodologies you use to help develop goalkeepers at an elite level?

RS: The key method is in bilateral development of the left side of the body and the right side.The next is to train the goalkeeper like a dancer, fighter. Cold mind fast hands, fast limb speed and focused concentration.

3) You’ve had the opportunity to work alongside some of the very best managers in the world, names such as Mourinho, Wenger and Robson to name a very few. How did they view the fitness and development of the goalkeeper and how it related back to enhancing the team dynamic?

RS: Each of the managers above mentioned have on their staff a highly qualified and specialist goalkeeping coach, whose sole responsibilty is the physical/psychological/technical/tactical welfare of all of the goalkeepers.The collective work is done by the manager or his assistants and the individual work is done by the goalkeeping coach.

4) Over 30 years you’ve had the opportunity to work alongside many of the very best goalkeepers in the world. Whom would you say were your stand out goalkeepers, and from a physiological perspective, what made them so effective at the highest competitive level?

RS: Vitor Baia at Porto was a fantastic athlete but was always ice cold and deliberate in all of his actions,as well as being an outstanding footballer with the ball at his feet. Ferenc Mezaros(Hungarian International) at Sporting Lisbon was always aware of his duties not only as the last defender but also as the first attacker, his distribution was unbelievable, from defending a corner he could in a split second launch a counter-attack with his brilliant awareness of attacking responsibilities, I think many goalkeepers worldwide neglect this aspect of their work.

5) In your role with the Austrian Football Association, what are some of the key strength and conditioning principles that you have implemented to help the Austrian National team perform at a peak level?

RS: The key principle is in FIT (Functional Integrated Training) to make the power and reaction training 100% football specific, there is a vast difference in being «gym strong» and being «football strong».Also working on Neuro Muscular Facilitation,to reduce the transition time between thought and physical action.

7) You’ve been the strength and conditioning coach for numerous national teams as they played at the highest level of world football, what are the key ways you have prepared elite level footballers mentally before a tough competitive match?

RS: Players at the elite level are already very highly tuned from their daily club training, the key is to tune the collective and making them think and act as a choreographed unit.

8 ) Explain the concept of Capoeira (Brazilian Martial Arts) in football, and how do you feel it could benefit or translate into the competitive goalkeepers training strategy?

RS: As already stated a modern goalkeeper has to be a dancer/fighter and this is what capoeira is, it prepares the goalkeeper for all eventualities and unexpected movements of the opponent and the ball.The goalkeeper is in a state of constant awareness regardless of the proximity of the ball, constantly readjusting his feet, hands in relationship to the play.

9) In your role as a consultant coach educator with UEFA, what specific physical training methodologies have you enacted for younger goalkeepers, and how do you feel these have helped enhance the European goalkeepers ability over their global counterparts?

RS: The base of all work especially with the young goalkeepers is in counter- movements, teaching them the principles of «loading the muscle before exploding» alongside a graduated plyometric training schedule. This is done with the ball and without the ball (game specific) and is taught as early as possible. Then teaching them angular awareness, reading and adjusting to the opponent and reducing his angles of option.

10) With sports science being such a prevalent part of the modern game, what kind of training methodologies and nutrition guidelines do you integrate in your programs? How does it enhance your goalkeeper’s game?

RS: Sports science has a vital role in development, with a structured testing system each player goes through a battery of performance and fitness tests, as well as postural analysis and video gait analysis.Also his nutritional and dietary needs are analysed and each player has an individualised supplement prescription as well as what, when and how to eat.

11)  What do you see will be the key developments in goalkeeper training and performance in the coming decade?

RS: I believe that all learning is circular and some of the methods lost in time will be rediscovered, as well as the natural evolution in ball technology, uniform technology and computer technology will push the envelope even further.

Roger, thank you for your contribution to Keeper Skool, and all the best wishes for you this year with your many football endeavors.

Post from: Keeper Skool

Keeper Skool Interviews Roger Spry

The National Lightning left it extremely late to clinch victory, with their winner coming in the 94th minute of the match, which sent the 40,000 crowd in the Estadio de Bata into delirious celebration.

The victory was somewhat of a shock, especially since Senegal had been tipped by many to go far in the tournament.

The defeat was the second of the tournament for the Senegalese and they now exit the competition they expected to go far in, with their coach Amara Traore expecting to make the semi-finals at least.

The Teranga Lions had thought they had kept themselves in the tournament after equalising in the 89th minute, through Moussa Sow.

The host nation were not to be denied though with Kily firing in an unstoppable 25-yard shot four minutes into added time. There was still time after that for Equatorial Guinea centre back to be sent off, capping an extraordinary end to the game.

Randy had opened the scoring for the Lightning in the 62nd minute, firing home at the back post, after Kily had sent over a inviting cross.

The co-hosts will fancy their chances against anyone in the last eight after beating a Senegal side with a highly fated front-line of Demba Ba, Pappis Demba Cisse and Mamadou Niang.

The West African’s exit from the tournament is good news for Newcastle though as it means that Ba and recent signing Cisse will be returning to the club earlier than expected, though that will be of no concern to the Senegalese supporters, whose wait for African Nations Cup glory goes on.

Written by Mike Jones, a big fan of placing a football bet at the weekends!

Post from: Keeper Skool

Co-Hosts advance after stunning Senegal

Right now, we are on the cusp of agreeing to have 1 scout be involved in our US markets, and possibly a top flight goalkeeper coach from the UK whom is looking at coming down to all events to help out. I promise that this post will be the first of many, and as such, I’ll be adding a lot of details around the camps on a weekly basis as we finalize everything.

Following are the dates for a handful of cities in the US, plus Glasgow (Scotland, UK)…including registration links, and a handy link to Facebook (please join and become a fan today by clicking here):

Phoenix (Standard) – http://www.regonline.com/KeeperSkoolPhx

Phoenix (Elite) - http://www.regonline.com/KeeperSkoolPhx2

San Diego (Standard) - http://www.regonline.com/KeeperSkoolSD2

San Diego (Elite) – http://www.regonline.com/KeeperSkoolSD

Glagow (UK – Standard) – http://www.regonline.com/KeeperSkoolGlasgow1

Glasgow (UK – Elite) – http://www.regonline.com/KeeperSkoolGlasgow2

Follwing is a list of the other dates for cities apart from the ones listed above…

July 18th – San Diego (Standard)

July 19th – San Diego (Elite)

July 20-21st – Phoenix (Elite)

July 25-26th – Phoenix (Standard)

July 28th – Dallas

July 29th – Austin

Aug 1st – San Antonio

Aug 3rd – Philadelphia / S. Jersey

Aug 4th – Mass / CT

Aug 5th – ME / NH / CA

Aug 8-9-10-11 – Scotland (Scotland, UK)

So you may see that I’ve listed 2 camps at each venue for our finalized dates. One “standard”, and one that is “elite”. Let me provide a little more info about these sessions at a high level (don’t want to give away any spoilers):

Standard: For goalkeepers 9-13 years of age. These sessions will comprisem core technical drills, game based scenarios and goalkeeper wars with prizes at the end for each participant.

Elite: For goalkeepers 14-18+ years of age. These sessions will be intensive and comprise of 30-45 minute practices over several sessions throughout the day that align very closely with my 10 Weeks to Goalkeeping Success training metholdology (please sign up for the free report at the top right of the page).

Across all events, (and I am working hard to make sure this comes to fruition), Keeper Skool are aiming to give away the chance for a handful of lucky goalkeepers a trip to train with a club in the US, alongside a possible chance to also have access to one of the very best goalkeeper physical development guru’s in the US. (More details to come…)

I’m working away very hard alongside the team right now to secure sponsors for the event, whom will also be giving away some great prizes. NOTE: If you are part of any youth soccer association in the US and UK, please forward this link to your children and parents to let them know about this fantastic series of events, coming to a city near you!

Please reach out to Chris at ccampasano@phxprosoccer.com for further information about the Keeper Skool Goalkeeper Camp Tour.

Note: Changes to dates may be made depending on overall response and registrations to the dates listed in this article. We will notify any attendee well in advance if any changes are made to the above cities or dates, and or, if new venues and dates are being added.

Post from: Keeper Skool

Keeper Skool Goalkeeper Camp Tour – US & UK

I assessed many of the young goalkeepers around technical, tactical, strength and plyometric ability.  Following the event, I was asked by Phil and Karl to provide an assessment of the young goalkeepers whom we could recommend for further trials and assessments in England, and it was great to get their support and feedback. Following are a few action shots of myself training the goalkeepers at the Sydney leg of the Pro Football Roadshow Trials:

(Above: Young goalkeepers gearing up for a strenuous drill)

(Above: Pep talk during the goalkeeper drill to motivate the goalkeepers)

(Above: Some great footwork before the dive)

(Above: Great coverage and forward momentum to stop the ball)

(Above: One of many stellar saves!)

(Above: Expertly using the feet to push out the ball)

(Above: Excellent footwork and concentration before an awesome diving save)

(Above: Karl Kirkwood, Phil Thomsposn and I overlook a great pep talk by Nathan Gray).

I’d like to thank all the goalkeepers whom had showed up from the Keeper Skool family across all three events in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Each and eveyone of you had put in some extremely dilligent and hard work and am sure that you will continue with future success ina and beyond the goal. Hope you enjoyed the action shots above!

You can also access more information and interact with other trialists from the roadshow events via the Pro Football Trials Facebook page. Become a fan today to gain access to future events all around the globe.

Post from: Keeper Skool

Goalkeeper training at Pro Football Trials event in Sydney

Speaking to a few of my female work colleagues about what they think is appealing in a guy, and they suggested the usual tall, dark and handsome spiel (check). Apart from that, they mostly want there guy to be a take-charge kinda lad (check). If the guy gets cocky, then the girls would find that unappealing (put a cross next to that).

Artur Boruc is a super goalkeeper (double check with a cherry on top), but man does this Polish goalkeeping dynamo cop a whopping dose of pig-headedness. Following is a recent game against Croatia where Boruc “flips the bird” at Croatian fans:

There seems to have been many incidents around Boruc and his tenure at Celtic that have tended to be “unprofessional”, yes, but I’d tend to take the stance that these scenarios are child-like and mostly laughable by the goalkeeper. Just last year Boruc refused to shake the hand of Barry Ferguson after a 3-0 loss to Rangers, stating:

“But, to be honest with you, I just don’t shake hands with people I don’t like. There is no obligation to do it.

“I don’t have to do anything if I don’t like them. I won’t be spending Christmas with them or anything like that.

“I just don’t like the way Rangers players play football – especially Barry Ferguson.” (Source: Stephen McGowan; Daily Mail).

Sore loser? NAH!

Sometimes the intensity of the game has gotten the better of the big Pole, and there was that incident with team mate Lee Naylor when Celtic played against Spartak Moscow. But why do we get riled up about Boruc’s antics? Is it derogatory? Or is it entertainment?

In the 60′s people laughed off a young Cassius Clay (before he opted for the name Muhammad Ali), they thought it was all just jive talk, especially when he said he would beat up that “big ugly bear” Sonny Liston…but he still did it!

Same with Boruc, I can’t stand hearing what the guy says, or sometimes does on the global football stage, but I can’t help be mesmerized by his performances. With time, much of this cockiness fades, but it proves a point that “talking it up” can seem cocky, but it is sometimes a form of “self-talk” that is outward rather than internal, which can be a positive way of sticking to your guns and keeping your head straight in the dizzying heights of competitive football.

Post from: Keeper Skool

Artur Boruc plays positive role model and flips the bird at Croatian fans!