That Long Silence…

It never fails to get to me, that period during a game where all you hear are the cars swooping by on the main road, and the birds chirping in their trees. One of the most blatant things a goalkeeper can do is not communicate effectively. Communication is the difference between great and mediocre goalkeepers, winning and losing. When a goalkeeper communicates, he/she puts forward a powerful process of momentum and uplifts a team whom are losing focus. Let’s look at some ways a goalkeeper can communicate effectively to maximize their own performance.

1. Be Loud: Don’t be a mouse in goals. As a commander of your defense you must articulate your commands loudly. If your team mates can’t hear you, they will not be able to mark opposing players or manoeuvre in your 18 effectively. Gaps will be exposed, walls won’t cover any attacking situation, and blunders from crosses and other attacking situations will ensue.
2. Delegate: Great commanders know how to delegate duties to others within their war-zone. Goalkeepers need to learn how to talk turkey with their team mates in their 18 yard box and beyond. No one is going to command your goal area for you. Therefore, it is best to be able to allocate time during the training week, where you delegate duties to your defenders so that they contribute more effectively to your defensive effort.
3. Keep Moving: Goalkeeping is 80% mental. If the mind is quiet, then you are certainly not on your game. Goalkeepers need to learn how to move through the full 90 minutes of the game. Standing within your 18 does not help. Continually moving during your game, staying on your toes and communicating continually can help the mind stay focused and lead to better performance.

Never be silent during a game. Silence does not equate to great goalkeeping. Goalkeepers who learn how to communicate effectively ultimately become better at their game, and do their work more effectively. So, take time to learn the effective process of communication, we talk about it in our “10 Weeks To Goalkeeping Success” report which is free for all of you.

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