The Changing Role of the Competitive Goalkeeper

Hi John,

Congratulations on your great website. It’s great coming across a site like yours. There are several thoughts I want to share to see what you think about, so I’ll through them:

1) Pato Abbondanzieri, The Getafe-Argentinean gk. I don’t know if you have mentioned it before in your site, I haven’t had the chance to check the 400+ posts, but he is very important in the new role goalkeepers play nowadays and how training should change as a result of these changes. You stress the evolution of GKs, therefore Its important to take a look at this guy.

He might be in general terms a bad shot stopper, however shot stopping is not the only thing a gk has to deal with. Crosses, punts, pks, ruling your box, and reading the game are huge part of goalkeeping. The latter situations are performed brilliantly by Abbondanzieri. He might be one of the best (if not the best) performing them. That’s why he is in such a great level even though he is a poor shot stopper.

Take a look on how he cuts crosses, how he reads the game, comes out of his box, play with his feet and his punts. Oh my God, his punts!!! There nobody on this planet that punts the ball better than him, from the ground as well as of his hand. I had the chance to see him play. His punts are long and accurate, little hanging time, rotation to the ball to facilitate the reception, and most important of all, he is constant.

Pay attention to these things. Imagine if all the gks where taught to punt like him, instead of conforming with “as far away as you can get it”. The game of football would be much more spectacular and quick. It’s something that would change the face of the game. This brings me to a conclusion on how we are still dealing with old goalkeeping paradigms. The coaches of nowadays grew up with the back pass rule and other paradigms and this is reflected on how the other aspects of the game (others than shot stopping) are poorly treated during practice. It’s time to get more real. Although shot stopping is very important, it is not all there is. You might face only 3 or 4 shots in an entire match while in the rest you are going to deal with crosses, reading the game, being vocal, playing your box, punts, and playing with your feet.

I’m going to risk in my following statement because it can vary from match to match and team to team. Generally, a match is 30% shot stopping and 70 % other than that, those things that Abbondanzieri does so well. I don’t think practices match this percentage.

However there is good news. There’s change. When I was training in Cruz Azul in Mexico city a couple of summers ago I remember we used to have a two hour practice once a week dedicated to just punting and distribution. More good news, I see goalkeepers like Petr Cech and Robinson learning how to do the sidekick.

Like a gk coach I had once said: “You can be a wonderful shot stopper, but if you can’t punt and use your feet, you are like a brand new Ferrari, with no engine. You are no good”. Let’s strive to be complete goalkeepers, for our own good, and for the good of the game.

Before leaving Abbondanzieri, he is excellent saving pks. He reads the player and chooses one side but he doesn’t dive, he just gives a very little step to that side and waits until the kick.

2) I was wondering if you have had the chance of studying the different gks schools and find pros and cons. The German gk schools are all about acrobatics and breaking the dive very fancy with rolls. Also, before the shot comes they do a big hop. Kahn is from this school.

Then we have the European school which I don’t know where it has its origins. A lot of side steps characterize this style, while before every shot there is a swing in the arms from back of the body to the sides, palms facing each other. Barthez does this, as well as Casillas and many others.

There are other gks that are more static before the shot like Van der Sar.

What do you think about this? Pros and cons?

3) Please Try to take a look at Mexican gk Jose de Jesus aka “Chuy” Corona. I hope he moves on to a bigger team, but this guy is seriously amazing, great hands, great technique, great cutting angles and he can play with his feet and punt.

I know its a long email!! I’m very glad being able to share my thoughts.

Cheers,

Paco Banuelos

Uh-huh…so after all that, his name is Paco! Paco, thank you for sharing this great insight with the Keeper Skool community. My thoughts:

1) Yes, the game has transitioned significantly. The nature of the goalkeepers role entails that they know how to use their feet, and other parts of their body effectively.

2) Very good call with your analysis that 70% of the game now revolves around other facets of the game. But…catching the ball effectively is the first and most important aspect a goalkeeper’s development, can’t catch a ball effectively, why you keeping for?

3) In my experience of different styles of goalkeeping, I would never try to align myself with the style of just one goalkeeper, though an analysis of many different goalkeeping styles should be taught at an early age. Being a martial artist in just one style (for example) does not make you a complete martial artist, same with goalkeeping. Being fluent in many different styles is a must. If goalkeepers have the time, money and resources, they should learn many different styles from many different teachers, then choose the style with the right “feeling” for them. Wishful thinking I know, but in all cases adaptation to styles of play is critical also. I developed very much in the Croatian style which emphasises footwork (always on your toes) and much acrobatics.

Paco, again we thank you…great insights! We’ll analyze Pato Abbondanzieri and Chuy Corona (if I can find some videos) in individual posts.

Be Sociable, Share!

•