Goalkeeping Advice
The four main qualities of a
good goalkeeper are bravery, agility, good judgement and a safe pair of hands.
Good postioning is essential for any goalie. He must be aware of where the ball
is at all times.
The goalkeeper must be in control of his own goalmouth at all times.
He being the player with the best view of open play must take advantage and
shepherd his team mates into formation.
We all know what can happen if you take your eye off the ball for a second or
two... just ask Neil Sullivan!
You have to be agile to
get across the goalmouth at a moments notice. Get as much of yourself behind the
ball as you can.
For high crosses, it is essential to meet the ball at its highest point, before
the attacker has his chance.
Use your wrist to flick and twist the ball to safety. Know how to shape your
hands when stopping a shot.
Form a 'W' shape, thumbs meeting at their ends, fingers outstretched, not
leaving any room for the ball to squeeze through.
Keep feet about a shoulders width apart, taking small quick steps rather than
long overstretching ones.
When gathering the ball, either from a cross or a shot on goal, always be quick
to get both hands onto the ball.
With the new back pass rule,
goalkeepers have had to adapt from picking the ball up, and have learnt to
become
an important part of their teams attack! With quick distribution upfield, he can
turn an attack from one end of the field to the other.
The goalkeeper must spend hours developing and perfecting their kicks, either
from dead ball situations or open play.
An accurate, quickly taken throw from open play will have the oppostion on the
back foot, putting team mates at an advantage.
