When observing Goalkeepers in action there are three main areas to
consider.
- Personality
- Technical
- Tactical
Obviously the extent of their technical and tactical expertise will be influenced
by their age and stage of development.
It is important to realise that the art of Goalkeeping is about :-
Consistently Keeping the Ball out of the Net,
and whilst it is useful, in analysing performance, to break the Goalkeeping
art into components you must not lose sight of this primary objective. Furthermore
do not expect to find the finished article.
As the Keeper may not have a great deal of work to do during the game it
is advisable to arrive early and watch him in the warm up.
Personality
- Presence. How much is the Keeper in control rather than controlled
by the situation?
- Competitiveness. How much does it mean for the Keeper to keep the ball
out of the net?
- Concentration. Does the Keeper live every moment of the game?
- Ability to recover from mistakes. Unless the Keeper has the mental
strength to handle mistakes and put them behind him he will never be successful.
Technical
- Footwork. How quickly does the keeper move to get into position?
- Handling. Does the Keeper have reliable strong,safe (soft) hands?
- Shot Stopping. Is he difficult to beat?
- Positioning. Does he make the difficult look easy?
- 1 v 1 situations. Does he have the courage to dive at feet?
- Crosses. Does he make good decisions coupled with good technique?
- Distribution. Is he comfortable throwing,kicking from hands and feet?
- Dealing with the Backpass. Is he composed,does he make good decisions
and pass accurately?
Tactical
- Supporting the Defence. Does he take up good supporting positions when
his team is in and not in possession?
- Communication. Is it effective? When (early), What (relevant and to
the point), How (clear with authority).
You could also add physical to the areas when considering a Goalkeeper
especially with age. It would be very unfair to condone a nine year old because
he is too small, it should be judged for older kids after their growth
spurt. Upper body strength, power and speed are the vital components.
The
London FA Goalkeeping Licence |
