In honour of Buffon

Check out these saves! If this doesn’t motivate kids to become goalkeepers…..I give up!!

Manuel Neuer – The perfect GK

I know most of you would agree that Manuel Neuer is the best goalkeeper around today. He has it all in his locker!! Top drawer at shot stopping, dealing with crosses, dealing with through balls, distribution and he seems to have his defenders well organised. He was deservedly recognised at the Ballon D’Or and in my opinion, he is the best keeper we’ll see for a very long time!

Neuer has fantastic quick feet for his stature, which helps him to get to the right place at the right time (which some people misunderstand to be lucky!!). Standing 6ft 3′, he has presence, he’s agile and one of the best technicians in today’s game.

I could watch him all day:)

Realistic game related training

Training sessions need to have realistic objectives depending on the age and ability of the goalkeepers. A seven year old might need work more on ‘1 v 1 situations’ rather than deep crosses to the back post.

It’s important to know the different approach you should have when coaching different age groups. I found this article quite interesting. Even though it’s regarding American Football, I believe the key points are fundamentally the same.

You should consider the following when preparing your session:

Warm Up

Try to incorporate the main theme into your warm up. For example, if you’re planning on working on shot stopping, make sure your warm up includes all of the hand shapes.

Technical theme

Every session needs to have a technical theme. What exactly do you want your goalkeeper to learn today? The development of technique is dependant upon correct practice. Even the best goalkeepers in the world need to polish their technique every day.

Tactical application 

Good coaching is about rehearsing situations that might occur in a game so that the goalkeeper can deal with anything. It’s always the mistakes that are remembered so we try to reduce the number of errors. Mistakes are usually due to a technical error, a poor starting position or making the wrong decision. We as coaches stimulate match situations in training so the goalkeeper can consistently respond correctly.

Fitness

Players start to lose their flexibility from the age of 10. Longer stretching regimes are recommended so they can remain supple. It’s very easy to tailor your sessions with emphasis on agility, power, speed or endurance.

Cool down

Don’t forget the cool down! I hated to cool down – I still do. Getting older and…..not so subtle, I realise the benefits of getting rid of lactic acids.

As a good coach you should always evaluate yourself. Did my players enjoy the session? Did they learn anything new? Did they improve? How can I be a better coach?