Goalkeeping: Visualisation

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Goalkeeping: Dealing with back passes

For those of you, like me, who were actively playing before the back pass rule came in way back in 1992 will know what a luxury it was to be able to scoop the ball up from your defender if they were under pressure – us goalkeepers really weren’t ball players back then, our priority was mainly to spank the ball as far forwards as possible after receiving the pass!

Fortunately the game has changed, and I think the Back Pass Rule has been a change for the better, we have had to either adapt or die and notably many of the “senior” goalkeepers playing at that time of change struggled with the new rule and subsequently retired or slowly drifted out of selection.

I admit to originally being one of the goalkeepers who struggled to adjust, and without proper advice on dealing with a pass (it just never happened – in training I did not expect to be passed to, even if I was having a run out on pitch!) so I took the old trusted favourite of spanking the ball as far and as high as possible!

Was this beneficial to the team? No, but I did not realise any different as I was simply carrying on as before the rule change albeit with a new enforced change of technique! I carried on with this philosophy for years until I worked with my favourite ever Manager – a Brazilian ex-Pro who is now involved with the Cape Verde national team (so people have nice lives!)

Being a natural ball player, he encouraged his teams to “play” football and he wanted every player in his squad to be able to be comfortable and decisive on the ball. He was a fantastic coach and put player development above results. He was the type of coach who would spend hours after training with players on a one to one level. I cannot hold this man in any higher esteem than I do already.

Anyway I digress, but he taught me the merits of vision, and rightly acknowledged that I only receive the ball coming towards me so I should already know what options are available to me – I should be able to see all the pitch and space in the time the ball took to travel to me.

And boy was he right, no longer did I focus on the ball and getting all my weight through the clearance as instead my focus was “Can I play this first time to Player x?” or “Have I time to take a touch and build possession from the back?”. My game stepped up massively with this revelation and is something that I took into coaching.

I have had countless hours of heated discussions with Team Managers who only ever asked my goalkeepers to “Clear the bloody thing!”. I stayed true to the Brazilian ethics and actively worked with my goalkeepers to become players, play the ball short when necessary and to always show again for a return pass – we reaped both rewards and fans acclaim because of our idealogy, and even though the Gaffer may not have been too happy originally, he was soon won over by the decision making of my goalkeepers.

Football is about making the right decision at the right time, and by keeping possession allows your team “thinking time”. A long aimless hoof up field only alleviates the pressure momentarily, whereas a carefully selected slide pass to your full back forces movement of other players – movement which, if delivered correctly, can set your team up on the attack.

Be brave with passes, always be an option for the player on the ball and always know your options of distribution before you receive the ball – you’ll be surprised at just how easy football becomes when played the right way!

Injuries can be the bain of a goalkeepers life; there is only one position available in the team, so any time out injured will normally also result in a loss of starting place. Managers generally don’t like to chop and change goalkeepers, and providing your replacement has been doing his job, then you may find yourself out in the cold. 

Aside from my current knee injury (thanks to a Skoda driver who did not see a queue of stationary traffic!) my career was relatively injury free…..barring the odd niggle and wrecked finger which meant a couple of games out at the most. Although embarrassingly I actually pulled my hamstring ion the warm up for our last game of the season and had to be replaced before kick off! 

I came out the changing rooms, blazing sunshine and nothing to play for as both teams were mid table. I always carried a ball out with me, I don’t know why but it become part of my routine……’booof’ I volleyed the ball high into the air (I think the sunshine put me in a relaxed mood!) and SNAP! I felt my hamstring twang, followed by the immediate black and blue bruising. My Gaffer was not impressed……luckily we were then finished for the season, but even so I never did that again! 

I was always very lucky in that we had an exceptional Physio, and he conversed regularly with all of the Gaffers we had pass through the Club. He also understood the psychological aspect of injuries, and the fact that players hated missing out on playing football. 

He taught me how to manage injuries, and also to learn what my body is telling me. There was one instance where my tendon had collapsed in my foot (leaving me without an arch in the sole). It happened about 30 minutes into a game, and resulted with half time seeing him packing my boot with cotton wool to create a “pretend” arch. The game was absolute agony, but without his diagnosis I would not have been able to carry on. 

Because the Manager wanted me to play, as did I, the Physio gave me some exercises to do (with an ice cold drinks can!) and we managed the injury until it became tolerable. I’m not suggesting that everyone plays on when injured, but to seek professional advice and listen to what your body is telling you. 

There have been times when I’ve been out because of a fractured finger or cracked ribs (the latter happened on a Scottish FA Coach Education course! I pulled a rare worldy out of the top corner, and landed like a shot elephant!!). As far as I’m concerned, if you sign for a Club then you should turn up to Training and Games as normal, with or without injury. 

Even if you’ve been pied off by the Manager, then I feel that players should attend (unless asked to play for the Reserves), but I know that I am a rare breed nowadays with this opinion. 

If you are out injured then I would encourage you to do the same. It helps to stay involved, it helps to keep you fresh in the Managers mind and it also helps to earn the respect of your team mates and to set the tone for their behaviour. 

There is nothing worse than people who feel sorry for themselves. Those who mope around because they have a runny nose or slight headache should be embarrassed so don’t sulk if you are out injured for whatever reason. Don’t have a resentful attitude as this will rub off on the other players. Show that you are committed to gaining full fitness once more; keep in contact with the Physio, Manager, Squad and Supporters by attending all training and matches (unless advised otherwise), and maintain a positive outlook. 

Oh, and watch the diet! It’s incredibly easy to add weight if you aren’t able to be active for a while…you don’t want to return as a bloater!