11 Goalkeeper

coaching
Technical and tactical
aspects

Introduction

1 Technical aspects 2

2 Tactical aspects 14

3 The role of the goalkeeping coach 20

4 Example of a training session

for top-flight goalkeepers 21

5 Training exercices for young goalkeepers 25

 Goalkeeper coaching 11
Introduction

There was a time – not so long ago, in fact – when the role of the goalkeeper was considered to be less im-
portant than that of the other players in the team.

Nowadays, though, the situation has changed considerably – fortunately. In the modern game, all players
are considered to be on an equal footing, irrespective of the position they occupy.

Despite this, however, there are many specialists who feel that the goalkeeper has a special place in the
team, since he is possibly the only one whose performance can determine whether his team wins or loses
a match.

In this chapter, we shall be looking at the training of basic techniques and rudimentary tactical skills for use
in the instruction of goalkeepers.

At the end of this chapter, there will be an example of a training session for top-flight goalkeepers, as well as
various drills for young goalkeepers.

Even though a goalkeeper must, wherever possible, be given individual training at the hands of a specialist
coach, he also has to take part in training sessions with the whole team, thereby allowing him to be con-
fronted with real match situations.

“A good goalkeeper will make a

mistake every six matches; a very
good goalkeeper will do so every
nine matches; an excellent goal-
keeper might commit a blunder
every 12 matches; and the really
top-level, international-level goal-
keepers will make a mistake every
15 matches.”

Alan Hodgkinson,
former goalkeeping coach
of the Scottish national team

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11 Goalkeeper coaching

1. Technical aspects
In this section, we shall be looking at goalkeeping technique and everything that this includes. The explana-
tions will be predominantly provided through photographs and illustrations, thus making it possible to see
and analyse every movement in detail.
If at all possible, it is a useful exercise for the coach to film his goalkeeper during a training session. This not
only allows the coach to study the goalkeeper’s movements in slow motion, but also enables the goalkeeper
himself to watch his movement on screen. This image will then become part of the goalkeeper’s ongoing
learning and development process.
It is important that the coach stands fairly close to his goalkeeper in the various training sessions (approxi-
mately 5 metres away), thereby allowing him to analyse the work of the goalkeeper at first hand.
If he wants the goalkeeper to perform a movement more quickly, the coach should increase the power of
his shots or throws at the goalkeeper. But to begin with, he should allow the goalkeeper to become accus-
tomed to the movement with gentle shots or throws; this will allow the goalkeeper the necessary time to
execute that movement. Once the coach sees that his goalkeeper has reached a certain level of agility in his
movement, the coach can then start to strike the ball more powerfully to get the goalkeeper to work more
quickly.
The coach has to correct even the smallest detail during training sessions, as such details can prove crucial.
These corrections must, however, always start with the basics, namely the position of the goalkeeper’s feet,
his body and his hands, thereby allowing him to optimise his movement. There is nothing more infuriating
for a goalkeeper than for him to think that he has saved the ball, only to see it deflected and rolling into his
own net.
In the second phase of his coaching, the coach should move further away from the goalkeeper to perform
drills that resemble potential match situations as closely as possible.
The coach should then ask the goalkeeper to make certain body movements (sideways movements, side
shuffles, etc.) before executing his move. It is important to stress one thing, however: there is no point, for
example, in the coach forcing his goalkeeper to do a roll before diving, as he would never be called upon to
perform such a move during a real match.
If it is possible for the coach to work together with attackers, it can prove a worthwhile exercise for
him to watch his goalkeeper at work from behind. He can then correct him in his moves and his approach
without disturbing the smooth running of the rest of the training session. Observing the behaviour of the
goalkeeper during training, in games on reduced-size pitches and, in particular, during a real match forms
an integral part of the role of the specialist goalkeeping coach.

1.1 Footwork – Kicking the ball

We are not dealing here with explanations of the right move for the goalkeeper to make when kicking or passing
the ball out. Every coach will know these skills by heart, in any event. It is, however, worthwhile for the coach to
ask the goalkeeper or to explain to him exactly when during a match he should kick the ball upfield or simply
deliver a short pass out.
Indeed, one of the main mistakes that we see on a regular basis is a combination on the goalkeeper’s part of rush-
ing his clearance and wanting to kick the ball really hard.
Apart from the tactical issues that will be covered in the following pages, it is first important to establish certain
priorities. When the goalkeeper has plenty of time to make his clearance, he must first control the ball and let it
roll 1.5 – 2 metres in front of him, so that he has the whole of the playing area in front of him. He can then make a
long clearance upfield or play the ball short, without having to touch it again.
There is no point in asking him to control a ball on the turn and pass it out when there is no opponent for him to
beat, anyway!
When the goalkeeper is being pressed by an opposing attacker and does not have the time to control the ball, he
must ensure that he gets into the best possible position for making his clearance without merely striking the ball
as hard as possible. There is every chance in such cases that the goalkeeper will “fluff” his kick or, because of

2
a bad bounce, he will strike the ball with the outside of his foot and either give the ball straight to the feet of the
attacker or send it into his own net.
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

The goalkeeper must be nimble on his standing foot and must be able to strike the ball without rushing, as if he
were trying simply to “place” it 35 metres upfield.
The coach must be insistent about the goalkeeper doing regular drills, such as 5v2 game routines, where he will be
able to encounter situations in which he can make short clearances out. We shall be looking at this aspect in the
following pages.
The coach can work on long clearances as part of a simple analytical phase in the training session. For example,
the coach can stand in the centre circle and ask the goalkeeper standing in his area to close his eyes. The coach
calls out “NOW!” as he kicks the ball. The goalkeeper then opens his eyes and has to kick the ball clear with his
feet. This exercise replicates a match situation, as the goalkeeper will have very little time to execute his move.

We should also not ignore the mental aspect involved in such

match situations. It is precisely at such moments that we see
goalkeepers unable to execute even the simplest moves, !
purely because of a lack of confidence. For this reason, it is NOW
worthwhile working with handicaps in the performance phase
of training sessions. As described in the previous case (where
the goalkeeper had to shut his eyes), these handicaps can
help him to replicate a “stress” situation and, more particu-
larly, with the same split-second timing that is required in a
real match.

1.2 The movements of the goalkeeper

In this section we shall be looking at the technical aspect of the movements made by the goalkeeper.

The goalkeeper needs to display extremely fast footwork and com-

plete co-ordination for all the movements that he makes.

• Side shuffles
When the goalkeeper is standing on the goalline, he is often forced
to shuffle sideways to enable him to face the oncoming ball and also
to get his feet in the “ready” position to dive. It is important to em-
phasise here that the goal-
keeper must never cross
his legs when moving.

• Side shuffling in a duel

situation
The coach gets the goal-
keeper to stand in a 1-on-1
situation and to shuffle
sideways at the same time.

Side shuffle • Fast footwork in duel

situations
The coach has to insist
here on short and fast
steps.

Fast footwork in duel situations:

the coach must demand short and fast steps 3
11 Goalkeeper coaching

Correct position Wrong position Position of the hands

1.3 Catching/taking the ball

The manner in which the goalkeeper takes the ball is the best possible indicator of how confident he feels. It is vital
that the goalkeeper masters this action and that it ultimately becomes automatic for him. Work on catching the ball
has to start from a very young age.

As we shall see later, it is only by working on the finer points that the goalkeeper can be sure of taking the ball
safely. It has been found that youngsters all too rarely practise without their gloves on. Coaches do in fact do
the youngsters in their charge a great service by asking them to remove their gloves for a while! The goalkeepers
must be able to “feel” the ball and, above all, to see the work that their fingers, hands and, finally, their wrists and
forearms are doing. A good catch of the ball will always be the result of correct body positioning. We shall now look
at this in more detail. The goalkeeper’s chest must be positioned slightly forward, his legs flexed, and his arms must
always be extended in front of him to meet the ball.

The goalkeeper must always act first and not allow the ball to dictate the situation. In other words, he has to go out
to meet the ball and not wait for the ball to come to him.

The legs are often a pelvis-width apart.

Analytical phase of the training session

Drill 1a Drill 1b
(shooting from (side shuffle and catching the ball)
5 metres - 1 ball)

Drill 2
(shooting from 5 metres - 2 balls)

The goalkeeper throws his ball out

at the same time as the coach kicks
his ball to the goalkeeper, and the
goalkeeper catches the ball.
This movement should be repeat-
4 ed several times.
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

Drill 3
(shooting from 5 metres - 2 balls)

The goalkeeper then receives the coach’s

ball after he has thrown out his own. He
throws back the coach’s ball and catches his
own again.

Drill 4
(shooting from 5 metres - 2 balls)

The same as with Drill 3, but this time the

goalkeeper keeps the coach’s ball and kicks
his own ball, together with the one that he
has kept in his hands.

Drill 5

When the coach shouts “NOW”, the goalkeeper does a quar-

ter-turn and receives the ball from the coach. This exercise
calls for good, fast footwork. The goalkeeper also has to pay
close attention to the positioning of his shoulders. They must
always remain parallel to the goal line. The ball can also be
struck just under crossbar height to work on the goalkeeper’s
arm agility, so that he can either make a two-handed save or
tip the ball over with one hand.

Drill 6
Taking the ball while on the move
The goalkeeper has to shuffle sideways while
receiving balls delivered from both flanks.
The ball deliverer should wait until the goal-
keeper is close to the post before sending
the ball in to ensure that he can take the ball
cleanly. Otherwise, the goalkeeper can find
himself destabilised and forced to fist the
ball away one-handed.
Variation: The goalkeeper comes away from the post, and the coach aims the ball at the area in front of the goal.

Pre-competition-phase training
The coach stands (approximately) 11 metres away from the
goalkeeper. He varies his shots at the goalkeeper (drop-kicks
and volleys), and moves out to the flanks to play the ball in from
there as well. The goalkeeper bowls the ball out long overarm.
After his throw out, the goalkeeper moves (or positions himself)
according to where the coach is standing.
The coach must not strike the ball too hard, to ensure that the
goalkeeper can make one or two sideways shuffle steps before
catching the ball. Drill 7
Unfortunately, we all too frequently see goalkeepers diving

5
when they could have taken one or two sideways steps and
easily caught the ball cleanly.
11 Goalkeeper coaching

1.4 Taking the ball at chest-height

When the ball comes to the goalkeeper at just below head height, he has to make a catch that will enable
him to keep the ball at chest height.
As was the case with the previous ball-catching technique, it is important that the goalkeeper’s body re-
mains parallel with his goal line, with his chest inclined slightly forward and his arms and hands extended
to grasp the ball.
The goalkeeper will most frequently use this type of catch for
shots from quite far out to ensure maximum safety.

The exercises are simple to perform:

Drill
1. Analytical phase, shooting from 5 metres
2. Performance phase, shooting from 16 metres

1.5 Angle play

Although football is not an exact science, there are neverthe-
less certain parameters that can be overcome. The goalkeeper
can control one of these parameters by being ideally posi-
tioned to deal with the ball.
All too often, we see goalkeepers badly positioned before the
ball has even been struck. This either forces them to make
impossible saves or, more frequently, to be beaten, as all they
can do is deflect the ball into their own net.
The notion of angles is one of the parameters that coaches 1. head-on
can teach to the youngest goalkeepers in their charge. Coach-
es should not be afraid to attach a ribbon to both posts, as
shown in the illustrations below. A child needs to be able to
sense and see the space around him that he has to defend.

The triangle formed by the ribbon represents the shooting

angle. This goalkeeper must always use his shoulders as the
basis for this triangle. This is more straightforward when the
goalkeeper is facing a player head-on, but when the goalkeep-
er has to deal with attacks from the flanks, he has to be made 2. from the side
particularly aware of his positioning.

To help the goalkeeper find his bearings, coaches should not

hesitate to put down discs to show the goalkeeper the space
that he needs to cover to protect his goal.

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 Goalkeeper coaching 11

1.6 Going to ground

Going to ground is frequently confused with a dive. On a technical level, though, the approach to this move
is fundamentally different.
A goalkeeper goes to ground when he has to save a ball that is no more than 1.50 metres off the ground. The
goalkeeper has to go to ground to deal with two specific situations that can arise in a game.

a. A ground shot at goal

When a shot comes in from fairly close range, or is so powerfully struck that the goalkeeper does not have
sufficient team to move out to face up to it.

b. Duel situations
A 1-on1 duel, where the goalkeeper is forced to go out and win the ball one metre or so in front of him. We
can see that, in this position, goalkeepers squat with their bodyweight on their heels, and they have no other
option than to stick out their feet to challenge the opponent.

Stance (legs – body)

As with every goalkeeping movement, leg speed is crucial here; the inside leg has to fold under the body to
allow the body get down to the ground as quickly as possible.

Stance (hands) Stance (arms)

The goalkeeper’s arms should always come
forwards to allow him to deal with the trajec-
tory of the shot correctly.
Position of the hands: the outside hand
should be behind the ball, and the other hand
over the ball.
The goalkeeper must be able to achieve the
same “sensitivity” when saving the ball on
both sides.
The coach has to insist on the correct position
of the outside hand, especially when this is
his “weak” hand, as goalkeepers often tend
to cover this weak hand with their “strong”
hand, e.g. the right hand on top of the left
hand.

A bad The consequence of doing so is simple: the

catch: ball is rarely controlled properly. If the goal-
keeper has to go and challenge for the ball at
right hand speed, he will, in all probability, have time to
over left hand use just one hand. He must therefore make
sure that this hand is firm at the moment of
contact with the ball.

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11 Goalkeeper coaching

Analytical exercise
Shooting from 5 metres, with the coach telling the goalkeeper on Drill 1 (match phase)
which side he will shoot.

The coach begins the exercise by telling the goalkeeper where he will shoot,
and then finishes off by shooting at will without telling the goalkeeper.

It is important for this exercise that the coach does not shoot imme-
diately when the goalkeeper is up to the level of the cones. He should
wait one or two seconds before shooting
so that he can instruct his goalkeeper to
remain on his feet without moving (this is
very difficult during a match).
The tactical approach to be adopted
in 1v1 situations such as this will be
covered in the section on tactics.

Drill 2
(going to ground and moving out to one side)
When the coach shouts “NOW”, the goalkeeper moves to the correct side to close down the angle.

Drill 3 (match phase)

This drill can be performed either in

front of the goal or on either side. After
the first ball, the coach continues to
fire in shots (waiting each time before
taking the shot until the goalkeeper is
up on his feet again).
The coach must keep a close eye on the goalkeeper’s position, as illustrated under point 1.6 about narrow-
ing angles. The goalkeeper must always be able to deal with the trajectory correctly and, above all, know how
to position himself in the centre of his “new goal”. He will rapidly grasp that, by taking these actions, he will
be able to cover all of his goal, simply by going down for every ground shot or medium-height ball.

The coach must vary his shots during the drills, thereby replicating real-match situations. He has to alternate
the power of his shots, vary the height or even change the type of shot altogether (drop kicks, normal dead-
ball shots, etc.).

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 Goalkeeper coaching 11
1.7 Forward vault
It is always preferable for a goalkeeper to re-
main facing the ball.
This type of dive, which is often likened to
a safety dive, is extremely useful for dealing
with straight shots or especially when the
ball bounces 5 or 6 metres in front of the goal-
keeper.
The goalkeeper’s body and his hands must
always remain behind the ball. Stance (shot from 7 metres but without the goalkeeper
moving forward)

Drill 1 (match phase)

Shot from 16 metres

The coach asks the goalkeeper to move sideways
and then to make a forward vault save. To achieve
this, the coach has to adjust the power of his shots
to ensure that the goalkeeper has enough time to
move and be positioned facing the ball before mak-
ing his dive.

1.8 Low dives

When the goalkeeper goes to ground – as described above – the movement revolves around legwork; this is
completely the contrary for the low dive.

When the goalkeeper goes to ground, he has to fold his inside leg to allow him to get down as quickly as
possible. With a low dive, however, he has to use that inside leg to push himself off.

Observing goalkeepers making different dives (to save ground shots, medium-height or high shots) will
allow the coach to check that the goalkeeper always executes these dives with the same timing, namely a
three-sequence movement.
First, he has to move into the “ready position”, after which he does a sideways shuffle and then he pushes
off to dive.

The coach has to watch carefully here; the two most widespread problems are the following:

Poor timing
The goalkeeper can either be filmed in training or have a video camera trained on him during a match to
establish whether he is too slow getting into the “ready” position.
There are striking similarities here between a goalkeeper and a tennis player.
Apart from the mental aspect, we can see that the goalkeeper acts very similarly to a tennis player when he
is preparing to execute a movement. The tennis player also does a loosening up movement as his opponent

Stance (feet – legs)

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11 Goalkeeper coaching

is about to strike the ball, then a few side-shuffle steps,

gets his feet into position and finishes by playing his own Additional remarks
shot. • Regardless of whether the coach is working
on low dives, medium-height or high dives, he
Lack of thrust should always take shots at the goalkeeper
It is difficult to launch into a low dive by pushing off from 5 to 7 metres out during the analytical
with the inside leg, for two reasons: first, it is not easy phase of the training session. This is the best
to get the feet in the right position to do so, and second, distance from which to get the goalkeeper to
because the goalkeeper often incorrectly estimates the execute the right move.
thrust required.
He does not have the same problem for medium-height • During the “match” or performance phase
or high dives because the footwork required for these is of the session, the shots should be taken
from 16 – 20 metres out, with frequent vari-
obvious.
ations to the angle, power and especially the
It is even less straightforward to launch into a low dive
style of shot (e.g. curling shots, shots with the
by pushing off from the “weak” leg. Indeed, we often
instep or the outside of the foot. or powerful
see goalkeepers in such situations who cross their legs
shots).
so that they can push themselves off from their “strong”
leg!
• When working on speed, it is a useful ex-
The illustration below shows the goalkeeper pushing off ercise for the coach to keep shooting at the
from the inside leg. The foot must always be slightly in goalkeeper continuously, but still ensuring
front when the goalkeeper is in the “ready position”, to that he has time to get into the ready position
allow his hips and therefore his body to be in front of the and to make his dive.
line.
The comments above concerning taking the ball and the • It should be pointed out here as well that
position of the hands also apply for when the goalkeeper any form of shooting drill involving the rest of
goes to ground, as he also has to take advantage of any the team will help the goalkeeper to become
help that he can get from the pitch! more accustomed to real match situations.

1.9 Medium-height dives

Stance (feet- legs)

As previously mentioned, the medium-height dive is the easiest dive for the goalkeeper to execute – simply
because it demands the use of the goalkeeper’s “natural” skills.
The goalkeeper shuffles sideways and then pushes off initially with his outside leg, followed immediately
afterwards by the inside leg.

Stance (body)

10 The goalkeeper has to go for the ball with his arms and his hands in a slightly forward position.
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

1.10 High dives Stance (feet – legs)

Although this dive should be really enjoyable for goalkeepers, it often

turns out to be a nightmare for them.
It is technically easy to execute, provided that the goalkeeper is ready
for it mentally and has the physical capacity to enable him to pull it off.
We often see goalkeepers who want to launch into a dive, but they then
change their take-off and the move they are about to make, purely out
of fear. And the fear that they have is the fear of falling. And as long as
this apprehension remains within the goalkeeper, he will never be able
to “let himself go” to make this type of save. The coach therefore has
to help him mentally: by making him repeat this move through various
drills where he is forced in particular to get his footwork right and launch
himself into the dive without holding back at all.

We can draw parallels between the child about to take its first perilous
steps and the goalkeeper diving towards the top corner of the goal. The
goalkeeper needs to have plenty of space around him to manage his fall. Stance (body - arms)
If the coach sees that the goalkeeper is still reluctant, he can try working
with him in a gym on multiple simple diving routines using a mat or even
a trampoline.
However, the coach should not be too demanding about the quality of
the goalkeeper’s movement. After all, the prime objective is simply to
save the ball.
Those coaches who are able to watch their goalkeepers in training will
observe that the position of the body in the air varies from goalkeeper
to goalkeeper, as this depends on the individual’s power and explosive
strength, but above all on the distribution of leg/body weight.
For example, if the goalkeeper’s leg musculature is less well developed,
his position in the highest phase of the dive will be almost horizontal;
whereas with a goalkeeper whose leg muscles are far better developed,
his legs will remain much lower in the air.
When the goalkeeper does not have the time to catch the ball two-
handed, he will need to deal with it with just one hand.
Unfortunately, though, these saves are all too frequently executed with
the “weak” hand. Stance (outside hands)
When the ball is heading for the bottom corner of the goal, the goal-
keeper should always use his outside hand, as this will give him much
longer reach when going for the ball.
However, for shots that come in just under the crossbar, e.g. about one
metre inside the post, the goalkeeper can easily use his other hand as
well.

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11 Goalkeeper coaching

1.11 High balls

What drives a goalkeeper to go out for a ball in the midst of a
group of players? The simple answer is confidence. This confi- There are four different trajecto-
dence can be seen in two specific actions with a goalkeeper: ries that need to be studied:
taking high balls and 1v1 duels. 1. balls to the near post
Despite all the work on the training ground during the week, 2. balls to the far post
there will be times when a goalkeeper will not go for certain 3. balls going towards the centre
high balls in a match because he does not feel up to it on that of the goal
particular day. The coach can merely stand by and watch, pow- 4. balls aimed directly at the goalkeeper
erless, when faced with such a scenario.
It is, however, important that the goalkeeper is positioned
absolutely correctly before the ball is struck; otherwise he could place himself at risk by offering a tempting
goalscoring opportunity to an opponent. We shall look at this in the section devoted to tactics.
The goalkeeper has two possible solutions for the four types of trajectory listed above: either he can opt to
go for the catch and hold on to it, or he might decide not to take any risks – for various reasons (too many
players in the box, the flight of the ball is difficult to deal with or the ball has been too powerfully struck, etc.).
He will then prefer to punch the ball out, either one or two-handed – depending on the conditions.
The following exercises can be used as a warm-up to introduce a training session on dealing with high
balls.

Drill 1 Drill 2

The coach throws the ball The first ball is thrown to

high to the goalkeeper and the near post. The coach
then goes to harass him as then asks the goalkeeper to
he is about to catch it. make a diagonal sideway
shuffle towards the edge of
the 6-yard (5-metre) box for
the second ball, and then
vice versa for the last ball.

Drill 3 Drill4

Stance Stance Stance

Catching the ball in the Catching the ball at the Catching the ball at the
centre near post far post

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 Goalkeeper coaching 11

Stance for a two-fisted punch Stance for a one-fisted punch

The same run-up is used for catching the ball and for punching it away. The goalkeeper has to strike the ball
when it is still in front of him, and not after he has come to a standstill with his run.

As far as drills that replicate real match situations are concerned, the coach should test the goalkeeper
with a wide range of different shots, inswinging and outswinging corners, crosses from the flanks, and balls
played deep into the box, etc. During the warm-up phase, it is beneficial to ask the goalkeeper to perform
drill 3 under normal conditions first, and then to get him to repeat it by asking him to close his eyes and wait
for the signal “NOW!” (when the ball is being struck) before he reacts. In this way, he will be able to achieve
almost perfect timing.
The combined drills (high balls and clearance throws) will be dealt with subsequently.

1.12 Kicking and throwing the ball clear

As the movement involved here is so obvious, we need not describe it in detail in this section.
We can, however, illustrate this with the help of series of photos, so that the correct movement to be per-
formed can be studied at a glance.

Throwing the ball Full-volley punt Drop kick

out
In particular, it is important to
The key points to observe are the watch how the ball is thrown and
movement, as well as the position the position of the balance foot.
of the body and arms.

Combined drills
Just before the goalkeeper Drill 1 Drill 2
catches the ball, the coach 2 = by hand The same as for Drill 1
2a = with the feet
can give the goalkeeper the
choice of kicking the ball out,
throwing it, or distributing it in
whichever way he chooses.
The coach must ensure that
the goalkeeper does not
rush his throw. If he does,

13
the quality of the throw will
inevitably suffer.
11 Goalkeeper coaching

2. Tactical aspects
The culture of employing tactic and tactical systems is now well developed in today’s game. However, even
though coaches have brought a wealth of variety to playing systems that can be applied by outfield players
playing in open space, this evolution has scarcely had any bearing on goalkeepers.
This section is devoted to the tactical aspects involved in goalkeeping. The tactical skills acquired by a top
goalkeeper will be the result of many years of study, experience, as well as several seasons spent on the
pitch.

This section illustrates the basic tactical principles for the goalkeeper.

2.1 Position on the pitch

The first factor that determines the goalkeeper’s positioning on the
pitch is, of course, the position of the ball. • “First of all, check where the
Unfortunately, we often see the situation where coaches ask their ball is (40, 50, 60 metres away)”
goalkeeper to stand high up the pitch if the defence is also defend- • “Is there a team-mate between
ing high up the pitch. the goal and the ball-carrier?”
• “Is my defence defending high
While it is certainly true that goalkeepers playing at the highest up the pitch?”
level should not stand too high up the pitch, the same does not
necessarily apply for young players, as they are unlikely to be lobbed
from 40 metres out.

Juste Right

Wrong

Faux

Positioning at a corner
for the goalkeeper’s own team
When the goalkeeper’s own team is taking a corner, it is wise for
the goalkeeper to stand fairly high up the pitch. This will allow
him to cut out a long clearance played by his opposite number,
given that his own defenders will often be positioned on the
14 halfway line in a 2v1 or even 2v2 situation.
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

We regularly see goalkeepers standing very high up the pitch when

the ball is in their own half.
for Not only does this positioning not help them; it also puts them in a
ne ng
Zo aimi all difficult situation, as they are forced to track back and are especially
cl e b
th
vulnerable to a lob being played by an opposing player. This repeated
mistake stems from the goalkeeper’s wish to cut out the long ball.
When the defence is lined up across the pitch, the goalkeeper has
to come to claim long balls played into the centre from one of the
flanks.
The goalkeeper can come
to claim the ball
For balls played from the centre of the pitch out to one side, however,
the goalkeeper should, for the most part, remain in position. This al-
lows the defender to go and challenge for the ball and will force the
attacker to change his run on the goalkeeper and take him out wide
(a more difficult angle for the attacker to work from).

2.2 Footwork – Kicking the ball

A few years ago, this topic would not even have merited discussion
for the simple reason that the goalkeeper did not need to use his feet
The goalkeeper cannot to challenge for the ball. Unfortunately, or fortunately – depending
claim the ball on which way you look at it – the rules have now changed.
(he has to go into a 1v1) We have seen that numerous errors are committed by goalkeepers,
solely because they rush or because they are wrongly positioned at
the outset.

There are three main phases of play where the goalkeeper needs to
use his feet to kick:
• dealing with short passes played back to the goalkeeper
• playing the ball long upfield
• booting the ball long upfield while under pressure from an attacker
The initial positioning of the goalkeeper before he strikes the ball will
determine the outcome of his kick.
First of all, the goalkeeper has to be taught how to work with space.
We often see goalkeepers coming out 12-15 metres to receive a back
Positioning pass from a defender when the defender is standing approximately
25 metres out. This obviously reduces the space between the ball
carrier, the attacker and the goalkeeper.
Right The goalkeeper will therefore put himself under pressure from the
attacker (who will pounce on the chance to go for goal) and will have
to take considerable risks when clearing the ball. Instead of this, the
goalkeeper could have run towards the byeline into space, thereby
allowing him to make an easy clearance under no pressure whatso-
ever.

Short pass back to the goalkeeper

Wrong
This short pass occurs when the defender is about 20 metres away
from the goalkeeper and opts to play the ball back to him. As the
goalkeeper needs the full co-operation of his defenders for this
move, good teamwork is crucial. When the defender opts to play
the ball back short to his goalkeeper, two of his team-mates need to

15
make themselves available so that the goalkeeper can play the ball
back short again and therefore retain possession for his team.
11 Goalkeeper coaching

Long clearances
Clearing the ball upfield under no pressure from an opponent is similar to a goal kick. The ball is cleared with
a rolling ball and under no pressure; the opponents are far away from the action, and the goalkeeper has the
necessary time to execute the move.

Long clearances under pressure

In certain situations, the goalkeeper has to play the ball long upfield (because he is unable to play it short).
If the attacker comes up to pressurise the goalkeeper, the goalkeeper will have only a limited time to execute
the right move. However, he must not rush his movement.
To help the goalkeeper with his footwork (kicking) skills, it is vital that he is included as an outfield
player in training sessions with the whole team.

2.3 Duels
The 1v1 duel is often a source of mistakes for goalkeepers. He has been told far too often and for too long
that he should move out to narrow his angles. Unfortunately, a significant number of goalkeepers just launch
themselves indiscriminately into a 1v1 situation. In so doing, though, they unintentionally present the at-
tackers with a scoring chance.
We are talking here about clear 1v1 situations, and not when a long ball is played into the box, which the
goalkeeper is able to claim after sprinting out and diving on it. A 1v1 here means that the attacker is still in
possession of the ball.
It is clear that if the goalkeeper has not gone to ground correctly, (see description of this movement under
Technique 1.7), it becomes more difficult for him to make a proper save. But before the goalkeeper goes to
ground, the attacker must have decided to shoot – and this decision will depend solely on the behaviour of
the goalkeeper.
Although this theory might shock several coaches, it is the result of many years of studying and observing
goalkeepers and is based on the established fact that the attacker himself reduces his own shooting angle,
because he is forced to keep going forward if he does not want to be caught by the opposing defender.
The attacker frequently shoots when he is between 6 and 11 metres away from the goalkeeper. If we tell the
goalkeeper to stand 12 metres off his line while the attacker bears down on him unopposed from 40 metres
out, the attacker will be left with two extra goal-scoring options, namely the lob and dribbling round the
goalkeeper. Either of these would be child’s play for a player of any talent.
On the other hand, if the goalkeeper stays 5 metres off his own line, the attacker will have to come towards
him, as he will never risk shooting from 20 – 25 metres out. First, in doing this, the goalkeeper will give his
defenders time to track back; the attacker will then feel under pressure, as there is no simple solution avail-
able to him. He will then find himself forced to shoot in the last remaining 50 centimetres.
We very often see in match situations like this that the attacker shoots wide of the post. And when
that happens, you will hear people saying how incredible it is that a player should miss such a sitter.
Unfortunately, though, no one ever seems to say: “What a fantastic goalkeeper!”

2.4 High balls

In the modern game, a goalkeeper simply cannot afford not to deal with high balls, as they very often result
in goals.
First of all, we will look at high balls from dead-ball situations and then at high balls from open play. Free
kicks from the flanks will be dealt with subsequently.
It is clear that the positioning of the defending team for corners will depend on the head coach, on his views on
defending, his tactical choices and the qualities that his players possess. The goalkeeping coach and the goal-
keepers themselves can, however, voice certain wishes themselves to ensure that the danger zones are covered!
It is, of course, logical that the initial positioning of the goalkeeper for an outswinging corner is not the same
as that for an inswinging corner.

Inswinging corner
These are the most difficult trajectories for the goalkeeper to deal with, especially when they come in hard
to the near post and when the goalkeeper can, unfortunately, do nothing more than move along his goalline
to challenge for the ball.
It is impossible for the goalkeeper to go to meet the ball at the near post, as the ball is very often deflected
just before it reaches the post. It is therefore wise for the goalkeeper to be moving along his line, so that he

16
can attempt to save the ball after it has been deflected. Obviously, if the flight of the ball allows him to do
so, the goalkeeper can then catch the ball more easily.
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

ote
d Position
t -fo
lef
The goalkeeper must be 1 metre off his line and standing exactly be-
tween both posts. If the coach puts a player on each post, the player
at the near post will stand glued to that post, while the player at the
far post will have to come in about 1 metre to try to block the flight of
the ball. The shaded area shows where the goalkeeper must stand to
be able to come out to claim the ball.

Outswinging corner
te d
ht-
foo Many goalkeepers place themselves at an enormous disadvantage
rig
for corners delivered like this, as they remain glued to their line from
the moment when the ball is struck.
It is a known fact that outswinging corners usually come in some-
where between 3 and 9 metres out from the goal line. Obviously, if
the goalkeeper remains on his line, it will be difficult for him to claim
a ball that comes in 7 metres away from that line!
One other aspect that the goalkeeper must not take lightly is the
influence that he can have, as a result of his initial position, on the
behaviour of the corner-taker.
For example: If the goalkeeper is standing 3 metres off his line before
the ball has been struck, the corner-taker will aim the ball further
away from the line; the goalkeeper will then be able to react more
easily to allow him to take the ball.

Long balls played into the box

The goalkeeper should go for this type of ball only if it comes in at a
height where he can easily gather it. If there are attackers under the
ball as it comes in (either with or without defenders challenging for
it), it is unadvisable for the goalkeeper to go for it. The attacker does
not have a lot of options open to him and the danger is minimal, so
the goalkeeper merely places himself in difficultly by wanting to go
out and claim the ball.

High balls from open play

We are looking here at a specific phase of play that takes place in a
particular zone (the shaded zone).
When an opposing winger is attacking down the left or right flank,
the goalkeeper should try to read his timing; the attacker will nearly
always behave in the same way.
He will push the ball in front of him, raise his head to check on the
positions of his team-mates and the defenders, and then focus on
the ball again.
At this precise moment, the goalkeeper has to come 3 metres off his
line, so that he is in the same starting position as he would be for an
outswinging corner.

17
11 Goalkeeper coaching

2.5 Free kicks taken from the flanks

The goalkeeper’s priority must always remain the same: not to con-
cede a goal. So the first question he has to ask himself is: “Can the
opponent score directly?”
By free kicks taken from the flanks, we mean those taken in the
shaded areas.
Three different situations can arise here:
• a left-footed striker of the ball (taking an inswinging free kick, for
example)
• a right-footed striker of the ball (taking an outswinging free kick,
for example)
• two strikers of the ball – right and left-footed (taking an inswinging/
outswinging free kick)
It is essential for the goalkeeper to analyse these factors quickly.

The inswinging free kick

The goalkeeper must be in line with the second man in the wall. He
must then react in the same way as he would for a first-time shot
direct on goal.

The outswinging free kick

The goalkeeper’s initial position and his approach have to change for
the outswinging free kick. He should not stand in line with the wall,
which will be positioned in such a way as to block a direct shot on
goal. He should then come off his line to adopt a similar position to
where he would stand for the outswinging corner.

Free kick taken by two players (inswinging/outswinging)

As we saw previously, the goalkeeper has to maintain a sense of
priorities.
It is logical in such situations for the goalkeeper to act in the same
way as he would for an inswinging free kick (direct shot on goal).

2.6 Free kicks from a central position

We are not dealing here with questions like: “How should the goal-
keeper line up his wall”, or “How many players need to be in the
wall?”
It is nevertheless important to highlight certain key points. It is
logical that everything should be done to ensure that the goalkeeper
sees the ball as it is being struck, whenever possible. Unfortunately,
though, the impossible cannot be achieved; and in some situations
the ball may not always be visible.
The goalkeeper must stand in line with the last player in the wall.
However, if this player is standing too close to the post (less than 1
metre away), the goalkeeper should possibly move towards the cen-
tre of his goal. As a result, he will not see the ball being struck. He
must therefore remember to add an extra player to the wall to ensure
that his goal is completely covered.
A number of players from the opposing team will often come and
stand in or close to the initial wall, and these players will block the
goalkeeper’s view as the ball is struck.
The best way to deal with such a scenario is to ask the goalkeeper to
stand in the middle of the goal and to be ready to move either side
18 to make a save.
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

If the goalkeeper is in a normal position (i.e. in line with the last

player in the wall), he cannot concede a goal on the narrow side, but,
by the same token, he will not be able to deal with a shot to the other
side, either.
Defending teams will often position a player slightly away from the
wall, whose role is to run out to challenge for the ball if it is laid off
to another player from the free kick. It is important for the goalkeeper
that this player is ideally placed.

Unfortunately, we frequently see such players standing right next to

the wall. This presents a considerable disadvantage, as one oppos-
ing player – or even several – will often come up to prevent this play-
er from breaking out. And because of the positions that they have
taken up, these opposing players completely block the goalkeeper’s
view of the kick being taken.

There is one solution to ensure that this player is never in the goal-
keeper’s field of vision, namely to position him in front of the wall.

19
11 Goalkeeper coaching

3. The role of the goalkeeping coach

The goalkeeping coach has to work together with the head coach to enhance the quality of coaching overall,
and to assist with the preparation of the goalkeeper. This working relationship might encompass the follow-
ing aspects:

• The goalkeeping coach’s vision and understanding of the goalkeeper’s role;

• The role of the goalkeeper in the team’s playing system;

• The choice of targets/objectives for training;

• The planning of targets/objectives for training;

• Specific training with the goalkeeper(s);

• Coaching the whole team (e.g. in simulated match situations);

• Mental preparation of the goalkeeper;

• Selection of the goalkeeper for the match;

• Post-match analysis: assessing the goalkeeper’s performance;

• Unearthing and scouting for goalkeeping talent.

The goalkeeping coach also forms an integral part of the coaching staff as a whole.

“The most important in football is the match - and winning that match. What we
do in training, therefore, must be directly influenced by what happens during the
match.”
Frans Hoek

20
 Goalkeeper coaching 11
4. Example of a training session for top-flight goalkeepers

• This training session was taken from the analysis of a competitive match.
• The match in question was an away match for FC Barcelona
• Normally, Barcelona like to build from the back, so they usually play the ball to someone in the back-line
or midfield.
• This was not possible against this opponent, however, as the defenders and midfielders were all being
heavily marked.
• The only option was to target long balls to the attackers.
• Every ball in the air was being lost, and this led directly to a counter-attack from the opposition.

The options available to the goalkeeper

• When the goalkeeper received the ball, he could try to play it as quickly and as deep as possible.
• He could try to pick out a player in the front-line, who might win the first challenge.
• He could play the ball to the no. 10 position, who would then lay the ball off.
• He could play high, deep balls to the no. 9 position.

In the training following this match (a training session with 4 goalkeepers), we chose the last of these op-
tions.

Objective of the training

– To keep possession when the goalkeeper has the ball for a goal-kick or a rolling ball by playing it to the
no. 9 position.

What is required from the different players?

From the goalkeeper:

The necessary technique to play a high, deep ball over the opponents into space for the no. 9 to play it.

From the no. 9:

To create space for himself to receive the ball.

From the rest of the team:

To create space for the no. 9 before the ball has been played. The outside players then stay out wide, with
the no. 10 remaining behind and the no. 6 and no. 8 also keeping their distance. They must also anticipate
the right moment to make themselves available and challenge for the knock-down once the ball has been
played.

The training for the goalkeepers

1. Warming-up without the ball
2. Warming-up with the ball passing and driving balls
3. See exercises on the following pages.

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11 Goalkeeper coaching

Training for top-flight goalkeepers

1 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
Example of a drill with four • Goalkeepers making
goalkeepers. (G) the passes
G1 plays ball towards G2, – play the ball as if it were
who receives and controls a goal kick.
it and plays it to G3. G3 – play the ball as if recei-
controls the ball and plays G2
ving a back pass, with
a one-two with G4, who both the right and left
then passes it back to G2. foot. G2
After making their passes, • Goalkeeper receiving the
G1, G2, G3 and G4 change ball
positions. G1
– receives the ball as if it
Points for the coach to had been played to him
observe: by an opponent: either
• Goalkeepers making rolled along the ground
the passes or kicked.
– Kicking technique: • The goalkeepers stand
> approach – in an area between 5 and
> standing foot 15 metres away from the G4
> kicking foot goalkeeper who is recei-
> balance ving the ball.
> striking the ball – between the ball and the G3 G3
> at the right moment goalkeeper who is recei-
> in the right place ving the ball:
> with spin (backspin) > pressing the players after
> follow-through the ball has been played.
> taking up a new posi- Distance
tion – The distance can be in-
• Goalkeepers receiving creased or reduced.
the ball Direction of the ball
– Position – Not only through the cen-
– Moving out to meet the tre, but also diagonally
ball to the players out on the
– Receiving and controlling flanks.
the ball
– If he is playing the ball
back to the player who
passed it to him, he has
to choose how to play
this ball:
> with just one touch
> or by controlling it
(with a good touch, he
should be able to play
it either long or short).

22
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

2 Match-related training drill

Procedure Variation:
G1 must play the ball over • The goalkeeper pas-
the (obstacle) goal to the sing the ball
player on the centre – playing the ball from:
line (a high ball). G2 starts > a goal kick G3
on the goal line of another > a rolling ball
goal and may not let the G1
> on his right/left foot
ball touch the ground.
When he is in possession, Distance
he may play the ball into – between the goals
one of the other two goals. – between one of the goals
After every ball played, G1 and the halfway line
& G3 / G2 & G4 change Positions
position, and after playing – From different positions:
more than 20 balls, they > behind the goal
switch sides. > next to the goal
Points for the coach to – Distance increased or
G2
observe: reduced
– Playing the ball towards
• The goalkeeper making one of the two goals:
the pass > throwing the ball out G4
(see training situation 1) > drop kick
• The goalkeeper recei- > volley
ving the ball > rolling ball
– Position > goal kick
– Starting position > on his right/left foot
(for the deep ball played
in)
– The moment to set off
– His run towards the ball
– Receiving the ball
– Playing the ball towards
one of the two goals

3 Match-related training drill

Procedure – Where the ball should be
G1 plays the ball over the hit and how
goal (obstacle) and the – Body balance and stance G3
goalkeeper in the posi- – Follow-up after the action G1
tion facing the goal. G2 • The goalkeeper recei-
attempts to intercept the ving the ball
ball. When he has posses- – Position
sion, he plays the ball to- – Starting position
wards one of the two goals. – Footwork
Points for the coach to – How he receives the ball
observe: – How he plays the ball G2
• The goalkeeper pas- Variation:
sing the ball – The same as those men-
– Technique of driving the tioned in training drill 2
ball hard
– Approaching the ball
– Standing foot - kicking
foot G4
– Moment of striking the
ball
23
11 Goalkeeper coaching

4 Match-related training drill

Procedure driven powerfully
G1 plays the high ball over – has to choose the right
the (obstacle) goal in the technique
space in front of the centre • The goalkeeper recei- G1
line beyond the reach of ving the ball
the goalkeeper, or he – position
drives the ball over the – starting point
goal and the goalkeeper – the moment for him to
into the empty net. go (= when the ball is
G2 (and G3) attempt to stop played in)
the ball before it bounces – footwork
or goes into the net. When – receiving the ball G3
they have possession, they – how to play the ball
play the ball towards one of when he is in posses-
the two goals. G2
sion.
Points for the coach to Variation:
observe: – The same as those men-
G4
• The goalkeeper pas- tioned in training situa-
sing the ball tion 3
– has a choice between a
ball struck high or a ball

5 Match-related training drill

Procedure – has to receive and
The goalkeeper plays a control the ball correctly.
high / lofted ball into the • Supporting players
space for the no. 9. – have to create space for
The team that wins posses- the no. 9.
sion must retain possession – need to anticipate the
and string together three ball coming.
passes, after which they can – have to back the no. 9 up
score in the empty goal. as he receives the ball
Points for the coach to and help him to create 11 9
observe: an opening.
– must be prepared to go
• The goalkeeper pas-
into a challenge for the
sing the ball
second ball, if necessary.
– must wait until the no.
9 has created space for Variation:
himself. • The goalkeeper pas- 10
– must have eye contact sing the ball 8
with the no. 9 – Goal kick
– must use the proper – Rolling ball
technique for delivering – Drop kick
a high/lofted ball. – Volley
– Back pass (right / left 1
• The player receiving
foot)
the ball
– must make space for Balls played to
himself. – the no. 11
– needs to have body con- – the no. 7
tact with the defender – the no. 10
(and to know where the Match
defender is). – Play is always started
– has to move for the ball at with the goalkeeper in
the correct moment (after possession of the ball
the ball has been played Follow-up after the action
24 by the goalkeeper). – Break - rest
 Goalkeeper coaching 11
5. Training drills for young goalkeepers

• One of the most crucial elements to be worked in the training and development of young players is the role
of the goalkeeper in launching an attack.

• It happens all too often during goalkeeping training sessions that the coach simply does not throw or kick
enough balls at the goalkeeper.

• It is imperative that training replicates real match conditions. The goalkeeper must be forced to deal with
the same tempos of play and the same difficulties as he would be in a real match.

• The coach must ensure that the goalkeeper can learn how to kick and throw the ball out properly during
training sessions (as he would have to during a match), by confronting him with real match situations.

• Goalkeepers must learn how to deal with backpasses played to them from different angles and anywhere
in their penalty area.

These aspects are taken into account in the following drills that can be used in addition to normal training.

Logical sequence (from easy to the most difficult)

– Purely technical training
– The ball is played, and the goalkeeper has one choice.
– The ball is played, and the goalkeeper has two choices.
– The ball is played, and the goalkeeper has several choices.
– Real match situation.

The following pages contain various training drills with emphasis on catching the ball and distribution of
the ball (throwing and kicking).

25
11 Goalkeeper coaching

Initiation and improvement phase

(for children and youngsters at pre-training/development stage)
1 Training drill
Procedure > goal kick
– The ball is played against > rolling-ball kick
a wall, a hanging net > back pass
or a goal (or any large (every action should
space) 5 to 10 metres be performed with
away (with the distance both the right and left
gradually increased). foot)
Aim Distance
– To get the goalkeeper – The distance is gradually
being coached to copy increased to suit the in-
the actions of the coach dividual.
or another goalkeeper Size of the goal
(using the “monkey see, – The height and width of
monkey do” principle). the goal are often redu-
Variation: ced for this drill.
– Techniques to be worked Extra activities
on: – The player can also be
> volley given work to do at home,
> drop kick e.g. playing against a wall.

2 Training drill
Procedure overhead) with and
– The ball is thrown from without bounce
goalkeeper to goalkee- > sling-throw (side-arm
per. and overhead) with
Aim and without bounce
– Hand-eye co-ordination Variation:
is generally better than – Increase the distance
foot-eye co-ordination. – The players have to hit
The ball should therefore the goalkeeper’s body
be played at the (challenge)
goalkeeper’s body. – They have to try to score
Variation: (with or without the ball
– Techniques: bouncing)
> bowling roll – The size of the goal can
> overarm (side-arm and be changed.

26
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

3 Keepers’ game: working on distance

(+ direction)
Procedure > overhead
– The goalkeeper(s) has/ > sling:
have to try to throw the > sideways
ball over the opponent’s > overhead
goal line. > two-handed throw
– The ball can be thrown > the goalkeeper can
from where it is caught. choose the type of throw
– The ball can be thrown Distance
from where it goes out of – Pitch:
play. > long - short
Aims / Emphasis > wide - narrow
– Change the distances With several goalkeepers
– Stay out of the other – Throw out to nos 1,2,3,
goalkeeper’s area. etc.; each one of them
Variation: is allowed to catch the
– Technique: ball.
> bowling roll
> overarm throw:
> sideways

4 Training drill
Procedure
– Volleyball for goalkeepers
(1v1/2v2):
> Throwing the ball
Aim
– To try to throw the ball 2m
over the net into the
other goalkeeper’s area.
Emphasis on
2m
– Direction
Variations:
– Kicking instead of throwing:
> volleying
> drop-kick
> goal kick

27
11 Goalkeeper coaching

5 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
– The ball is played from – Techniques:
the cones into the > throwing the ball out
goalkeeper’s hands. > kicking the ball out
Aim > volleying
– Direction and speed > drop-kick
(weighting of the ball) > goal kick
> kicking a rolling ball
> kicking out a back
pass
– Change the distance and
different positions
– Shoot with power

6 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
– 1v1, with one – Techniques:
goalkeeper > bowling roll
attempting to > overarm But normal But de handball
score against the > sling:
other. Normal > the goalkeeper
rules apply. can choose the
Aim type of throw
– To use different – Goals can be 11m
throwing techni- scored only by
ques. directly hitting
the net (i.e.
11m
without the ball
bouncing)
– Vary the
distances.
– Vary the size of
the goals.

28
 Goalkeeper coaching 11

7 Training drill
“Keeper shoot and save”
– The same as Exercise 3, See Exercice 3
but with kicking instead.

8 Training drill
Procedure
– Foot tennis for goalkeepers (1v1/2v2)
– The same rules as for volleyball – or with variations

2m

2m

9 Training drill
Procedure > from lobs
– The goalkeeper has the – Which goal?
ball and throws (or kicks) > towards one of the
it towards the empty available goals
goal. > the goalkeeper can
Aim choose
– Receiving the ball and – Increase the distances.
initiating the build-up. – The ball can be played
along the ground or
Variation: through the air.
– Techniques: – A straight or a dipping
> build-up techniques ball.
– depending on the dis- – Directly into the net.
tance and the quality of
the goalkeepers
– Receiving the ball:
> from shots
> from crosses
> from through balls

29
11 Goalkeeper coaching

10 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
– The goalkeeper kicks – Techniques:
the ball over an obstacle > using every type of
(goal / wall = opponent) kicking technique
into another goal. – Distance:
Aim > the goalkeeper can be
– To be able to play the further away
ball over opponents: > the goals can be closer
> powerfully struck ball / to each other
chipped ball (encouraging more
(depending on the chips)
distance of the
obstacle and goal)

11 Training drill
Procedure
– The goalkeeper receives a cross and then throws or
kicks the ball out to other side of the pitch.
– The balls are played out to the flanks
wide out to the wings
Aim
– Receiving the ball and initiating the build-up.

Variation
– The balls are played out wide to the flanks.
– Back passes.

30
 Goalkeeper coaching 11
Pre-training and development phase – improvement exercises

1 Training drill
Procedure > balls played at different
– The goalkeeper plays the speeds
ball to the coach who > goalkeeper is allowed
has kicked it to him. only one touch of the ball
Aim > goalkeeper is allowed
– To play different types of only two touches of the
ball with both the right ball
and the left foot. – From different distances.
– From different positions.
Variation – With the ball played to-
– Different types of ball wards the goal.
(played by the coach): – With a goalkeeper in the
> to the goalkeeper goal.
> goalkeeper coaching
> from the flanks
> rolling balls
> high balls
> powerfully struck balls

2 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
– Keepers kicking the ball – Distance between the
and playing 1v1; goals.
– A free-kick wall (2x2) – Types of kicks: 11m
between the goalkeepers > volleying
Aim > drop-kick
– To be able to play the > rolling balls
> goal kicks 11m
ball over and around op-
ponents.

3 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
– The goalkeeper has the – The goalkeeper can start
ball and initiates an at- play with:
tack for his team-mates, > a goal kick
who are playing 5 v 3. > a rolling ball
The ball starts with the > a volley
goalkeeper each time. > a drop kick
The goalkeeper’s team > throwing the ball out
scores in the large goal; > choosing himself how
the other team scores in to restart play
the two small goals. > playing a ball passed
Aim to him by the coach
– To decide who to play > playing a back pass
the ball to, and how to
play it.

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11 Goalkeeper coaching

4 Training drill
Procedure Variation
– The coach plays a back- – The ball played to the
pass to the goalkeeper, goalkeeper by the coach
who receives it and then can be:
plays it to another goalk- > easy
eeper. > difficult
– The distance can be
Aim
varied.
– Receiving the ball and
– The ball can be played
playing it out.
from different positions
on the pitch.
– The ball can be played in
from both flanks.

5 Training drill
Procedure Variation:
– The coach (or another – The goalkeeper can play
goalkeeper) plays the the ball in as many ways
ball to a goalkeeper, as he chooses:
who then receives it and > using every type of
plays it towards a goal. kick
Aim > using every type of
– Receiving and playing throw
the ball. > from different
positions in front of
his goal

6 Training drill
Procedure Receiving balls
– The coach plays a ball to – Driven with force.
the goalkeeper, who then – Lofted balls.
plays it over another – Back passes.
goalkeeper in the goal. Waiting goalkeeper
Aim – Close to the goal.
– Receiving / playing the – Further from the goal:
ball. > should he try to
– Driving the ball hard: intercept the first ball?
> Choice of technical
move
Variation
Playing the ball
– With the hands.
– With the feet.

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