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Wanderers Ways. Neil Thompson 1961-2021

The Goalkeeper Situation


desperado

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35 minutes ago, Casino said:

I guess its what all managers want

With this chap, he's too good a footballer and currently not a good enough stopper

I've heard it a lot with grass roots kids, who are really good shot stoppers, but can't kick for shit. Then their coaches are dumbfounded when they turned down by clubs. These are the 'now' keepers: reckon they've all got the ability, but no fundamental skills. 

Unfortunately, I think we may need a now keeper, rather than waiting for this one to come good for someone else. If BC was in a development squad I'd be delighted... 

I did a session recently with a few of grass roots keepers at NW. It was a disaster as they couldn't provide each other service, literally missing the changing rooms for five yards. 

As a nation we need to change: all kids need to become footballers before they learn a position. The next generation of keepers will need to be equally adept with the ball at their feet as they do in their hands. 

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13 hours ago, Dr Faustus said:

I've heard it a lot with grass roots kids, who are really good shot stoppers, but can't kick for shit. Then their coaches are dumbfounded when they turned down by clubs. These are the 'now' keepers: reckon they've all got the ability, but no fundamental skills. 

Unfortunately, I think we may need a now keeper, rather than waiting for this one to come good for someone else. If BC was in a development squad I'd be delighted... 

I did a session recently with a few of grass roots keepers at NW. It was a disaster as they couldn't provide each other service, literally missing the changing rooms for five yards. 

As a nation we need to change: all kids need to become footballers before they learn a position. The next generation of keepers will need to be equally adept with the ball at their feet as they do in their hands. 

Yeh that’s a good point. Being a good shot stopper is just not good enough now. And the youth development point you make is equally as valid.

It’s going to take a few years before we see the benefits of the approach of versatile footballers who’ve had child football playing in varied positions, not being pigeon holed into one position, being encouraged to play and not worry about results, futsal and small sided game approach.

I think this approach is right.

However it doesn’t help IE in the immediate. If you had a young lad who  was an established great shot stopper and comfortable sweeper keeper he wouldn’t be reserve at Fleetwood and struggling in a first 11 in League 2. Potential is all well and good, but with the ambition we have we’ve no time to allow him to grow and make mistakes. 

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I know football moves on but give me a keeper who’s a decent shot stopper, commands his 6 yard box and has a gob like Les Sealy/John Burridge and I couldn’t care less if he’s on stumps.

Being comfortable with the ball at his feet is the least important part for me and we’ll go back to that after stats prove sweeper keepers do more harm than good

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5 minutes ago, Horwich said:

I would have signed Jussi years ago and asked him to work in a daily basis with his son.

instead, we signed Ben Amos on a £10,000 per week 4 year contract 🙄

And a succession of goal-keeper coaches who, let’s be honest, are hardly household names in footballing terms.

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