20
Goalkeeping | 2. General preparation
coach can work. But if the team is amateur and only trains
(Well-structured) amateur clubs, professional clubs and
once or twice a week, you can imagine the difficulties in
training centres
implementing a coherent programme to enable a goalkeeper
These benefit from better structures than basic amateur
to progress.
clubs, which allows: • work with the goalkeepers in good conditions,
Planning training for goalkeepers clearly involves constant
• sports and school schedules to be harmonised,
adaptation.
• medical support programmes,
This is why we need to analyse the issue in greater depth
• the best players to be discovered and recruited and
and take into consideration external factors which exist at
progress made on a regional and then national level,
each level of the hierarchy. Methods, tools and advice can
• preparation courses to be offered,
be put forward to improve goalkeepers’ day-to-day work.
• participation in prestigious national and international
We need to ask ourselves the questions:
tournaments,
“WHO? WHEN? and WHAT?” is done with goalkeepers in
• the door to be opened to the various national teams.
training?
WHO? • the goalkeeping coach. WHEN?
Young players
• use the time when the goalkeeper is not involved in group work,
Amateur clubs
• additional training,
WHO?
• before or after group training.
• coach,
WHAT?
• another person (former goalkeeper at the club, current
• 6-12 years old
goalkeeper, volunteer), • agreement with neighbouring clubs to implement specific goalkeeper training sessions. If the person involved is a former goalkeeper, he will have knowledge of the position. Otherwise documentation or videos will have to be used rather than the person’s imagination. WHEN? • one extra training session, • before or after group training. WHAT? 1 training session a week is not enough for a detailed general plan. This is because: • specific training must be limited to the technical aspect, • the specific features of each age group must be taken into account, • physical preparation is carried out as part of group training, • we introduce the elements of speed and coordination into specific exercises, • care must be taken in meting out efforts.
– the specific nature of the general preparation of young goalkeepers in this age category must be taken into account, – it is essential to learn, repeat and perfect basic goalkeeping techniques, – this is the age when a young goalkeeper can acquire specific motor skills, – a lot of work on coordination, stability, movement, and suppleness with and without the ball. • 13-18 years old – the players must adapt to eleven-a-side football on a full-sized pitch (technical aspects: aerial balls, tactical aspects: goalkeeper’s place in the formation), – the goalkeeper’s potential must be carefully assessed, noting qualities and faults, to better focus individual work, – respecting the rules for each age category, we can work progressively on the four general preparation programmes (technical, physical, tactical and mental). It may be a good idea to work in short cycles (2 weeks) where technical qualities can be associated with physical qualities (complementary elements): • aerial balls, returning the ball to play + jumping, • 1-on-1 challenges, reflex saves + speed, • standing saves and diving + coordination.