Goalkeeper Coaching

By James Marley

Abstract

This chapter will address the lack of an evidence base to inform goalkeeper coaching by considering how coaches can enhance the development of young goalkeepers using four core skills which have been identified by elite goalkeeper coaches: decision-making, athleticism, mentality and technical skills. The chapter will begin with a ‘lay-of-the-land’ look at traditional goalkeeping methods, and will critique why they may not be the most effective ways of developing goalkeepers in the context of an ever-changing and increasingly challenging role that goalkeepers play in the modern game. It will then apply principles of ecological dynamics and nonlinear pedagogy to consider how representative goalkeeper training sessions can be designed and delivered which closely reflect, and prepare goalkeepers for, the intense demands of the position in game scenarios. Overall, the chapter aims to help goalkeeper coaches develop the highly evolved subject knowledge and pedagogical understanding required to excel in their profession. In doing so, it will address a well-known gap in literature in terms of the lack of research into goalkeeper coaching.