Goalkeepers must Maintain focus during the game

One of the most difficult aspects of being a goalkeeper is maintaining their focus throughout a game.  It's so easy, when the ball is in the attacking half of the field to start to wander and watch games on other fields, or things that are happening in the stands etc.

The problem with a goalkeeper losing concentration is at that point; they are no longer helping their team.  When keepers think of themselves as the last line of defense, they tend to relax when their team has the ball because they don't think of that as a part of the game they are involved with.  However, this means that the goalkeeper is not going to be available to provide support or guidance for their teammates.  Also, there is a good chance the keeper will be unprepared for a quick counterattack.

When a keeper understands the importance of staying involved throughout the entire game, the keeper is able to provide support and guidance to their teammates.

So, the obvious question is, how does the keeper stay mentally connected throughout the game?

First, the keeper needs to stay close to the play.  It's easy to do when the other team is attacking and putting pressure on the goalkeeper but when his team has the ball and is near the opponents 18, the keeper can't be standing back by his goal.  As the ball goes further from the goal they are defending, the keeper should go out as well.  When the ball is near the opponents 18, the keeper can go 30 yards out which makes it easier to stay connected.  Plus, it allows the team to use the keeper on a back pass if necessary and it allows the keeper to be ready for a long clearance if the opponent suddenly wins the ball.  Just by closing the distance between the keeper and the ball makes it much easier for the keeper to stay focused.

The second way to stay focused is through communication.  When the keeper’s team has the ball, they can help their teammates out tremendously by telling them what to do (“play it wide”, “back”, “man on” etc).  While the keeper has to be careful about talking too much (if a keeper talks constantly, the team will tend to “tune them out”) they can give guidance loudly and also talk to themselves the rest of the time.  By doing this, they will help their teammates out and also stay focused throughout the entire match.

Another way to stay focused is to watch for tendencies of the opponents (and of your teammates).  If you know what your opponent likes to do in a given situation, it's a lot easier to prepare to stop them (and at halftime, sharing these observations with your teammates will help them out as well).  Knowing which player on the opponent wants to use their left foot exclusively, which player wants to chip everything and the team that looks to get the cross off is when you really start to make the transition for shot blocker to goalkeeper.

I frequently hear that “you have to be crazy to be a goalkeeper”.  It's always been my opinion that you have to be extremely smart to be a high-level goalkeeper, as you have to make split second decisions on a regular basis.  To train your mind to become a better goalkeeper, stay focused throughout the entire match and help yourself and your team become more successful.

Jeff Tackett