The Role of the Goalkeeper (Part 1 of 4)

The following article (Part 1 of 4) was featured in the Scuola Calcio Magazine. Was written by Marco Stoini, Director of Coaching for San Luigi Calcio Trieste and Technical Director for Ascoli Soccer Academy.

While it is right to speak about field players attaining general understanding of and tactical insight into the game, it is important to talk about a different type of understanding for the role of the goalkeeper.

The role of the goalkeeper is specific and unusual and needs to be addressed in a specific way. Generally speaking, it is true that the goalkeeper must be a complete soccer player, (especially in today’s game, much more than in the past, because of the new rules of the game), but it is also true that the techniques and the typical actions of the goalkeepers are very different from the other roles/positions of soccer players and we cannot expect to simply develop a goalkeeper by just shooting in the goal.

The Goalkeeper could be defined a "super-soccer player": all technical skills must fully be developed.

For example:
- If a goalkeeper receives a pass back from a teammate and he does not manage the ball well with his feet he could loose trust from his teammates;
- If he lacks tactical understanding of the game (i.e.: offside) the entire strategy of the team could fail;
- If the physical size and physical qualities (strength and quickness) are not above average then we could find ourselves simply with an incomplete goalkeeper;
- If the mental capacities, psychological and personality capacities are not strong, then we could have inconstancy.

Some mistakes may be overlooked for field players but can not be the same for goalkeepers!

The goalkeeper does not carry the number 1 on the back of his jersey for no reasons, the number 1 must be managed and carried with absolute confidence.

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