The problem with goalkeepers is that they are a nostalgic breed.
I say "the problem" of course there are many problems with goalkeepers. But here's one. Most
goalkeepers seem to be suckers for a bit of nostalgia.
And that's the thing about goalkeeper glove makes like Reusch and uhlsport.
Well, well, well.
Who wasn't just a bit suspicious when, asked a few weeks ago about Edwin Van Der Sar's impending
retirement, Sir Alex Ferguson commented that now would be the right time for the great Dutchman to
end his career on a high and at his peak?
No no, not because that's a stupid way to think, although it is.
I came across this link the other day, and it made me really happy! Finally someone thought of
the goalkeepers and decided to publish a goalkeeper magazine. It's not launched yet, but
subscriptions are allowed, and from what I can see, that will be the only way to get it. Oh, the
joy!
Speculation is rife at the moment about the burning question of who will be the next goalkeeper
of Manchester United after Edwin Van Der Sar eventually hangs up his gloves at the end of this
season.
I'm still sort of hoping he won't. VDS is still at his very best, and there are only a handful
of goalkeepers at the moment that are anything like as good as him.
Pepe Reina and idle transfer gossip
The big bald Spaniard has been in the press a lot this week. Having recently penned a new deal
with Liverpool, goalkeeper Reina has now recently been linked to a move away from Anfield perhaps
down south to the Emirates. Yeah, I don't believe that one either.
Can you get any closer? Still won't score...
Forget the question of The World's Best Goalkeeper. What about the title of World's Smartest
Football Player? Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is talked about for many reasons, many of them
connected to his wonderful ability as a goalkeeper, his outstandingly glamorous girlfriend, his
bizarre visual likeness to Al Pacino, or his famous endorsement of Puma goalkeeper gloves.
Well, this is annoying. I can't manage to embed the Daily Motion clip of Cech's oustanding
performance against Spurs this weekend... What a performance.
Sadly for Petr Cech, his great saves, keeping out an onslaught of attempts on goal from the
Tottenham side, will probably go mostly forgotten.
We've all done this:
Well, I have anyway. More than once.
The video quality isn't great, so let's take a look in high def freeze frame:
A shout of fear, anger, embarrassment...?
The papers all quickly rounded on Wigan goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic earlier this week, blaming
the Serbian "golman" after this mishap in the Wigan defence sent Wigan one down and opened the door
to another two late Carlos Tevez goals.
An unusually high quality winter goalmouth for the amateur keeper
The thing about the goalmouth is, it makes ALL the difference. Really, it's hard to emphasise
this enough. Every amateur goalkeeper knows this feeling another away game you've spent an hour and
a half to drive to and lethargically emerge from the changing rooms to walk out on to the pitch and
that gradual sinking feeling as you realise you're going to be playing another 90 minutes of
Russian Roulette in the goalmouth.
Half of being awesome is looking awesome
Even crap keepers make a great save every now and then. So in a way, this is one of those
universal things that every goalkeeper has to confront. But for some reason, it's one of those
things that just doesn't really get talked about that much.
The question is, What should the goalkeeper do after making a great save?
Big Dave. THE Penalty King.
I don't know if Big Dave Beasant actually was the penalty saving goalkeeping expert that he's
sometimes cracked up to be. But it really doesn't matter. As the first man to save a penalty in an
FA Cup final, ever, with a great block to parry away John Aldridge's well placed penalty
and hand the FA Cup to underdogs Wimbledon, Beasant will forever be remembered as a penalty saving
goalkeeping hero.
Crazy... But crazier than this?!
You have to be crazy to be a goalkeeper, everybody knows that. But to be a stand-in
goalkeeper...???
The psychology of the substitute goalkeeper is a strange one. At the highest level of
professional football it's even stranger. The years of hard work, passion, obsession pain and often
injury too to get close enough to top level success to taste it from an almost first hand
perspective.
Ah, Fab... A goalkeeping mistake to savour.
Arsenal vs Porto away, the crucial knock out phase of the Champions League no place for
goalkeeping howlers. And to add more pressure on the young goalkeeper Fabianksi, after unconvincing
performances earlier in the season when given a chance to show his abilities, and no doubt acutely
aware of the unforgiving "You get 1 shot only, kid" conditions of top flight premier league
goalkeeping, the Arsenal keeper was clearly nervous walking out on to the field.
Any goalkeeper from the UK over the age of about 30 is already nodding their heads at this
article or shaking them while mouthing "Only second?!!".
As it happens, the Great Les Sealey is my favourite goalkeeper ever, but that's not for entirely
rational reasons, and I'm to going to try and defend it now.
