Goalkeeper Coach Communication

How Do You Communicate With Your Goalkeepers Before, During, and Post Match?

Communication is important before the game to address and reinforce individual and team goals. Individual goals are specific to the goalkeeper and what they can control such as their ready position or saving technique on cut back pass to the near post as examples. Goalkeepers can address and contribute to team goals such as playing out of the back and defensive organization.  Goalkeepers will meet as a unit with Coach Achterberg to discuss scouting reports on the opposing team, identify key players, patterns, special plays or organization on set pieces, etc.

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Communication during the game should be positive and constructive! Build the goalkeepers confidence to help minimize performance anxieties and other mistakes. During the game is not the time to be overly critical. Feedback can be given at halftime. Adjustments can be made if it will positively impact the goalkeeper’s performance and team outcome in the second half.

Many goalkeepers from youth to professionals know the mistakes they make.  No point being negative or berate a player since it does not build confidence.  Sometimes talking about the game immediately following the conclusion is not appropriate. Emotions are raw.  Coach John will watch the match, isolate the goalkeeper successes and learning opportunities to help the goalkeeper learn and prepare for the next match.

This was paraphrased from a longer conversation that I had with Coach Achterberg during my time at the 2018 International Goalkeeper Coaches Conference.  Many apologies for the noisy Expresso maker in the background.  Great goalkeeper coaching insight from John Achterberg.