If you type ‘Goalkeeper’ into Google Images, you will see many different players, from different clubs and countries. Goalkeepers who all play the position in their own unique way. Yet one similarity occurs in many of those images. Any idea what it is?
The pose.
Arm pointed. Mouth wide open. A freezeframe of one of the most fundamental areas of Goalkeeping - communication.
The first thing which springs to mind when we think of Goalkeepers isn’t always the phrase ‘master communicator’, but it is without doubt one of the key requirements for the position at the top of the game.
Whether it’s Mary Earps barking instructions until she’s red in the face, or Ederson’s more tranquil approach, effective communication can be delivered in a number of ways, but it is a vital component of the Goalkeeper’s arsenal of skills.
Why is good communication so important for goalkeepers?
The position of the Goalkeeper on the pitch grants them a precious asset - they have a full view of all the action, directly in front of them. Whilst to some this may be considered the best seat in the house, the old adage holds true - with a great (view) comes great responsibility…
It is role of the Goalkeeper to use their position to help guide their teammates, both in and out of possession.
Whether that is warning their defenders that an attacker is lurking in their blind spot, or making a midfielder aware of which teammate is in space, the Goalkeeper can be considered the general - the organiser who uses their position away from the intensity of the battle to help guide their team to victory.
Many young goalkeepers often struggle to ‘find their voice’ on the pitch. They complain of being self-conscious, or nervous to shout instructions, as they worry what their teammates may think. The reality is that any good team would encourage their Goalkeeper to shout and communicate, as it is their voice which can help the team to solve problems quicker.
Good communication can also make a Goalkeeper’s job much easier; by organising the defence well, and encouraging the team to continue to work hard, it is often found that the Goalkeeper will end up facing fewer shots on their goal.
It’s not always simple however - there are problems such as knowing what to say in different situations, alongside more tangible issues such as being drowned out by large crowds, or even playing alongside teammates who don’t speak your language, but all these problems can be overcome by applying the same practice and focus as one would to any other part of their game.
What are the different styles of communication?
Although effective communication is a vital skill that all Goalkeepers need, there is not one fixed way to communicate well with your teammates. Different Goalkeepers have different styles of communication.
As mentioned in the introduction, there are goalkeepers who tend to be more intense and aggressive with their communications, reinforcing the information that they deliver with loud instructions and dominant body language; think Mary Earps after her World Cup Final penalty save, or Oliver Kahn demanding more from his defenders at Bayern Munich.
On the other end of the spectrum, Goalkeepers such as Ederson or Hugo Lloris often look extremely laid back on the pitch, giving instructions to their teammates, but not altering their calm and confident demeanour.
This just goes to show that you can be an effective communicator at the very highest level of the game, without altering your personality or changing the way that you feel most comfortable when organising your team.
Another tip with communication styles is that it is important to consider the recipient of the information that you are trying to give.
From experience, some teammates want you to be loud and assertive when you are giving them instructions, as it helps them to stay focused and to work hard. However for others, being shouted at can make them nervous or less likely to execute their roles well. This means that as a leader in the team, the Goalkeeper must understand how best to speak to each individual player - whether that is shouting at them directly on the pitch, or calmly and quietly outlining their roles and responsibilities in the changing room before the game. A Goalkeeper may also have to think about what language to use, in order to ensure that all team members can perform to the best of their ability.
The video below of Mat Ryan's debut for Arsenal is a great example of a professional Goalkeeper communicating effectively with their teammates - notice the use of various languages depending on who he is instructing!
What are the benefits for goalkeepers who have good communication?
The biggest benefits of effective communication are on the team’s performance; as previously mentioned, communication can help the team to defend and attack as a unit, whilst also reducing the number of dangerous situations the goalkeeper has to deal with within their own box.
However good communication can also benefit Goalkeepers individually.
Scouts who are recruiting goalkeepers often look for those who are effective with their communication, so nailing this aspect of the position can enable you to gain opportunities to move up the football pyramid.
Communicating well can also help you to win the trust of your teammates and coaching staff, especially when you move to a new team. Players want a Goalkeeper who looks and sounds in control, as it helps to reduce nerves in the team - good communication from your first session is a great hack for winning the team’s trust and confidence.
How I improved my communication as a goalkeeper
Growing up, I was always told that to be a good goalkeeper, I needed to shout. But that was it. I was never taught what to shout, when to shout, or whether shouting all the time was actually of any use to my team. And as a result, many of my youth team and school teammates hated playing alongside me!
But as I got older, and moved into senior football, I was able to watch and learn from experienced Goalkeepers. I saw how they focused on delivering the right information, to the right person, at the right time, not just relying on shouting endlessly at their defenders because they thought it was ‘the right thing to do’.
As a result, I focused on learning the correct phrases to use during games in order to help my teammates. I made sure to use my teammates names so that they knew who I was delivering the information to. I used breaks in play to give more detailed instructions to those who I thought could benefit from them. All of these were skills which helped me to improve communication within my own game.
And this continued when I moved to play abroad. Both in Spain and Sweden, I made sure to learn my instructions in the native language, so as to make it easier and quicker for my teammates to understand what I was saying during the intensity of the game.
The process of improving my communication led me to think that other Goalkeepers may also need the same help and guidance that I benefitted from. I wanted to create a tool that could help Goalkeepers to learn what to say, and when to say it, inspiring me to create The Goalkeeper Communication Guide.
The Goalkeeper Communication Programme
The Goalkeeper Communication Guide is the complete handbook to help you improve your communication on the pitch - enabling you to level up your organisation, stature and performance.
What should you say to your defenders? What communication style is most effective? How should you communicate in set piece situations?
The Goalkeeper Communication Guide answers all of these questions, and more.
The Guide is designed for Goalkeepers of all ages and abilities, and includes:
Phrases to use when your team are defending
Phrases to use when your team are attacking
A set piece section to aid corner and free-kick organisation
Tips & Tricks for becoming a better communicator on the pitch
Real world examples from elite level goalkeepers
And more
All of this is included in the Goalkeeper Communication Guide, which you can download today, for free.
So join hundreds of Goalkeepers worldwide using The Goalkeeper Communication Guide - get your copy now, and level up your game.
I hope you found this blog post valuable. Do you have a goalkeeping topic that you would like us to cover next? Let us know at info@conorokeefe.co.uk !
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