This week, Developing Goalkeeping UK speaks to Dover keeper Mitch Walker.
Young goalkeepers climbing the Non-League and goalkeeping pyramid
What advantages are there playing in Non-League for a young goalkeeper?
Mitch Walker:I would say the big advantages for young goalkeepers playing Non-League football would be that they are taking themselves out of their comfort zone.
I believe after making over 200 appearances in Non-League that for young goalies coming out of bigger clubs they are in a force environment for what the real goalkeeping world offers and Non-League is a great way to grow up and mature as a young goalkeeper.
I would recommend any young goalkeeper to go and play in Non-League irrelevant of the level as it’s a great opportunity to play men’s football that means winning or losing points for your football club.
What are the pros and cons for a goalkeeper when trying to play out from the back?
MW:It really helps you develop your skills with the ball at your feet. Playing out from the back can also help stretch the play and start to create gaps on the pitch for your team to exploit.
The cons to this is you can at times take risks which could cause potential problems for the entire team.
The key to this part of goalkeeping is to balance out the risk and reward factor when making the decision to play out from the back or get the entire team up the pitch.
What advice would you give to a manager with a young goalkeeper in his or her team?
MW:My advice to a manager would be to make sure they give plenty of encouragement to their goalkeeper as they will make mistakes.
If you as a manager stop battering your goalkeeper I believe you’re losing an endless battle as their confidence will also now start to lower.
Goalkeeping tip of the week from Develop Goalkeeping UK’s Martin Brennan:
For any young goalkeeper who is starting out their careers I would strongly recommend going and playing Non-League football.
Every pro club that I have coached at my goalkeeping philosophy is when the goalkeeper reaches the age of 17 they must go out and play Non-League football to continue their development.
I have found this extremely successful and here are a few goalkeepers I have worked with in the past of which I have sent to Non-League clubs to help their development as a young goalkeeper. Loan moves:
Matt Ingram – Wycombe to Lewes
Jason Mooney – Wycombe to Oxford City
Steve Arnold – Wycombe to Hayes and Yeading
Marcus Bettinelli – Fulham to Dartford
Magnus Norman – Fulham to Farnborough
So here is a task/challenge that you can set yourself as a goalkeeper by going into a Non-League club and each season try and work your way up the leagues alongside goalkeeping.
DGUK ONLINE WORKSHOP – special offer
DGUK Are now offering an online goalkeeping workshop which will provide you with goalkeeping analysis, philosophies and training ideas.
Each week there will be a pro goalkeeper attending the workshop to give their views on goalkeeping which will help your own performance.
If you wish to see more details please click the link below…
https://developinggoalkeepinguk.lpages.co/dguk-online-workshop-pro/
http://www.developinggoalkeepinguk.com
The Goalkeeping Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-goalkeeping-podcast/id1348402331?mt=2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DevelopGK/
Twitter: @DevelopKeepers
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For a FREE copy of the DGUK HANDBOOK please follow this link: https://developinggoalkeepinguk.lpages.co/freedgukgoalkeepinghandbook/
DGUK is a goalkeeper academy owned by Martin Brennan, a former first team goalkeeper coach at Fulham, Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton Orient, that offers professional and semi-professional goalkeepers the chance to prepare for the new season with pre pre-season training camps.
There are also camps for college and university goalkeepers who are trying to reach the Non-League game and weekly group sessions and 2-to-1 sessions throughout the week.
