On Sunday, I completed a ‘coach the coaches’ session at the Bredagh club in East Belfast. It was a very well received coaching session with a total of 15 coaches, both goalkeeping and non-goalkeeping in their make-up, as well as nine underage goalkeepers aged between 14 and 18 years old. Planning the session on Saturday evening, […]
IN 2015, my first year with Armagh, we played a challenge game against Dublin down in DCU. This was the first year of their five in a row. We had started with a strong team with a handful of our regular starters rested. Dublin on the other hand, started without a good portion of their […]
One of the most important aspects of goalkeeping in is being able to position oneself effectively in and around the crease, that is the area in front of the goals. Paradoxically, although it may be an important area, it is very rarely covered properly, if even at all. Having a good starting position is crucial […]
MY Levelled Progression Model is an excellent framework to use when looking to know what skills to introduce and when to introduce them. It deals with the different developmental stages of a goalkeeper in the context of their age and used correctly can massively improve the performances of any goalkeeper. In the sixth level of my progression model, it […]
“This compass does not point north… It points to the thing you want most in this world.” – Captain Jack Sparrow THIS is a quote from Hollywood blockbuster movie ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ starring Johnny Depp as the flamboyant and estranged pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. The film follows the serendipitous antihero as he bumbles his way […]
OVER my football career I have played in many positions. From defence to forwards I have experienced playing in every position possible on the field. In later years, from U16 up to senior I played at midfield until I was 24 at which time a took a four-year sabbatical from football. When I returned to […]
IN a previous article, I have focused on how teams need to put more concerted efforts into providing adequate structures in place in regard to their goalkeepers and more specifically their youth goalkeepers. I have outlined the importance of getting the correct training methods specific to the position while also stressing the importance they have to […]
AT the weekend, my old Armagh teammate produced a kickout masterclass in their Ulster Championship semi-final against rivals Down. The level of consistency and efficiency in execution resulted in a ninety-five percentage kickout retention, 21 of 22 to be exact, on their own kickout. Kicking to this level is something that does not come with […]
THIS week’s title stokes memories of that famous 1990 number one single of the same name, from Irish singer Sinead O’Connor. The song, originally written and sung by Prince, depicts the emotions of a heartbroken lover going through a difficult break-up and for the purpose of this week’s article it is a very fitting analogy […]
With the football season in full swing at all levels of the game, goalkeepers the length and breadth of the country will be training hard trying to improve their competitive performance. Another part of their game they will be looking at, or should be at this stage, is their mindset and in particular how to deal […]
