Goalkeepers play a critical role on any team as the last line of defence.
Waterfall-based team, Total Football Excellence Academy has started an initiative to train keepers.
The aim is to better equip them with technical and tactical skills to help them be better goalies. The Goalkeeper Union training programme is in partnership with former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper coach, Alex Heredia. The experienced Heredia has coached in 128 official games for the South African senior national team.
Technical director at the academy David Ribeiro said the former Orlando Pirates FC and Mamelodi Sundowns FC goalie coach, comes with much-needed experience.
In modern football, where tactics have drastically changed, gone are the days where keepers are only there to just stop the ball from going into the back of the net. Nowadays, keepers are required to better distribute the ball to launch quick counterattacks.
Ribeiro, former goalkeeper coach at SAFA’s Women’s Academy and South Africa’s U17 and U20, said, “We started The Goalkeeper Union training to allow goalkeepers to be trained by several guest coaches and experience specialised training that will raise the overall level of goalkeeping.”
Ribeiro said during the first day of the programme, they saw about 30 goalkeepers from around Gauteng including three national SA U17 ladies.
He said this will be an ongoing programme and those upcoming keepers looking to acquire new knowledge are welcome to join them in the next session.
Details of the next session will be communicated.
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