It was the second day of the AIFF organized Goalkeeping course, “Art of German Goalkeeping”. But former German goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel, the course coordinator, started with an Indian goalkeeper. Prior to the start of the theory session, he referred to national team goalkeeper, the “Spiderman”, Subrata Pal.
The buzz in the classroom was unmistakable. Pfannenstiel clarified: “I know I know… I am talking about his stint with Rasen Ballsport Leipzig in Germany.”
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To the surprise of the participants, Pfannenstiel knew quite a bit about Pal. He wanted to point out that his stint with the German outfit in division four was a very fruitful one and assured that the standard of the fourth tier in Germany is as good as the Premier League in other parts of the world.
“I got good reviews about him (Subrata). The standard in the German fourth division League is very high I can assure you that. So his stint with Rasen Ballsport Leipzig must have been very good. I’ve heard about his potential. The standard in Germany is very high and level of competition stays intense.”
He continued as the coaches listened. “Germany is the place for goalkeepers. The Netherlands also produce great goalkeepers. So Pal’s training could only have gone in one direction… that is good.”
The two-hour long theory session also saw Pfannenstiel stress on the importance and transformation of equipments of a goalkeeper, training methods and so on. Videos were shown to the participants to explain the drills they need to perform in their next practical session.
Speaking on the transformation of equipments Pfannenstiel said: “The equipments of a goalkeeper has changed over the years. From the ball which swings a lot now than probably ten years back, to their gloves, everything has changed. A goalkeeper of the 80’s would find life difficult nowadays.
“The need for good quality equipment is paramount. In Africa you don’t find good goalkeepers. The reason is that kids who choose goalkeeping have a harrowing experience standing under the bar. The grounds are full of stones and they are the ones who have to do the diving. So naturally they don’t want to do it again. This is where good quality kits come into play.”
Pfannenstiel also pointed out some features of how coaches should train their goalkeepers. “A goalkeeper trains alone with his coach. He is in that way separated from the main team’s training. But the Head Coach stays the most important. A goalkeeper’s training is always special,” he said.
“If you are a National Team Goalkeeping Coach you have limited time with your goalkeepers. So you have to out your training plan in a nutshell. But if you are with a club you have time and this is where club keeper training comes into the fray.”
