THE MAGAZINE FOR THE GOALKEEPING PROFESSION SPRING 2010 Robert PENALTY KING World Cup Preview Robert Green, England Brad Guzan, USA Mark Paston, New Zealand Kid Gloves The stars of the future Also featuring: On the Move Craig Gordon Summary of the latest GK transfers Mike Pollitt Coaching Corner Neil Alexander Player recruitment with David Coles Matt Glennon Fraser Digby Equipment All the latest goalkeeping products Business Pages Key developments affecting the professional ‘keeper GK1 - FINAL (4).indd 1 22/04/2010 20:16:02 BPI_Ad_FullPageA4_v2 6/2/10 16:26 Page 1 Welcome to The magazine exclusively for the professional goalkeeping community. goalkeeper, with coaching features, With the greatest footballing show on Editor’s note equipment updates, legal and financial earth a matter of months away we speak issues affecting the professional player, a to Brad Guzan and Robert Green about the Andy Evans / Editor-in-Chief of GK1 and Director of World In Motion ltd summary of the key transfers and features potentially decisive art of saving penalties, stand out covering the uniqueness of the goalkeeper and hear the remarkable story of how one to a football team. We focus not only on the penalty save, by former Bradford City stopper from the crowd stars of today such as Robert Green and Mark Paston, secured the All Whites of New Craig Gordon, but look to the emerging Zealand a historic place in South Africa. talent (see ‘kid gloves’), the lower leagues is a magazine for the goalkeeping and equally to life once the gloves are hung profession. We actively encourage your up (featuring Fraser Digby). contribution - please feel free to contact In a position like no other on the pitch, us with your suggestions as to how we can focuses on those characteristics improve our first issue. unique to a modern goalkeeper - Mike Pollitt is delighted to support and promote With the endorsement of the leading and Neil Alexander speak candidly about life the great work carried out by our chosen players, key brands, glove and equipment on the bench awaiting a chance to play, Matt charities: Sparks, Help for Heroes, CHILDREN suppliers, coaches and managers alike Glennon gives an insight into the hopes and with LUEKAEMIA and Everyman. we are proud to deliver the first issue of fears of a ‘keeper whose contract is running Magazine is published by World in a magazine dedicated entirely to the art out, whilst Portsmouth goalkeeper coach Motion ltd, a leading global management of goalkeeping. covers the key David Coles provides a fascinating insight company and the UK’S foremost agency for elements required of a professional into the art of recruiting goalkeepers. professional goalkeepers. CONTENTS England’s number one? 4 Back with the first team 18 Coaching corner 26 Robert Green - penalty king Craig Gordon on injury David Coles on recruitment World Cup hopeful 6 rehabilitation View from the bench 28 Mark Paston - Kiwi Hero Essential equipment 20 Mike Pollitt gives his view American dream 8 The latest goalkeeping Charity news 31 Brad Guzan - Villa’s American star products Sparks, Help for Heroes, On the move 12 Transfer news kid gloves 22 CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA Business pages 14 The stars of the future and Everyman Key developments affecting the Scotland’s Euro dreams 24 Outside the box 32 professional ‘keeper Featuring Neil Alexander Post career with Fraser Digby backpage images are the UK's fastest If you need flexibility and a friendly, efficient and effective service please get in touch: growing editorial and commercial GK1, Chancery House, 1 Lochaline Street, “We at Uhlsport think the publication of GK1 is long overdue. Goalkeepers are sports photography company. Javier Garcia, MD: 07887 794393 London, W6 9SJ a union amongst themselves and a publication catering for their needs and [email protected] [email protected] requirements will be a fresh addition to the team bus Our strength is in football imagery but we work Joanna Adams, Head of Sales & Marketing: Tel: +(44) 208 741 6060 and the Chairmans desk. We look forward to being with specialists in other sports and have a team of [email protected] www.gk1.co.uk involved in the future.” Publisher: World In Motion ltd photographers around the country to service your General enquiries: [email protected] editorial, PR and commercial needs – both Editor-in-Chief: Andy Evans “The goalkeepers community is a tight nit one and those looking from the nationally and internationally. Deputy Editor: Jason Brightman outside think we’re mad. To have a magazine which caters specifically for Commercial Editor: James Clayton our needs, thoughts and experiences is brilliant and something which will Features Editor: Rob Dakin become well read and received throughout football.” Richard Lee / Watford FC Design: Tim Alexander www.backpageimages.com Big Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care SPRING 2010 3 GK1 - FINAL (4).indd 2-3 22/04/2010 20:16:13 WORLD CUP PREVIEW WORLD CUP PREVIEW WORLD CUP PREVIEW WORLD CUP PREVIEW WORLD CUP PREVIEW WORLD CUP PREVIEW o date two World Cup finals to put the taker off, others stand still. If you : Do things that have happened in the have been decided by can get in the takers head beforehand you game affect your decision when facing a pen? penalties; in 1994 (Brazil might have a better chance. RG: Maybe. A great deal of it is v Italy) and 2006 (Italy v psychological. Players start to try more tricks TFrance).The Republic of Ireland famously : Do you watch the penalty takers eyes? and get more confident when they are 4-0 beat Romania in the quarter finals on RG: No! Too late! If you do that they will be up than 1-0 down, so this can affect how penalties in 1990, the same year England off celebrating before they are close enough they take their kick. Sometimes you can lost to Germany in that memorable semi- to see! think about it too much, however there are final shootout that left Chris Waddle and a number of factors involved. Stuart Pearce as the penalty fall-guys. : Why do you think you have the England fans will be hoping they do not best record for an English goalkeeper and : Do you think goalkeepers have an take any match to penalties in South penalties? advantage in taking pens as they know Africa as they have never won a World RG: Because there aren’t that many English what the opposite number is looking for? Cup Finals penalty shoot out, having lost goalkeepers! We also concede a lot of RG: Yeah, I don’t see why not. I have all 3 they have been involved in and only penalties, so I have to save some of them! obviously never taken one in a game, having won one in major competitions In all seriousness, it is hard for me to say as I however I would be confident enough if (Euro 1996 v Spain at Wembley). With don’t know what the other guys are doing in asked. As a keeper you know where it is focus on this facet of the game under terms of saving them to be honest. It is quite difficult to save and you know if you hit it more scrutiny [than usual] in a World Cup a personal thing and some keepers may hard enough it is difficult to stop. A high year GK1 speaks with Rob Green to get have a theory on where a taker is going to penalty is hard to stop as a keeper doesn’t his thoughts on the spot kick. place the ball and others don’t. dive up. Recently against Hull, even though I went the right way for a Bullard penalty it : How often do you practice penalties : Who is the best goalkeeper in the went in the roof of the net, I had no chance! in training? game at facing penalties? RG: Some of the players like to practice RG: Pepe Reina has a good history from : Would you take a pen in the World before training. It really depends on the what I can remember. Cup final if required? games we have coming up. I would say RG: Yes! I would happily take a pen whenever we practice them weekly on the whole. : Do you think penalty shoot outs will I am called into action, for club or country. [Interestingly, Arsene Wenger stated on the play an important part of the World Cup? eve of Arsenal’s Champions League tie with RG: Yes. If you look at the major Ed: Robert was selected by Fabio Capello to start for England against Egypt on 3rd March and in a poll Porto in March that his players would NOT tournaments and the number of semi’s and When it comes to the dreaded penalty shoot out, who would you want conducted by the Sun newspaper thereafter received practise penalties the day prior to a game in finals that have been decided on penalties, the public support to be number 1 at the World Cup between the sticks? When reviewing the stats over the last five years case they missed, creating a negative vibe.] you would have to say yes. Finals with 33% of the votes cast. GK1 discovers Rob Green has the best record of any English keeper with a save rate of over 30%. With the World Cup fast approaching : Do you take time to study different Chris Kirkland penalties are in everyone’s minds as history states that some of the strikers and their penalty taking habits? Faced 13 RG: Yes, before every game.