Goalkeepers And Germans Go Hand In Hand - A Class That Stands Apart

It’s widely regarded by many football experts worldwide that Germany is the nursery for producing goalkeeping greats. Like a clinical production line at a Mercedes plant, Germany seems to release a new updated model to the market with monotonous regularity. The defensive focus of German football means that it’s a fait accompli that the final defensive line will be a powerful and impenetrable force in world football.  

Germany’s dominance of World Cup football is on par with the likes of Brazil and Italy with three wins, but it is their consistency in finishing in the final four a record 12 times since the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930 is most impressive. Among the national teams, Germany have played the most World Cup matches, with 99, but surprisingly have played Brazil only once at the tournament in the 2002 final in Japan.

Kahn and Nueur during Bayern Vs Schalke

Germany’s history of fine goalkeepers continues with the likes of Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neur wearing the National shirt in 36 appearances to date.  The German Football Association tradition of recognising and nurturing talent early, and its their emphasis on international exposure and experience that sets them apart from many. For all of Neuer’s vast 6ft 4in frame, he possesses great flexibility and athleticism in and around the box.  

It is the quality of goalkeeping stocks in Germany have at their disposal that burdens the selectors with constant selection headaches that many of the world’s football associations crave when preparing for tournaments like the Euros and the World Cup. That internal competitiveness has always lifted the bar with great rivalries such as the one between Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann for the coveted number one shirt. Lehmann’s career was filled with many highs for Germany but it was his relationship with the Arsenal club and his membership of the famous unbeaten ‘Invincible’ squad of 2003-04 that will long live in the memory of many football fans.

Who could forget Arsenal’s mad Jens !!

The desire of German keepers to play for their country is what drives them to greatness, with their individual and team records speaking for themselves. Oliver Kahn is among the greatest German keepers to pull on the gloves and the endless vision of his fully outstretched go-go gadget arm deflecting shot after shot in club and international football would fill a highlight reel for weeks. Playing 86 games for his country and captaining 49, showed just what an inspirational leader he was. He is the first and only goalkeeper to win the prestigious FIFA ‘Golden Ball’ voted as the player of the World Cup, but sadly failed to win the ultimate trophy with his country.

The magic ingredient of success in German Football is difficult to pinpoint, but perhaps it was the direction the German Football Federation (GFA) took after their country’s disappointing quarterfinal elimination from the 1962 World Cup tournament. The professional Bundeslegia concept was hatched and eventually formed in 1964 strengthening a competition and providing a path for young German players and keepers to hone their talent.  The Bundeslegia it must be said is a solid competition with a hugely loyal fan base that hardens players for the tough and physical nature of the Euros, Champions League and ultimately the World Cup. Germany’s return didn’t take long as they took on England in the 1966 final at Wembley only to go down in the controversial encounter 4-2. A tough match for keeper Hans Tilkowski who had to watch on in horror as the USSR linesmen advised the referee that the ball had crossed the line. To this day goal-line technology still dominates discussion after every tournament, and yet a modern solution still seems a way off.

Hans Tilkowski

1970 saw the German side take revenge on the English by sending them packing in the quarterfinals. The great Sepp Maier was in goals for the semi final against Italy that is commonly referred to as the “Game of the Century”. Josef ‘Sepp’ Maier was known as the “Cat from Anzing” for his sharp reflexes and had an amazing international career lasting from 1966-79 with 95 appearances and four consecutive World Cups including the very special home victory in 1974.

Germany rarely loses the skills and wisdom of their goalkeeping talent with many of the greats continuing their great work by coaching and mentoring young keepers long after ending their playing careers. Maier enjoyed a long and successful career as goalkeeping coach with Germany from 1988 up until his exit in 2004 following his much-publicised preference for his prodigy Oliver Kahn over Jens Lehmann.

What is for certain is the dominance of German keepers will continue long into many Euro and World Cup tournaments in the future. Germany’s emphasis on strong defensive principles backed with a forward line that is clinical in it’s scoring are two key ingredients but it is the often forgotten goalkeeper in my opinion that is the glue that binds the team together.

SoccerSouls.com

Clean Sheet – Melissa Barbieri 'Catching up with a keeper'

Melissa Barbieri is the goalkeeper and Captain of the Matildas. She is wonderful example of how perseverance, hard work and a deep passion of the game can get you to the top of your chosen sport.

Q How did you first come to start playing football and was goalkeeper your preferred position or like most keepers was the role accidentally thrust upon you by your coach at the time?

"I started to play football because my brothers played. I would always go to their trainings and be a nuisance for all the coaches. One particular coach offered me a bench seat in one of their matches when I was eight in the under twelves. With ten minutes remaining I made it onto the pitch and needless to say I didn’t touch the ball. I did however fall in love with the game. I was the only girl in the under eight and under nine teams then I was banned from playing because I was a girl. I commenced playing again when I was 14 and always loved to play on the left side. I was selected for the National train on squad aged 16 as a left midfielder. I became a goalkeeper when aged 20 as I learned that I had undiagnosed left leg pain and numbness and a surgeon suggested I give up football as it required far too much running. I decided that this was NOT an option so became a goalkeeper instead. Within a year I was back in the National team and within two years made my debut for Australia and going on to play in a World Cup and Olympic Games within four years."

Q Who has been the biggest influence or role model on your football career to date and do you still call on their advice from time to time?

"I would have to say Ernie Merrick. I have had a lot of coaches and Tom Sermanni certainly gave me a lot of football knowledge for the last 8 years but really Ernie Merrick gave me a high intensity-training environment and was very blunt with me as a player. He gave me an opportunity to train with the Victorian Institute of Sport boys for 6 years as well as the Victory A League boys for 3 years once he became the coach there. He never let the notion of me being female get in the way of helping me train hard to became number 1 goal keeper in Australia.I wish I could call upon Ernie but he is hard to track down and never wanted any accolades for making me the player I am today. I usually rely on Tommy for that and now that he is moving to the US it may be a new coach to help me now. My hubby is always a good sounding board too. But he knows nothing about football.. Its more of what’s best for me type discussion."

Q What world football team did you grow up following and how did you come to supporting them?

"From an early age I always supported the Italian National team and after winning the World Cup in ‘82 it made for a massive increase in football memorabilia to our home. Both Mum and Dad are Italian born and when I was growing up the great Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff and striker Paolo Rossi were my football heroes. I then followed both Australia and Italy up until that fateful day in 2006 in Germany when Italy’s Francesco Totti dived in the box and ultimately eliminated the Socceroos from the tournament. I never supported Italy again after that. Much to my father’s dismay!"

Q The ABC and SBS have long been the mainstays in promoting and supporting women's football and sports through via great TV and Radio coverage, whilst the main networks like TEN, Nine and Seven are somewhat reluctant due to a perceived ratings and audience shortfall. What do you see as the biggest barrier to women's sport in this country?

"We can always gripe about the main media moguls not giving us enough coverage... but until our main body and clubs work together to promote our game effectively then why should we complain about the next level up. The problem is that there isn’t anyone in the main football areas who have the ability to think. What about the W League? Or What about the Matildas? How can we also advertise them in this space?  It is improving but really it is still not where it needs to be. Merely relying on volunteers to promote our game or saying that ABC and SBS are doing a great job is not good enough."

Q Do you think that the trialing of games as curtain raisers to some of the big A-League Derby games could help lift the profile and exposure of the W-League?

"We they have attempted that... and it hasn’t worked. It doesn't attract more sponsors or added media coverage. It can open a few people’s eyes to the fact we do play. But in reality what good does it do to pay an extra $10,000 to play before the men?  I would much prefer to see those funds directed towards the players so it can assist them in the important things such as travelling to and from training without the burden of having to car-pool with expensive petrol costs. If clubs want to help raise the profile of their brand and sport.... there are far better ways to do it first."

Q Can you try and describe the feeling in words when you were first told you were to Captain the Matildas and walking onto the pitch with the armband and singing the National Anthem?

"Nope I really can’t explain it, but telling you that my father cried when I told him may give you an idea as to the pride I felt."

Q The small strikers in football like Messi, Maradona etc. are rarely questioned on their size/height and whether it affects their game, but in relative goalkeeping terms you are considered on the short side. It obviously hasn't made any difference to your performance and success on the pitch, but did you consciously have you always had to work harder in certain areas to achieve your goals?

"No not at all. Only once the younger players coming through ranks started becoming taller than me did I really notice it. I have always been athletic enough to account for anything high. My strengths of communication have made it easier for me to stop shots before even making a save. Now that I am older and when I return from maternity leave I ensure that I’m 100% in the areas that may be affected by my lack in height. I will need to work very hard in the gym to regain my power but ultimately really it’s not about my height as it is more about being at my best."

Q What things do you like to do to help you relax when you are away from the rigors of training and playing international football?

"I like to watch TV Shows like Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy etc. Switching off from football is the key when on tour so I don’t mentally wear out."

Q What is the biggest game of football you have either played in to date or had the pleasure of watching?

"I have played in two World Cup Quarterfinals, which are very special, but I will always remember the day the Socceroos beat Uruguay at the Olympic Stadium Sydney in 2005. From the booing of the Uruguay National anthem because of what had occurred in the away tie in Uruguay to the amazing saves by Schwarzy (Mark Schwarzer) and the Mark Viduka miss to finally seeing John Aloisi converting the last penalty shot that ultimately sent them to the World Cup in 2006 ... What a game!"

Q We all know goalkeepers are different and have a special union with each other, but when playing, do you have a unique way with which to prepare or perhaps do strange things like put your left boot on first or wear lucky gloves?

"Nah I’m a field player at heart so I’m not your typical crazy goalkeeper but I always like to have a bit of a boogie in the change room, which can often make people think I’m a little crazy."

Q Who in your opinion has the biggest shot in Women's football? Here or abroad?

"In games it is hard to gauge the power... but Laura Alleway from the Brisbane Roar and the Matildas has nearly broken both my elbows in shooting practice - so I think deserves the guernsey of being the most powerful shot in World football."

Melissa Barbieri can be followed on Twitter: @Bubs_11 

backpagefootball.com

Clean Sheet 9

Well the Christmas season has come and gone but there was plenty of football both here and abroad to keep the most passionate of fans satisfied.  The EPL as usual was jam packed with matches to fill the largest of hard drives and cause endless arguments over the TV remote in many households.

To the A-League and Round 15 saw four clean sheets recorded for the men with the gloves. Matt Ryan continues to impress here and abroad and still tops the clean sheet statistics with seven for the season. But it is Ryan’s very small goal conceded tally of just nine that places him in the most wanted category for European clubs in particular Rangers. Fortunately for his Manager Graham Arnold, Ryan’s trial with Rangers was put on the back burner due to a minor shoulder injury suffered in the impressive two goal win on Sunday over Western Sydney Wanderers at Parramatta Stadium. Given Central Coast’s position atop the A-League ladder, Ryan’s presence at the back would be a tremendous boast to their Premiership aspirations after coming so close last season.

Adelaide United’s Eugene Galekovic will be hoping his New Year return to clean sheet form will continue after his side’s unfortunate 6-1 Western Sydney ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ and the doubling of his goals conceded in a single game.  Nathan Coe (Melbourne Victory) and Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets) are also performing well with Birighitti getting on the board for is first clean sheet of the season.  Birighitti made a courageous return to the team after suffering a painful cheekbone injury in mid November that was set rule him out for up to eight weeks. The club's first clean sheet of the season  will please Manager Gary Van Egmond no end, as they are second only to Sydney FC for goals conceded. The save of the week has to go to Mark Paston for his low down reflex effort against the Brisbane Roar on New Year’s Day.  This weekend’s clash between the Melbourne Victory and the Central Coast Mariner promises to be an exciting clash and its wonderful to see the Victory Club and the A-League branching out their supporter base by playing the game at Aurora Stadium in Launceston. 

Moving to the EPL and after a busy festive period, many squads have had the opportunity to rotate and rest players for the third round of FA Cup fixtures. There were a few clean sheets recorded including the surprise win over Chelsea by QPR. Julio Cesar pulled off one of the saves of the round by denying Fernando Torres in recording his eighth EPL goal of the season. It was Cesar’s second clean sheet and went a long way in helping his relegation poised side record their first away win since November 2011 and first win at Stamford Bridge in 30 years.

Meanwhile at Liverpool, Pepe Reina continued to keep Brad Jones warming the bench as his side took care of Sunderland at Anfield.  The win helped place them into eighth place on the ladder. This week will be the ultimate test for The Reds as they travel to Old Trafford to take on their fiercest rivals in Manchester United.  They last met back in September where United took the points in an emotional and spiteful clash following the red card handed to Jonjo Shelvey for his sloppy challenge on Jonny Evans.  David De Gea has been in good form in the box for the Devils after keeping six unanswered goals in a very lean Christmas period for their opponents.

Joe Hart has his chance to share clean sheet honours with Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic as Man City travel to Emirates Stadium to try and silence the guns of Arsenal. Hart comes off the back of two consecutive clean sheets against Stoke and a FA Cup third round win over Championship side Watford. The match promises to be an interesting clash as there is never too much between the two sides if their one all draw at The Etihad back in late September is anything to go by.

That’s all for another week, the best of luck to your team this week and here’s hoping for a plethora of scoreless draws so we get the keepers back in the back page headlines where they belong.

Random Clean Sheet Trivia Question

What keeper has the highest goals conceded tally in the EPL and what is the number?

(As at the end of Round 21)

Football Quote of the week:

"If I could, I'd vote for myself. Being too humble isn't good. In Portugal, we say 'Too much humility is vanity'."

Ronaldo on the Ballon D'or 

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Penalty Shoot-outs – ‘A focus on the sticks’

It is a football topic that polarises both football and many non-football supporters. Many love the theatre and contrasting emotions that a penalty shoot-out brings to opposing teams, officials and more importantly the fans. From a goalkeeping perspective it focuses on the man in box and gives them a chance to shine or to start looking for the largest rock to hide for rest of humanity. The sheer nature of penalties in determining a match gives rise to the argument of it being unjust after a long battle of regular and extra time. Others believe it gives a chance to teams who have fought their way back into a contest. Before the advent of penalty shoot-outs, matches that remained level at the final whistle were more often than not decided by a coin toss or a replay.

There have been many outspoken critics of the shoot-out since its inception such as the great Brazilian manager Luiz Felipe Scolari who described it as a “lottery rather than a test of skill”. Even the controversial FIFA President Sepp Blatter has voiced his opinion saying that “Football is a team sport and penalties is not a team, it is the individual.” He recently stated "Football can be a tragedy when you go to penalty kicks. Football should not go to one to one, when it goes to penalty kicks, football loses its essence.”

The brief history and the development of the penalty shoot out in deciding the outcome of tournament and many league cup matches dates back to the Yugoslav Cup from 1952, but it was Israeli Yosef Dagan who floated the idea of the penalty shoot-out following his homeland losing a 1968 Olympic quarter final by the drawing of lots. Dagan’s proposal to FIFA was accepted by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at the AGM on 27 June 1970.

It is understood that the first penalty shoot-out in a professional match occurred in 1970 between Hull City and Manchester United in a semi-final of the Watney Cup. The Watney Cup was a short lived pre-season tournament that saw the two top teams with the highest goal aggregate in the four divisions do battle. It was in this game that the legendary George Best was the player credited with the first kick in a penalty shoot-out.

The very first international tournament winner to be decided by a penalty shoot-out was in the 1976 European Championship final match where Czechoslovakia took on the might of West Germany. It was the Czechs who ran out winners that day 5-3 and helped secure the shoot-out as the preferred method over scheduling replays.

With the advent of the penalty shoot-out has come the obvious disappointments to many international football sides.  The most famous teams to continually falter at the last hurdle are the English, Dutch and Italian sides. The most infamous of shoot-out records falls with the England national team. Since the UEFA Euro ’96 Tournament England have lost five shoot-outs in succession in eight major tournament finals. It has long been known that for England to win a title they need to shake the shoot-out curse as their only taste of success last occurred in their quarterfinal clash against Spain in Euro ’96. The most memorable of England’s penalty misery occurred when David Beckham sprayed his shot over the bar into the crowd against Portugal at the Euro 2004 tournament. Their poor record continued again last year at the Euro’s when they lost out to Italy 4-2 after Ashley Young and Ashley Cole both missed their attempts. What was memorable about that encounter is the way Italy’s Andrea Pirlo with ice running through his veins casually chipped his shot past the England Joe Hart.

For now it seems the penalty shoot is the necessary evil existing in the world game and to me seems the most equitable solution to a match ending in stalemate beyond regular and extra time. As cruel as the final outcome can be to the players and fans, it does provide the game with great theatre and suspense. After watching the Euro 12 clash in the early morning hours at my favourite Italian restaurant in Brisbane’s café precinct it is plain to see that the both sets of fans embrace it as a necessary evil. The Italian fans were euphoric in their celebrations as the England supporters had to deal with the disappointment of yet another cruel loss. One thing is for sure that however the game is decided it will never extinguish the passion and love of the game.

SoccerSouls.com