An Unforgiving Position
Who would ever want to be a goalkeeper? No seriously.
Goalkeepers are a special breed, a bit crazy as the saying goes. As you can imagine, it is not always fun being a goalkeeper. It is the most challenging, isolated, unforgiving, position on a football pitch. The hard truth about football is that it is a game that rewards goal scorers far more than the unsung heroes that prevent goals. Even though it is physically less strenuous on matchday, it is psychologically more demanding than any other position.
As a goalkeeper, you are the last line of defense. You mess up, it is a goal. You hesitate, it is a goal. You bobble the ball, it is a goal. You make a bad pass or lose focus, it can lead to a goal. As you can see, there is not too much room for luck. Where any other player can mess up a move and have the rest of the team to cover up the mistake, a keeper is not as lucky. As a keeper, you have to make split-second decisions and commit to them without hesitation. For instance, if you decide to come out to claim a high ball, you must commit 100% believing that you made the right choice. All of this pressure (both physical and psychological) can a take a toll on a keeper’s overall performance. Here are but 2 examples of this:
Example 1: Loris Karius
Loris Karius was a fine goalkeeper in Germany. During the 2015/16 season, he was even voted as the 2nd best goalkeeper in Germany. He moved to Liverpool the following season to replace Simon Mignolet, a decision which proved fatal for his career. Karius was unable to handle and cope with the pressure of playing for such a big club. He made so many poor decisions and will be remembered for his mistakes, with the most famous of them being the one he made during the 2018 Champions League Final.
Since making 2 high profile (match-defining) mistakes during that game, Karius has not featured for Liverpool, was loaned to Besiktas, faced death threats and worse. Furthermore, to this day, his 2 errors continue to be analyzed, mocked and criticized. His career has not been the same since.
Example 2: David De Gea
David de Gea was once known as the best goalkeeper in the world. Before the 2018/19 season, De Gea rarely made mistakes. All that his critics saw were world-class save after world-class save. However, his recent dip in form has caused his reputation to be somewhat tarnished. Now, his world-class saves are overshadowed by his common mistakes. As per the job of a goalkeeper, nobody remembers his best saves when he is making mistakes.
He has plenty of critics now, who are solely focusing only on his mistakes and ignore his still-world-class saves. Roy Keane, former Manchester United player, is the most outspoken of them all. For example, during the 2019-2020 season, David De Gea had over 7 howlers that directly lead to goals. One of those errors was during the game versus Everton, on March 1, 2020, as he kicked the ball into Calvert-Lewin and it deflected into the net. This led to Roy Keane’s famous words, “I would have lynched De Gea at half time.” Keane spent the vast majority of that season criticizing the Spaniard, with statements such as “I would be fighting him at half time“ and “I am sick to death of this goalkeeper!“
In conclusion, it is crucial to understand that as a goalkeeper, you have the most unforgiving job in football. No matter how many goals you save, or how many incredible saves you make, you may only be remembered for the mistakes you made or the saves you did not make. Even though improving your mental toughness might not be as simple as improving your technique, it is more beneficial. Mental toughness will allow you to tune out the negative thoughts, chants, taunts, or criticisms from the fans of opposing teams, and so much more. It will motivate you to carry on despite the mistakes, tiredness or lack of confidence. It will also help you push yourself beyond your limits, beyond your comfort zone. Never forget this: Your mistakes are meant to guide you, not define you!
