So there's this article, which makes the point that given what's happened to Valdez, Neuer and now De Gea, that goalkeepers (known traditionally for their longevity in the sport and the time it takes for them to develop as proficient) are peaking before they are 30 and holding on to their peak only for short times.
https://www.goal.com/en/news/valdes...y-be-peaking-before/oetfyyy9oteb11wtpbu0njogh
Makes some sense. Goalkeepers are expected these days to be not just shot stoppers but also sweepers, distribution experts, and defensive captains. And they are expected to be perfect at it, with a ball which is obtaining even greater speeds. In the event of injury or mental fatigue, it makes sense they wouldn't be capable of playing at the absolute level of perfection which is demanded now days with the pro game. And the article doesn't really touch on the curious case of Joe Hart.
Even on the youth level, it's not realistic for coaches to expect their keepers to be able to extension dive and cover the entire goal, particularly on the youngers level. There doesn't seem to be a clear progression laid out over what exactly a keeper should be proficient in, and unless the keeper comes from a sport like baseball, the first year of training will likely be taken up just on becoming proficient in catching.
https://www.goal.com/en/news/valdes...y-be-peaking-before/oetfyyy9oteb11wtpbu0njogh
Makes some sense. Goalkeepers are expected these days to be not just shot stoppers but also sweepers, distribution experts, and defensive captains. And they are expected to be perfect at it, with a ball which is obtaining even greater speeds. In the event of injury or mental fatigue, it makes sense they wouldn't be capable of playing at the absolute level of perfection which is demanded now days with the pro game. And the article doesn't really touch on the curious case of Joe Hart.
Even on the youth level, it's not realistic for coaches to expect their keepers to be able to extension dive and cover the entire goal, particularly on the youngers level. There doesn't seem to be a clear progression laid out over what exactly a keeper should be proficient in, and unless the keeper comes from a sport like baseball, the first year of training will likely be taken up just on becoming proficient in catching.