By Avenash Ramzan
Goalkeeper coaches in Guyana on Thursday completed a highly interactive and successful three-day course coordinated by regional body, CONCACAF, in partnership with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).
It was conducted by CONCACAF’s Goalkeeper Instructor, Claine Anthony Plummer.
Plummer, a former Costa Rican goalkeeper, during an exclusive interview with News Room Sport, said he is very satisfied with the progress made during the three days at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.
He noted that the participants came with an open mind, making it easier for them to be receptive to the information and experiences that were shared.
“Obviously, there have been a lot of changes in the game of football in the world, and goalkeeping is one of the ones that has made probably the most amount of changes. Therefore, our approach to how to coach it is completely different than back in the days. So we brought in a lot of new concepts with handling, footwork, positioning, angle play, dealing with corners, high balls, building from the back…different things that you would face today in a modern game,” Plummer explained.
It is the hope of Plummer that the participants would now take their new-found knowledge back to their communities and clubs, as they endeavour to make the national programme stronger.
Plummer also pointed out that he wants to see more emphasis being placed on goalkeeper coaching, especially in the Caribbean.
“I think in the Caribbean, because of a lack of education and capacity, there’s a lot of goalkeeper trainers, not a lot of goalkeeper coaches, and there is a big difference. Goalkeeper trainers focus a lot on the physical aspect of preparing a goalkeeper. They do a lot of drills, a lot of work, but those don’t have anything to do with the game itself. We need more goalkeeper coaches who understand the game and understand tactically how the goalkeeper participates and functions in the scheme of things in the formation of the team and enable them to be more effective,” Plummer asserted.
The CONCACAF goalkeeper instructor also lauded the GFF for seeing the need to enhance the work of the goalkeeper coaches, noting that for far too long this specialised skill has been neglected.
“They know the need, there has been a need of it, and now they’re doing something about it, and that is a success for me. The fact that the GFF has recognised that this is an area that we have neglected for a very long time and obviously we could see the need to improve on it, reaching out to CONCACAF is probably the best thing that they have done, and hopefully it is not the last time either myself or somebody else in this capacity would come and educate the future and current coaches,” Plummer stated.
The participants were drawn from the Elite Clubs and the Members Association of the GFF. Technical Development Officer of the Federation, Lyndon France, said the aim of having the course was the build the capacity of the goalkeeper coaches as part of holistic development of Guyana’s football.
Photo caption: CONCACAF Goalkeeper Instructor, Claine Anthony Plummer (centre), with participants at the closing on Thursday (Photo: Avenash Ramzan)
