Keepers are taught, by us included, to take charge of the
box, call for the ball, and let their teammates know when they are going for the
ball. Far too often, however, keepers will still allow a teammate to field a
ball, even after the keeper has called for it. We have all witnessed the types
of confusion that poor or missing communication by keepers and teammates can
cause, most often in the form of scores by opponents.
When the keeper calls for the ball, he should get it–period.
We have seen keepers climb over opponents to get a ball, but stop short when
their own teammate gets in the way. This might be viewed as acceptable by some,
but it’s not, and here’s why. A keeper going for a ball should always yell
"KEEPER" when his own team might be in the vicinity. This call is not a request,
but a command that says "move or stay clear, the ball is mine!" Teammates should
have no other options but to let the keeper play the ball. (One spectacular
fullback save does not outweigh the damage on other plays).
When a keeper takes charge like this, he instills confidence
in his teammates. This confidence that the keeper is making his play, gives the
other players confidence in how they react. It tells them the keeper is taking
charge of the box, and the ball, and the other players need to react
appropriately (fanning out, backing up the keeper, etc.).
Along with the right to make the call comes the
responsibility to (a) make the call early enough to allow teammates to react,
and (b) with strength and certainty to give teammates confidence in the keeper’s
decision making. By calling "keeper" at the appropriate time, teammates can
react accordingly, and avoid catastrophe.
