From the country that gave us ‘total football’ comes a new and definite view of the role of goalkeepers.

The technical staff at the Dutch football association have been quite concerned in recent years that keepers are not emerging through the ranks, and the professional clubs in the Eredivisie are turning increasingly to goalkeeping talent from outside the country.

It has meant opening the debate on what the ideal profile for a goalkeeper is, and just how he or she should be trained.

Seventeen of the 18 topflight clubs had a foreign goalkeeper on the books, raising the question: “What is wrong with the locals?” Or more importantly, “What can be done to improve them?”

To try to solve the problem, the Dutch have studied many of the top keepers in the modern game and their role in helping their team win, not only by the saves they make, but also by their contribution to the overall game.

The likes of Marc-André ter Stegen at Barcelona, the Brazilian double act of Alisson Becker (Liverpool) and Ederson (Manchester City), and Jan Oblak, the Slovenian international at Atlético Madrid, were top of the study list … and with somewhat surprising conclusions emerging.

There was much emphasis over the past decade on the goalkeeper being able to play with his feet, join in as a sweeper and pass the ball with accuracy, breaking any pressure the opponent tried to put on him or the defence.

Joe Hart’s Manchester City career effectively ended when Pep Guardiola joined the club in mid-2016, with the Catalan prioritising a goalkeeper more comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Guardiola signed Claudio Bravo to initially replace Hart, before bringing in current No 1 Ederson one year later.

But the Dutch study reckons there is too much emphasis on the ball-playing goalkeeper at the expense of the basic skills required and it is time to focus again on the basics.

It is ironic that a country always actively searching for new boundaries in its approach to the game now says he ideal training is to focus back on the basics of goalkeeping – saving shots and keeping the goal intact. The Dutch study concludes that, firstly, goalkeepers should ideally be tall and athletic. An idea height is 1.93 m (or around 6 ft 3 in), which is unusually tall for goalkeepers in the South African league.

Then the training needs to be specific to the position. “Intense training in the basics of keeping is vital,” says Dutch national-team goalkeeper coach Patrick Lodewijks, who has worked at Premier League clubs and enjoyed a 20-year professional playing career.

“Those are diving, falling, swerving, positioning, jumping, catching and punching. The emphasis must be on stopping shots. The goalkeeper is the only player who can use his hands, an aspect that must never be underplayed in training and preparation.”

But what, then, of the role of the sweeper-keeper that modern coaches have become so enamoured with? The Dutch see a role for the keeper proficient with the ball but maintain that the emphasis needs to swing back towards the fundamentals. “First priority is saving, then worry about setting up attacks.”

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Last year, the award was cancelled for the first time in its history, owing to the pandemic but the Ballon d’Or is returning for 2021 and taking the previous 12 months of football into account.

Among the nominees, Premier League keepers Ederson, Emi Martinez, Edouard Mendy and Kasper Schmeichel receive the nod, after winning the Premier League, Copa America, Champions League and FA Cup, respectively.

Yachine Trophy Ballon d’Or 2021 award nominees:
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan, PSG)
Ederson (Manchester City)
Samir Handanovic (Inter Milan)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
Keylor Navas (PSG)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
Jan Oblak (Atlético de Madrid)
Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester)

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Lampard has already sealed the big-money signings of Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech and RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner.

The Blues are said to be leading the chase for forward Havertz, who Bayer Leverkusen reportedly value in the region of €100 million (£90m/$115m), and Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Oblak is also thought to be a target.

Lampard was unable to do any business before the start of this season due to a transfer embargo, which was lifted in December.

The former England midfielder did not reveal whether Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to spend big yet again, stating he is focused on the challenge of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League and winning the FA Cup.

‘We’ll see. I can’t answer that one, we’re not there yet,’ Lampard said on Friday when asked about potential recruits in the transfer window.

‘We have to focus on what’s in front of us and we’ll see. I wouldn’t want to compare it to any other spending summer, we’ll see how I feel and we feel as a club and if the squad needs strengthening or the balance needs changing. If it does and we make moves, great. At the moment we don’t know.’

Ziyech has spent his first week of training with the London club and the Blues boss says he quickly fitted in.

‘Hakim has been here for the week, trained a couple of days on his own and then he’s integrated a bit with the team so he’s settling in well. The lads have welcomed him and he’s forming those new relationships in the early stages.

‘More importantly for him, he’s been getting himself fit. It’s been nice for him to take a bit part in training and then also get some physical work because he hasn’t trained or played for a quite a while.’

Chelsea are also said to be considering a move for a new centre back , with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen yet to be offered new contracts.

The Germany international had talks planned but they have since been parked, while his Danish colleague remains calm on his situation. Both remain committed to Chelsea and are open to renewing terms, with their current deals due to expire in June 2022.

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To get into the flow, the world’s greatest football players are often seen listening to music before an important match. To help other players also reach this state of mind, PUMA introduces the Anthem Spotify playlist.

Assisted by French artist DJ Snake, 11 of PUMA’s top football ambassadors have created their own playlists with the songs which motivate them to push the game to new levels.

Channeling the experience of being in the flow, the PUMA FUTURE Anthem Pack boots – which retail at R3,299 and will be available at PUMA stores, Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected retailers from 12 July – feature a striking contrast of silver and red, while the PUMA ONE comes in a red, black and silver colourway.

Sharing his experience, Mario Balotelli said: ‘Music is life. I like wearing my headphones before a big game to help me get in the zone. There are some tunes I always listen to in the car before a match.’

Highlighting the key role music plays in footballers’ performance, Luis Suarez said: ‘Music is very important for me. I always listen to my music before a game, it helps me to focus on what I have to do on the pitch.’

The PUMA FUTURE Anthem Pack will be worn on pitch by Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Marco Reus, Samuel Umtiti, Jan Oblak, Percy Tau, Rhoda Mulaudzi and Chantelle Esau, while Romelu Lukaku, Mario Balotelli, Ada Hegerberg, David Silva, Sergio Agüero, Axel Witsel, Musa Nyatama and Zanele Nhlapo will wear the PUMA ONE Anthem Pack.

To translate this motivation into victory, PUMA FUTURE uses a refined system that combines both NETFIT and the 3D Havoc Frame into one layer. With this we achieve bringing the foot closer to the ball for a better overall look, fit, ball reception, touch, and stability.

PUMA ONE introduces a totally new upper that combines both lightweight stability and premium touch into an aggressive and eye-catching asymmetric split design. The ultralight SPRINTWEB technology is specifically designed to provide the player with supreme lateral support and stabilisation to the foot and heel, without adding any extra weight to the boot.

PUMAFootball Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/r3cpnimdv3mdyiablneukdz07?si=GhjUqWVgRhK-n8IfyojsrA

The new Anthem Pack FUTURE and ONE boots will hit PUMA stores, Totalsports and selected retailers tomorrow (Friday, 12 July) and retail for R3,299.

The post Local stars feature in Puma Anthem Pack football campaign appeared first on SportsClub.

To get into the flow, the world’s greatest football players are often seen listening to music before an important match. To help other players also reach this state of mind, Puma introduces the Anthem Spotify playlist.

Assisted by French artist DJ Snake, 11 of Puma’s top football ambassadors have created their own playlists with the songs which motivate them to push the game to new levels.

Channeling the experience of being in the flow, the Puma FUTURE Anthem Pack boots – which retail for R3,299 and will be available at Puma stores, Totalsports, Sportsmans Warehouse and selected retailers from 12 July – feature a striking contrast of silver and red, while the Puma ONE comes in a red, black and silver colourway.

Sharing his experience, Mario Balotelli said: ‘Music is life. I like wearing my headphones before a big game to help me get in the zone. There are some tunes I always listen to in the car before a match.’

Highlighting the key role music plays in footballers’ performance, Luis Suarez said: ‘Music is very important for me. I always listen to my music before a game, it helps me to focus on what I have to do on pitch.’

The Puma FUTURE Anthem Pack will be worn on pitch by Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Marco Reus, Samuel Umtiti and Jan Oblak, while Romelu Lukaku, Mario Balotelli, Ada Hegerberg, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Axel Witsel will wear the Puma ONE Anthem Pack.

To translate this motivation into victory, Puma FUTURE uses a refined system that combines both NETFIT and the 3D Havoc Frame into one layer. With this we achieve bringing the foot closer to the ball for a better overall look, fit, ball reception, touch, and stability.

Puma ONE introduces a totally new upper that combines both lightweight stability and premium touch into an aggressive and eye-catching asymmetric split design. The ultralight SPRINTWEB technology is specifically designed to provide the player with supreme lateral support and stabilization to the foot and heel, without adding any extra weight to the boot.

PumaFootball Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/r3cpnimdv3mdyiablneukdz07?si=GhjUqWVgRhK-n8IfyojsrA

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The Slovenian signed for Atletico Madrid from Benfica in 2014 and has made 208 appearances in that time, keeping 117 clean sheets.

According to ESPN sources, the 26-year-old was assured when he signed a contract extension earlier this year that the club would be strengthened in order to challenge for La Liga and the Uefa Champions League.

But with a number of star players departing for pastures new this summer, including Antoine Griezmann, Oblak is reportedly considering his options.

PSG are rumoured to be interested, given that they are in the market for a new goalkeeper, with Gianluigi Buffon leaving the club after just a season in Paris.

The French champions have long admired current Manchester United No 1, David de Gea, but could now challenge for Oblak’s signature.

As a boyhood United fan though, a move to Old Trafford is apparently Oblak’s preferred destination, despite a lack of Champions League football next season.

The post Atletico’s Oblak wants EPL move appeared first on SportsClub.

The Red Devils are formulating a succession plan in case the Spanish goalkeeper, who moves out of contract in a little over a year, joins PSG at the end of the season.

Atletico Madrid glovesman Oblak has emerged as their leading target, despite the fact that the Slovenian signed a new deal in April.

The 26-year-old’s contract contains a £104-million buyout clause, which United are seriously considering triggering.

Oblak is thought to be happy at Atletico, having previously turned down approaches by Chelsea and Liverpool, but an uncertain summer at the Wanda Metropolitano could lead to the shot-stopper reconsidering his future.

Oblak and Antoine Griezmann both want to see Diego Simeone strengthen his side in order to close the gap with Barcelona, who wrapped up another La Liga title at the weekend.

United will hope that they can take advantage of the situation, although it is unclear whether Oblak would be willing to move if they finish outside the top four.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side three points adrift of the final Champions League qualification spot.

The post United identify potential replacement for De Gea appeared first on SportsClub.

Starting from the 2019-20 season, Puma will produce the official match ball for all games in Spain’s top-flight leagues; La Liga Santander and La Liga 1|2|3.

With a total audience of 2.7-billion viewers in 183 countries annually, and more than 80 million followers on social media, La Liga is one of the world’s leading sport leagues. This sponsorship will significantly expand Puma’s on-pitch visibility and strengthen its position as a leading global football brand.

Both companies are said to share a long history, but also a young spirit and a vision for growth that will be boosted by this alliance.

Puma is adding La Liga to a strong roster of Puma football players, including some of the best players in La Liga: Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, Jan Oblak, Samuel Umtiti, Santi Cazorla, Marc Bartra, and Giovani Lo Celso. The start of the 2019-20 La Liga season will also see the addition of two new clubs: Girona FC and Valencia CF.

Puma’s stated values ​​of being brave, confident, determined and joyful, fit perfectly with those of La Liga: teamwork, overcoming, equality, respect and tolerance, fair play and authenticity. The two companies believe they share an international vision, a passion for having the best product and transforming society through the universal values ​​of sport.

‘We are extremely proud to have partnered with one of, if not the best football league in the world,’ said Johan Adamsson, Puma’s director of sports marketing. ‘The ball is the most essential element in football, this sponsorship is the epitome of performance. La Liga has some of the world’s best teams and players and this is another step in our efforts to achieve ”No Football without Puma”, and it ensures an even stronger global reach for our brand.’

Juan Carlos Díaz, La Liga’s marketing and commercial director, added: ‘It is an honour for a historical sports brand like Puma that dresses great teams, important sportsmen and recognised artists, to want to associate with La Liga, the best football national league in the world, and contribute all its technical quality to our ball, which is such an important element of our competition. We are convinced that this agreement will be very fruitful for both companies and will allow us to continue facing our future challenges.’

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Influenced by the visual identity of computer programming code, the Hacked Pack combines deep digital blacks and vibrant 8-bit greens.

The Hacked Pack’s digital camo effect will daze and confuse opponents as players hack the game with speed, agility, and flair, turning heads green with envy.

The Hacked Pack will be worn on the pitches from the 1st April by Puma Football players, including Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero, Romelu Lukaku, Samuel Umtiti, Jan Oblak, Themba Zwane, Lebogang Maboe and Thembinkosi Lorch.

The Hacked Pack can be purchased exclusively from Puma.com and selected football specialists from 1 April before the wider local release on 10 April 2019.

The FUTURE 19.1 NETFIT FG AG and PUMA ONE 19.1 FG AG, retailing for R3299, will be available for purchase from Puma, Sportsmans Warehouse, Takealot and selected retailers.

The post Puma Football launches Hacked Pack boot appeared first on SportsClub.

The 26-year-old shot-stopper now joins an extensive list of world-class goalkeepers wearing the sports company’s performance footwear and equipment.

Oblak has established himself as one of the world’s leading goalkeepers, being voted the Spanish league’s best goalkeeper three times in a row. He achieved 100 career clean sheets in 178 games, and since his transfer to Madrid in 2014 he has kept more clean sheets (79) than any other goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues.

In recognition of his achievements, Oblak’s club contract includes a €100-million buy-out clause – making him technically the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.

Jan Oblak in numbers:

• For three seasons in a row (2015-16, 2016-17 & 2017-18), Oblak has won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy, awarded to the goalkeeper who concedes the fewest goals in the Spanish league.
• In the calendar year 2018, Oblak played 27 games from 50 without conceding (0.72 goals per game) – the best rate in Europe’s top five leagues. 
• Jan Oblak reached 100 career clean sheets in only 178 games.
• Since August 2014 he has the most clean sheets to his name with 79, that’s 13 more than the next contender (Puma goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon).
• In Europe’s top-flight club competition, of all the goalkeepers with 40+ appearances, Oblak has the highest clean sheets per game rate.
• Since the opening of Madrid’s new stadium in September 2017, Oblak has saved 75 of the 91 shots on target he has faced, keeping 26 clean sheets (Opta Stats). 

Jan Oblak will be wearing the Puma FUTURE boots and gloves as he continues to rewrite the goalkeeping manual.

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