United Soccer Coaches’ director of goalkeeping Lisa Cole tells Steph Fairbairn what makes a good shot-stopper, why they must be included in team training - and how she owes her playing career to a law change...
In 1992, the backpass rule was brought in by soccer lawmakers IFAB - and inadvertently changed one player’s career.
Introduced to discourage time-wasting, the rule dictates that a goalkeeper cannot handle the ball following an intentional pass from a teammate, made using the foot.
It had a significant effect on the role of the goalkeeper and how they are coached, both technically and tactically.
More specifically, it made a direct impact on Lisa Cole. Now director of goalkeeping at United Soccer Coaches, Cole began her playing career as an outfielder.
“I’m actually a goalkeeper because of the rule change,” she told Women’s Soccer Coaching.
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