Basu: Goalkeepers are born, not made

The current Goalkeeping Coach of India’s U-23 Pre-Olympic Squad, Tanumoy Basu feels Goalkeepers are born, not made.

In a freewheeling interview with www.the-aiff.com, he stresses Indian goalkeepers need to get better in One-to-One situations.

Q. Is a goalkeeper born or made?

Tanumoy Basu: I feel goalkeepers are born. You can always polish a keeper, train him on the finer aspects of the game. You can work on their reaction, fitness, improve on the reflexes but as far as anticipation and speed is concerned, I feel goalkeepers inherit it in their genes.

Q. Is there a different diet for goalkeepers?

TB: The training schedule of a keeper is the most difficult. One dive in practice is as good as two short sprints. One also needs to stay concentrated all the time. You may stand idle for, maybe the first 30 minutes, before you get a first touch of the ball; or it may even beat you to bulge the net. A goalkeeper needs to be a strict disciplinarian on the dining table. There’s no room for experiments even there.


Q. How do you define the role of a goalkeeper?

TB: A goalkeeper stays the guiding force of the team. He has to be a chatter – a commentator who is guiding the defence and inspiring the side. During set-pieces, it’s he who takes care of the Wall. A stunning save from a keeper often lifts the morale of the side.

Q. Where do you rank Indian goalkeepers in comparison to the World?

TB: We are facing an unique situation. Tall goalkeepers are not that technically equipped and vice versa. Hence, we are concentrating on a conglomeration of both. Till the nineties, our goalkeepers were among the best in Asia. There was a slump in between but the present generation is catching up fast.
Q. What are the areas Indian goalkeepers need to improve on?

TB: The character of a keeper is judged by his capability in a One-to-One situation. We need to work on that part. Scuttling the flow of crosses from the flanks is another aspect we are working very hard on.

Q. Bengal, ‘the Mecca of Indian Football,’ is going through a slump as far as supplying Players to the National Team is concerned. But their goalkeepers are standing tall. What do you attribute it to?

TB: Bengal has been fortunate enough to produce quality goalkeepers since the 50s. Hence, the knowledge has been passed on. And as I told you, goalkeepers are born, not made. Look at Subrata Pal, Arindam Bhattacharya and Subhasis Roychowdhury – all of them hail from the Tata Football Academy where they didn’t have a goalkeeping coach. But they hit their peak later – it all boils down to what you have in your genes.