News Sports Hockey Read the mind of your opponent: Staniforth's advice to goalies

Read the mind of your opponent: Staniforth's advice to goalies

New Delhi: A goalkeeper should be able to read into the opponent's game to understand his next move, feels Indian coach Dave Staniforth.Staniforth, goalkeeping coach and strategic analyst of the Indian senior and junior men's

read the mind of your opponent staniforth s advice to goalies read the mind of your opponent staniforth s advice to goalies
New Delhi: A goalkeeper should be able to read into the opponent's game to understand his next move, feels Indian coach Dave Staniforth.

Staniforth, goalkeeping coach and strategic analyst of the Indian senior and junior men's teams, said keeping is the most important job in hockey as well as being the most difficult position to master.

"While all the players in the team understand their role, it is the goalkeeper's role which I feel is in the most odd as he always has to be alert. My tip to the goalkeepers is to always be focused and wherever possible try reading the mind of the opponent which will help understand his next move or shot," said Staniforth.

The Indian junior team underwent a tough practice session at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the capital today ahead of their World Cup opener against The Netherlands on December 6.

Staniforth said players of all teams are under "pressure" to perform well in the tournament.

"The entire team is aiming at making the strategies work on the day of play. It is very obvious that in such a big tournament players of all teams are under a great pressure of performing and winning their matches but we as coaches ensure that our players are motivated and not get succumbed by such expectations," he added.