Q: How do you prepare yourself for games? Are there any fixed routines you carry out before each game or does it change depending on the game?
I don’t have a fixed routine but it’s more of a mental prep that I dig into. Usually, I would watch clips/highlights on YouTube of goalkeeping stuff. I prep myself by doing mental visualisation of myself in a match of saves I’d do and mistakes I try to avoid.
Q: How do you stay alert throughout the match? How do you usually celebrate when your team scores a goal?
Most of the time I try to keep my mouth moving, communicating with my teammates. I figured that’s the best way to stay in the zone and it also helps the defence when there’s communication so it’s a win-win. When my team scores, I’d always give a fist into the air and walk back into my box. They celebrate too far away so I don’t bother going to them.
Q: What goes through your mind when your team concedes a goal? How personally do you take it as a goalkeeper?
My mind immediately goes back to the seconds before I concede the goal. I start thinking about what I could’ve done better to prevent that goal or what I should’ve done. But this stops when the ball kicks off again; I have to put that into the back of my mind and focus on however minutes is left.
I try not to take it too personally, football is a team game after all. But I always look back on the goals to see how I can be better and how I can improve my game.
Q: Do you replay matches in your head after the game? What does the unwinding process look like for you?
I debrief after the game, be it with myself or my teammates. I give myself time to process whatever feelings I have for the rest of the day after the match. The time for self-reflection comes the day after when all my emotions are settled and I’m able to think more clearly.
Q: How do you know when you’ve done a good job as a goalkeeper?
I think this varies, everyone has goals of their own and what they want to achieve, be it in a match or a season. Personally, I take games one at a time, I set goals for myself each match. Keeping a clean sheet is definitely a goal every match, but it’s not as easy as saying it.
My example of doing a good job is more of not making the same mistakes I made the previous match and/or having success with the goals I set pre-match, like being more involved with the game and distribution.
