A host of exciting names have been confirmed for April’s FA Goalkeeper Conference, with a renowned youth goalkeeping coach from Manchester City’s academy among the presenters added to this year’s programme.
Max Johnson, whose career has also included time spent at Newcastle United’s academy, will feature on day one and will deliver a 90-minute practical focused on working with young goalkeepers within the foundation phase (5-11).
His workshop will also form part of the conference’s new ‘Goalkeeping through the Development Phases’ section, which runs on both days and includes further sessions dedicated to the 12-16 and 17-21 age phases as well as coaching women’s goalkeepers.
Already confirmed to be delivering two of those workshops is FA coach educator and former Manchester United and Manchester City goalkeeper coach, Eric Steele, who will present on both days on working with goalkeepers in the professional development phase (17-21).
While for coaches who work with women’s goalkeepers, there will also be practical sessions by England women’s senior national goalkeeper coach, Lee Kendall, on day one and – marking another new name on the programme – Leanne Hall, FA women international teams coach, on day two.
Joining them from The FA and England coaching set-ups are Tim Dittmer, FA lead national goalkeeping coach, Tony Elliott, England Cerebral Palsy and Blind team senior goalkeeper coach, and Martin Thomas, FA lead goalkeeper coach educator.
Together they are set to head up a series of practical and theoretical presentations that will provide insight as well as coaching best practice, tips and guidance from their individual specialisms.
Finally, in exciting news away from the practical workshop programme, the conference will welcome one of English football’s greatest ever goalkeepers – Peter Shilton OBE.
The former Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and England keeper will be on stage on day two of the conference for an interactive question-and-answer session led by BT Sport's chief football reporter, Ray Stubbs.
