TERRIBLE DILEMMA - WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?
At the start of the season, my son was still fairly new to playing in goal. He is one of those lads who is good at most things he tries. A member of the management team (who is also the other goalkeeper’s dad) told us that my son would not get any games unless the other keeper was injured or ill. At the time, we accepted that because my son was still learning and needed more training. After three games, the other goalkeeper had a big confidence collapse. He is quite small and kept getting lobbed, and it really got to him. He then decided he did not want to play in goal anymore and wanted to play outfield instead. So my son stepped in. Ready or not, he took his chance and did really well. He improved a lot, looked comfortable in goal, and started and played 10 games. He kept clean sheets, got Man of the Match performances, and even saved penalties regularly. His confidence went through the roof. Then my son missed one game because he went on holiday for his birthday. The old goalkeeper came back in to cover that match. Since then, the old goalkeeper’s dad has decided his son wants to go back in goal again, and now my son has been dropped for tomorrow’s game so the other keeper can play in goal. I feel like this is going to damage my sons confidence, especially after he has worked so hard and performed well. What makes it even harder is that I am the goalkeeper coach for both of them. They are both good keepers, just with different strengths. But the match before Christmas, when the other keeper covered, he did not have much to do and, in my opinion, did not really “earn” the spot back—especially because he chose to leave the position months ago. Also, nobody has asked my opinion at all this season. No one has asked who has trained better, who is performing best, or what I think as the goalkeeper coach. The situation is complicated because the other goalkeeper’s dad helps with team selection, even though he is not a coach (he is the secretary). I am the goalkeeper coach, but I have no say in who gets picked.