Kickouts must be planned and practiced

In his column in this week’s Gaelic Life Steven Poacher explains the importance of kickouts, or restarts, and why teams and clubs must make more effort to coach their players properly.

He explains that teams must remember that a re-start is not merely about setting down a tee, and kicking the ball out. When a team gives the ball away from a re-start it is not solelythe goalkeeper’s fault.

“It’s easy to blame the keeper and switch the goalkeeper around, but it is important to remember that successful re-starts from the goalie aren’t solely his responsibility.

“Obviously the placement of the restart, the height and the pace are all controlled by him. But more importantly he must have options on his restarts. That comes from outfield players providing options with some lateral movement, decoy runs, possibly a basketball type screen on an opponent which would happen well before the goalkeeper takes the kickout.

“These are things that are going to help find that little yard of space which is crucial to the sucess of the restart.”

Read the full column in the current issue of Gaelic Life. Click here to buy the online pdf edition.