• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
West Brom’s creative goalkeeper training drills with tennis balls are causing a stir

Home> Football> Football News

Published 21:19 26 Jul 2023 GMT+1

West Brom’s creative goalkeeper training drills with tennis balls are causing a stir

There was a "unique twist" on goalkeeper training at the Championship club on Wednesday.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Championship side West Brom have introduced a "unique" training ground drill to test hand-eye coordination ahead of the new campaign.

After finishing ninth last season, the Baggies moved to appoint a new goalkeeping coach following the departure of Gary Walsh.

Marcos Abad has arrived at The Hawthorns after spending six years at recently-relegated Leeds United, where he worked with current West Brom manager Carlos Corberan.

Advert

And it hasn't taken the 37-year-old coach long to introduce his 'innovative' methods to first-team goalkeepers David Button, Alex Palmer and Josh Griffiths.

As you can see in the footage below, Abad attempts to improve reflexes by pinging tennis balls at the goal using a yellow bat/padel racket.

Here's how social media reacted to the footage.

One fan said: "Next level and new ideas will help the GKs grown massively," while another wrote: "It’s great having a GK coach that’s actually relevant to today's game and can actually move as well."

Advert

A third commented: "I really like the look of the new GK coach I have to say," and a fourth said: "Never seen nothing like this but brilliant coaching."

Some, however, were unconvinced by the session. One said: "No wonder Meslier couldn’t catch anything, this guy was throwing tennis balls at him."

Another added: "No wonder a proper sized football kept going under Meslier's hands."

Image credit: Twitter/@WBA
Image credit: Twitter/@WBA

Advert

West Brom manager Carlos Corberan is a huge fan of Abad, who previously worked for Middlesbrough, Elche and Alcoyano. “I would like to welcome Marcos to the club,” Corberan said.

“I have worked with Marcos before for three years at Leeds and I know he shares my passion and enthusiasm for coaching and I know that will help us with our goalkeepers, as well as some other responsibilities that he will take on with my staff.

“This is an opportunity for Marcos and I to work together again, which I’m pleased about, as I know Marcos has the knowledge, experience and dedication to help us, specifically with our goalkeepers.”

Abad added: "I would like to thank Gary [Walsh] for all his hard work at the football club, and all the work we have done together. We have built a strong relationship that I will always appreciate.”

Advert

Image credit: Twitter/@WBA
Image credit: Twitter/@WBA

Thoughts on the goalkeeper drill? Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@WBA

Topics: West Brom, EFL Championship, Leeds United, Fan Reactions

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack is a Senior Journalist who enjoys a long read. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day, and has interviewed a handful of FM's finest, including Freddy Adu, Supat Rungratsamee and Mika Aaritalo.

X

@jackkenmare_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • Getty
    8 mins ago

    Man City Prepared to Sign Man Utd Player in First Direct Transfer This Century

    Transfers between the Premier League's two Manchester clubs are incredibly rare

    Football
  • Getty
    an hour ago

    Lionel Messi Broke Ballon d'Or Protocol to Make Incredible Gesture

    Messi has won the Ballon d'Or eight times in an amazing career but sometimes even the greatest need to obey the rules

    Football
  • Getty
    2 hours ago

    Steven Gerrard Tipped to Take Wrexham Job in Shock Move

    Steven Gerrard last managed Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    3 hours ago

    Marcos Llorente Shares Wild Conspiracy Theory Before Scoring Brace vs Liverpool

    Llorente referenced the theory ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game.

    Football
  • Fan furious after spotting what Illan Meslier did moments after committing the 'worst goalkeeping error of the season'
  • Leeds could sack Daniel Farke immediately after promotion as huge blockbuster name linked with job
  • Spurs' Archie Gray booed during Brentford clash and fans think they've worked out why
  • Patrick Bamford reveals the hidden cost of being a professional footballer and nobody knew about it