One on One | Spurs' Vicario on the evolution of the 'Keeper!

0:01My dad tried to force me to play outfield but I was very convinced to play as a goalkeeper. and I'm very happy between the sticks. For me, the key area is being and trying to be the best shot stopper as you can be. Of course, our position is the most riskful, I can say, in football. It's a position of big responsibility, you have to deal with it. It's a bit of kind of having, of course, a big personality, a big balance and a big belief in yourself. Welcome to One on One from Sky Sports. It's the podcast that brings you exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in football. I'm Juliet Farrington.

0:38And I'm Joe Tomlinson. And on this episode, we're diving into the world of goalkeeping. See what we did there? With Tottenham's number one, Guillermo Vicario. The Italian joined Spurs at the start of the 2023 season and was a key figure in Tottenham's Europa League victory last season. And it was a pleasure to chat to him, to be honest with you, when I went down to Spurs at the end of last week. Over the course of the next 20 minutes, you'll hear how his dad tried to force him to play outfield, but Guillermo was having none of it. We talk about the keepers he looks up to and we also discuss what life is like under Thomas Frank.

1:08But at 29 years old, Vicario is perfectly placed to discuss the demands of his position and how it's changed exactly over his time in the game. So this is the evolution of the goalkeeper with Guillermo Vicario.

1:33Guillermo, thank you so much for joining me here today. Obviously, you are one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League. So today we want to talk about the evolution of the goalkeeper because it has changed so much over time and probably since you've become a goalkeeper as well. Let's start by rewinding the clock back to when you were first involved in becoming a goalkeeper. When was it you first decided goalkeeper is going to be the position for me? I can say probably when I was like 9, 10 years old. Of course, I started, you know, as most of the kids, trying to be like an outfield player, enjoying scoring goals and trying to have my celebrations, you know, and probably enjoy the best part of the game.

2:12That is probably the one reason why people go to watch a football match. Yeah. But I wanted to be on the other side and trying to have probably the other excitement in trying to deny people to have their celebration. and try to build my celebration. You say, okay, I just want to see this part of the game with my mindset, just easily like that. And then since I was 9, 10, I had a lot of, how can I say, issues with my dad because he tried to force me to play outfield, but I was very convinced to play as a goalkeeper. Since that time I started, I'm very happy between the sticks. So your dad wanted you to play outfield, but you were having none of it.

3:01Why did your dad want you to play outfield, but you were so decided, I want to be a goalkeeper? No, just because probably I was enjoying most being there. Yeah, just probably the funniest part of my game, you know. I was happy there. I was happy there trying to save goals, trying to create my moments in that way with the gloves. not just with the boots so yeah that was the main decision to be fair have you always been really tall? because I feel like it's a prerequisite for goalkeeper no I wasn't I grew up in terms of height quite late when I was 17, 18 so when I was a kid I was like a normal kid in terms of height and then yeah when I was 16, 17 something like that my height increased so I said okay probably also I have the capacity and the height to stay between the sticks.

3:59And when you were growing up, obviously people watched a lot of different goalkeepers now, there's a lot of different styles of goalkeeper now. Who were you looking at when you were younger and trying to base your game on? Yeah, of course, as an Italian, of course, I grew up with Gianluigi Buffon because when I was 10 years old, it was the season that fortunately and well-deserved Italy won the World Cup and Buffon was between the sticks and he had an amazing tournament. So, of course, this was my idol. And as an Udinese fan, when I was going to the stadium, I was a season ticket holder with my parents.

4:38The keeper of Udinese was Samir Andanovic. He had a big, big, big spell at Inter Milan for more than 10 years. He was the captain. So also in terms of leadership and this kind of inspiration to me, he played a big role in terms of inspirational moments to me. Obviously you mentioned Buffon there. He's involved with the Italian set-up as well now, isn't he? Behind the scenes, I think. How is it working with somebody who you've tried to replicate a style of or you've grown up watching thinking this is the kind of goalkeeper I want to be? Yeah, then of course you have to try to make your own history, make your own path to the position and to the game.

5:21Of course, you have to find, I think, an inspirational model, mostly in every aspect of your life. Sometimes it's your dad, sometimes it's your mom or a friend of yours. And of course, in terms of purely goalkeeping, I just want to try to replicate something of Buffon because of, of course, what he did for his team and the country. So, yeah, it was just a kind of an inspirational character rather than go deeply into technical drills or skills that he had. Because for me, he had this natural talent that he grew up with that was something that you cannot replicate. Yeah, absolutely. I totally agree with you.

6:06I think it's interesting, isn't it, if you look across the span of time since you've become a goalkeeper, how that role has changed and become more modern. How have you seen it from when you first became a professional to now change? Yeah, of course. In my perspective, it is the position in football that has changed the most. Especially when the rules have changed into the direction that you can play the ball also from goal kicks inside to the penalty box. This for me was one of the biggest reasons that the position has changed because the idea and the style of most managers is to try to play out from the back, so the goalkeeper is a big part because most of the times you are the spare man, so to find some solutions, to find some good passes.

6:56Then of course in terms of pure goal kicking, probably the quality and the speed of the ball has increased a lot compared to when I started, especially here in the Premier League, of course the level of shooting and the ability of players to put the ball in the right corner, the right tempo is extremely high. So yeah, I think I had personally to study, to develop, to learn a lot from when I started since now. So you talk about that build-up and playing as the sort of spare man. Do you remember a time when that came in were you thinking to yourself I've got to really look at how other goalkeepers do this well are managers talking to you specifically about that role a lot in build up yeah of course I always think you have to try to to steal something from from the best of the of the position of course every goalkeeper is different every goalkeeper has different skills that, of course, sometimes in the build-up, it's not so easy because you're not an outfield player to find properly the right way to go out.

8:08But I think it's something, of course, we work on. It's extremely important. More than find, of course, the right path to recognize some situation, where's the overload, when you have to go long, when you have to go short. So, of course, in training, we do a lot of these kind of situations. What other goalkeepers do you think you look at and you think they're very good at that role, that build-up role? Because I think it is much spoken about now, isn't it? Fans and pundits, they're constantly talking about goalkeepers with their feet, building up from the back. It's a change. Yeah, of course. Probably mainly is, of course, you cannot dribble your opponents.

8:44So the biggest help that you can have is from your teammates, from how they move, how they recognise the space. and then the ability of the goalkeeper is to find the right pass but the right timing and the right situation to recognise and to play the ball this side, that side and to go on to the show. So, of course, it's a team sport, of course, football. So you have to work very closely to your teammates. But if we can speak and talk about proper goalkeeping distribution ability, of course if I have to see probably for me the best in long distribution insane one is Ederson because he has the big ability to recognise the space when he's in front of him, when he's behind the line and he has this 70 yards kick that can of course produce an assist and he produced I think 6 since the time he was in the Premier League so I have to name him as one of the best.

10:01How hard is that? Because I think it's not really taking it's maybe taken for granted actually how difficult the goalkeeping position is in terms of if you make a mistake in that scenario trying to pass out from the back you are getting hammered by everyone aren't you? Yeah I think it's the And also when you miss a catch, when you receive a shot, probably 99 times out of 100, there's no one that can save you. So it's the balance, of course, of our position is the most riskful, I can say, in football. For sure, the position has more responsibilities because, of course, probably if a striker misses out, I don't know, a penalty.

10:46big chances is not impacting as much as a goalkeeper mistake. And then, of course, we should talk about a lot of what is a goalkeeper mistake because now it's going probably not in the right direction, in my opinion. But, of course, it's a position of big responsibility. You have to deal with it. You have to get used to some situation in which you are not probably how clean you want it to be. and you have to accept that some situations are sometimes bad luck and you cannot overthink about, OK, I should have done this instead of doing that. So it's a bit of having, of course, a big personality, a big balance and a big belief in yourself.

11:32So you said then you feel like sometimes goalkeeping mistakes aren't actually goalkeeping mistakes. What do you mean by that? Do you think playing out from the back or sometimes playing is going to be a bit harsh? Yeah, a little bit. I think just not related with playing out from the back it's just probably in pure goalkeeping of course to judge a goalkeeper you have to in my opinion you have you have to be played in that position because there aren't many goalkeeper it's very it's very it's very specific you don't know the feeling because probably not everyone but most of the people have played like an outfit player so they know of course probably different you know levels of football but you know the situation you are in but the goalkeeper is very unique and you don't know the feeling if you haven't played in that position.

12:18That's a save and a half, you know. It's fingertips off from Bacario. You mentioned it there about the shot stopping and things like that. The shot stopping now feels like it's at such a high level because the finishing is so good, the ball striking is so good. Do you see a little bit of a return to that at the moment? A lot of goalkeepers people are talking about, the likes of Donnarumma arriving to the league, amazing shot stoppers in particular. Yeah, I think, in my opinion, that aspect has to be the main one, of course, that can give a goalkeeper the best goalkeeper. So, we have to start from there and then build up the keeper on two other aspects that can be, of course, playing out from the back and having a 70-yard distribution.

13:09for me the key area is being and trying to be the best shot stopper as you can be this is my view my personal view and of course you mentioned you mentioned Luigi Donnarumma that has already showed what he's capable of also in the Premier League with disability. That was part one of my interview with Tottenham's Vicario when we come back he lifts the lid on what it's like to work under manager Thomas Frank see you in a bit.

13:44Hello, Andy Scott here, host of the Sky Sports Toe-to-Toe podcast. Alongside a host of top guests, we're here every Tuesday bringing you the very latest boxing news. And we go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in the sport. So, if you love boxing, join me on Toe-to-Toe, wherever you listen to your podcasts. That's toe-to-toe, a Sky Sports podcast.

14:38started this part of our chat by talking about life under the brilliant Thomas Frank. Obviously, you've also got a new coach come in this season. Thomas, what's he changed for you in your position? Of course, his style of play probably is a little bit different from what we were used to playing over the last two seasons, but especially to try to be a leader of that back four, especially trying to be very vocal and help the team in some situations because, of course, from the goal you can see situation and you're not involved in much running and you can be more fresh in your mind and more focused in some situations and it's just a kind of help you can give to your teammates and try to be also a good leader for the team and try to help everyone across the games and also off the pitch.

15:34He's obviously a brilliant coach in terms of his set pieces. There's lots made about his attacking set pieces. But from a goalkeeper's perspective, how difficult are the defensive set pieces at the moment? Because teams are really focusing in on that, aren't they? Keepers are getting put under pressure on their line. Let's get a bit of propaganda going for the goalkeepers out there. Yeah, I think here in the Premier League and overall across football in England is definitely different to what you can see also during European competition and across all the other leagues in Europe. But it's just the kind of attitude you go in.

16:13I needed a little bit of time to understand why sometimes I didn't get a foul in some situation. But it's just about the culture of football. So when you get used and when you know that the contact is coming, you are more ready. and so it's just of course repeating, repeating, doing training. We are training a lot also the defensive side of set pieces and I think the numbers, finger crossed of course are increased and we are doing a very good job. How do you find that? How do you deal with when somebody is pushing you or pulling you or pulling your glove and trying to cause chaos? How do you personally deal with that?

16:51In my opinion, the goalkeeper is a zonal player so if your role is to play as a zonal player you have to be focused on the ball and if you get contact from an opponent you have to try to stay strong and hold your position and then try to react sometimes you cannot go for every ball also balls that are dropping the six yards sometimes you cannot go because you are blocked but the most you can stay strong and stay physical and waiting for the moment to go the better is so this was the kind of approach probably at the beginning of my career in the Premier League I was a little bit trying to move a lot and trying to avoid blocks but sometimes it's just about, okay, deal with the block and try to go otherwise you don't go and of course other zonal players will deal with the ball And how different is it at international level then to the Premier League?

17:49We've spoken a lot here about the Premier League and its physicality and its different style how different is international football? Because there's a World Cup coming up people will be very interested to hear about the different levels of goalkeeping at an international stage. Yeah, I think it's just a decision probably made by referees to decide to have a different approach from Premier League to European football. So it's up on them, but it's just the ability to deal with it, adapt with it and have the ability to switch from Premier League to European or international football. So it's just the kind of mindset that you can produce on a weekly basis, I can say, and go on from, like I said, Premier League to international football.

18:34And obviously the World Cup is approaching next year. How much do you want to be there? How hopeful are you of getting over the line? Yeah, lots, of course. We are in a good position, but probably we'll be not enough to go through as first in our group. so we probably go to the play-off. We have a good team, a very good team, young team but with a clear idea on what we have to do. Very good manager that brought us a lot of passion, a lot of energy and we needed this. So looking forward, of course, to achieve this because we missed the last two World Cups and this time we have to be in the United States in June to try to do the best for our country.

19:20Absolutely, it's not a World Cup without Eti there. Joe, so much love for Thomas Frank. We hear it from every player who works with him, but that was a really fascinating chat with Vacario as well, especially how the role of the goalkeeper has and is constantly changing. Yeah, I have to say I learned a lot from that chat, especially about the tactics side of being a goalkeeper, how he's being used in build-up, how he's the first line of attack, how he's asked to play out to the centre-backs and how he never used to be asked to play out to the centre-backs when he was young. I think it's really interesting as well.

19:50He talks about how Edison changed the game so much, how he could kick the ball so far, but also was so confident of playing through the lines. We obviously saw that at the Women's Euros as well with England's Hannah Hampton. What a brilliant ball-playing goalkeeper she is. But as Vicario said, it's also the quality and the speed of the ball that keepers are now facing that is pushing them to evolve. Obviously, the shot-stopping element of the game is so tough in the Premier League. Players are so precise for their finishing. They hit the ball like hammers. so from his perspective it's not easy and it's probably getting harder it's getting more pressurized to be a goalkeeper in the Premier League.

20:26You use that word pressurized there it's really interesting too to hear about how he deals with the pressure of being between those posts. Yeah I mean in his words there it's kind of the most risky position in football isn't it and I think it is true when he says you know goalkeeping mistakes aren't just made by goalkeepers they are scrutinized a hundred times more than any position a striker misses a chance a midfielder misses a pass a centre-back misses a tackle but if a goalkeeper misjudges a shot misjudges a cross it makes headlines doesn't it so I think it is difficult to judge him and I think he is right when he says there's not enough goalkeeping pundits in the game to judge him and I have to say I think over the next sort of 10 months or so working under Thomas Frank things are going to change even more from him because it's one thing being a good shot stopper but you've also got to play out from the back you got to deal with set pieces what i will say is i hope i really hope italy qualify for that world cup because if we get to see him and donnarumma at a world cup i think it's always more special when the italians are there love that joe it is really special as well when the italians are at a world cup or any major tournament because they are such a good team and they have such a good following and there's just something about them as we saw in the Euros in 2020, which obviously was in 2021 when they won the Euros there with Roberto Mancini.

21:47But love that Joe, really good job. That's it for this week's one-on-one. Don't forget, if you do want to watch this interview, you can find it on Sky Sports News and on our YouTube channels. Jules, you're up next week. Who have you got next week? Well, rumour is I will be sitting down with the Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim, so I'm sure you'll be delighted with that. Off the back of the weekend's win over Liverpool at Anfield for the first time in nine years. And Louis van Gaal was the last manager who went to Anfield with Manchester United and picked up three points. So if you don't already, give this show a follow so the episode arrives straight into your inbox as soon as it drops.

22:26I quite literally cannot wait, Jules. See you next week. Catch you later, Joe.

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23:19We will be there.