Statistics speak for summer
A look at the statistics shows that size is not decisive. Sommer has made twelve brilliant saves this season, only Bochum’s Manuel Riemann has one more to his credit. Sommer thwarted 15 of 52 big chances, with a rate of 29 percent he is above the league average of 22 percent.
Nevertheless, the clubs mainly rely on big keepers. Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/1.93 meters), Mark Flekken (SC Freiburg/1.95 meters), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund/1.95 meters) are just a few examples.
History: Not always great goalkeepers in the Bundesliga
It wasn’t always like that: Uwe Kamps remembers the 70s and 80s when he started playing football. “I checked again, there were several smaller goalkeepers.” For example Gerhard Heinze. From the 60’s to the 80’s he stood by VfB Stuttgart and the MSV Duisburg in goal. Height: 1.76 meters. Or Gerry Ehrmann (1. FC Kaiserslautern/1.84 meters), Dieter Burdenski (SV Werder Bremen/1.81 meters) or Ulrich Stein (Hamburg SV/1.86 meters).
The list of keepers under 1.90 meters can be continued. Kamps noticed that the focus on height was changing in the 90s. In the decade that Sommer, born in 1988, started playing football.
Sticking point height in youth
The first sticking point when it comes to height comes when you are young. “When you switch from small to big goals in youth, big goalkeepers often get the advantage.”, Kamps says. In youth, the playing time is often decisive in recommending oneself for the next age group in a youth academy. If you don’t play, your chances are worse.
Summer didn’t fall through the cracks. “As a young goalkeeper, I often heard that height could be a problem for me”, he says. But his coaches would have put more emphasis on performance, development and other strengths.
More small goalkeepers in the Bundesliga soon?
In addition to Yann Sommer, Manuel Riemann (VfL Bochum/1.85 meters) and Stefan Ortega (Arminia Bielefeld/1.85 meters). All three save an above-average number of shots on goal and are in the top five in the ranking this season.
So is the door opening again for smaller keepers? “I know from experience that head coaches tend to use taller goalkeepers. It’s a basic model that’s in their heads.”Kamps says.
Borussia Mönchengladbach played this basic model into their hands in 2014. The club was awarded the contract for summer. “I think that was a big reason we were able to get him back then”Kamps says.
Sommer’s contract expires next year. He has long been of interest to other clubs as well. Sommer has impressively confirmed the fears of potential new employers that he is too small in recent years.