Pedro de Nobriga learns from Cameroon’s Assimba

South African former player now a goal keeper Pedro de Nobriga in a spirit of oneness joined Cameroon National Team during their training in Surrey ahead of Fifa Women’s World Cup, Canada 2015.

While Pedro is happy to have learnt from Cameroon’s goalkeeper Coach Assimba Clement, he provides insights to challenges of goalkeeping. For him, the Lionesses can render surprises if they play African aggressive soccer-style.

Kila Jisi of Lions4life.com interviewed Pedro; here's an exerpt of the conversation that transpired between them.

Q: Who is Pedro de Nobriga?

A: I am a South African who played for the South African Junior team, professional for Sundance and Morocco Swallows, Portugal and Holland- Maritim).

I moved to Canada in 2003 and later got into a goalkeeping programme, in Vancouver, the best so far, which teaches young children to be goalkeepers. A lot of goalkeepers from my school have gone to professional clubs.

Q: You have been here for few days now, what made you join the training of the Cameroon Team?

A: I am from Africa and love Africa, so I decided to visit the Cameroonian camp to learn some new techniques and Coach Assimba Clement agreed I could join his training sessions. So far, he has taught me different aspects of goalkeeping.

Q: So what have you learnt?

A: This is the World Cup, so there's no messing around, the players have to perform 100 percent overtime and not below.

Q: Do you find the training of goalkeepers so intensive?

A: Yes and also Coach Assimba Clement is very strict, everything has to be right during training to reflect in the real game situation.

Q: Are the Cameroon goalkeepers living up to expectation, judging from what you observed at their training?

A: Yes, Ngo Ndom Annette is good; but Enyegue Regine Flore, Mbororo Thecle still need a bit of extra work and some details.

Q: If there is some advice to help goalkeepers improve on their skills, what would it be?

A: They should never give up, sometimes the day is not good, but, keep going and tomorrow it will get better. Coach Clement is one of the best goalkeeping trainers I have met. I have trained with quite a few coaches, but he is always observing to find out what is wrong in order to fix it. It is also incredible how he loves his job; it makes goalkeeper coaching fun.

Q: What is the biggest challenge in goalkeeping?

A: For me, people in Canada do not understand the goalkeeping career, they think they are like any other players but it is a position that require specific coaching. So, I am trying to change their way of thinking for them to realize that for goalkeepers to be better, there is the need for coaching.

Q: What are the qualities that make goalkeepers excel?

A: Height, you have to be tall, aggressive, good with the hands, and the feet this was not required before, but now it is a requirement.

Q: Is goalkeeping changing with technology?

A: Yes goalkeeping is changing because in the past if a goalkeeper is not fit, he still assumes his position in the post, but now they have to be very fit, and ready for the game. There are lots of videos on youtube, but the goalkeeper still has to know his responsibility. There are many tutorials on the internet but, an experience like that of Coach Clement counts a lot.

Q: After your few days observation, what do you think of the team ahead of the World Cup?

A: In previous years, I have watched the Canadian ladies team but people don't know how good Cameroon is. I think they have nothing to lose and if they play the African soccer style, which is aggressive with speed, they can do well.