Joe Hart: Coping with wet weather conditions

“I’m a goalkeeper and prone to a howler in the rain. Any tips for coping with wet conditions?”
Slaven Novoselac, via Facebook

Joe Hart says:

“On a wet, muddy surface, you have to wear studs [as opposed to blades]. The right footwear is imperative in tough conditions.

“See how the ball reacts to the surface. You might expect it to be quick when wet, but it could hold up depending on the state of the pitch.

“Hold a good position, make your decision early and stick with it. Even if it leads to a mistake, it’s better to play with conviction than hesitation.

“When shots zip off a wet surface you can try to hold on to them, but if in doubt, it’s better to parry them away and get stick for making a camera save. Try to catch a wet ball and you risk dropping it into the net or at the feet of their striker.

“Try not to wear brand new gloves in wet conditions – they can be rigid from the maker’s finish. Wash and dry a worn-in pair. I use a boot scrubbing brush to get all the dirt off. I nicked that from Rob Green.”

Joe Hart wears the new white, black and silver Umbro Speciali 4 Pro boots and Neo Pro gloves, available fromwww.prodirectsoccer.com

See here for more training tips:
Joe Hart: Positioning for direct free-kicks
Joe Hart: How to win one-on-ones
Joe Hart: Positioning at corners
Off-season training for goalkeepers
Save like Joe Hart
Joe Hart: 5 foods I can't live without