THE CATFLAP CHINWAG WITH…

MARCUS HAHNEMANN

You know him as the man between the sticks at Reading’s Madejski Stadium. Now, having spoken to him for the best part of an afternoon, we know MARCUS HAHNEMANN as a metal loving, petrolhead who refuses to do as he’s told...

 

Why do you think goalkeeper has been the most successful English import from the US?

I think it’s because we grow up playing baseball, American football and basketball. I grew up wanting to play in goal, where in this country I don’t think it’s that well sought after of a position. In the States it is. If you watch ice hockey, as soon as the game is over everyone skates over to their goalie and pats him on the head and says good job. In this country everyone’s like “our goalkeeper’s crap, that’s why we lost”.

 

Do you think a goalkeeper’s job is getting harder?

The balls are flying like crazy, not like they used to be, and they move like you wouldn’t believe, which makes it difficult, and the guys look at you and ask what happened and you tell them it was moving all over place. The speed at which they travel, it’s not like even five or ten years ago. If you think how different the balls are now it seems like it’s way more difficult and it does makes us look a little bit silly and stupid at times but that’s just the way it is.