In football, or even hockey, a goalkeeper often gets least opportunity to touch the ball. If a powerful team like Brazil or Germany is pitted against any weaker team, their goalkeeper gets even much less chance to have a hand on the ball – sometimes not even half a dozen times in the whole 90 minutes of the match.
Yet the role of goalkeeper is of utmost importance. His dress is different, sometimes, especially in hockey, he wears fully covered dress and his face could not be seen. He enjoys special privilege within a certain area of the field, that is, he can stop the ball with his hands. If other players do the same, the team will be penalised.
Though, in comparison to team mates, he gets least opportunity to handle the ball yet his presence under the bar is of great significance. If the goalkeeper is asked to play just as another 10 players and leave the goal-post unguarded, the whole equation of the match may change. With an extra player in the frontline, a team may not be able to achieve anything big. On the other hand with no goalkeeper under the bar, it will give an ample opportunity to the rival team, even if it is weak, to score goals freely. So apparently the man who handles the ball for the least number of time during the entire match is the real custodian of the team. Yet it is also a fact that the goal-keeper, if need arises, can play like other players after he leaves the D-area. Here he will not have to touch the ball with the hands; but once back in the position he enjoys the same privilege of handling the ball.
Often commentators and newspaper writers give credit to the goal-scorers of the team rather than to the goal-saver. Even in the big tournament such as the World Cup, Olympics, Euro Cup etc the role of goal-scorers get much publicity. But the goalkeepers get pat on the back when they save penalty in the match or during shoot-out. The football goal-keeper of the recent time, who got some recognition is Oliver Kahn of Germany. In contrast we know the name of dozens of players of international repute playing in different positions – forwards, mid-fielders and backs.
Now come to our society. It is often said that women are confined to the four walls of the house and are not allowed to go out. In some society they are supposed to wear fully covered dress and are secluded from the mainstream. However, it is also felt that they have little role in the decision-making of the family. Apparently, like a goal-keeper they get less credit for their achievements though they are the real custodians of the family. But, like goal-keeper women get their due when they do something like saving ‘penalty’ of the society or when they rise to the occasion.
The West suggests a different role for women. It says that since they do not earn and occasionally go out they have no role to play in the society. Therefore, their place is outside the house. This amounts to telling the goal-keeper that since you get the least opportunity to have a hand on the ball you better change your dress and play from other position. The West has left the goal-post completely unguarded, yet they are not realising that they are conceding goal after goal, and thus losing the match.
The need of the hour is not just arbitrary and mindless shifting of role. Instead we all, be it in the East or West, need to recognise the real importance of the last custodian of the society. We, in general, cannot behave like those overzealous spectators who only praise the role of the goal-scorers and overlook the real contributions of the goal-keeper, the ultimate saviour of the team.
Those who matter in football do know the real importance of goal-keeper, though they do not go about shouting and proclaiming this hard fact. The need of the hour is to recognise the custodian of our society and do not necessarily ask her to play from other positions. She can do so only when the situation arises.