Arvid Vermorgen
Current club: KSC Lokeren-Temse
Previous Club: Waasland-Beveren
Birthday: 26-06-2009
How did you decide to play soccer, especially as a goalkeeper?
Before we start the real interview, we’d like to say that we’ve known Arvid for a while. Even before the existence or idea of Prostar, we know Arvid as a goalkeeper who enjoys every training session, every free moment or every game, but this is how his story began. As a 5 year old Arvid Vermorgen is like many of us starting to play soccer at his local soccer club Bornem. He remembers very well that the coach asked the whole group who wanted to become a goalkeeper and everyone raised his hand. Of this whole group, Arvid was the only one who was still in the goal after a few weeks. Giving a bit of a go at it? Arvid never wanted to do anything else, once goalkeeper, always goalkeeper!
Which goalkeepers do you admire?
Difficult to stick a name on, you can search for the best goalkeepers on youtube and then choose one, but are these the best goalkeepers for Arvid? Every goalkeeper has his qualities and there are so many good goalkeepers, all top athletes but young goalkeepers like Dean Henderson and Jordan Pickford have his preference. Both coach well, play soccer and are well on their line. And let’s be honest also with a great personality on the field.
How would you define yourself as a goalkeeper?
Coaching the point that the trainers have to draw the attention of so many goalkeepers over and over again. As a goalkeeper, you have the full game in front of you and can best coach your teammates and adjust where necessary. It’s not like many players think you don’t have to move as a goalkeeper. We as goalkeepers always have to move from left to right, to the front or back to the back in order to be playable and to be able to play football But what people remember, of course, are the good saves we make.
What do you think is the most important quality a goalkeeper should have?
Being a keeper is a speciality according to Arvid Vermorgen. Not only should your mentality and concentration always be full and 100%, because every ball that comes towards you no matter how difficult it may be for you to give your best in order to keep it out of your goal Dealing with setbacks such as letting in a ball that you know you could have caught, turning the knob and still stay focused for the rest of the match
Did you expect your career as a goalkeeper to be as it is at the moment?
Arvid Vermorgen played at a very young age at elite level, foreign tournaments against big teams and was even named goalkeeper of the tournament a few times. Still, the Elite world is a hard world for younger children as well. Just like with us in the adult world you are there a number that is replaceable. Unfortunately but it is the hard reality. Throughout the years you have to have a trainer and goalkeeper who believes 100% in you.
Sometimes having to “fight” for your place over and over again to prove yourself at a very young age is incredibly hard and sometimes you lose the pleasure why you’ve been doing this for years. That’s why it’s more important to know the right people there, not the athletic. That’s why Arvid has chosen to come out on the IP level for the new season. His new team has 100% confidence in him and will therefore guide him very carefully and specifically to the future. It’s a relief not to be a number anymore and to know that all the people of your new club care about you so much.
How do you prepare yourself and your gloves for a competition?
On an elite level, it’s often journeys that take an hour and sometimes longer to make. That’s why it’s important for goalkeepers to start focusing on their game in the car or bus. In this way, Arvid gets into the locker room with full concentration and the focus on warming up is even greater. A good warm-up is just as important for a goalkeeper.
Once the warm-up is over, the goalkeeper gloves are well moistened so they have a good grip when the game starts.
And how many gloves do you usually wear each year?
In the past at least 6 pairs, now 4 pairs
Which brands did you play with before you discovered Prostar?
Elite Armour was the brand and model that Arvid quickly discovered in the past. It was one of the first gloves on the market with good durability on artificial turf and still a qualitative grip.
Why did you start playing with ProStar or are you still playing with ProStar and didn’t you go back to a well known brand?
As mentioned before, we have known Arvid Vermorgen longer than the creation of Prostar. That’s why we quickly decided to ask Arvid if he wanted to test the gloves of Prostar. The first pairs of the black model still had a problem causing the paint to go off quite quickly, but in the meantime with the following pairs that problem has been solved again and they remain nice and black. The Prostar gloves are not sold as “artificial turf goalkeeper gloves”, but should certainly not be inferior to the Elite Armours he worked with in the past in terms of durability. The grip is also better and at a much lower price. That’s 2 birds with one stone.
What is the hardest thing for a goalie?
You have to be able to play football, coach and grab every ball, the expectations of team trainers, team mates and people on the side are sometimes unrealistic and you have to be able to mentally cope with that. Only people who have stood between those poles know what it is to be a goalkeeper
Finally, what advice would you give a young goalkeeper?
Actually, the most important fun is having fun, getting better step by step without pressure!
