With 3 and 4G pitches becoming more popular for playing surfaces up and down the country; if you do then I'm sure a lot of people will be jealous given you're more likely to get a game than those whose pitches are flooded at the moment! Obviously this sounds a bit random, but I'm really 'particular' (replace that with 'weird', 'strange', 'odd' or just Freudianly so and so...) because of my OCD (which is genuine!) and I don't like the feel of most fabrics used for goalie tops (told you it's weird!). That and not wanting to wear long sleeves when I'm in goal, so I've been looking for an alternative to keep my elbows getting absolutely shredded when I play on astro. So I've thought of a solution...
I've been mucking around with tubigrips and they do seem like a good idea for goalkeepers that play on 3/4G or sand dressed astroturf pitches that also don't want to wear long sleeve jerseys but don't want the skin bare against the turf as they slide in and get bloody elbows. This might make more sense for American members of the "goalies union" that have their season during the summer and are more likely to want to wear short sleeved jerseys, and might just happen to be have to play on this type of pitch!
Tubigrips are easy enough to get hold of. The joys of the recession and living in a "less affluent" (i.e. not so rich!) area mean they're cheap and easy to get hold of in blessed pound shops. Or you can find them in health care style shops like Boots etc. in the support aids section (like for tennis elbow and so on).
You can then cut them to size as you see fit. Or just stretch and fold them over the elbow, doubling back to give more protection to the skin at the elbow as you slide and dive around on sand based astros.
I've not really seen any pro level goalkeepers wearing them, as obviously professional league clubs are going to be using soft grass than hard astro (except for maybe Russia, Sweden, Iceland or Norway!), but Benoit Costil of French Ligue 1 was oddly enough seen wearing them before Christmas this season. Although I'm not sure if this was to do with his recent tattoos (and the need for keeping the ink ok?!) but they did seem to be being worn for elbow protection, with them getting grass stained in the process.
Getty Images
I've been mucking around with tubigrips and they do seem like a good idea for goalkeepers that play on 3/4G or sand dressed astroturf pitches that also don't want to wear long sleeve jerseys but don't want the skin bare against the turf as they slide in and get bloody elbows. This might make more sense for American members of the "goalies union" that have their season during the summer and are more likely to want to wear short sleeved jerseys, and might just happen to be have to play on this type of pitch!
Tubigrips are easy enough to get hold of. The joys of the recession and living in a "less affluent" (i.e. not so rich!) area mean they're cheap and easy to get hold of in blessed pound shops. Or you can find them in health care style shops like Boots etc. in the support aids section (like for tennis elbow and so on).
You can then cut them to size as you see fit. Or just stretch and fold them over the elbow, doubling back to give more protection to the skin at the elbow as you slide and dive around on sand based astros.
I've not really seen any pro level goalkeepers wearing them, as obviously professional league clubs are going to be using soft grass than hard astro (except for maybe Russia, Sweden, Iceland or Norway!), but Benoit Costil of French Ligue 1 was oddly enough seen wearing them before Christmas this season. Although I'm not sure if this was to do with his recent tattoos (and the need for keeping the ink ok?!) but they did seem to be being worn for elbow protection, with them getting grass stained in the process.
And for further pictures, you can check out the Getty Image link:
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