The goalkeeping game - UEFA Direct 184 out now

Are you a goalkeeper? If so, there's an interesting read in store for you in the latest UEFA Direct.

Edition No 184 of UEFA’s official magazine – and, more specifically, its coaching supplement The Technician – carries an interview with the goalkeeper coach of the French national team, Franck Raviot.

The man who looks after the custodians of the reigning world champions talks goalkeeping, how to coach goalkeepers to reach maximum performance, what he looks for in a potential top goalkeeper – and dispels the theory that you need to be tall to excel between the sticks!

The spotlight also falls on Italy in the latest edition. First, UEFA Direct looks ahead to June’s UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals, hosted by Italy and San Marino, and especially how Italy is getting back on track on the field and reaping the rewards of the development strategy launched in 2010.

In addition, there’s a fascinating look back at the history of the Under-21 competition, which has succeeded in keeping its sporting and popular interest as a window onto Europe’s most talented young players.

Scotland also takes pride of place in this edition, with Scottish Football Association performance director Malky Mackay talking about the work being undertaken to revolutionise the performance department, and the efforts being made to improve and foster, among other things, coaches and players.

Futsal is enjoying a time of progress, not least thanks to UEFA’s new strategic approach that is introducing new competitions to the European futsal landscape. UEFA Direct reviews the first UEFA Women’s Futsal EURO in Portugal, and tells the story of how Spain were worthy inaugural winners of this ground-breaking new competition.

The campaign for greater equality, diversity and inclusion in football was the focal point of the keynote #EqualGame conference in London in early April. UEFA Direct has the details of what happened at Wembley Stadium. Meanwhile, with UEFA EURO 2020 getting ever closer, the spotlight falls on two more of the 12 host cities of next summer’s tournament – Azerbaijan capital Baku and its Hungarian counterpart Budapest.

Elsewhere in UEFA Direct No 184

• The UEFA Academy – a commitment to learning

• How the Norwegian FA is making use of strong imagery to develop brands

• Romanian football enters the digital era

• News from the UEFA member associations

UEFA Direct is available to read in digital form in English, French and German