Pat Jennings driven mad by keepers playing out from the back

Tottenham, Arsenal and Northern Ireland great Jennings is baffled by the tactic

A general view of an image of former Northern Ireland player Pat Jennings inside the tunnel at Windsor Park. Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Tottenham and Arsenal great Pat Jennings has described Antonin Kinsky as a “really good prospect”, but would prefer if the Czechia international and other goalkeepers stopped passing out from the back.

Former Slavia Prague youngster Kinsky become an unlikely hero during Spurs’ nervy but ultimately successful battle with relegation last season with key saves against Leeds and Everton crucial to safety being secured by two points.

Kinsky’s exploits were all the more impressive after high-profile mistakes on the ball in a Champions League tie at Atletico Madrid in March resulted in the 23-year-old being withdrawn after 17 minutes.

Even though Kinsky bounced back in fine fashion to win over Roberto De Zerbi, sign a new deal and take over as Tottenham’s first-choice in goal, Jennings remains a critic of the modern phenomenon of goalkeepers being required to use their feet.

With Kinsky set for a place on the Czech bench for Tuesday’s Nations League tie at home to England, who will play James Trafford again despite difficulties in possession against Spain on Saturday, the greatest goalkeeper in Spurs’ history would get rid of the tactic.

“Time will tell, but he looks a really good prospect, so that’s the main thing,” Jennings said of Kinsky at the club’s Hall of Fame earlier this month.

“To be honest, not only him, but it drives me mad watching them, you know, playing out. For me, the best place to defend is in the opposite 18-yard box.

“You spend hours now making goalkeeping saves and practising that. And then you mess about at the back playing out, but the goalkeepers, they don’t want to play like that. It’s the managers and the coaches because that’s the new style of play.

“But in our day, every second ball, with Bill (Nicholson), the great Bill Nick, every second ball had to go forward and we were a football team.” 

Three-time Ballon d’Or nominee Jennings remains a regular at Tottenham’s Hotspur Way training ground after an association with the club which almost stands at half a century across playing and coaching.

Jennings played 590 times for the north London club during a trophy-laden era and whilst described as a gentle giant, the Northern Irishman talked up the importance of Kinsky being vocal.

He said: “Getting the information out to the people in front of you, plugging the gaps. In our day, ‘don’t let them inside, keep them down the line, stop the crosses coming in,’ all that sort of information. It’s half our game. Saving us making the save!” 

One of the few to play for both Spurs and Arsenal, a mural of Jennings was recently unveiled at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“That (Hall of Fame) was something I was proud of and I just saw the mural here last week,” Jennings, 81, said.

“Thirteen years and then I got told (1977) that they weren’t renewing my contract. Worst day of my life in football, as you can imagine, but that was the way it was in those days. We were commodities, whether we like it or not.

“The club wanted to move me on to get some money for me. I had eight years at Arsenal, but I’ve been 47, 48 years here on the coaching staff and as a player, so that’s where my priorities lie.”