A Conversation With Rob Vartughian, NYCFC Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach

New York City FC assistant coach Rob Vartughian is one of the most respected goalkeeper coaches in the game. But there is more to his contributions than focusing on the development of his goalkeepers like U.S. Men’s National Team keeper, Sean Johnson.

Vartughian also forms the plan for City’s set-pieces on both sides of the ball which played a massive role in the run to the club’s first MLS Cup title. City was tied for second in MLS with 13 set-piece goals, eight from corner kicks.

The eight-year NYCFC assistant played collegiately at St. Bonaventure and Wake Forest and is the former assistant at the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania.

Before joining City, Vartughian had a five-year stint as an assistant coach and Technical Director for the Philadelphia Union.

Vartughian has been with New York City since its inception in 2015. He was born in Queens, New York and attended North Brunswick High School in New Jersey with former USMNT goalkeeper, Tim Howard.

Here is a transcript of our conversation from “The Coaching Academy” on SiriusXM FC edited for both length and clarity.

Glenn Crooks: When you look at Sean Johnson and the US men's national team do you think he might be the best choice? You’ve got Zach Steffen, who doesn't play very often. Matt Turner, we know he’s emerged and we know what he's done. I've watched every minute of games; you've watched every minute of games and been with him at training each day. He seems to be more prepared for that moment and maybe is a guy that should be strongly considered for the number one - what do you think?

Rob Vartughian: I think he's ready if his number’s called. I think what he's shown most recently is his consistency and his leadership. I think that's why he's valuable inside that dressing room. But I also think those are some really tough decisions. You look at the places where Zack [Steffen]’s been and is at the level he's at daily. Games aside, you look at Matt and the year that he had, he's in some pretty good company.

GC: [At NYCFC] you have Sean who seems like the firm number one, Luis Barraza, the young guy who is fighting for it with Cody Mizell. How do you keep the reserve keepers engaged? That's the one position where the number one's almost always in the goal. 

RV: Every player in your team has to understand where the end goal is to get on the field and ultimately play. I think they're all in different spaces in terms of their growth. I think you have to create individual plans for all of them and they have to feel and see how the things they're working on translate to the big picture. And I think so long as you're open in communication with those things, you're able to create an environment where they all feel like they're getting the work.

GC: Distribution for goalkeepers - we've seen how important it is now and how important is it for a goalkeeper to be able to distribute in different ways. Can you describe what you do and how much time you spend in comparison to maybe some of the traditional goalkeeper things?

RV: There's certainly choreography to creating spaces. Everything that we do is the effort to disorganize the opponent. You get an opportunity to train the technical part of things and the general ideas and then they join the group and put into training where there's actual pressure. We spend time on the technical part of it as well as creating scenarios where they have to make decisions. We can joystick the opponent, we can joystick the pictures they see, we can create those in training and then ultimately, it’s their ability to execute technically but also make the right decision. 

GC: The tactical aspect of the game is important and needs to be repeated. Are you doing more of it within the realm of creating situations that they're going to see in the match?

RV: You try to. If we feel like we need to build in a certain way against a certain opponent, then that week we'll incorporate that into the training. That also piggybacks on something else we need to work on. But the only way to get better at that type of playing is to do it and repeat it and repeat it. And that's not easy. It's not comfortable. I think if you were to ask Sean about his first year here, being asked to play in a way that he can quarterback the whole thing, I think it's now a strength and he enjoys it. And when you enjoy working at it you can admit that it's frustrating when you're not good at something. We're fortunate where we've got guys that are good at it. And the next part of it is just making sure they understand the picture that they'll see on the weekend. 

GC: Is there a common flaw or difficulty that you see with keepers? 

RV: Everybody's different. The things we ask are specific to our game model, our methodology. And more often than not, there's nuances to that because there's such intricacies to it that not a lot of teams asked their keepers to play in that way. So, it was a learning curve for everybody that comes through the door, whether or not they've done it for a long time or they're just now getting introduced to it. There's a period of a “look, this is what we're asking of you, this is how we're going to work at it.” And then ultimately, this is the why. And I think as soon as they understand the “why”, there's a greater buy into it because you ultimately see the end goal.

GC: For Sean, it was the use of the feet and the distribution in a different way than he was used to, for example?

RV: Yeah, look at where Sean came from and we're building up out of the back, stringing passes in our own box, very intentionally, to get from one side to another. That can be unsettling and uncomfortable in a game in front of 30,000 people if you're not used to this. So, it's our job to make them comfortable and also make the picture so clear that there's nothing to be nervous about.

GC: In his time at NYCFC, it seems Sean at times had a challenge where rebounds from saves were ending up in front of goal. How often do you work on it in keeper training - to make sure that when you go down to be sure you’re not leaving things in front of goal.

RV: We spend time on that topic. We talk about it quite a bit, leaving things in good areas. At this level, it's really difficult. You want to hold on to everything but it's tough. It's always a part of training, it’s a part of everything we do. It doesn't become the focal point to where it paralyzes somebody but it's a conscious conversation that when it happens, they’re reminded of it.

GC: You’re also in charge of the set pieces and New York City was one of the best in that department in MLS. I know you're an assistant that works with the keepers - when did this become part of your repertoire?

RV: It's always the manager's decision. The role is always a little bit different depending on who's come in. I think there's always a comfort with the person working with the goalkeepers to have responsibility around that. I've always kind of been in and out of that role. It seems permanent - but nothing is permanent. But from Patrick [Vieira]'s tenure at the end through Dome [Torrent]’s tenure and now with Ronny, I’m the one who is organizing and directing in training. 

I think the one part that's great is that Ronny’s amazing in terms of his commitment to that part of the game and how crucial that part of the game is. Our players understand how important it is. And I think when you make something important, it becomes important. We made it important.

GC: I see you're constantly designing corner kicks. Is it strictly based on how you anticipate the opponent defending? Or are you just trying to take advantage of the personnel you have?

RV: For me, it's a hybrid - you have to understand your players, you have to understand who's on the field, it's not the same team that plays every week, maybe have a different server on the field, maybe you have different pieces that you have inside the box. And I think it goes back to the importance placed on it, because with importance comes time on the field. And when you have time on the field, you can manipulate spaces, based on what the opponent is showing. I think the most important thing - you and I have talked about this before and it's something I end up having a bunch of conversations with coaches about because there's always frustration with it - you have to spend time on the field. And you can't spend endless time on the field. We've gotten to a place where our work is concise. It's not long. Quick and clear but we're very consistent.

GC: Do you train the set pieces to success? Will you wait until you get the finished product? 

RV: No, I don't. Because if you wait for the finished product and it doesn't come, you're going to fail. Every single player in the box has a job and if every player gets the job right and the delivery is good, we will get a big chance. If that happens on the first one but they don't score the goal, it’s not no problem - they understand the timing and then we can move to the next one. 

GC: It's not unique to see teams drive the ball to the front post area and then work off of that but that seems to be something in particular that you've modeled for success. So often, your front post runner gets himself free. It's an important design, right?

RV: Yeah, and how you free up that space on the front post is different depending on the picture the opponent gives you. Alfredo [Morales] is one of the best players I've ever been around in the air - it’s unbelievable. His timing, his sense, his ability to head and control is fantastic. So you give him a radius of a yard and you put it in the right spot with the right pace and you free the space properly. It's going to be a big chance. 

(Note: Morales had two assists off head ball flicks at the near post on corner kicks.)

GC: On the defensive side of corners - zone or man-to-man?

RV: I'm a hybrid guy. If you look at our system, it's no secret to anybody we zone in one part of the field and then we have blockers. I think we're a tough team to beat when we get it right and I'll I go back to what I said about the attacking part. We happen to have a group that can do it in both ways - strong guys in the air and as well as guys that are clever. Honestly, a big part of it is guys that defend the way we set up creates chances in transition. 

GC: One other aspect of defending corners - and this seems to always be under debate - players on posts. What's your thinking about that? Will you adjust that from game to game?

RV: No. For our structure and the roles within our structure, we won't worry about that. Personally, I love to attack against teams that put guys on posts because it means there’s space free somewhere else. And there's ways to manipulate it. So, everybody has their different cup of tea - depends on the guys you have.

GC: Can you talk about Deila’s leadership?

RV: What Ronny has done with the mentality of the group is amazing. This is a team with very high expectations placed on it. It's professional sports, and you need to win, and everybody understands that and the end goal of everything is a trophy. And I think what Ronny has done with this group, he's managed to get everybody to just focus on process versus the end result. For me, that was one of the things that I think is the biggest difference. And I think it's a big reason why we won. The importance of the process, the importance of the journey and importance of wanting to improve and the importance of learning and the repetitive voice. Over time, the culture changes the thinking, because everybody comes in and you feel this pressure and all you think about is pointing is winning, and in years past, especially in a club like ours, it can paralyze a group that's not prepared for that. I think what he's managed to do and changing the culture is really shift the thinking of everybody to just do their job, and worry about the process, worry about improving themselves. The collective of that is ultimately what I think you saw, what we all saw and what we all felt just because it was a pretty selfless team in the end that was together, unified, and prepared.