Alan Mayer Back in a Familiar Spot : After Frustrating Year, Former Socker Is Again Starting in Goal for Comets
Alan Mayer is coming off a frustrating season in which he wasn’t the No. 1 goalkeeper on his team for the first time in years.
The Kansas City Comet also is coming off what he says is the best quarter he has played in his career.
This paradox shows that at 35, Mayer retains his professionalism and competitiveness. He says he is still in good shape and is as mentally ready to play as he was with the Sockers in 1982-83, when he was the only goalkeeper in Major Indoor Soccer League history to be named most valuable player. He had a 30-10 record and 4.29 goals-against average that season.
“After being used to playing all the time, I was sharing time, and it was a very frustrating season early on,” Mayer said. “After a while, I let the water run off my neck. I went with the flow. When you’re called upon to play, you play. When I don’t play, I work a lot harder to stay in shape.”
Mayer, passed over by Coach Dave Clements in favor of Ed Gettemeier, played in only six of the Comets’ final 21 regular-season games. He didn’t play in the first two playoff victories over the Lazers in Los Angeles.
He had been inactive for 12 days when, at the start of the second quarter of the third playoff game against the Lazers, Gettemeier suffered ligament damage on the middle finger of his left hand. Los Angeles was leading, 3-0.
In the third quarter, Mayer made seven saves. He was named the defensive player of the game as the Comets rallied to win, 7-5, and sweep the series.
“It was the best quarter I’ve had in my 18 years of playing soccer,” Mayer said.
With Gettemeier out for tonight’s opening game, and possibly Game 2, of the Western Division finals against the Sockers, Mayer is back in his accustomed role of starter.
Playing against the Sockers makes this series even more meaningful for Mayer, who recorded the only two shutouts in MISL playoff history while playing for them against Baltimore in the 1983 championship series.
“It’s a little extra special because I’ve played here,” Mayer said. “There’s also a little extra incentive in that the San Diego Sockers are the best team in indoor soccer. Any athlete likes to play against the best.”
And likes to play. That’s why Mayer was puzzled and disappointed when he failed to keep the No. 1 job, particularly after his performance last season: club records for wins (22), minutes played (2,307) and shots faced (1,144). He played all five playoff games as the Comets lost a Western Division semifinal to the Comets, 3-2.
“At the start of the season, I was anticipating both keepers would get equal time,” Clements said. “During the stretch run, Gettemeier got hot. Gettemeier has improved with playing time. Given a chance, he has risen to the occasion.”
Before this season, Gettemeier, 28, was 17-27 in three MISL seasons with St. Louis and Kansas City. Mayer was 105-78 in six regular seasons, 10-7 in the playoffs.
This season, Mayer was 12-11 with a 4.75 GAA, Gettemeier 17-15 with a 5.0 GAA.
Clements coached Gettemeier in St. Louis before the goalkeeper came to the Comets at the beginning of last season. Clements took over the team soon after.
Regarding Mayer, Clements said: “There is no question he is capable of doing an excellent job.”
That sentiment is shared by the Sockers and Coach Ron Newman, who are not fooled by Mayer’s lack of playing time this season.
“Alan can raise his game,” Newman said. “He was one of the greatest goalkeepers in the game.”
