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SoccerCoachWeeklyIssue 257 Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Stop the attacker
1SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team
A great practice for dedicated defendersI’ve been brushing up on the latest coaching
techniques for teaching young players the art of defending. Last week I paid a visit to Chris McGinn, the Head Coach of the Great Britain deaf football team, and someone who has worked at the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and QPR.
I like the synergy between our coaching challenges – with deaf people, just as with kids, you need to be concise, visual and patient, so this was a worthwhile trip.
He explained how important it is for any player to be able to keep pace with attackers running off the ball, to be alert to blocking opposition runs, whilst also staying constantly aware of what’s around him.
With this in mind, we went through a session that gets young defenders tracking attackers and being first to the ball.
How to play it• Set up as shown in the diagram having divided your squad into attackers and defenders.• Players go 1v1 down the channel. There is no contact allowed and, at first, no ball. • To make that more difficult, after the move starts the coach holds up his hand to show up to five fingers. In each phase, the defender must look to the right and call out the relevant number.• The attacker is required to find a route past the defender. When the area opens out, the attacker can decide which gate to run through. The defender must then try to win the race to be the first one through the gate.• Now bring in the next 1v1.• For the second challenge, a ball is played behind the defender which the attacker must touch first. The defender must now slow the attacker’s progress, call out the number of fingers, then attempt to stop his opponent scoring in one of the goals.
Technique and tactics• This drill teaches defenders to stay aware of opponents, distractions and developing play.• This task also requires them to be versatile and well balanced at all times.• Defenders should be checking ahead, to the side and behind them in order to assess all threats.
The defender calls out the number of fingers the coach is holding up whilst trying to block the attacker’s progress through the channel
Once out of the channel, it’s a race through the gate
When a ball comes into play, the defender has an added distraction
TOOLS, TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
5yds
20yds
5yds
5yds
1yd
1yd
player movement ball movementrun with ball
15yds
Three
Two
David Clarke Head Coach, Soccer Coach Weekly
2
SoccerCoachWeekly WARM UPWednesday, March 28, 2012
Warm-up circleHow to play it• Set up as shown in the diagram with you in the middle and players stationed on cones around the perimeter of the centre circle.
• The players react and move to your call, as follows:
Go left – players side step continuously to the leftGo right – players side step continuously to the rightTwo left or one right – players move one or two cones to the side calledMiddle – players run into the coach and jockey backwards outGo – the players sprint across the area and switch places with the player opposite
• You can also increase the difficulty by combining calls.
Technique and tactics• Players must be alert and on their toes at all times. They must be able to adjust their feet quickly for every new instruction.
Players each stand on a cone around the perimeter of the centre circle
On your call, they adjust their positions – in this case, side-stepping to the left
SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Head Coach: David Clarke Editor: James Evans Publisher: Kevin Barrow Managing Director: Andrew Griffiths
Customer Service: Duncan Heard Designer: Steve Southern Contributors: Michael Beale, David Lewis, Nic Sheppard, Tony Watt, Steve Watson © Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
Go left
Michael Beale Premier League Academy soccer coach
Create a circle about eight yards across (1), spread your players around it, and ask one of them to stand in the middle. Tell the players around the circle that they are fixed in their positions, and have to pass the ball across the area to someone approximately opposite them, but they must ensure they keep the ball away from the man in the middle (the defender).
Ask them if it is easy or hard. No doubt you’ll find that, in a tight space, the defender has some success in intercepting passes.
Now make the circle a bit bigger (2) – try 15 yards across. Player will have to spread out more, but the task is the same – perimeter players have to pass the ball to someone on the opposite side.
Discuss why it is now easier for the players to make successful pass – essentially, they have more space to work in and too great an area for the defender to cover.
Now make the circle bigger again (3) – try 25 yards across. Players will have to spread out even further.
This time, are the players having the same amount of success? Sure, they might be finding it even easier to thread passes past the defender, but the greater distance between players means that accuracy decreases.
The exercise proves to players there is an optimum distance – it will vary depending on age and skill level, but use this task as a guide to the idea distance.
Maximise space to teach team shapes Steve Watson Editor, Footy4kids.co.uk
8 yds 15 yds 25 yds
1 2 3
3
SoccerCoachWeekly FOOTY4KIDSWednesday, March 28, 2012
EarthquakeHow to play it• Create a playing area big enough for all your players to move around in freely. For 10 Under-6s, for instance, 20x20 yards is a good size. • All the players dribble around in the playing area. • Ask them to dribble with different parts of both feet - i.e. “dribble with your left sole”, “dribble with the inside of your right foot”.• When the players hear you shout “earthquake!”, they have to leave their own ball and run around the area for five seconds (that’s how long earthquakes generally last for!). At the end of the five seconds shout “end of earthquake!” Players must now find another ball, and stand over it with their foot on top.• Within that five seconds, remove a ball, so one player will be unable to take possession of one, and is out.• Play until only one player remains – the winner!
Advancing the game• You can progress this game further by creating two or three 4x4-yard safe zones in the playing area. Instead of finding another ball, players now have to dribble their ball to a safe zone within the five-second ‘earthquake’.
Technique and tactics• As well as close control and dribbling, this game is great for coaching awareness of what’s around players – where are the other players, and where are the other balls?• Players must be alert and quick to react when “earthquake!” is called.
Players each dribble a ball around the area
When “earthquake!” is called, players run around the area as a ball is removed
SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team
When “end of earthquake!” is called, the player without a ball has to leave the area
Steve Watson Editor, Footy4kids.co.uk
MUSICAL CHAIRS
FOR SOCCER!
20yds
20yds
player movement ball movementrun with ball
Children with disabilities want to play soccer for the same reasons as more able-bodied children. They want to have fun, enjoy exercise and learn new skills. Even if you haven’t attended a specialist coaching course, you can still welcome less able-bodied children to your sessions by following the steps below.
1. Keep it simpleAll youth football
coaching drills and games should be simple, and this is even more important when coaching children with disabilities. Skills should be introduced one at a time, broken down into small, child- friendly chunks and taught by means of a simple demonstration followed by plenty of practice.
Small-sided games should be (at most) 4v4, so all your players get the maximum number of touches on the ball.
2. Be patient Children with learning difficulties or
conditions that impair their comprehension of new ideas may take longer to come to
grips with gaining football skills, but they will master them... providing you remain patient and relaxed in your approach.
3. Manufacture success
You can create an experience that will last a lifetime by simply making the goals a bit bigger at the end of the practice game. The smile on the face of a child who thought he could never score a goal will light up your life, so make sure you celebrate with him.
4. Keep it funPlace the emphasis firmly on effort, not
achievement. Don’t worry about winning matches. Being a truly inclusive coach is a much greater prize than a tin trophy.
4
SoccerCoachWeekly TOUCHLINE TALESWednesday, March 28, 2012
Harnessing a young player’s speed
SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team
It’s rarely regarded as the most popular of gifts when you have to hand the linesman’s flag to one of the parents of your team.
You might, like me, have also found it strange how mobile phones start apparently ringing, pulled muscles come into the conversation and urgent dog walking needs to be taken care of… any excuse so as not to have to run the line!
As coach of the team, I haven’t had to run the line for a couple of years… that was, until this week, when I’d gone to watch one of my boys play. Over came the coach, and before I knew it, I was the one preparing to stand up to the shouting and ridicule!
So off I went tripping over the siblings sat too close to the pitch whilst trying to avoid the potholed parts of the touchline.
The referee was chairman of the club and pretty well qualified, with 15 years’ experience as the man in black. But twice
in the first 10 minutes I raised the flag and wasn’t spotted. On the third occasion, I stood waving away trying to get the attention of the referee to a chorus of “you must be joking!” from opposition players and parents alike.
“Does he know you’re there?” quipped one of comedians. Up my arm went again as the opposition started another attack. “NEVER!” shouted their manager who was standing half way down the pitch obviously in a better position than myself. I wondered why I was bothering!
During an attack in the second half the ball was put in the net by a boy clearly standing in an offside position. “I’ve given
it,” shouted the referee to much cheering from the opposition players and parents.
I asked him if he’d again failed to spot my flag waving. “Look,” he said, “I’ve given it; you were too slow.”
“Too slow?! I am not a professional linesman,” I was about to say - but the moment was gone and I still had a job to do… not that I was enjoying it much!
Needless to say I was glad when the final whistle blew and I could give the flag back to the referee.
“Thanks”, he said, with a smile.In fact that was the only thing that
prevented this from being a completely thankless task.
The point of all this – youth soccer coaching may come with many pitfalls and frustrations, but the rewards are plentiful, and real, and when you do things correctly, it really does get noticed.
There are many worse roles in soccer – running the line being one of them!
“‘NEVER!’ shouted their manager who was standing half way down
the pitch obviously in a better position than myself. I wondered
why I was bothering!”
Four steps to inclusive coaching
David Clarke Head Coach, Soccer Coach Weekly
Steve Watson Editor, Footy4kids.co.uk
Never underestimate the rewards you can offer kids
Break instructions down and deliver them clearly
5
SoccerCoachWeekly SMALL-SIDED GAMEWednesday, March 28, 2012
Around the worldHow to play it• This drill ensures that players arrive onto the pitch at different angles, speeds and levels of fatigue due to the attack that has just taken place.• Start by setting up as shown in the diagram – a 25x25-yard area with goals on three sides of the pitch.• Teams defend the goal occupied by their own keeper, and attack the goal they are facing. • The white team starts by defending its goal against two red players.• The next attack begins when a goal is scored, the ball leaves the playing area, the keeper saves or the defenders win possession.• Next, the red team adjusts its position to defend its goal against the grey attackers.• The first round is completed when the grey attackers switch to defend against the white team.• Now restart with the next pair of reds attacking the next pair of whites.• Play for five minutes, then rotate the teams so for the next phase they are defending a different goal.
Technique and tactics• Players must react quickly to the 2v2 attacks.• Repositioning with intelligence and speed is essential.• Defenders must obey the basic notion of the nearest player pressuring while the other covers.
20yds
20yds
player movement ball movementrun with ball shot
Reds begin with a 2v2 attack against the whites...
... but when that finishes, they need to organise quickly to repel the attacking threat provided by the greys
SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team
Now it’s the greys’ turn to defend as whites approach looking to score
Michael Beale Premier League Academy soccer coach
25yds
25yds
player movement ball movementrun with ball
A GREAT GAME FOR BODY AND
BRAIN
6
SoccerCoachWeekly YOUR SAYWednesday, March 28, 2012
TACKLED: Making the grade
SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team
Nic SheppardForest Youth FC, Under-13s
For every child who doesn’t like competition, there is another who thrives on it. If your kids are happy to have their performances graded then what’s the problem?
I’ve worked very successfully with teams who have been told their respective scores at the end – some one-to-one, others in a group. The delivery can be flexible so as to work for your team.
When a team is going through a losing run, it can be very hard for players to take away anything other than negative reflections on a performance. Players rarely remember specific sentences of praise, but if you score that child factoring in the things they have done well, they’ll go away with a much brighter outlook.
The comparison of player scores is only one side to it. Not only might they look to better each other next time around, but they’ll also want to advance their own score. That’s a great incentive for a player, and the thing that will make him dig deeper.
Players do not have to be ranked just on performance – they can be ranked on a combination of things, such as skill, application, awareness, or their ability to take a taught element from training into match day.
Players know very well the relative scores and achievements of their peers in school, or when it comes to trying hit a top score on a computer game. Again, we seem to think that the rules should be different in soccer – I’m not sure why.
Is it a good idea to grade your players’ performances?
“Players do not have to just be ranked on performance – they can
be ranked on a combination of things, such as skill, application,
awareness...”
Tony WattYouth coach, Pwllheli Festival of Football
Rating players’ performances can only lead to trouble.
I’ve seen websites that enable players to rate both themselves and each other, and this sort of thing really does create friction. It starts away from the soccer pitch then spills onto it when players turn up for training or on a match day.
Rather than working to points, it’s better to work to personal goals. Then players’ aims and ambitions are written and detailed, rather than just being reflected in a collection of numbers. Players need true objectives.
Players who frequently disagree with their scores will start to resent the coach and assume that they are not liked. Similarly, there may be jealousy of other players who consistently hit higher scores.
If you tell a player to aim for ‘8 out of 10’ in their performance, how do they actually quantify that when it comes to putting in tackles or finding position on the pitch? Players – and especially young players – need specific goals to aim for.
Gifted players will always score highly, even if they’ve not put in any real effort into their performance. At the same time, players coming up against very strong opponents will most likely be scored lower, through no fault of their own.
“Rather than working to points, it’s better to work to personal
goals. Players need true objectives.”
YES NO
PUT IT TO THE VOTE: Which of our guest coaches do you agree with? Visit our Facebook page or email your thoughts to David Clarke at [email protected]
Here are the results of our recent polls.
Each week, we post the topic up for discussion on our Facebook page and invite visitors to log their vote. Why not visit for this week’s poll?
Soccer Coach Weekly 251 (Feb 15)We asked if SCW readers were for or against the concept of EPT (Equal Playing Time):
Soccer Coach Weekly 252 (Feb 22)We asked SCW readers if they coached for the sake of the kids, or for themselves:
Soccer Coach Weekly 254 (Mar 5)We asked if, hypothetically, a new player wanted to join your already full squad midway through the season, would you let him:
TACKLED: Results
FOR
AGAINST76%
24%
KIDS
THEMSELVES
82%
18%
YES
NO
91%
9%
