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SOCCERCOACHING No. 28 August/September 2008

International

Luis Carlos de Oliveira Preto, S達o Caetano

Roberto Landi,

Peter Hyballa,

Blackburn Rovers

Livingston Head Coach

Borussia Dortmund U18 coach

Mental Skills

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Contents 4

LUIS CARLOS DE OLIVEIRA PRETO, SÃO CAETANO: “Dedication is the key to success”

From the Editor

10 14

PETER HYBALLA, TRAINER/COACH BORUSSIA DORTMUND U18 “It’s not necessary to motivate our players for Battle-Training”

ROBERTO LANDI, LIVINGSTON HEAD COACH: “A coach needs to be able to improve the qualities of his players”

BLACKBURN ROVERS MENTAL SKILLS:

TRAINING SESSIONS FROM AROUND THE UK

ORGANIZATION OF THE 4-4-2 PART 2:

ANDY BLIGHT, NEWCASTLE UNITED ACADEMY:

KRZYSZTOF DOWHAŃ, LEGIA WARSAW GOALKEEPING COACH:

COLUMN PAUL COOPER

“Talent is not Enough …!”

“Defending in a 4-4-2”

“Finding the right balance”

“Hard work, acrobatics and creating match situations”

Editorial road trip Welcome to already the 28th issue of SoccerCoachingInternational; an issue with a UK feel to it. Featuring 3 articles from the British Isles and our training sessions from around the world section, which is entire dedicated to youth exercises from the UK. This 28th edition of SCI starts, however, with an article from the South American continent. As our Brazilian friends from Cidade do Futebol interviewed Luis Carlos de Oliveira Preto from São Caetano about the key to success. From Brazil we go to Germany where we talked to Peter Hyballa about his battle training with the U18 selection at Borussia Dortmund. Our first feature from the UK is from Scotland where Roberto Landi has recently taken charge of the Livingston FC squad. He also talked to us about his former role with the Qatar U21 squad and his coaching philosophy. From Scotland to England where Steve Nickson and Tony Faulkner, two forward thinking pioneers at the academy of Blackburn Rovers, have developed a working model designed to ensure the club’s scholars maximise their full potential through developing their mental approach to the game, having spent the past three years studying and meeting experts in the field. From mental coaching to tactics with Christian Lavers, who brings us part of his series ‘Organization of the 4-4-2’, this time tackling the defensive principles. Back in the UK, I inter viewed Andrew Blight from the Newcastle United academy. Andrew is the U15’s coach and shares his views on finding the right balance as a coach. Our last stop on this editorial road trip was Poland: anyone who watched the Euro would have been impressed by the Polish goalkeeper Ar tur Boruc, SoccerCoachingInternational talked to his teacher: Krzysztof Dowhań who is in charge of the goalkeepers at Legia Warsaw. All in all another diverse issue of SoccerCoachingInternational! I thoroughly hope you enjoy this edition of SoccerCoachingInternational and wish you lots of reading and surfing pleasure! Yours in soccer,

Maaike Denkers Managing Editor

Photo by: Anderson Rodrigues/Divulgação/AD São Caetano

Luis Carlos de Oliveira Preto,

“Dedication is the key to suc 4

No. 28 August/September 2008

As a player, Luis Carlos de Oliveira Preto (better known as Pintado) was a defensive midfielder and is recognized for both his dedication and leadership. He was also an excellent marker. Today, he tries to find those characteristics in his athletes to form teams that fight for every ball. "One of the characteristics that I seek is the delivery. I like players who seek results and are not complaining about a strong challenge in training. The dedication is the key to success", says Pintado. Even after his career ended in 2004, he didn’t forget these attributes. He decided to become a coach and his player’s profile was the basis for building his teams. To do this, Pintado set up a methodology of work based on the search for players who acted as he did as a player. The experience as an athlete is one of the main challenges of the new Pintado function. The former coach of São Caetano, Brazilian Serie B team and runner up at Copa Libertadores in 2002, uses the examples and achievements that he had as a player to get the backing of the players in their day to day work. "This factor is not necessarily vital, but it helps a lot. I can anticipate some situations and know what the players are feeling", said the coach. Pintado has recently been appointed as the new head coach for By: Guilherme Costa

Pintado uses his experience as a player to also work on tactics. In 1992, for example, the midfielder was at Sao Paulo and was responsible for marking the Bulgarian Hristo Stoitchkov, Barcelona midfielder, at the World Clubs Championship. The Brazilian team won 2 to 1.

São Caetano:

"As an ex-player I can detect if the players understand the functions, including the tactics that were issued to them. Also, as you know more you can explain it in a way that is easy for the entire cast. The credibility of those who have been a player is also greater. The player will not be able to contest what I advocate tactically because I've been there and know what can make it right".

The need for leaders

cess”

Based on the period when he was a player, Pintado looked for work as a coach in training teams to follow the profile he had on the field. For this, one of the main challenges is the presence of players who have power and leadership over his team mates. "I think you need key leadership within that group. Don’t seek a leader only because someone has a higher salary or because he is a striker, but try someone who has proved it before. The positive examples are essential to generate additional leadership and create a good environment for the development of the team. These players’, who complete the group, serve as references when times become more difficult".

No. 28 August/September 2008

Dedication From his definition of leaders who serve as positive examples for the rest of the group, Pintado looks for players that have one of the most basic requirements which is dedication. This was also a trait he showed when he was a player and that he has taken with him into the world of coaching. "One of the characteristics that I look for is an end product. Some one who is committed to success and achieving results. I always give priority to athletes who want to face challenges, finding space on the pitch, making sure they are fit, wanting to be the best they can be.

Disciplinary tactic Pintado believes that some players are more adaptable to playing a certain system. "I think in the first training I intend to search for players that fit this pattern. Of course, they often need to go through adjustments. That is why a position has value in terms of working towards understanding the role "In Brazilian soccer, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that you have versatile players. They may have strong features, but must also adapt to different situations in the game and must always be ready to do so. With this, you can change the team and surprise the opponent without having to replace individuals".

Respect "It is important for the coach not ask for too many sacrifices from their players. You should know that they are ready to do anything, but at the same time try to reduce these. Players must act in the position where they feel best and add value to their characteristics". Pintado extols the value of players understanding the proposal tactics that makes the team what it is. He values the individual talks with players and also the monitoring of them. "The design of the tactics for the team depends on what the players can do, but they also need to understand what you want for the team. It is only with training and working on tactics that this can be achieved. They need to go beyond repetition and understand why they do each movement. That is the basis for you to have a team that is fluid and that can change the system of play during matches". Pintados sessions still rely on the help of multimedia equipment to show players what to do in each activity. "It is crucial that they see how things happen on the field and understand why, space and what I ask of them in that situation. This is much easier when they see this". The presentations to players not only represent the movements of the team, but what is done by teams in Europe. "When you work with players seeking space, it is important to show them that players elsewhere do in various circumstances.

Reduced area After presenting the movements of the players and show why it works we try it out on the pitch using small pitches and reduced amounts of players. The coach believes that this type of training increases the speed of passes and facilitates the constant change of position of its players.

No. 28 August/September 2008

Pintado to coach Clube Nautico Capibaribe Club president Mauricio Cardoso has announced the arrival of the 42-year-old, who left second division side Sao Caetano last week. Nautico will be Pintado's third club in 2008 having taken charge of Ituano earlier in the year. "I was made some other offers but the Nautico one was the one I liked most, no question about that," Pintado told Radio CBN Recife. "We have already talked about the contract and there was no difficulty on that." Pintado succeeds Leandro Machado, who was sacked a day after his side slipped to a 2-0 defeat against arch-rivals Sport. Nautico lie sixth in the Campeonato standings on 17 points, nine behind leaders Flamengo.

“Working in reduced space is the basis of my tactics. I make the area of the field smaller and have fewer players so they are more together. That makes them develop features such as speed, ball handling and a quick good first touch". Pintado still uses training in small areas and has the team divided into sectors and make the players know the handling of his team mates. "In this type of activity, especially when working on defending or attacking, the players develop the dialogue between them and understand how their team mates prefer to receive or pass the ball."

Adapted Rules As well as the small sided games the rules are adapted to get the desired results from the session. "I can set rules where you can only score by headers or have a specific time frame on transition. These adapted rules help with the training.

Fundamentals "When a player has some difficulty to achieve a specific task such as a pass or a cross, my assistants will work with them at the end of the session through repetition to solve the problems.” This way they will grow and develop".

Photo by: Anderson Rodrigues/Divulgação/AD São Caetano

Player versus coach Even before he stopped playing, Pintado attended an international training course in Mexico. After that, he studied sports marketing at the University of Brasilia, has a course in physical education at the University of Belo Horizonte and held an internship with Vanderlei Luxemburgo in 2005, the former coach of Real Madrid and Brazil. This preparation helped him succeed in the transition between the roles of player and coach. "I am not an ex-player who only has knowledge of the field. I was studying and that is important for my work today. In addition to constantly updating me on the tactical side and to seek information on training, I have theoretical support and try fit it in with the day-to-day work". "Football is very different than it was when I played and the coach needs to accompany these changes. Today, the sport is much more dynamic and physical. Football has the same basic points and repetition is still the easiest way to improve, but you have different ways of approaching it".

No. 28 August/September 2008

PA S S P O R T Name: Nickname: Date of birth: Current club:

Luiz Carlos de Oliveira Preto Pintado 17-09-1965 Náutico

Playing career: Bragantino, São Paulo, Cruz Azul (Mexico), América-MG, Atlético-MG, Cerezo Osaka (Japan), Portuguesa, Internacional-SP and Santa Cruz-PR

Coaching career: 04-2004 – 07-2004: 07-2004 – 12-2004: 01-2005 – 05-2006: 05-2006 – 09-2006: 10-2006 – 02-2007: 02-2007 – 03-2007: 05-2007 – 07-2007: 01-2008 – 02-2008: 02-2008 – 07-2008: 07-2008 – Current:

Internacional Limeira-SP America-MG Internacional Limeira-SP Rio Branco-SP Taubaté-SP Rio Branco-MG Paraná Clube-PR Ituano-SP São Caetano-SP Náutico-PE

Small sided games Organization: - Two teams with seven players each - Both teams positioned on half of the field - Two little goals at the ends of the field

Progression: - Ball starts with the goalkeeper, who passes to the full backs - Full backs have to cross the middle line for the attack to officially start

Adapted small sided game Organization: - Two teams with seven players each - Both teams positioned on half of the field - Two little goals at the ends of the field

Progression: - Ball starts with the goalkeeper, who passes to the full backs - Full backs have to cross the middle line for the attack to officially start - Teams can only score by heading the ball

No. 28 August/September 2008

Peter Hyballa is a coach in Germany but he has a Dutch vision. He probably got that from his mother who is Dutch. He has the highest German training license and now trains the U18’s of Borussia Dortmund. He is trying to develop the players by playing in an offensive way with lots of risks. His dream is to work at a Dutch professional club with youth teams. One of the things he has introduced to improve the individual players is Battle-Training, an individual training with a score system attached.

Photo by: www.werhee-fotoservice.de

Text: Paul van Veen

Peter Hyballa, trainer/coach Borussia Dortmund U18

“It’s not necessary to for Battle-Training” “I want to play offensive, fun football. When we do not have possession, we try to get it back as fast as possible, because it gets interesting when you have possession. That’s why we always play with pressure. When we have possession, I would like them to play using the numbers 6 and 10 in the centre. So not only using the wingers, but with a little bit more risk. At that moment I’m telling the players to try: 1 vs. 1, 1 vs. 2, just try! You can play this way with youth teams, because the pressure isn’t that high.”

Development “Everybody, also in Germany, says it’s only about youth development, but that’s not the case. You also have to deal with the pressure of winning games. Last season 3 coaches we’re fired in the Bundesliga at U18s, and that wasn’t because they were winning many games.”

Authoritarian “As a coach I am authoritarian and strict. As a young coach you have to be I think. Many young coaches become friends with the players, and that’s not right. You have to deal with a yes-butgeneration and cope with that in the right way. I set values on small things. Players have to address me with coach or speak to me with two words. When you start a season like this, you can be more relaxed after a few months.”

No. 28 August/September 2008

Heart “I think a player should play with heart. You can start a match with a yell like: ‘one for all, and all for one’, but if you don’t have a football heart it won’t help a bit. I like to talk a lot with players. When it is a quiet player I sometimes take him to a bar to talk about football and a little bit about his private life. Just a little bit, because a coach shouldn’t know everything about a player. This way I learn what type of players they are. I use a simple question and answer game. But I also ask them to ask me questions. Questions about my philosophy, do I want to play offensive or defensive etc?”

Problems “Some players find it dif ficult to talk about these things. One player talks more than the other, but most of the times it is seen as a positive thing. That’s because I’m don’t just star t to talk when things go bad, I always talk with them. Then it’s easier to discuss future problems. Some players are not used to that. They’ve never talked with the coach and been able to give their opinion, I notice that many players don’t have their own philosophy. This way they have to think about it and that makes them a better player in my opinion.”

Training lessons

Photo by: www.werhee-fotoservice.de

“Before the session we often have a training lesson. I put one word on the chalk board and let one player in the group say something about it. That is also tough for them at the beginning, but now it is normal. When the discussion moves on I involve the other players in it and get feed back on certain situations in the last match and ask them if they handled that situation well or what they should have done instead.”

Grand Slam “To motivate the players even more we have introduced a Grand Slam list. As a coach you can talk as much as you want, try to motivate, be the best psychologist, but when you use points and a ranking: all the players are motivated. Players can get point for the Grand Slam list in for example matches. Each player gets a grade and the man of the match receives extra points. Besides that we often have 4 vs. 4 tournaments, the winner of this tournament receives 3 points. When you finish last you can lose points. That way it’s also important not to finish last. This is how you built up a winning mentality. It’s not nice to lose points and to see it on the Grand Slam list. The list is placed in the dressing room so it’s made important for the players.”

Battle-Training “There are more ways to gain points. We call it the Battle-Training. The Battle-Training is an extra training with 4 to 8 players which

takes place before regular training. In Germany things aren’t as well organised as in Holland. We don’t have agreements with schools so we can only train in the evenings. That’s why we’ve started Battle-Training, so we can do just a little bit extra.”

Photo by: www.werhee-fotoservice.de

motivate our players

“We often have training lessons before a regular session” No. 28 August/September 2008

Photo by: www.werhee-fotoservice.de

Also for keepers “You can also build up a Battle-Training for keepers. Think about processing a cross by throwing a ball, or processing a back pass. For example, controlling a back pass and shoot into a small goal which is supposed to be a midfielder. You also can throw up a ball and two keepers have to tr y and catch it.”

Drills

Position

“One of the Battle-Drills is training on being two-footed. For example they have to score in a small goal from 20 meters. When they score they get a point, if they don’t they lose one. After a drill I say for instance: Karl-Heinz, you’ve gained 3 points for the Grand Slam list. The drills can also be a strength drill, for example if you are able to execute a stability drill for 20 seconds you get 2 points.”

“It makes a difference which position the player has. I think an attacker should execute a Coerver-move faster than a defender. He should have a larger box of tricks. In fact, an attacker should have 4 or 5 things that he is good at or one thing where he is perfect. Rudi Völler had one perfect trick and with that he was a world class attacker for 20 years.”

Set pieces

Passing

“We also work on set pieces, like corner kicks. We place cones and out of 10 balls they have to hit 4 or 8 balls into a specified area. It’s possible to add points to it. Or for a Coerver-move: when they use the Zidane-trick in a 1 vs. 1, they can also earn points.”

“In Battle-Training you have to work on things that suits your position. A centre back who plays at number 6 has to be able to pass and kick 20 meters or give a 30-35 meter long pass. The last one is just as important, in modern football everybody says: short passing, but if you can play with a good long ball and you have a striker like Peter Crouch in your team it’s very attractive to play that. On the other side, a winger has to practice the inside move a lot (dribbling) and has to focus on being two-footed. The opponent has to be thinking: what is he going to do, to the left or to the right? So you have to practice what you’re doing in a match.”

“I think players should play with their hearts”

Player drills “A player can come up with a drill himself. We encourage that and sometimes we give the players the assignment to come up with one. When a defender wants to try a 1 vs. 1 as an attacker or take a corner kick you’ve to let him do that. During a match it’s not possible, but in training it’s possible. He can also score points with that.”

Commitment Photo by: www.werhee-fotoservice.de

“That’s the strong point of these extra sessions. Players are not only working on their strong and weak points, but they do it with a lot of commitment. As mentioned, each drill is connected with a score system. Therefore commitment will be 100% for each drill. They want to score as many points as possible to get a higher ranking on the Grand Slam List. Without noticing it they are improving their football qualities.”

Talking “It is a small group, so it is possible to talk with players: how can you improve that specific drill? You can take your time over it and the other players will continue the drill. Once in a while it’s for players also a good thing. That way they receive some personal attention.”

No. 28 August/September 2008

8 v 8 with shooting in the box Organization: - 8v8 - Half a field - Play with tactics

Progression: - When players enter the box they must shoot

6 v 6 with 4 neutral players Organization: - 6v6 - Field size: 40 x 40 meters - 4 neutrals positioned next to the field

Progression: - Neutral players are only allowed 1 touch - The players in the field must come to a shot with the help of the neutral players

6 v 6: passing the ball and shoot Organization: - 6 v 6 with goalkeepers - Field size: 40 x 40 meters - 4 neutrals positioned next to the field

Progression: - The players must pass the ball around 6-7 times before shooting on goal

No. 28 August/September 2008

Roberto Landi, Livingston Head Coach: In almost 19 years of professional coaching Roberto Landi has applied his personal touch to many National teams and clubs around the world. He started his professional coaching career in 1990, as a goalkeeper coach for the USA National team –a participant at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He was also head coach of the Lithuanian national team and Georgian U-21 National team and head coach of the Qatar U-21 National Team. As a club coach he has had great results with many clubs in various different countries: FC Marignano and FC Messina – Italy, FC National Bucharest – Romania and FC Sopron – Hungary. Earlier this month he was unveiled as the new Livingston manager, a Scottish first division team. Here he talks to SoccerCoachingInternational about his coaching philosophy and vision on how to improve the qualities of his players. By: Dusan Petrovic

“A coach needs to be able to improve the qualities of his players” ”A Coaching Philosophy and vision is a very important part of a coach’s personality. A coaching philosophy provides coaches with the ability to add a personal touch to the development of every player and also the team. I do not believe that soccer is the same all over the world. The difference is, largely visible in the role of the coach, who without re-inventing the wheel, needs to be able to improve the qualities of the players and build a winning team. The team is everything and every individual player, along with his personal knowledge, qualities and skills, should be subject to the team.”

No. 28 August/September 2008

Main goal

Match preparation

“I think it is crucial to understand the strengths and weaknesses of every player and a good coach should be able to transform the weaknesses into strengths. This is my main goal and as a coach I am always trying to improve the personal skills and characteristics of every player and within every line of the team.

“When I prepare the players for a game I prefer to use the entire week, as opposed to having a long pre-match session. I think these sessions make players nervous. So I use the entire week to prepare for the forthcoming match, where I also spend time to explain the peculiarities of the opponent. Preparation also includes discussing everything that could happen in the match and to make sure players know what to do in any possible situation and know what is expected of them.”

Favorite System: “I normally have my teams play a 4-4-2, because I consider this to be the best balanced system and it is based on the most important components. This is the system I use during most of the matches, but I do subject my players to other systems of play during practices. There we experiment with the 4-3-3 and the 3-43, because I think it is important that players are familiar with other systems as well. Another important reason is that they understand the systems, so when we play against teams who use these systems they know how to play them and can switch to another formation during a match when needed.”

Technical aspects “Our training sessions are always divided into three different moments: - Physical training: The development of power, speed, agility, resistance, etc. - Technical training: focused on the actions needed by a player during a match (such as passing, controlling the ball, shooting, heading, etc.). - Tactical training: focuses on the movement of the players during a match. I repeat this a lot in an 11 v 11 exercises. I want my players to memorize their game, so that they can apply it when they are playing a match. They must become familiar with the links between defense, midfield and offense.

Coaching staff “I have worked with my coaching staff for over ten years. My staff is made up of: Valter Berlini: Technical trainer and scout Nazareno Salvatori: Physical training who also deals with the medical staff

No. 27 June/July 2008

Name: Date of birth: Nationality:

Qualification:

Roberto Landi

Coaching career:

February 1, 1956 Italian Experience: 19 years Professional Coaching 16 years Professional Players UEFA Licence A Pro

2008 2006 – 2007 2005 – 2006 2003 – 2005 2002 – 2003

Playing career:

2001

Cosmos New York (NASL) Iwin Kaizer Chief (South Africa) Chicago Sting (NASL) Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL) Plancenza Siena Modena Ravena Bologna (Youth teams)

1998 -2000 1992 – 1994 1994 1990

A typical week of training with Roberto Landi If we played a match on Sunday our week of training would look like this:

Monday afternoon Recovery training session for players who have played on Sunday with the physical trainer. The other players work with me in a 50 minute technical and tactical training session.”

Current Livinston FC head coach (Scottish First Division) F.C Sopron Head Coach (Hungarian First Division) Qatar National Team Head Coach FC National Bucharest Head Coach (Romanian Premiership) FC Messina Technical Trainer (Italian Serie A) Lithuanian National U21 Team Coach Georgia National U21 Team Coach FC Marignana Head Coach (Italian Serie C and D) USA National Team Goalkeeping coach USA National Team Goalkeeping coach

Friday afternoon: Physical, technical and tactical session - Warm-up and physical exercises to improve speed, with the physical trainer (30 minutes) - Ball possession exercises (20 minutes) - Exercises opponent possession (20 minutes) - Shots on goal (20 minutes) - Set plays (10 minutes) - Total: 100 minutes

Tuesday afternoon: Physical and tactical training - Session in the gym and strength exercises - Preventive, athletic exercises for the development of aerobic power - Work on individual technique - 20 minutes - Work on tactical team organization - 20 minutes tactics for defense, midfield and offense - At the end - 20 minute game - Total: approximately 90 minutes

Saturday morning: Physical and set plays

Wednesday

Sunday:

Double training session: with a physical and tactical training in the morning and a technical/tactical training in the afternoon

If we play in the afternoon we do not have a training session that day. If we play in the evening we will have a light warm-up session in the morning.

Physical work on speed Exercises - set plays Work on tactics Individual training Team friendly game Total: 60 minutes

Wednesday morning: - Strength training in the gym - Small Sided Games on the field - Total: 80 minutes

Wednesday afternoon: - Tactical exercises: Opponent possession - Exercises for tactical ball possession (defense, midfield, offense) - Total: 90 minutes

Thursday afternoon: - Friendly game (11 v 11), whereby all players must play at least 45 minutes. One of the teams must play tactically like the opposing team we meet on Sunday

No. 28 August/September 2008

Sunday morning: 45 minutes warm-up ”It is important to work with the team organization, because players should always work on the field used in a match. It is important to remember the distances between them and the perimeters of the field. All the exercises should be with the team organization and with all players in their natural roles. I work a lot with some pre-game schemes. So, all the players must know exactly what to do when the ball and opposition players are in their area, and in any other areas of the field. Before, during and after the training I do everything to motivate my players to work hard and give their best and I try to lift their motivation to the highest level for every game.”

Defending with central defenders Organization: - 40x40m field - Defensive work for yellow team

Progression: -

3 touches maximum Tactical: red yellow defends without central defenders Objective: to increase the defensive role of the wingbacks (in the center) Duration: 3 minutes (1 minute â&#x20AC;&#x201C; recovery)

4v6 Organization: - Half field - 2 blue players in the zone (marked with discs, from half-way line to marked line (approx. 10 meters) - All other players (4 blue, 6 yellow) in playing field - With goalkeeper

Progression: - Play always start with the goalkeeper passing to one of the red players near the half-way line - Red team tries to create scoring opportunities - Blue team tries to steal the ball, when they do they must pass it to one of the blue player (7 and 11) who are positioned in the zone (fast break) - Duration: 3 minutes (1 minute â&#x20AC;&#x201C; recovery)

10 +1 v 10+1 Organization: - 10 +1 v 10+1 with 1 neutral player (N) of each team in positioned in the marked zone behind the defense

Progression: - All attacks are counter attacks - Neutral players may receive the ball in the zone during a counter attack - Defenders are only allowed in the defensive zone after a deep pass to neutral player (N) - Other attackers are only allowed in the opponents defensive zone after a deep pass to neutral player (N) - This creates a numerical inferiority for the defense - Objective: defend the numerical inferiority (quick transition back to defense) - Duration: 5 minutes (2 minute recovery)

No. 28 August/September 2008

Blackburn Rovers Mental Skills:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talent is NOT En

No. 28 August/September 2008

The history of football is littered with examples of young teenage prodigies who failed to fulfil their potential, whilst others who once shared the same hype went on to become global superstars. For every Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, there are dozens of players blessed with prestigious natural talent who barely break though into the professional game, let alone make it into the world’s elite. And as in a number of sports, an objective approach to managing the mental development of young aspiring footballers is very much a grey area. However, two forward thinking pioneers at the academy of Blackburn Rovers have developed a working model designed to ensure the club’s scholars maximise their full potential through developing their mental approach to the game, having spent the past three years studying and meeting experts in the field. By: Steve Nickson and Tony Faulkner

From leading academics at Stamford University in the USA to even experts in Graphology, Steve Nickson and Tony Faulkner have gathered insights from sources on a wide range of fields to establish ways of profiling and managing the mental development of talented teenagers at their academy. Their main focus has been to address the need of every player to possess the mental capacity to deal with setbacks in their football career and for the club’s coaches to be aware of the specific mental traits a player needs to develop.

ough …!”

The interest generated by their findings has been such that the pair have recently been invited to present their model to a number of leading psychology academics in London and to an expert at the Lawn Tennis Association. Following on from that presentation, they were also invited to address members of the American National Coaches Association in Baltimore, USA, following in the footsteps of influential figures in the game including Chelsea Chief Scout Frank Arnesen and former Germany Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Faulkner, who is currently studying for a degree in Psychology as well as being the head of the academy’s medical department, believes that their research has enabled them to utilise an objective, professional approach to mental training. “The aim of developing this model was to enable us to be far more objective in our assessment of a player,” explains Faulkner. “In the past where our industry has been much more subjective, making comments based on intuition and gut feeling, we now have objective analysis and statistics which will support what we are saying. We can then monitor, assess and show how we are moving a player along a continuum. You will not only see that theoretically, but you will see that in his behaviours, which will then become habit which effects his performances, which at the end of the day is what we are all after.”

No. 28 August/September 2008

Nickson, the academy’s recruitment coordinator, also notes that to succeed in football, young players need to possess the same human traits as seen in other industries if they are to get to the top. He says: “I think to achieve success, whether it be as a professional footballer or in any other walk of life, you need certain characteristics to get you through periods of difficulty in your life. The challenge is can you overcome the obstacles and develop as a person. The traits required to be a

footballer here are the same as in sport, as in business, as in education. We refer to them as ‘the mental traits needed for human excellence’. You need these characteristics and then have the ability to develop them to fulfil your potential.” The duo are currently in the process of developing a ‘Growth Mindset’ culture within the Blackburn Academy, in contrast to a ‘Fixed Mindset’ often found in talented youngsters.

No. 28 August/September 2008

Players with a ‘Fixed Mindset’ almost exclusively rely on their natural talent to deal with setbacks in their career. They believe this talent on its own will help them through the setbacks they face. But as these players have been born with talent, they have very little experience of facing obstacles or challenges, resulting in them often viewing them as a threat. Then when things get tough, they quit very easily and avoid hard work.

them based on various criteria based upon Constructive Evaluation, Mental Toughness, Mindset, Language and Behaviour. Then having evaluated their scores, the club can identify areas where each player is mentally weak and use a range of skills training to develop their psychological traits. Nickson believes of academies in the UK, Blackburn are at the cutting edge not only profiling players, but having a structure in place to manage the mental development. “In terms of having a research model in place which has got professional credibility, there is no one anywhere else who is doing it with academies in the UK, but we know the NFL do something very similar”, he explains. “There would be clubs who would use psychometric testing, but the big thing we believe in is that when you profile, the second phase of addressing and managing the issue is just as important. Therefore, you must develop your own personal tools to help the players develop.”

And for a sport where one of the key elements of success at the highest level is possessing the ability to be mentally tough, Faulker adds: “I don’t think I have come across any coach in football during my involvement in the game during the last 15 years who does not believe the mind and the ability to be mentally tough is not important, in face they all think this is very, very important. But from just having a vague term based on their past experiences, what the model does is underpins what these various things are, mental toughness, mindset, constructive evaluation and so on. It has been based upon the ideals and knowledge of leading experts in the field from all over the world. So instead of everyone here being an amateur psychologist, we have something in place which puts all the theory into action and which can be managed on a day to day basis. This is something far more tangible than coaches referring to vague phrases such as ‘mentally strong’, I mean what is mentally strong, what does it mean?”

Players who adopt a ‘Growth Mindset’ recognise that their abilities are going to develop over time and view their own personal development as a path of opportunity and success, motivating them to do better. Vitally, when they come across a problem, they see it as a challenge to push themselves further. To identify the character traits in each player, Blackburn profile every player that comes into the club’s academy, scoring

No. 28 August/September 2008

The idea of constructive evaluation which Faulkner refers to is a process whereby de-briefing performance, players are forced to learn via an objective assessment of their per formance to take them to the next level. This type of honest evaluation helps bring the opinion of the player and the coach much closer together. It also forces players to face up to reality and not delude themselves into thinking they are progressing, when they have had a poor performance and have areas of improvement. It is an area of mental training which has been championed heavily by Yehuda Shinar, who devised ‘The Winning Model’ used to successful effect by Sir Clive Woodward during England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup triumph. Shinar is one expert who has been working proactively with the Blackburn Academy, spending nine months working hands-on with the club’s youngsters. He highlights a number of sportsmen who have successfully implemented the growth mentality, including Michael Jordan, who has only third pick in the 1984 NBA Rookie draft and Andre Agassi, who he claimed “saw practise a very specific serve for over two and a half hours” as he strived for perfection before the Paris Masters event a few years ago. And to manage mental toughness, the club have split its management into four specific areas: Commitment, Control, Challenge and Confidence. They also undertake a V02 Max test, where a player is put on the treadmill with a heart monitor and are asked to run until they get to their peak heart rate and stop when they physically cannot continue. A common trait in players with a Fixed Mentality is they give up very easily and do not get anywhere near their peak heart rate. Players who score low on various aspects of mental toughness when profiled also show lack of emotional control, both on and off the pitch, which can lead to detrimental effects on their development and performance. Faulkner believes that the most important area in addressing these kind of players who score low is the language and behaviour adopted by the coach to alter their mindset. For that reason, he is adamant that the model installed at Blackburn is there to develop the coach as much as the player. He explains: “If the coach has a deeper understanding of where the player is in their mental development, then it increases the possibilities for the coach getting best out of that particular player and team. Through understanding how a player perceives his view of the world, a coach can cleverly gain information from the individual. The language portrayed by the coach to the player can help them fulfil their ability, and this comes with understanding how to get the best out of every player, whether they are proactive and use their own initiative in wanting to improve, or reactive to the guidance of the coach. Coaches can use specific approaches of encouragement through using the player’s language, whether it is getting a player into the gym, facing up to areas of their games they must improve and so on.

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They can focus the mindset of the player to what they can achieve in their career and help them face up to an indifferent performance, through honest constructive self-evaluation. Then by using as an example one of the various techniques called mental imagery, the coach can help the player predict potential future situations, and work at ways how to deal with the negative situations they may encounter. However they must not become over reliant on the guidance of the coach and the coach must make sure the player, with guidance, eventually becomes self reliant.” With recent coverage in the media focusing on the lack of young English players breaking through from Premier League academies and into first team football, various different opinions have been mooted by various senior officials and pundits within the game to address the situation, ranging from the importance of a National Academy, to an introduction of a quota system. Nickson believes that a key area for club academies is to ensure every player has the opportunity to maximise their own personal psychological potential and believes the model Blackburn have put in place can help every player achieve this goal. “We are talking about maximising potential, trying to get someone to get near their potential and it is widely accepted in not only football, but in other sports and professions that to be successful, it is not just about skill and talent, your attitude is just as important. What we are trying to do is define what exactly attitude is off the back of this research and by addressing that, then you are giving them an edge and understanding to deal with the inevitable setbacks and difficulties they are going to face. By no means are we saying that individuals have not succeeded from adopting a fixed mindset, however if they had possessed that growth mindset there is that possibility that they could have sustained their length at the top of their profession for possibly longer.” Despite the pair’s embrace of mental skills ideals, both are aware that a player’s mental development is an aid, albeit a very important one, in a player’s physical, technical and tactical development. In the scenario of a player being brought into the club on trial and scoring lowly on their

profile, Nickson, as recruitment coordinator, would not take any final decision based on that result. “I think the profile and the mental skills trait is an aid and only a part of the other types of physical, technical and tactical profiles that we do,” stresses Nickson. “We would not dream of saying that ‘this is where he is in his stage of his mental development we are not going to bother with him’ that would just be dismissive. “It just alerts of where he is at this moment in time so we can start working with him. “If someone has not come out of the profiling positively, you have to be consciously aware that this guy may have issues, whatever they may be and a lot of time and effort is going to have to have to go into his development to move him forward.” Faulkner adds: “It is not the tool to say yes or no, it is a tool to make us aware of where they are mentally. But what will be interesting as time goes by as a result of our findings is you may come across certain so called talented players who regularly score very low. Therefore, if they continue to fail to maximise their potential then you could be in a position to turn around and say, no we are not going to take them , but that would be based on the back of a couple of years in the academy and not a short term assessment.” Looking to the future, Faulkner is confident that their approach to mental development will continue to evolve as they improve their own understanding of the field and as the academy absorbs other forward thinking working practices. He says: “I would like to think we are of a growth mindset ourselves, so purely by that nature we want to learn develop and get better all the time. So if there is an area of the model which evolves, which I am sure it will because both people and environment around us evolve, then I am sure we will pick up various trends that we can adapt and use if need be. And I am sure over time through our expert contacts, we will pick up new techniques which will help us even more as we strive to ensure all our youngsters fulfil move towards their potential.“

Please visit the members’ area on our website to read the case study for this ar ticle.

No. 28 August/September 2008

Training sessions from ar This re-occurring section normally features training sessions from all angles of the world, divided into several zones. This time around we have included youth sessions from the United Kingdom, which we divided into 5 zones: the ‘Portsmouth FC U13s’, ‘West Ham United U13s’, ‘Manchester United U10s’, ‘Liverpool U9s’ and ‘Paul Cooper's Small Sided Games’.

Warm-up 1 Organization: - All players pair up - Positioning as illustrated

Progression: -

Player 1 dribbles the ball from cone A to cone B Player 2 runs backward and defends (passive) First player 1 dribbles and player 2 defends, then vice versa the other way Players chance stance (left or right foot forward) based on where the attacking player has the ball (ball left = left foot forward)

Coaching: - Balance - Lower body (stance) - Watch the ball

Warm-up 2 Organization: - All players pair up - Positioning as illustrated

Progression: - Player 1 passes the ball to player 2 and follows his pass - Player 2 receives the pass and dribbles to cone A, while player 1 defends and tries to steal the ball (active defense)

Coaching: -

Tackle when you are ready, not when the attacker is ready Enthusiasm in getting the ball back Tackle with your strong foot Aggression in approach Watch the ball

1v1 Organization: - All players line-up in goal and get numbered by the coach

Progression: - Coach kicks the ball into play, then call out 2 numbers: • First set of numbers = attackers • Second set of number = defenders - All other players stay in goal to block the shot from the attacker. These players also need to help the defender by communicating with him - The goalkeeper is in the middle of the goal, he is the only one allowed to leave the goal line to save the shot

Coaching: - Communication

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round the UK PORTSMOUTH FC U13s 2v2 Organization: - All players line-up in goal and get numbered by the coach

Progression: - Coach kicks the ball into play, then call out 2x2 numbers: • First set of numbers = attackers • Second set of number = defenders - All other players stay in goal to block the shot from the attacker. These players also need to help the defender by communicating with him - The goalkeeper is in the middle of the goal, he is the only one allowed to leave the goal line to save the shot

Coaching: - Communication - Back defender is in charge

10v2 Organization: -

Pitch size: 10x10 yards 2 small sided goals 8 red players positioned around the pitch, as illustrated 2 red players inside the pitch, who play against 2 blue players 2 goalkeepers

Progression: - Players on the outside play with the team in possession - Play 2 v 2 (with 8 neutrals)

Mini-interview: Harry Redknapp on Defending as a team: “With younger players it’s all about principles. Basic principles with the U12s and star t introducing tactics with the above 12s, but you continue to build on the basics. With the first team we spend a lot of time on defending as a team as well. Of course, we include positioning and shapes, and do not just focus on the 1v1s and the 2v2s. One of the most impor tant aspects of defending as a team is talking, but unfor tunately not all players are natural talkers. The key, for a coach, is to get them talking. Youth players are difficult, as they have a hard time with this. This doesn’t necessarily mean it is easier with the professional teams, because they don’t always all speak the same language. For tunately my foreign lads all speak ver y good English, and the ones that don’t when they arrive pick it up pretty quick, so it’s not a problem.”

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WEST HAM UNITED U13s Movement off the ball 1 Organization: - 4 cones - 2 dummies - 6 players

Progression: -

Player 1 passes to player 2, and moves to player 2’s position Player 2 passes to player 3, and moves to the back of player 4’s line Player 3 passes to player 4 Players 2 and 3 receive the ball, turn inside and subsequently around the dummy before passing to the next player

Coaching: -

Positioning Turning Passing Receiving

Movement off the ball 2 Organization: - 4 cones - 2 dummies - 6 players

Progression: -

Player 1 passes to player 2, and moves to player 2’s position Player 2 passes to player 3, and moves to the back of player 4’s line Player 3 passes to player 4 Players 2 and 3 move away from the dummy before receiving the pass

Coaching: -

Positioning Turning Passing Receiving

Movement off the ball 3 Organization: - 4 cones - 2 dummies - 6 players

Progression: -

Player 1 passes to player 2, and moves to player 2’s position Player 2 passes to player 3, and moves to the back of player 4’s line Player 3 passes to player 4 Players 2 and 3 fake a move, turn and come into the ball to receive the pass

Coaching: 26

Positioning Turning Passing Receiving

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WEST HAM UNITED U13s Run and overlap Organization: - 3 cones - Players line up (evenly distributed) behind the cones

Progression: - Players pass and overlap in 3s - When a player is on the left side, the must pass with their left foot (and vice versa) - 1 touch passing

Coaching: - Accuracy - Quick - Keep wide

Triangle drill (basic) Organization: - 3 players positioned as illustrated

Progression: - Player 1 passes to player 2 - Player 2 passes to incoming player 3 (this is the trigger point) - Player 3 passes deep into player 1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s run and runs down the field on the other side to assist player 1 in the attack

Details: - Trigger point = the runner (player 1) start his explosive run down the field - The point of the triangle is always in the direction of the play - The base of the triangle is the foundation - Never kick a dead ball (ball has to always be moving) - Final pass has to find the runner

Triangle drill with overlap Organization: - 3 players positioned as illustrated

Progression: - Player 1 passes to player 2, and overlaps him on the other side in his run down the other side of the field - Player 2 passes to player 3, and overlaps him on the other side in his run down the other side of the field and receives the pass back from player 3 - Player 3 passes deep into player 1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s run and runs down the field on the other side to assist player 1 in the attack

Coaching: -

Passing Overlapping Keep wide Accuracy No. 28 August/September 2008

MANCHESTER UNITED U10s 1v1 Organization: -

4 teams Play 1v1 With goalkeepers 4 goals ¼ of a field per match (as illustrated)

Progression: -

Play 1v1 for 3 minutes (x3) Every player will be on goal once Goalkeepers are the referees Players try to score as many goals as possible Teams can go everywhere on the field (no lines)

Variation: - Use smaller ball; good for ball control and problem solving

3v3 Organization: -

4 teams Play 3v3 With goalkeepers 4 goals ½ a field per match (as illustrated)

Progression: - Goalkeeper in the big goal must stay in goal - Teams defending the small goals may all play as field players, but 1 player must always be on his own half - Duration: 5 minutes then change

6v6 Organization: -

2 teams Play 6v6 With goalkeepers 2 goals Full field (as illustrated)

Progression: - Play on possession - Movement off the ball, be available to receive the pass (“Can he see you?”) - Duration: 2x 5 minutes

Coaching: - Think about the space and the difference between good space and bad space

No. 28 August/September 2008

MANCHESTER UNITED U10s 5v5 Organization: -

2 teams Play 5v5 With goalkeepers 2 goals Full field (as illustrated)

Progression: - Play on possession - Drag and push the ball in the build-up - Duration: 2x 5 minutes

Volley Finish Organization: - Field as illustrated - 4 players with a goalkeeper

Progression: -

Player 1 bounces a pass into the area Player 3 finishes on goal (with a volley) Player 2 bounces a pass into the area Player 4 finishes on goal (with a volley)

Coaching: - Shooting position - Turn open left or right

1 v 1 with finish Organization: - 2 lines with players - 1 with defenders - 1 with attackers

Progression: - Attackers dribble towards the defenders and initiate a 1v1 duel - Attackers try to beat the defenders and score

Coaching: - Quick approach to defenders - Try to beat the defenders with speed

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LIVERPOOL U9s Warm-up Organization: - Cones distributed along the field as illustrated - 1 player with a ball at each cone

Progression: - Warming-up exercises with the ball: • Start with nice long touches on the ball (over the top): - Left – right – brush over - Right – left – brush over • V-shape behind your cone: - Left-right-top drag back - Right – left – top drag back

• Over the top: - Over the top – left – right - Over the top – right – left • Roll behind standing foot - Foot on the ball – roll back – play behind standing foot (play through) - Left + right • Combination - Roll back – play through – over the top – left – right

Coaching: - Accuracy in execution - Eye on the ball

Skills exercise Organization: - In pairs • 1 defender • 1 attacker - 2 cones

Progression: - Skill 1: • Attacker has possession and will roll the ball back and keep his body between the ball and the opponent • From cone A to cone B and back

- Skill 2: • Attacker has possession and will roll the ball with the bottom of his foot to the other side • From cone A to cone B and back - Skill 3: • Attacker has possession and moves his far foot over the ball to the other side • From cone A to cone B and back

Coaching: - Shielding the ball - Execution of skills

Using the skills games Organization: • •

2 gates 1 cone (A) 1 Player (1) with a ball at cone A 2 players (2 and 3) in between gates Player 2 = attacker Player 3 = defender

Progression: - Player 1 passes to player 2 - Player 2 tries to use the moves from the other drills to dribble the ball through 1 of the gates - Player 3 will defend - Player 3 will take player 2’s position - Player 2 will take player 1’s position - Player 1 will join the line behind player 3

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LIVERPOOL U9s Cone square Organization: - 4 cones make a square - 3 players behind each cone (all with a ball)

Progression: - 2 players approach each other, in the middle they each move to their right with the ball

Variations: -

Step left, go right Step right, go left Step left, step right, go left Step right, step left, go right Any move that takes you to the left Any move that takes you to the right

Coaching: - Little touches in the middle

Finishing Organization: - 1 goalkeeper - 2 cones approximately 4 meters apart - 1 player with a ball at each cone

Progression: - Player 1 passes to player 2 - Player 1 defends (moves to between the 2 cones) - Player 2 dribbles to beat the defender with a move and shoots on goal - Player 1 takes player 2’s place - Player 2 gets his ball and move to player 1’s cone - Player 3 start drills again

Variations: - You can do this without goalkeeper if you have a lot of players • Just setup triangles around the pitch, players can score when they dribble through the cones - Increase resistance from defenders

No. 28 August/September 2008

Paul Cooper's Small Sided Games Below you will find 3 exercises from Paul Cooper’s book: Small Sided Games – Learning through play

|The Gate Game Organization

Progression

- Age Group U10s to adults - Pitch sizes 30/40 x 20– or at the discretion of the coach - Number of teams – 2 - Team sizes 4-6 players - Bibs optional - Goals – are two small traffic cones. You need one more goal than there are players for one team. So for 4v4 you have 5 goals (10 cones) and for 6v6 you have 7 goals (14 cones). You can add extra goals for the younger age groups. The goals should be about 2-3 feet apar t (depending on age and ability) and should be distributed around the pitch.

To score a goal a player needs to dribble through a goal (gate). He can dribble through from either side. When the player gets a goal in this manner he scores one point for his team. If the player then goes on to score a second goal WITHOUT the opposition winning the ball (must be through a different goal) they get 2 points for the second goal, and 3 points for the third goal, etc. This is a very tiring game so you need to do it in short bursts. It is quite a physical game as well. The better dribblers love to compete to see who can get the most goals in a row. It is not just a dribbling game as passing and switching play is very important to find a player in space near a goal.

Organization

Progression

- Age Group U10s to adults - Pitch sizes 40 x 20 – or at the discretion of the coach. There is an area marked off about 8 metres from each goal line - Number of teams – 2 - Team sizes – 4 - Bibs optional - Goals – 5 a side or mini soccer goals

This game is best played as a 4v4 game with no keepers. Each team has a designated sweeper who can’t get tackled in the 8 metre zone in front of his goal. He can play out side of this area but can be tackled. All players can go inside the sweeper zone, but just can’t tackle the sweeper. They can however tackle his team mates. This game allows the sweeper time to build from the back and also gives the option of a pass backwards if there are no options forward or sideways. You can also have the sweeper start with the ball if it goes out for any throw-ins, so that he gets a lot of practice.

Organization

Progression:

- Age Group - U12s to adults - Pitch size – 40 x 20 or at the discretion of the coach, but basically a standard 4 v 4 pitch - Number of teams – 3 - Team sizes 4 players (+ keeper) - Bibs optional - Goals – 5 a side or mini soccer goals

The game is a standard 4 v 4 game, except that the neutral players on each side can be used. The neutral players have one touch only (younger players and less technical players may require two touches) and play with the team that have possession. They take any throw-ins or kick-ins from their side. Having the neutral players encourages plenty of give and goes. The players should also be encouraged to play at a fast tempo. Change the four neutral players (one team) with one of the teams on the pitch every few minutes.

The Sweeper Game

Arsenal Game

No. 28 August/September 2008

Paul Cooper’s Small Sided Games Book:

Now Available in our online shop! WWW.SOCCER COACHINGINTERNATIONAL.COM

Organization of the 4-4-2

PART 2: Part one of this article series on the 4-4-2 dealt with midfield organization. Part two in the series now discusses various aspects of defending in a 4-4-2, particularly the unique characteristics required of the center backs and outside backs, and a few common situations faced by these players. By: Christian Lavers FC Milwaukee Nationals US Soccer Development Academy Program Director

Defending in a

4-4-2

Most teams that play out of a 4-4-2 shape play with a zonal back four. While a sweeper-stopper system is another potential way to organize the defensive line, this option is rarely used at the highest professional and international levels. (The play of Greece in the 2004 European championship is the most notable exception to this statement, particularly because of their surprising effectiveness in doing so.) Accordingly, this article will discuss defending based upon a zonal back four organization.

In a zonal defensive system, players are not solely responsible for marking an individual opponent, but instead are responsible for filling areas of space and marking opponents that move into these spaces. Basic defensive positioning is primarily determined by the location of the ball and the amount of pressure on it; adjustments to the basic defensive shape are then made based upon the positioning and movement of the opponent. Because of this, defending with a zonal defense is sometimes referred to as “ball-oriented defending.”

First, it should be stated that a zonal back four is organized almost the same way in any system – whether there be 3, 4 or 5 midfielders in front of the back line. The number of midfielders (and their organizational shape) will create slightly different problems for the back four to solve (or impose different demands on them), but it will not alter the fundamental organization of the defensive line. As such, the starting point in selecting and training a back four is the same for any team.

Characteristics of the Back Four and Common Situations Faced by Position

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Characteristics of the Center Backs: Any great defensive team is based first and foremost on the foundation of two great center backs. To qualify as such, these players must be both excellent individual defenders, (in all situations – off the dribble, in the air, etc.), as well as intelligent

decision-makers and problem-solvers. Great center-backs solve problems before they arise – by reading the game and adjusting positioning before opponents can take advantage of mistakes, or many times by maintaining good defensive positioning even when their team has possession – anticipating the next turnover and the potential danger. Oftentimes, similar to the pairing of central midfielders, the two center-backs are complimentary players; one who is a very vocal leader and the chief organizer of the defense; and one who is an exceptional athlete – with the speed and agility to protect space behind the defense and to run attackers down when defending errors are made. Ideally, both central defenders are physically strong, able to hold spaces in individual battles and be a presence in tackles, and both central defenders are good in the air. A team that lacks these qualities in even one of the center backs will have significant difficulty dealing with an intelligent and talented forward over 90 minutes – much less two talented forwards. Psychologically, center backs must be very confident, communicative and assertive individuals. The risk-reward scenarios faced by center-backs also requires individuals that are both conscientious and composed, and individuals that are conservative in their play in possession. Coaching Center Backs: Stepping and Dropping the Defensive Line One of the key tactical decisions made by center backs is when to step and drop the defensive line – or in other words, when to compact space in front of the defense and when to protect space behind it. At the highest levels, this decision will be made hundreds of time each game, as almost every movement of the ball will require a slight adjustment of the defensive line.

Clearances or passes backwards by the opposition, moments when the defensive team has great pressure on the player with the ball, and long square passes by the opposition can all be opportunities for the defensive line to step forward and compact space. In contrast, the key cue for dropping the defensive line is when there is no pressure on the ball and there are attacking players in positions to run behind the defense. Great center-backs position themselves in these situations such that they seem to always have a step or three to cover the space behind them, and are therefore rarely in “even” foot races against attacking players. It is imperative that, in making decisions of stepping and dropping the defensive line, the center backs do not become overly conservative or overly aggressive – as being too focused on one space will allow for easy chances for the opposition in the other. For example, center-backs that are too quick to drop off and protect space behind them will allow forwards to receive the ball in the gap between the defensive line and midfield and then penetrate via a dribble or pass. Conversely, center-backs that are too quick to “jump on” forwards checking back into midfield will be vulnerable to direct penetrating passes behind the defense to late runners out of midfield or other deep runs. When dropping and stepping the line, center backs should generally be positioned even (parallel) with each other. This insures that one back does not play an attacker onside behind the other backs. However, when defending one vs. one situations or when challenging for airballs, centerbacks should never be parallel with each other. In these situations, it is imperative that the center back defending the player with the ball (or challenging for the airball) is receiving cover from the other center back (and from the nearest outside back). When this cover is not immediately provided, the entire defense can be beaten by one dribble, pass or flick.

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Characteristics of Outside Backs: Outside backs in a 4-4-2 must be great athletes, with good speed, balance, agility and endurance – as they will be asked to defend in larger spaces than center backs, and, very often, they will be defending attackers that are running at them one vs. one. (In contrast, center backs will be defending attackers in smaller, more congested central areas – and often attackers that are positioned back-to-goal.) Additionally, especially on teams with a pressing defensive mentality, outside backs must be able to step forward and defend the opponents outside midfielders on a regular basis. While these characteristics are key for the defending aspects of playing outside back, the best outside backs in the world are also great attacking players – able to attack 1 vs. 1 on the dribble and provide great attacking service. Paolo Maldini of Italy and AC Milan, Roberto Carlos of Brazil and Real Madrid, and Ashley Cole of England and Chelsea are the most prominent examples in world soccer today. These players not only do “the job” of defending, but they add a significant offensive threat for their teams.

Coaching Outside Backs: When and How to Step Into Midfield Defensively Perhaps the most common tactical decision faced by outside backs in defense is the decision of when to step for ward and defend the opponent’s outside midfielder and when to “stay back” in the defensive line and concede the pass to the opponent’s outside midfielder. When this decision is made properly, the outside back is able to defend higher up the field, denying the opponent’s outside midfielder the oppor tunity to play penetrating passes or attack the back line on the dribble. When the position is played at its best defensively, the outside back can become a great catalyst for counter-attacks. However, when this decision is made incorrectly, the outside back will either invite the opponent’s outside midfielder onto them on the dribble (thus losing the initiative in defense), or worse, expose the center back to diagonal runs and footraces into large wide spaces. The key tactical moment for making this decision comes just before the opponents attempt a pass to their outside midfielder. Outside backs should anticipate these passes to maximize opportunities to intercept them, but must never be too early to step forward; as such, the key aspect of this decision is the timing and speed of movement of the outside back. A back that arrives too early will invite penetrating passes behind the defense (thereby exposing the center back to 1 vs. 1 situations in the wing space). A back that is too conser vative and does not defend the midfield space will allow the outside midfielder time and space to either play penetrating passes or to attack the defensive line and create 2 vs.1 situations in the wing space. A key tactical cue in this decision is the quality of the defensive pressure on the ball: if pressure is good (and therefore the ability to serve behind the defense is eliminated), the outside back can step higher and earlier; if pressure is poor or non-existent, the outside back will most likely have to remain in the defensive line to protect space behind the defense, and the back line will probably have to concede space.

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Finally, when an outside back steps into wide midfield spaces to pressure the ball, whenever possible the pressure should be tight enough to prevent balls played down the sideline, or easy dribble penetration down the sideline. The Impact of Midfield Shape While midfield shape will not dramatically change the positioning or play of the back four in defense, different midfield organizations will make certain defensive situations faced by outside backs more or less common. For example, a team that plays with a diamond in midfield is very difficult to penetrate against centrally, but concedes space in the wide channels. As such, the demands placed on the outside backs in this system may be higher: the lack of a true outside midfielder may create more 1 vs. 1 situations against the outside back, or may increase the frequency of decisions regarding when to step into midfield defensively. In contrast, a team that plays with a line of four in midfield will be able to provide better defensive cover in front of the outside back. As such, a team with weaker outside backs may choose to play in a line of 4 in midfield. The Role of the Goalkeeper Unfortunately, the role of the goalkeeper in defense is often overlooked. Especially in a team playing with a zonal back four, the goalkeeper must cover space behind the defensive line â&#x20AC;&#x201C; almost playing in the role of a sweeper. Put simply, the positioning of the goalkeeper in relation to the back line should allow the defensive team to â&#x20AC;&#x153;coverâ&#x20AC;? all the space behind the defense: the goalkeeper must be able to run forward and win longer balls behind the defense, while the back line must be able to drop off and win shorter balls behind the defense. A goalkeeper that is uncomfortable coming off his goal line to defend this space will make defending much harder. Finally, communication between the goalkeeper and the back line is integral in defense. The goalkeeper and the center-backs share responsibility in organizing team defense, and making sure runners are tracked and defensive shape remains compact.

No. 28 August/September 2008

Andy Blight, Newcastle United academy:

“Finding the rig “As a young coach, initially I was rather idealistic. I wanted to develop ‘new’ concepts and strive to coach elite young players within a short timescale. I was definitely a little naïve and soon appreciated the complexities of developing and applying new techniques in football. The importance of gaining practical coaching experience and establishing networks with like-minded people within the game was also something I learned early in my career. With regards to my personal coaching style, I try to be flexible and adopt different leadership styles depending on the situation. You have to understand that every player is unique and as a coach/manager deal with idiosyncrasies in a personal manner that suits the individual. There is a bespoke, intuitive element to man-management of individual players that a coaching manual cannot relate to. I like to look in from a distance and see how players evolve and deal with on and off the pitch situations. I can be quite distant and if I am honest, this reflects my personality.”

No. 28 August/September 2008

“Despite this I’m a very open-minded coach; receptive to new ideas, and feedback from both coaches’ and players. Finding the right balance is all important i.e. explain your decisions and encourage a mutual relationship but never lose your authority. Trust between the players and coach is a key ingredient and this evolves naturally if the coach has set recognisable boundaries understood by all.” “I take great pride in the development of young players and identifying how individuals/groups need to be challenged and pushed to maximise their potential. I am constantly striving to develop my knowledge of the game and try to use key components of what I have observed from others along with my own ideas. Less enlightened coaches keep on repeating the same drills/ideas and are reluctant to change. Ultimately, the quality of your players may reflect the willingness of the coach to keep learning!” Interview by: Maaike Denkers

ht balance” Question: What are your goals with teams you coach? “I tr y to create ambition within my players and a desire to win. It is important to have common goals/aspirations and a plan to achieve your vision. When I first star ted coaching I had limited horizons, but by being pro-active and with a ‘can do’ attitude I have progressed a lot fur ther than I imagined. There have been crucial philosophy-forming incidents for me in terms of learning experiences and they have helped my coaching development. This has opened my eyes to what is possible and I tr y to instil this belief into my players. Players need to be empowered along with a dedicated work ethic focused on being the best they can be, they can maximise their true potential.” “Players must also have individual and team orientated goals. I provide this before ever y game and ensure players are aware of their individual role and positional responsibilities. If players are aware of their positional role and are given formative

feedback linked to role per formance, their self-esteem will rise and this will be evident on the field of play.” “Goal setting is linked to measuring achievement and keeping things in perspective as progress is being made. Whether the team performs successfully or not depends ultimately on how well the players perform as a team. All players are dependent upon one another. Therefore, it is vital that goals are shared and agreed, and that roles on and off the pitch are accepted and utilised using clear lines of communication.”

‘The we mentality can raise the performance of all the players in a team and help reduce the pressure associated with big matches…the ‘good team’ has a common vision, clear and definite goals…players who put the common good before their own interests…who take responsibility for the whole team, with everyone accepting mistakes as long as people do their best.’ Sven-Goran Eriksson, 2000

No. 28 August/September 2008

Andy Blight Email: Andib20@hotmail.com

Education: -

BA Hons degree PGCE PE UEFA ‘A’ coaching licence FA Coach Education tutor SAQ tutor

Coaching: - Middlesbrough FC academy - Newcastle United academy - England schools’ FA U18 coach

Question: What is your favourite system of play? “I tr y to be flexible with systems of play. Players in the UK tend to understand 4-4-2 and have grown up with this system. However, young players need to understand and play in a variety of systems to aid their learning and development. Currently, I am working on the 4-3-3 system as this suits the make-up of players within my squad. It is evident you need to have three quality for wards, one central player who is mobile plus two effective and quick wingers. The 4-3-3 comprises many triangles on the field of play (See diagram 1: 1-4-3-3) and allows players many oppor tunities to attack and get for ward.” “Generally, you try to create the most optimal situation for your team. The positioning of players on the field of play is dependent on who you as the coach select. It is my responsibility to position the players in a way which is conducive for the situation. Occasionally, you have to adapt due to the opposition but I like to think that the opposing coach/ players often have to change due to strengths within my team.”

Diagram 1: 1-4-3-3 triangles

Question: What tactical/technical aspects do you focus on in training? “If coaches have followed the ‘ideal’ academy model, players should have done a lot of technical work in the younger age groups. At U15/16, there should be more time to focus on their technique within game-related practices. We look at basic principles: defending well, retaining possession and creating/taking goal-scoring opportunities. There is a focus on repetitive work but also scope for imagination within training. We need to produce more creative players and they must be provided with the freedom to express themselves spontaneously. The youth player must be comfortable with handling the ball and, in turn, this will hopefully give them more confidence on the field of play. In training, we also frequently work on players dealing with 1v1 and 2v2 attacking/defending situations. Above all, the young player must be challenged to explore their talent, develop their natural abilities and allowed freedom to express themselves on the pitch.” See diagram 2: Possession practice we might typically do in training (2v2, 2 directional and 2 targets, progressing to 4v4 + targets) Diagram 2: Helping the No.10 on the ball

No. 28 August/September 2008

Key Factors: - Create space as an individual and pair - Awareness of team-mates and opponents - Body position- can you get half-turned to play forward - Technique for playing half-turned - Support positions - Communication - End Product Observation Notes Look initially at the movement of the receiver. Player movement to create space by taking the defender away from the support player first and making an angled run to try and receive half-turned. Check the receiver, ‘checks and feels’ for the defender so he knows what space is available. Observe the decision made relative to the space available. When observing a young player, I look at: - Talent - Attitude and application - Technique - Speed and mobility - Understanding and Awareness Clearly, you only expect to see these qualities highly developed within the older youth player and they are often used as an assessment tool when offering players scholarships. Every player must work on all aspects of the game to the maximum of his own abilities. Society is very different today and young players have many other interests vying for their attention. However, to reach the ‘top’, players must practice their technique on their own alongside organised training sessions.

Question: What Mental aspects do you focus on? “Youth players in England tend to play with a lot of character and there is an emphasis placed on mental toughness and fighting spirit. It is important that players have an element of mental

strength to match physical and technical ability. The mental side has filtered down from professional level and this should link with the technical/tactical development programme. This starts at an early age within the academy system and a winning attitude‘winning isn’t everything, but trying to win is’ (Vince Lombardi) needs to be instilled in young players.” “A major challenge for the coach is when a young player has to deal with negative outcomes e.g. poor performance or individual tactical mistakes. The key focus is to look at what the player could have done differently or how he could have changed the outcome. Looking forward and not dwelling on past events is also very important. When reviewing per formance, there should be selfevaluation in order for the individual to learn from it to aid future development. Players must not be too ‘hard’ on themselves and be able to control their emotions and re-focus on the next feasible target e.g. John Terry, Champions league final penalty miss and scoring captain for England v USA 7 days later. Observing how your players respond will help you to provide specific individual support. As a coach, it is important to pay attention to fine detail and log specific incidents for future monitoring.”

No. 28 August/September 2008

Krzysztof Dowhań, Legia Warsaw goalkeeping coach:

“Har d wor creating m Krzysztof Dowhań is the goalkeeper coach at Legia Warsaw and has been in charge for seven years. In Poland he is regarded as one of the best goalkeeping coaches. In his coaching career he has coached some of Poland’s best goalkeepers, including: Artur Boruc (Celtic Glasgow), Łukasz Fabiański and Wojciech Szczęsny (Arsenal London), Łukasz Załuska (Dundee United), Wojciech Kowalewski (former Spartak Moscow), Grzegosz Szamotulski (former Dundee United). Krzysztof is very professional but easy going as he discusses his views on goalkeeping with SoccerCoachingInternational. By Daniel Pawłowski

„I am only as good as my goalkeepers”, says Dowhań, when I asked him about the results he has had as a goalkeeping coach. „It is the result of hard work. It demands commitment from me as well as the goalkeepers I train. Also it involves organizational and practical preparation. Of course their attitude is essential. It is clear that the training sessions are not easy as it is monotonous

No. 28 August/September 2008

and exercises are repetitive. However, my aim is to create matchsituations. The most important thing during practice is to replicate game-like situations. Generally speaking, football itself is a team game where the players come up against unique situations but overall there are similar actions that we can experience in every game. I have never experienced any problems with goalkeepers. In my opinion I am here for them but they work for their own success. If they want to achieve something they must work this out for themselves and I help them do that. I only give them direction. From my side, I impose on them my own structure of training which I think is the best for them. Of course discussion is important and I am open to any suggestions that we can talk over at training. However, I am the only one who is qualified and prepared from the professional side and all decisions end with me.”

Artur Boruc At the time Artur Boruc joined the club in 2001 he was young, restless, hot-headed and eager. I think that being able to play at a young age for a first division club (on loan from Legia) gave him a bag of experience and confidence. Later on he had to swallow a

bitter pill because he had opponents to beat at the club: Wojtek Kowalewski and Radek Stanew. But at the same time he had an opportunity to learn from the best. But in general, it is like that, you need to be patient and wait for your chance. A good illustration of this, for instance is Łukasz Fabiański (Arsenal London) who also had to wait for his chance because that was the time when Boruc was at the Polish League peak. The same appeals to Janek Mucha (Slovakian international). He was at the bench for quite long period at a time because Fabiański was the first choice and that is how it goes, everyone has to wait for his moment as either he will take advantage of it or not. Going back to Artur Boruc I heard that he was lazy and useless, but personally I did not have any problems with him. Although, he had his dislikes, against running for instance but I was able to achieve the same results in a different form. Artur Boruc posses excellent physical and mental predispositions which in my view are perfect for a goalkeeper. His physical abilities are very good and simultaneously he is very dynamic. No one could beat him when it comes to dynamic and

Gordon Banks had great positional sense. They shot at him and that was that – vision. I do not need a showman in the goalmouth and he might be loved by the spectators but those ‘shows’ rarely brings the expected results.

Yesterday and today Since the last decade goalkeeper coaching has changed significantly. Goalkeepers before 1992 very rarely played the ball with their feet, but let us have a look at the British Premier League history from the 70’s and 80’s. There we can see that free kicks from 30 yard were kicked by the keeper, not by the defender. Personally, for me British goalkeepers were forerunners of that kind of game. Nowadays, the keeper has to read the game perfectly and be able to predict outgoing situations on the field. It used to be that the libero played before him. Now, the roles have reversed and the keeper is the libero. Todays’ playing systems force goalkeepers to play as a last defender and in the last European Championship there were some good examples. French

k, acr obatics and m atch situations” short spells of intense effort. Additionally, from the mental point of view he was as hard as a rock and never gave up. Every adversity he was able to overcome and stand up strong. Because of this attitude he is now where he is today. Training sessions were the most important thing for him and his attitude towards it was very serious.

keeper Gregory Coupet made a few clearances by just a few inches before Luka Toni’s runs. That means that he needs to play high up the pitch because the goalkeeper who stays on his line is not a player for today. He needs to be one of 11th players and supports from distances which are dictated by the position of the ball. This is why I demand a different mental preparation so that his duties are mainly attacking.

Effectiveness Since I have started training goalkeepers I have implemented a simple philosophy. The most important factor for me is that, the keeper has to be effective and not a showy one. A good save does not have to look aesthetic, it must be effective and the way he saves it is not as important. He is there, standing in the goal, to save it. In football you do not get any points for good movements like in gymnastics or figure skating for instance. Recently, I have read an article in which there was a statement that the goalkeeper who does wonder ful saves and jumps does not have to be a particularly good one in comparison with the other one who demands his box, anticipates the following action, communicates and organizes his defence. The former England international –

Individualism First of all, I try to talk with my goalkeepers a lot. I try to accustom them to what is going to happen on the pitch. Those who play in goal at the younger ages have to be prepared for the demands (for instance Łukasz Fabiański was 21 when he first time played for Legia). He needs to be prepared for that pressure put upon him and he has to deal with that. For some that kind of pressure might motivate to play well and the spectactors’ roar lets them play out the best of them. Some of them show what kind of people they are: confident and strong. Artur Boruc is that type of person and I make individual practices because I deal with different kinds of players. So what is good for one might not be good for the other

No. 28 August/September 2008

and it is simple as that. Above of all, we need to observe their work all the time and I work with the stopwatch the whole season. The time devoted for one repetition is adequate to recovery time as there is no way we can cheat physiology. The crucial thing is that, the work ratio must be the same quality in the first and in the last repetition. .

Learning from mistakes We are prone to make mistakes, but the thing is, how you cope with these setbacks and how you learn from it. Someone who repeats the same mistakes over and over again will not achieve a high level in football. I presume, that essential in every sport event is thinking. Abilities are not as important as the way you prepare yourself mentally for the games. I am a deep believer incomprehensive player development. I remember Fabian (Łukasz Fabiański) going for a high cross 15 yard out and he missed it, but he quickly drew a conclusion. The one who does not risks never wins.

Polish goalkeeper schools I will quote my friend that we only have a few classes. If we would like to have the whole school for goalkeepers we would have to implement a homogeneous system for goalkeeper development. I am convinced that here in Poland we put an extra attention to the overall players’ efficiency. That is the basis because when his movement pattern is correct it will be easier for him to accomplish new elements. Development of overall efficiency should start at the early ages and it is said that nowadays youth spend too much time in front of the computers while my generation used to play football on a scrap of grass which I think it was better for our overall efficiency.

Important attributes In my opinion, overall efficiency makes the difference between Polish goalkeepers and the rest. There was a situation when two of our goalkeepers went to England for vocational training. The things they were doing were very different compared to what they were doing with their English colleagues. We are very keen on acrobatic sessions and I cannot imagine that acrobatic movements do not appear at the training. There are situations during games in which the goalie has to jump high in order to catch the ball; if he does not know how to coordinate his body while airborne and land softly he will make hurt himself. Look at Pepe Reina, his overall efficiency and motor pattern is sensational and Van der Sar is tall but his movement is great.

Youth training vs. senior training At the early stages of development we are not allowed to do the same practices as we do with senior goalkeepers. The teaching process is the most important and I teach the senior keepers as well but I can implement the comprehensive exercises. On the other hand, we need to break up a particular movement while working with the youth. Later on we put together those pieces. We must teach the right habits, it is very hard to get rid of the bad ones so first of all, we should focus on the technique, proper movement and shape. The organisation and coaching must be top so that the young kids will not lose interest during the session. We have to take advantage of their enthusiasm for instance when they put gloves and keepers jersey with Boruc or Fabiański on the back. Moreover, we have to look at the group carefully and estimate if the exercise is appropriate for them or not. It is like building blocks we do the base and when we notice that it is strong and solid we add new blocks therefore we can create another Boruc.

No. 28 August/September 2008

Reaction to coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movement Organization: - 3 goalkeeper line-up and stand behind their cone - 1 coach position in front of them

Progression: - When coach moves to the side (with the ball on his feet) the goalkeepers have to react by making a diving save to that same side â&#x20AC;˘ So when coach moves to his right, the goalkeepers make a diving save to their right. When coach moves to his left, the goalkeepers make a diving save to their left

High cross Organization: - 1 goalkeeper in goal - 1 goalkeeper (or player) out in field - 1 goalkeeper (or player) at the corner flag

Progression: -

Player at corner flag cross the ball high into the penalty area Goalkeeper saves (catches) the cross Goalkeeper throws (overarm) to the player in the field Player receives the ball, dribble towards the penalty area and finishes on goal - Goalkeeper save the shot

Double save Organization: - 1 goalkeeper in goal - 1 goalkeeper (or player) just inside the penalty area - 1 goalkeeper (or player) just outside the penalty area

Progression: - Player just inside penalty area shoot (low) on goal - Goalkeeper saves by diving and quickly gets up to save the second shot (high) from the player just outside the penalty area

No. 28 August/September 2008

Total Football:

the Dutch & Others “We must free our soccer youth from the shackles of playing to order, along rails as it were. We must give them ideas and encourage them to develop their own.” Willy Meisl The roots of Total Football were born many years before when an Austrian sports writer by the name of Willy Meisl described a method of play he called the whirl, a fluid system with players inter changing positions on the pitch. We wrote this about his older brother Hugo’s Austrian Wundeteam of the 1930s. Willy predicted in his book, Soccer Revolution, written in 1955 that this would be the way teams would play in the future. The 1950s Hungarian team, the Mighty Magyars, led by Puskas, played a style of Total Football with Hidegkuti playing as a deep lying centre forward, a role that Cruyff would play 20 years later for Ajax and Holland. When Meisl said “We must free our soccer youths from the shackles of playing to order, along rails as it were”, who would of though we would be having the same debate some seventy years later. It is the Dutch that we associate with Total Football although even then there is a debate as to who instigated it? Some even suggest it was an Englishman, Vic Buckingham who arrived as Ajax coach in 1959. Buckingham was previously coach at West Bromwich Albion and got his team to move around the pitch and encouraged his fullbacks to overlap the wingers. Up to then it was very unusual for them to cross the halfway line without a passport. The great coach Don Howe was one of those fullbacks and when he skipped down the wing, past the winger the Hawthorns crowd by him would enquire. “What the f*** are you doing here?” Recognition in the main has centred on three candidates, Coach Rinus Michels, Cruyff and the unlikely Velibor Vasovic. Vasovic was the Serbian sweeper at Ajax under Michels. In David Winner’s superb book, Brilliant Orange he argues the fact, supported by many Dutch I have spoken to, that Vasovic began to bring the ball out of defence and wave a player into his position and so on. German legend and another sweeper that could bring the ball from defence, Franz Beckenbauer is sceptical that it was a planned way

No. 28 August/September 2008

As a 17 year old in 1974 I was still grieving over England’s elimination at the qualifying stage and that damn clown in the Polish goal, to really be that bothered about the 1974 World Cup finals. That all changed when I began to watch the Dutch. I wanted a Dutch shirt and to look like Ruud Krol. The football they played was in a new dimension and you knew that you were watching something very special unfold before you. The pundits called it Dutch Total Football and I loved it. By: Paul Cooper

of playing. ‘It owed more to the element of surprise than to any magic formula,’ he said. ‘I think the Dutch got away with it for so long because the opposition could not work out what tactics they were facing. ‘It never dawned on them, certainly not until it was too late, that there were no tactics at all,’ Beckenbauer said. ‘Just brilliant players with a ball.’ So did Total Football really come from the streets of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and later from Surinam in the Dutch East Indies? Is this not the breeding ground for intelligent, creative player’s world wide? The key was that although Michels worked them very hard in training, he gave them the freedom on the pitch to express themselves and be creative. With street football now virtually non existence in the more affluent European countries, what worked for a previous generation is now manifested in Small Sided Games (SSG’s – the new street football) by an emerging band of coaches in the UK The coaches are both from a generation that played street football and also young coaches that are dynamic and who are turning their back on the rigid, robotic coaching they witness around them. This is the most exciting time for a generation and the new breed of pioneering coach has ‘unshackled’ the kids and are producing intelligent, creative players who are comfortable in a number of positions and who play fluid football with inter changing positions where the defenders attack and the attackers defend. One wonders what Willy Meisl would make of children’s football today and the Premiership for tots? He made England his home and died there in 1968. But the whirl is now alive and kicking in certain areas in the UK “Good coaches use the basic criteria of street football for their vision of grass roots development; they realise that these elements produce a natural process which gives the most efficient training for young kids.” Rinus Michels

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EDITORIAL

No. 28 – August/September 2008 SoccerCoachingInternational is a magazine for soccer coaches all over the world from the publisher of TrainersMagazine, the Dutch magazine for soccer coaches. The Magazine will be released six times a year. Chief editor Paul van Veen Beatrixlaan 21, 2811 LZ REEUWIJK THE NETHERLANDS E-mail: paul@soccercoachinginternational.com Publisher Sportfacilities & Media BV Visiting address: Steynlaan 19 B-D ZEIST THE NETHERLANDS Postal address: P.O. Box 952, 3700 AZ ZEIST THE NETHERLANDS E-mail: info@soccercoachinginternational.com Phone: +31 (0)30 697 7710 Fax: +31 (0)30 697 7720 Project Manager Floris Schmitz f.schmitz@sportfacilities.com Managing Editor and Translations Maaike Denkers maaike@soccercoachinginternational.com Graphic Design Anton Gouverneur / Tania Dimitrova studio@sportfacilities.com

Editorial Staff Andrew Blight, Paul Cooper, Maaike Denkers, Tony Faulkner, Tania Dimitrova, Guilherme Costa, Anton Gouverneur, Tom van den Heiligenberg, Peter Hyballa, Christian Lavers, Steve Nickson, Daniel Pawłowski, Dusan Petrovic, Paul van Veen, Rien van Wolfswinkel Photographers: Tom van den Heiligenberg Jan Soek Subscription Rates You can subscribe to this magazine through its website: www.soccercoachinginternational.com. The subscription rate are as follows: US and CND subscribers: $49,95 for the first year ($59,95 for years thereafter) UK subscribers: £28,50 for the first year (£33,95 for years thereafter) Subscribers from the rest of the world: € 49,95 for the first year (€ 59,90 for years thereafter) You will receive six magazines per year and access to all subscriber features on the website. This publication is purchased with the understanding that information presented is from many sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to accuracy, originality or completeness. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering product endorsements or providing instruction as a substitue for appropriate training by qualified sources. SoccerCoachingInternational assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Copyright All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

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No. 28 August/September 2008

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