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The complete soccer coaching experience

SOCCERCOACHING No. 34 August / September 2009

International

Carlos Dunga, Brazilian Brazilian national national team team coach coach

Set-plays

Anderson Gongora,

Helena Costa,

FC PaulĂnia U16

SL Benfica Soccer Schools

WWW.SOCCER COACHINGINTERNATIONAL.COM

The complete soccer coaching experience

SOCCERCOACHING International

MEMBERS AREA All subscribers have access to the SoccerCoachingInternational online features and tools, including our extensive members area. Here you will find 500+ readily available exercises and 120 online articles.

Sample Exercise: 5 against 5 with 5 substitutes Focus:

Article Archive:

Fast runs due to the field format and rules

Small sided game

Our article archive consist of 120+ articles from a various sources. Some of the articles in our archive were previously published in the magazine, however, most of the articles were never published in the magazine and are exclusively available on our website.

Age:

Now Available:

Adult, U19, U17, U15, U13

• Technique trainning series from Michel Hordijk (technique trainer at FC Utrecht) • Rehabilitation and conditioning series from Nol Hornix (Conditioning trainer at VVV-Venlo) • Series on Possession games • Interviews with youth coaches from Dutch Amateur clubs • Sport Marketing Articles

Phase:

Theme: Combination play

Number of players: 17

... and much more!

Organization: - 5 against 5 with two goalkeepers - Field is about 40m long and the width of the penalty area (16m) - After a minute and a half the third team on the sidelines switches with one of the playing teams

Progression: - Small sided game with 2 touch maximum - Small sided game with 2 touch maximum on own half and scoring team maintain possession - Small sided game with free play, the ball has to remain in motion

WWW.SOCCER COACHINGINTERNATIONAL.COM

Contents 4

Cover story: CARLOS DUNGA, BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM COACH

From the Editor

Women: HELENA COSTA, SL BENFICA SOCCER SCHOOLS

Dear subscribers, Welcome to the 34th issue of SoccerCoachingInternational!

Tactics: SET-PLAYS

Youth academy: SHAKHTAR DONETSK YOUTH ACADEMY (2)

Youth U16 ANDERSON GONGORA, COACH OF THE UNDER-16 FC PAULÍNIA

BRAZILIAN CORNER

Youth Training Sessions:

Youth development:

Tactics:

CIRCUIT TRAINING

DAN MICCICHE, THE GAME IN THE 21ST CENTURY

DEFENDING

Mental training:

Column Paul Cooper:

"IMPROVING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE OF PLAYERS"

A NOSTALGIC LOOK OF HOW WE PLAYED THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

This past June the FIFA confederations Cup 2009 took place in South Africa as a preparation for the 2010 World Cup. The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC, CONCACAF), along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host country, to bring the number of teams up to eight. This years event was another great success and proved to be a solid test for the participation teams as well as host country South Africa, who are also hosting the World Cup next year. SoccerCoachingInternational's Guy Oldenkotte attended the event and the result is a great article on the most successful nation in World Cup history; Brazil. They lifted the Confederations cup crown for a record third time and SoccerCoachingInternational sought to find out the secret behind the success of the Brazilian national team and their coach Carlos Dunga. But there is more than Confederations Cup glory, as this issue is once again packed with a great range of articles, starting with Helena Costa, a women's coach in Portugal where the game is dominated by men, talks about the Integrated training methodology. From Portugal to England where Andrew Blight covers the principles of set plays and on to the Ukraine for the second part on the Shaktar Donetsk youth academy. From the Ukraine we travel to Brazil, where our friends from Universidade do Futebol talked to Anderson Gongora coach of the FC Paulínia U16s. Back to the UK where Dan Micciche tackles the subject of Developing players for the 21st century and on to the US where Christian Lavers focuses on defending as a team. The last stop on our International soccer coaching train was made in Spain where sport psychologist José Portolés Montañés talks about improving the psychological side of players. Of course this issue would not be complete without the fourth part of our Youth Training Sessions feature, this time covering the subject of Circuit Training for youth. And of course our icing on the cake; Paul Cooper's column. All in all another great, diverse and international issue! But, as you know, SCI is more than just a magazine, its the complete soccer coaching experience, so don't forget to visit our website. If you have not done so, please let us know your thoughts on SoccerCoachingInternational by sending us your feedback and/or requests through our website. I wish you lots of reading and surfing pleasure! Yours in soccer, Maaike Denkers Managing Editor SCI

Carlos Dunga, Brazilian national team coach:

“That is how determined we were”

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Cover story They are the most successful nation in World Cup history. Their title for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup should therefore not come as a surprise even though it is a record third crown. What is the secret behind the success of the Brazilian national team and how does coach Carlos Dunga utilize this to the maximum? By: Guy Oldenkotte

best With players contracted by the need clubs in the world, there is no re. to teach them anything anymo Dunga would rather establish a perfect environment

Being coach of Brazil is certainly a difficult job, Dunga claims, as the whole world is looking over his shoulder. Name a particular era and you certainly will be able to link a Brazilian football player that dominated international football at that time. From Pele to Romario, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho or Kaka; they thrilled the international soccer world on the field and, more recently, they are thrilling many off the field thanks to players having become big business. Much was therefore expected in South Africa from Kaka, who secured a multi-million dollar deal with Real Madrid just before the start of the FIFA Confederations Cup. But asked for the reasons for his success, after he was announced the ‘Budweiser Man of the Match’ in the FIFA Confederations Cup final against the US, Kaka’s answer is plain and simple. “Our achievement tonight is the collective achievement of the entire team. Without the support of the team I can’t be man of the match,” was the frank answer. Or, as coach Dunga described it; “I have never seen a team together without any problem for 30 days. Yet you still didn’t manage to write a bad story,” he told reporters in the post-match press conference while looking back at the event. “That is how determined we were”.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Cover story Willingness to sacrifice It is believed that over 2000 Brazilian players leave the country annually to play for teams in overseas competitions. And as they tend to be contracted at a very young age the Brazilian FA and FIFA have started working on plans to bring this to a halt to avoid soccer becoming ‘the modern slavery’. Yet Dunga believes the international experience is important. “All players of the national squad have contracts with great clubs. But they have all been locked in their hotel for the past 22 days. That makes them are very eager to win,” he says. “Our players are always motivated and they smile a lot,” the coach describes the mood in the team. It seems to be the national mantra. “All Brazilian players are anxious to play in the Brazilian national team. But they all respect each other.” With these few words he describes exactly the balance the team has found. “Of course the whole world will talk about players that will make the headlines for whatever reason. But you need to have players that will make the headlines on the field. And very often they do so without grabbing the world headlines. You will need players that will sacrifice themselves for the team,” Dunga explains. A per fect example of this philosophy is Gilberto Silva. Dunga’s loyalty to the Panathinaikos midfielder was questioned by many Brazilians when he called Silva up for duty for the FIFA Confederations Cup. He had always been the kind of player whose value is dismissed by super ficial

consumers of the game. But the 32-year old certainly made the difference. While he may not be as fier y or visible as Dunga was at his time, he per forms the same critical function; providing ballast and security for the ball players around him. With Felipe Melo alongside him, this robust, pragmatic Brazilian midfield resembles the one Dunga anchored when Brazil won the World Cup in 1994. Other Players like Maicon and Daniel Alves have fur ther complemented the exceptional talents of Kaka and Robinho, allowing the Brazilian squad to be patient and wait until the moment is there to score. And never mind how much Real Madrid paid for their acquisition, the Brazilian was never seen doing funny tricks on the ball. Brazil played football that was very direct. Players would only have one or two touches and then release the ball to a teammate. “There is always room for individual per formance but the game is a collective effort.”

New line of thought Dunga has also sacrificed the standard of the game, a move by some regarded as disrespect to the Brazilian tradition of fluency and enterprise. But Dunga is not impressed. “I want to do good work, which is my work,” he says. The Samba Kings have become in favour of devastating counterattacks and scoring from set pieces. Brazil is perhaps the only team that can convert a corner against, into a score of their own.

“Our players are always motivated and they smile a lot” (Carlos Dunga)

No. 34 – August / September 2009

They didn’t even post a player next to the goal post while defending a corner; they knew their defense wouldn’t be penetrated in the first place! Making corner kicks and free kicks count as the team did in the game against Egypt and South Africa is the key to Dunga’s new soccer formula. Most of the 16 goals the Brazilians scored in the tournament came from set pieces. Countering from the opposition’s half has been the Confederations Cup defending champions’ trusted weapon in South Africa. Dunga has also reduced the three creative midfielders that the world had come to associate with Brazilian soccer to just two quick ones on the flanks; Kaka and Robinho. This perhaps explains the absence of Ronaldinho who has been replaced with the more combative Gilberto

Cover story

Brazil is perhaps the only team that managed to convert a corner they defended into a successful attack.

Silva in the somewhat ultra-defensive mid. Silva is supported by Felipe Melo, who has ball-winning and distribution skills as well as being a significant aerial threat. After testing Anderson, Ednilson, Fernando, Hernanes, Josue, Mineiro and Tinga in his efforts to fill the holding midfield position, it seems to be unlikely there will still be space left in Dunga’s squad for Ronaldinho. “I would like Ronaldinho to come back but that is his responsibility,” Dunga says, leaving the door open to one of the world’s greatest attacking mid-fielders. But the defensive approach seems to be the new Brazilian football school of thought with fellow countryman Joel Santana, coach of the South African national squad, adopting the same approach. And in this development chances are slim that Ronaldinho will ever be included again.

One year to go After a slow star t Brazil is now on track for qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. But the problems the team faced in their qualification emphasize the need to continue

building. Par ticipating in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup therefore provided Dunga with a good opportunity to set some records straight. “This tournament has been so important for us. We are building a great team for 2010. When we have time to train together for three weeks, it is totally different than training for one game.” Knowing that his players will soon return to their employers all over the world, it will be weeks or even months before the coach will see his team again. Dunga hopes that their eagerness will not have faded away when they return. “When they get on the field, players must be willing to win.” At the level of which most players per form as a coach Dunga is not worried about improving their skills. He rather focuses on establishing an environment. “We tr y to transmit a spirit of tranquillity. But the players know what to do.” But if they fail, he is not afraid of taking decisions. “The truth has to be stated. There is healthy competition in the team and we only want the best.” And with training and exporting soccer players from Brazil becoming big business Dunga has a whole array of players he can select from.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Give Us Back Our Game

Helena Costa, SL Benfica Soccer Schools:

“Integrated training methodology” 8

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Women In Portugal soccer is the main sport and its national team, clubs and players are some of the top in the world. However, when we talk about women’s soccer in Portugal, the scenario is completely different. Still, names like Helena Costa, are revamping the Portuguese idea of soccer being a “men’s game”!

By: Hugo Vicente

Working at the SL Benfica Soccer Schools for over eleven years, Helena Costa earned the experience and the confidence that made her take the first steps into the adult game. She starting working with a men’s amateur team and Helena was quickly invited to the women’s Premier League. After just three seasons, she won the Portuguese National Championship and the Portuguese Cup twice. The secret for Helena was that “training sessions can produce miracles”

The differences between men and women “There are the obvious scientific differences between men and women, especially in terms of pure speed and strength, but in the game, and we are talking about a soccer game, I don’t have a different approach on the way I work. What can make me change the approach and style of coaching are the player, team, the quality and personality of the player, but definitely not the gender. Still, after my experiences, I believe that women are more curious and so they ask many more questions because they really want to improve their game, while men are more willing to simply accept their tasks. So, I simply coach soccer, and according to my view, that process has to be based totally on the tactical side of the game and in the decision making process. I also give a lot of importance on the way my teams defend, because if we are good at defending, we have more than a 50% chance of winning the game. “

Zonal defending and Pressure “Usually all my exercises are totally game related and I don’t isolate any aspect, even though sometimes I can give more importance to a certain subject. For example, I can create exercises to work on zonal defense, especially in the beginning of the season and if I’m working with new players, but I believe, that if there is something that you really feel is very important in the way you play, that behavior has to be in every situation. In this example, even if I create an exercise where my focus is on attack, the zonal behaviors from the other team, still have to be there, because that has to be part of the game. So, for example, when I’m trying to work on my defensive organization, I try to create game situations where I always give superiority in terms of numbers of players to the attack, so they really have to put into practice all the defensive principles, according to our zonal organization. And this happens the same with the attack, if I want to work on the defensive principles of my attacking players, then the philosophy is exactly the same, and what I want to focus, on is always outnumbered, because if I make their life easier in the practice sessions, we will be only preparing the players to be successful in the exercises, not in the game, because in the game things aren’t easy. Still, the main characteristics of the exercises are that they all happen in game situations, where anything that can happen in the

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Women important to me than the tactical side of the game, and the decisions of the players. For me practicing how to play is practicing decision making according to the roles of the players and that will only be possible creating game like situations where unpredictability is there, opposition and a lot of other things that players cannot control, which will in turn condition their own actions and decisions. So for me, practice is nothing more than creating situations that make the players understand what his happening around then, the so called “reading the game”, and according to the strategy and game principles decided for the team, teaching them to select the best answers/decisions according to the different situations they face.

Preparing for a specific game So when you are preparing for a game against a specific opponent, you cannot simply isolate certain aspects just because they happen more often, but, instead of that, you have to create game like situations, where unexpected things can always happen, just like in a game - but also, create conditions for the main characteristics of your opponent to appear, and that is the only way that you can make your players face situations, understand them, and try to choose the best possible decisions to solve the problems they are facing, according to that game plan.

game exists, and transitions will have to always be there. And this is what I defend. Zonal Defense is all about organization, but also about the player’s behavior, and that has to be in every exercise. That is exactly the same with pressure. I can organize my team on where to pressure, more or less, and create exercises to stimulate more and more pressure, but the truth is, this is a behavior that has to exist every time a team is not in possession or every time a player loses a ball, so it is something that really has to be in every exercise, every moment of the practice when those things happen.

This is where the quality of the coach, analyzing the situations, and even more important, on the way we communicate with our players, in terms of feedbacks are very important. I am a very demanding as a coach, and I cannot simply let something go when I see something wrong. For that reason, especially at the beginning of the season, I really make their life hard, but as soon as things start to go according to my expectations, I drop the frequency of my interventions and start to be more worried in providing positive feedbacks to my players. Still, I don’t change the way I play because of an opponent. I believe in my strengths and I try to optimize them to the maximum, so usually, what we often do, is be more aware of the opponent

Attacking Organization and Decision Making According to how I see it, I don’t believe in working using shadow plays, without any opposition. Why? Because if I am working on the attack, I need to have defenders, and I want more defenders then attackers. And in that case, it would be useless to ask my players to pass the ball only there, and after that, only there, etc. in the way I work, that is not possible, because it has to be the game, for me, the game is the practice and the practice is the game. Obviously we have our own organization, our own principles, our own priority passing lines, but the final decision, is always with the player. Still, they have to follow our principles, and for example, I want my attackers to always create a passing line upfront, and that has to happen, what doesn’t have to happen is the ball going to him, because the game is constantly changing, and it might be a better option at that exact moment. So it is all about decisions, and this is why I said in the beginning, that nothing is more

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Women strengths and behaviors, so we aren’t caught unaware, and that’s it. According to the system of play, I’m also one of the coaches that will tell you that it’s something that I am not too concerned about. To be honest, I usually prefer to play with two strikers, but for example this year, with a less experienced team, I played 4-5-1, because I wanted a better balance in terms of organization in the midfield, but its all about the characteristics of the players and the dynamics you can create with them, more then simply play in this or that system, so, I can play in whatever system I think the players fit best, but there is nothing more important than making the players really believe in how they are playing.

‘I don’t believe in working using shadow plays, without any opposition’ Importance of technique and fitness I am a fan of the so called “integrated training methodology” because I don’t believe in doing things separately. If I don’t separate the game to work on certain aspects of it, I surely won’t do that to work something that doesn’t have anything to do with the game. Once again, I might want to improve the technique of a player, but I don’t believe in simply doing it in terms of the mechanics, for me that has to be developed in the game. I can create situations where for example I am working mainly on passing and receiving, or on a certain feint, but still, I don’t isolate

that aspect and work on it alone, I only believe in doing it in a game situation, where that aspect might happen, but several others will, and this is what makes you really improve your technique, because this is the game. Physically, I follow the same principles. As a coach, you have soccer exercises, not those that have a ball just to motivate players to work physically with more motivation, the perfect tools to work on the physical capabilities you want, and you feel are required and needed for the game, playing with time, space, number of players, rest and work ratio, etc. For that reason, I would rather spend my two hours of practice working on soccer, on the way we play, because I know that physically they will be fit. And a soccer game is something that people usually say is very unpredictable because of the variables that can exist, and that is why, the more time you spend on working on the game, the more predictable you can make it for your own team. So I always practice the whole game, and my concern is to try to enhance certain aspects that I feel the need to improve on, but that will always happen playing the game, with some conditioning, but where anything can happen, where decisions have to happen all the time and where intensity is always at a maximum. I don’t believe in creating exercises more relaxed because it’s Friday and we have a game Sunday. For example in that case, the exercise simply has less duration, but don’t ask me to drop the intensity. And why? Because the game is never relaxed. Intensity has to be there always, because I want my teams to always play at a high tempo.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

4v4 Organization: - Normal game of 4v4 - 3 goals on each side of the field; to create more opportunities and to learn to use the width of the field (creating a strong and a weak side). This ensures you have better attacking opportunities and clear defensive roles

Objective: The main objective is to organize the defending team, creating pyramids and diagonal lines based on the position of the ball and the player(s) defending it.

8v8 Organization: - Normal game of 8v8 - 3 goals on each side of the field; to create more opportunities and to learn to use the width of the field (creating a strong and a weak side). This ensures you have better attacking opportunities and clear defensive roles

Objective: The main objective is to organize the behaviors of the defending team, creating pyramids and diagonal lines based on the position of the ball and the player defending it, now with two defensive lines.

Progression: - Add a defender behind the goal on each team. The attacking team's defender can attack to create outnumbering situation - While in the defensive process, he has to be behind the goals, and the opponent is not allowed to score in the goal where the defender is standing - Trying to improve the transition

8v6 with goalkeepers Organization: Normal game, where white team can score on both goals defended by only one GK but only after crossing the line of markers

Objectives: team of 8 - Zonal defending - Switch to get away from pressure - Every time the GK has the ball, he has to pass to one of the defenders.

Objectives: team of 6 - Organized Pressure: When the ball reaches the right/left back, team pressures immediately with striker and winger on that side and the rest of the team readjust to zone pressing. - Transitions: fast break attack when ball is recovered

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Events

Give Us Back Our Game

GUBOG offers a number of different courses and workshops for coaches, parents, teachers and players.

• 3 HOUR GUBOG INTRODUCTION WORKSHOP FOR COACHES TEACHERS AND PARENTS INVOLVED IN ALL SPORTS • 3 HOUR FOOTBALL CLUB COURSE – A PRACTICAL COURSE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES AND TEACHERS BASED AT YOUR CLUB OR SCHOOL. THE COURSE LOOKS AT THE ‘LEARNING THROUGH PLAY’ PHILOSOPHY WITH SMALL SIDED GAMES • 1 DAY FOOTBALL COURSE - A PRACTICAL COURSE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES AND TEACHERS BASED AT YOUR CLUB OR SCHOOL. THE COURSE LOOKS AT THE ‘LEARNING THROUGH PLAY’ PHILOSOPHY WITH SMALL SIDED GAMES • 1, 2 AND 3 DAY FOOTBALL COURSES FOR COACHES WITH GUBOG AND THE DUTCHUK FOOTBALL SCHOOL WITH BERT-JAN HEIJMANS, INTRODUCING THE MAGIC RECTANGLE. THE DUTCH 4V4 AND SMALL SIDED GAMES.

In association with the dutchUK football school

For further details on the courses please email Paul Cooper on

g i ve u s b a c ko u r g a m e @ g m a i l . c o m

Set-plays:

Understanding the roles and responsibilities 14

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Tactics: Set-plays

Set Pieces are an important element in any team's ability to score from the opportunities provided by corner kicks and free kicks. A large portion of goals in professional matches are scored from set plays. However, many teams do not devote the necessary time and practice in training to improve their set-plays. This is especially important as these situations arise regularly throughout a match and it makes sense to improve the prospects of making the most of them. By: Andrew Blight

In a sample of 202 goals from 109 matches, Hughes (1990) found that 92 goals were scored from set plays or immediately from regained possession following a clearance from set plays. Furthermore, 89 % of these set plays were awarded after 5 consecutive passes or less. On average, there are 26 set plays per game in the attacking third of the field i.e. 9 corners, 12 throwins, 5 free-kicks. Generally, the higher the standard of competition the more important set plays are in providing goal-scoring opportunities. This is illustrated by the data below from the 1994 World Cup.

Free-Kicks Corners Throws Penalties

All teams 66 goals (47% of total) 27 9 15 15

Brazil 6 goals (55% of total) 2 1 2 1

Goals from Set Plays 1994 World Cup

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Tactics: Set-plays

In the 1966, 70, 74, 82, 86, 90, and 98 World Cup finals at least one goal arising from a set-play situation was scored in the final match. From the above data, it is imperative a team spends a lot of time working on set plays. It is vital that your organisation is planned and everyone in the squad understands their roles and responsibility. I would probably spend a little more time defensively than attacking in order to be difficult to score against. When the ball is out of play and your team has possession you are in control of the game and dictate what happens next. The groundwork for successful set plays is carried out on the training ground. Set play practice should be kept fresh for the players and can be often coached during a match-play practice as opposed to a separate entity where players can switch off mentally.

Key Principles for Defending Set plays There are 3 general strategies you can utilise for defending setplays: • Man-man • Zonal • Semi-zonal Generally, I tend to use semi-zonal (although this can vary with the type of opposition) where we have some players marking man-man and others zonally placed to cover spaces. • ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

Key Requirements for Defending Set plays Communication- understanding role and policy Concentration- mentally aware and switched on Organisation- setting up the defensive strategy quickly Courage- players being brave and physically strong Selection of players- prioritising roles for specific positions Secondary possession- adjust and re-adjust! Push up towards where the ball is cleared (not straight out!) and stay together as a unit/line.

Key Principles for Attacking Set plays • Delivery of the ball- the quality of striking a dead-ball into the right area is key. From wide areas, this is often executed with pace and whip on the ball into the second six yard box area. ➢ Target: area of delivery ➢ Type: whip, float, chip ➢ Technique: in/out-swing ➢ Mentality: Players mentally prepared before execution • Good Organisation- positioning and movement of players to affect the opposition within a key area. ➢ Who: mental/physical attributes ➢ Where: reason, arrangement ➢ When: time factor ➢ Why: end product

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Tactics: Set-plays • Disguise- doing something different (can be organised or spontaneous) which results in moving opposing defenders out of set positions E.g. short corner taken quickly. Quick free-kicks are taken with the idea to➢ Produce a strike ➢ Create a chance ➢ Produce an unexpected attack ➢ Resume play quicker than expected For this to happen, there must be early options ahead of the ball e.g. behind the defence, inside the defence and the opportunity to attack the defence centrally and from wide positions. • Several Options- providing an element of change during the course of a game to keep the defenders second guessing at set plays. • Secondary Opportunities- second phase possession in and around the penalty box.

The potential for scoring this way has become a strategy for teams in recent years and coaches are now equally concerned about the consequence of committing numbers at attacking set plays and are positioning defensive players accordingly to deal with this threat.

Ultimately, the player delivering the ball is the crucial ingredient because delivery has to be accurate and at the right pace otherwise things can fall down.

Counter Attacks from Set Plays It is evident, set plays clearly provide a positive opportunity to score for the team in possession. However, teams at elite levels now see the opportunity to counter attack and make quick transitions from defending positions to attacking with speed. A recent example was in the Champions league semi-final (Arsenal v Man Utd first leg) Van der Sar collects a cross, distributes the ball to Park who combines with Rooney, and Ronaldo finishes. This was a prime example of Arsenal moving defensive players into attacking positions and Man Utd exploiting an undermanned defence through regaining possession quickly and then playing at pace with limited touches on the football.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Tactics: Set-plays Defending Corners (diagram 1) Four players are in zonal positions (1 at each post, 1 in the ‘hole’ several yards out and in front of the front post and one centrally on the edge of the six yard box. Four further players are allocated man-man defending duties inside the penalty box with two on the edge of the 18 yard box ready to defend secondary possession and counter-attack if we secure the ball.

Diagram 1

Important points to consider: - Distances between defenders important - Body shape of defenders should be open and looking diagonally across to view runs of attackers Diagram 2

Attacking Corners (diagram 2) This shows typical set-up for an in-swinging attacking corner. The target area for delivery is depicted by the shaded area. Front post player makes a ‘dummy’ run towards the player taking the corner, this will drag a defender out of position and create some space in the shaded area. One player positioned inside six yard box around the GK making it difficult for GK and to potentially score from loose ball. Three players inside the penalty box making attacking runs from deep and across into specific areas to attack the ball. The other 4 players are strategically positioned to pick up secondary possession and safety to guard against the counter-attack.

Diagram 3

Attacking Short Corn(diagram 3)ers

Diagram 4

Very similar to the above, but ‘dummy’ runner receives short ball and sets back to player taking the corner at an angle and delivery is now to the back post (target/shaded area). One player still situated around GK and 3 players making attacking runs from deep and across. The central player of the three however, checks out and attacks the target area near the back post.

Defending Free-kick area

Diagram 5

(diagram 4) Two players are situated in the wall close together. Player in the wall is prepared for any ‘dummy’ over the ball! Only one defender needed in the wall if only player over the ball at the free-kick. The other players are set up in 2 banks of four with a front and back line. The concept being on the nearest player to the ball applying pressure. Defending players should adopt an open body position and have the mentality of being ‘first to the ball!’ The GKs position should be taken off the first bank of four and not be too deep!

Attacking Free-kick Centrally (diagram 5) Consider whether to drive the free-kick with pace and power or can you get it up and over the wall? Attackers in the wall are strategically placed and look to use their body to open up defenders and space in the wall. Attackers on the outside make runs across to pick up any secondary opportunities.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

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Shakhtar Donetsk youth academy (2):

Almost 3 years ago Henk van Stee and Patrick van Leeuwen – working for the youth academy of Feyenoord Rotterdam at the time – were appointed to take over the youth education at Shakhtar Donetsk. Last summer Henk van Stee joined De Graafschap as head coach, but Van Leeuwen stayed. SoccerCoachingInternational paid a visit to Shakhtar Donetsk to take a closer look on how to start a top education programme in Europe. In this second episode director Patrick van Leeuwen will discuss the education of coaches. Due to the lack of street football in the Ukraine. Shaktar's U11s team plays at a lower level than most other European top clubs. The objective is to catch up by the time they reach U17s. The difference must be made by educating good coaches. By: Paul van Veen

“Good trainers are the foundation for

good players” 20

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth academy “My most important objective here is to set up an academy that does not depend on me. That means that it is important to guide the coaches well. They must understand why we train this way. This is a process that will take years and Henk van Stee and I started this a while ago. In the beginning it was a huge task. We wanted them to start doing new things and because we did not want to offer all the theory at the same time, we split the material up into certain components. We started with the system of play. We developed some PowerPoint presentations to show the coaches how we want to play in possession and with loss of possession against several other systems. After going through everything we gave them the handout and said: `this is the way we want to play from now on'. We then discussed the games by means of video recordings and we noticed improvements every week."

think of the total organization. They prefer to focus their coaching to the player in possession. A Dutch coach will focus more on the bigger picture.”

Exercise overkill Defense when in possession "You start with the basic ideas and by doing so you will automatically notice what the frequent problems are and what we need to focus on the most. We realized all teams where frequently making the same tactical mistakes. When we noticed those mistakes we would take them with us to our next meeting and discuss them thoroughly. We witnessed that they were having problems to allow players to take the initiative, to accept errors and not to punish players every time, so they wouldn't dare to try it again. Another problem was the defense, keeping control when in possession. We often witnessed situations here in which a left wingback takes a run down the flank and the right wingback moves forward also because he wants to attack as well, because the ball may enter his area. In the Netherlands we would think: let’s defend the right flank and also give back cover to the central defenders. The right midfielder controls the midfield and therefore creating good positioning in possession and with loss of possession. These things are very hard to teach coaches from this culture. They will say they understand the concept, but we don't always see them apply this in the games, because they have problems detaching themselves from the player on the ball and to

“We subsequently started to work on the way of training. We try to do this a little like the Dutch way: 7 against 6, 8 against 7 with tasks. This is, however, not common here as most training sessions here would consist of what we call exercise overkill: doing as many exercises as possible in the available training time. This is part of their culture; variation, variation and more variation. So they would spend five minutes on this and then five minutes on that. While in the Netherlands we focus on repetition and applying the same techniques in various exercises. This is something we have spent a lot of time on here.”

Changes in coaches “The first months we worked with the group of coaches who were here when we arrived, but after 3 or 4 months we changed some things around. We let go of some trainers and attracted a couple of new ones, mainly former players, who became assistant trainers and would have the potential to evolve to head coaches. A lot of these new trainers were involved with scouting before and were unable to do anything concrete with their knowledge before. They all had their coaches certifications and most of them played at the top European level, some even for the national team. They therefore have a lot to offer to the development of the players.”

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth academy Demonstration Training

New way of training “We also added two new coaches to the staff, both former youth players who were unable to play due to injuries. They were both educated with our vision and therefore had no experience with the 'old' Ukrainian way of training and teaching. I am always watch the coaches and am very critical of how they handle the kids and that they don't fall back to their old habits. You can give the young coaches more information and they will try everything we throw at them. Coaches who have been working at the club longer need a little more convincing and push to try things.”

Time management “All coaches at Shakhtar do well for themselves. They all have full time contracts, even the youth coaches. This means they are available a lot. The football schools only train once a day, meaning they are very busy from 1 to 5. So we use the mornings to give them courses and we have the opportunity to have coaches shadow each other. The youth technique trainer (who works with the Wiel Coerver method) will shadow the adult technique trainer, same things applied to the conditioning trainer and the goalkeeper trainer.”

“Chelsea's Ruud Kaiser provided one of the demonstration training sessions. He did some exercises the coaches had never seen before, but since then they use them in their own sessions. Play 4 against 2 in an area. The moment the ball is won by the team of 2, they will pass the ball to their teammates in the larger area. The game proceeds in the larger area where the teams play 6 against 4. When the team of 4 wins the ball they will continue in the smaller area, where only 2 opponents are allowed.”

Combination “This combination of a group of older coaches, who had been involved with coaching at the club for a longer time, along with the former players proved to be a good mix for most teams. Of course it is not perfect yet and there will be some more staff changes in the future, but so far the changes have been minimal. With the younger teams we really didn't change the staff much. We started with the young, enthusiastic coaches who were here when we arrived. I only changed one coach, because I thought he was too nice, so I made him coordinator of one of our football schools and he is doing a great job and he has the opportunity to develop himself as a coach as well.”

Guest coaches “In order to get through to the trainers more effectively we also use guest coaches. Coaches from big European clubs, who we fly over and ask them to give demo training sessions on a certain subject. We have invited coaches who have given tactical training sessions, technical training sessions (like Ricardo Moniz of HSV Hamburg) and coaches who focus on the physical aspects. This way our coaches can see that other top clubs also work the way we are working. The next step was visiting other academies. We took an 8day trip through Europe with a selective group of coaches. We visited 4 clubs and the KNVB. This gave them a good idea of who other clubs work. From this trip we gathered that 1 day at a club was too little and we therefore decide to go to the Manchester United academy for a week and follow all the training sessions.”

SoccerCoachingInternational asked the U17 coach what he thought about the new way of playing: “This new way of playing is the current way of playing in Europe. If we want to play at the top level it is important to adopt this new way. Because all positions are occupied in a 1-4-3-3 it is easy to use this system in offense as well as defense. Furthermore it allows for the development of all round players, because all players have to think about both offense and defense. Everybody is always doing the same thing, as everybody is defending or attacking.”

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth academy During the coach education all coaches were given exercises to improve in offense. These exercises are coached in two groups,

without defenders. The 3 options are trained separately first, after that the player has to choose what he wants to use.

Attacking from the right flank (1)

Attacking across the right flank (2)

- 3 passes to 2 - 2 passes to 6 - 6 passes to 7, who comes to the ball after a premove - 2 overlaps 7 and receives the ball - 2 crosses, good positioning in front of the goal - Pay attention to the rest defense

- 3 passes to 2 - 2 passes to 6 - 6 passes to 7, who comes to the ball after a premove - 7 wall passes on 10 - 10 passes back to 7 - 7 crosses, good positioning in front of goal - Pay attention to the defense on the attacking team

Attacking from the right flank (3)

Attacking from the right flank (4)

- 3 passes to 2 - 2 passes to 6 - 6 passes to 7, who comes to the ball after a premove - 10 overlaps 7 who dribbles inside - 7 passes to 10 - 10 crosses, good positioning in front of goal - Pay attention to the rest defense

- 3 passes to 2 - 2 passes to 6 - 6 passes to 7, who comes to the ball after a premove - 7 wall passes on 10 - 2 overlaps 7 and receives the ball from 10 - 2 crosses, good positioning in front of goal - Pay attention to the defense of the attacking game

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Anderson Gongora, coach of the under-16 FC Paulínia

Association Football Art Founded in 2004, Paulinia FC is a club from the city of Paulinia, in the state of Sao Paulo. The club has reached the top level of competitions in Brazil. However, the club’s main focus is to provide tools for the players rather than reach the top of the Brazilian game. Instead of creating new players, Paulinia wants to combine the natural talent of Brazilian players with a greater understanding of the game. One of the professionals responsible for this work is Anderson Gongora, who coaches the Paulinia U16 team. When he was a player, he played for clubs in Brazil and Canada. Currently, he's divides his time between the team, the department of pedagogy and teaching physical education at a university São Paulo. By: Guilherme Costa

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth U16 This team went through many stages of learning, in which most of the general plays and skills were worked on based on space, relationship with the ball and reading the game. This is key to our philosophy at Paulinia FC. Therefore, this emphasis often leads them to understand the logic of the game within the formal goals we set. Besides the logic side of the game, we have physical and emotional goals to include within our planning. The dimensional structure, rules and the execution of time in the game are we are always looking to maintain the physiological and psychological capabilities of the players according to the various stages through the year.

Tactical side

The main interest in Anderson's work has always been the complexity of football. As a researcher, he has always been interested in this fundamental issue. The search for a greater understanding of the game and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s details. By playing and training, based on the complexity of the game, he tries to give Paulinia's players the ability to think about football and solve problems, which is achieved with repetition of movements directed by the coaching staff.

We strive for a greater understanding of the players in what we call the individual and collective tactics, in all areas (defensive, transitional and offensive). We therefore provide games that incorporate all the tactical aspects football requires. In a finishing game I do not only prioritize the act of finishing, but also the defensive structure that the game has.

"The method we use is called AFA (Association Football Art), which has the purpose, besides training players for the transfer- market, to train people in all aspects of human movement. The work is based on the theory of understanding games, which aims to train players to solve the problems that are presented by the game." As the teacher Leonardo Lucas says: 'If we want our players to learn football, a football coach should as well'.

Our game strategy is mostly very offensive and requires strategic thinking as we work with many transitions from defense to attack in order to be in situations of fast counter-attacks. Usually the emphasis is on the vertical game, i.e. the direction of the target. But this model has an emphasis on tactical offense, without forgetting to find the balance with tactical defense. When our team attacks, all players have to understand that when we loose possession they have to understand the transition and try to disarm the opponent's counter-attack as quickly as possible. Therefore, the collective (group) tactics must be quickly structured with three or four players going to the ball and the rest of the team in defensive positions.

Game's model

The understanding of players

"Our model of the game is included in all stages of training and is divided in experiences of tactical means (range, support, penetration, mobility, offensive cover, balance, etc.), which are used at all times by the players. In the case of U16s, tactical methods are combined with the contextual nature of competence. I don't believe that a system of play should be fixed, such as 1-44-2 or 1-3-5-2. I prefer variability during the game. We made clear to the athletes that the system exists as an initial strategic plan, but that there are many variations possible, like from a 1-4-4-2 (with two rows of four) to 1-4-3-3 (with one half provide full pressure). We also consider the personalities of the players and look at where they fit in our model and who to use against different opponents."

The method we use is based on questions and answers, in which the players discover the difficulties of the game through their own answers. So they learn to develop the knowledge with the exchanges between them and the technical staff. I can say they learned a lot with the answers you give them, because they have experienced the training ground. Besides the training, we are a support to the players to present lectures about the game or even videos to help with deeper theoretical issues in regard to our game model. Furthermore, we focus on scouting the players during the games with the goal of providing them with technical data and showing them their mistakes and successes during the games.

Methodology

Characteristics of drills "We try to create training sessions that teach things to players while they are training. When working in game situations, we divide the spatial dimensions into small, medium or large. A situation I work on a lot is vertical offensive game play. I made clear to my players that even in small spaces while playing 7v7 using the logic of the game always has to be present. And so, the transfer to the tactical side means that what I have as a goal is achieved in the implementation of such training. Determining the type of game we use depends on the approach we want to take, but we always say that we have to mirror the type of game and model it to the end game."

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Youth U16 Game of finishing and pressing

Organization:

Rules:

Organization:

Rules:

• 11v11 • Type of game: pressing, vertical game, finishing; • Platform of play: 1-4-4-2 • Learning: Contextual competence

The area in which the ball is won from the opponent defines the score of the team, when the ball is stolen in the penalty area they score 2 points between the penalty area and the middle line is 1 point.

• 11v11 • Type of game: rebuilding, blocking, keeping possession of the ball and offensive transition; • Platform of play: 1-4-4-2 • Learning: Contextual competence

If the team wins the ball in the opponents half and advance to score on goal at the other end they get 3 points, but only if they steal the ball on the opponents half. All other goals are 1 point.

Game of fluctuation

Game of recovery

Game aptitude

Organization:

Rules:

Organization:

Rules:

• 11v11 • Type of game: horizontal fluctuation, block low, transition and offensive finishing. • Platform of play: 1-4-4-2 (line) • Learning: Specific competence

The team that can complete 3 passes in the marked area score 1 point and a goal is worth 2 points.

• 11v11 • Type of game: Aptitude, transitional attack, and horizontal game. • Platform of play: 1-4-4-2 • Learning: Specific and contextual

If a player passes the ball to a teammate on a bordering pitch and this player initializes an attack that leads to a goal the team receives 3 points. A goal scored without a change in pitches is worth 1 point.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Brazilian Corner Edmilson criticizes Brazilian players

Botafogo buys database software

2002 World champion and defender Edmilson has returned to the country this year to play at Palmeiras. After nine years of football in Europe, the player has changed his opinion about Brazilian players. According to him Brazilians need to be more humble in order to move on in football. "The pressure here is much lower. So the Brazilians are less complient and less functional”, he compared.

All the work conducted on the fields of Botafogo soccer will be gathered by an exclusive database. The 1995 Brazilian champion club will file all information related to the work done with players in drills and games. The system helps Botafogo to save the information and to plan the training sessions in all areas of football. "Botafogo is the first club in the world to have this system. We will follow up immediately to everything that happens at the club, "said Glauco Guimarães, president of the company that will help the club with the statistics.

Edmilson used coach Frank Rijkaard, who coached Barcelona as an example of the difference between the work in Europe and Brazil: "He told us to go onto field without fear and to enjoy the game. In Brazil this is different. The Brazilians have great quality but need to be prepared in order to be successful in Europe”.

Atlético-PR studies distance of players The Atlético-PR is one of the first Brazilian teams to have an evaluation system of the distances traveled by its players. The team has a partnership with Unicamp university to measure the displacement of its players in drills and games. The idea of this work is not only to see how the players move or in what directions, but also to help them develop more speed, moving quicker and to find out what a players' specialty is.

Grafite conquers problems Wolfsburg striker Grafite admits being in the best form of his career. Grafite started playing professionally at the age of 21. In his early years he did not have the time to work on the important foundations that a professional player needs. "That made me have to play catch up," said the player. Grafite lacked a lot of important attributes when he came to Europe, but since his arrival he has improved his physical and technical potential: "I got lot of confidence and learned to use my body more."

Atlético-MG forms educational partnership Atlético-MG, the Brazilian 1971 champions have formed a partnership to educate the young players from their teams. The kids can study in an educational group from Minas Gerais, the region where the club is located. With this contract, the club hopes to improve the level of education of its players, which would in turn lead to an improved performance on the field. "We care about the players from the beginning up to the point where they leave the club," said Daniel Nepomuceno, vice president of the club.

Brazil crowned on magical stage It began with a ceremony that encapsulated Africa's unique, infectious culture. It incorporated magical skills, memorable goals, momentous upsets, and worldrecord runs being established and extinguished. It ended with Brazil recovering a two-goal deficit to edge USA in a thrilling, dramatic final. Ultimately, Brazil were worthy winners of a record third trophy. They cruised through Group B with three straight victories, scoring ten times in the process, before a solitary, late Daniel Alves free-kick sunk South Africa in the semi-finals. Even when we went 2-0 down, we still believed we would win. To come back from this deficit you need a team of men. Brazil coach Dunga after his side's 3-2 win over USA in the final. It was in the decider, however, that A Seleção earned their grandest compliments, combining skill and spirit to prevail. When they went 2-0 down inside half an hour, the omens looked bleak. Brazil had been at a two-goal deficit on four previous occasions under Dunga. They had ended up losers on each of these. But the 45year-old's half-time team-talk evidently did the trick. Within seconds, Luis Fabiano had halved the American lead with a well-taken goal. O Fabuloso then restored parity in 74th minute, before Lucio emerged as the unlikely hero six minutes from time to make Dunga the only man to win the FIFA Confederations Cup as a player and coach. "Like every final, it was very tough. But even when we went 2-0 down, we still believed we would win," said Dunga. "We were very determined. To come back from this deficit you need a team of men. I'm proud of my players."

The Brazilian corner, a contribution from Universidade do Futebol www.universidadedofutebol.com.br

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth Training Sessions

Circuit Training for Circuit training involves participation in a variety of activities. These activities are conducted at various locations (stations) around the field. The team is divided into an equal number of players for each station. When the circuit begins, all players attempt to perform their best at the tasks assigned to each station within a set time. Circuit training can be used to improve fitness (strength and conditioning circuits) or technique (exercise circuits) or both. Circuits can also be done individually, in pairs or in groups. In this edition of SoccerCoachingInternational's youth training sessions we will focus on combined circuits (fitness and technique) for individuals, pairs and groups. The 5 fun circuit training sessions presented will not only improve your players' fitness and technique, but also provides a unique way for coaches to achieve a number of objectives simultaneously. Players will enjoy the circuits as they enliven the training routine.

Training 1.1

Circuit training for U12s Type: Group Focus: Technique Field size: half field divided into 4 areas of 15 x 20 meters Stations: 3 Number of groups: 3 Number of players per group: 4-10 Duration per station: 10 minutes, 1 minute for moving to the next station and water break Total duration: 44 minutes

Warm-up: Linked Tag -

All players (all groups) 6 players are selected Of these 4 players + 2 nominated 'it' (red players) The other 2 players will try not to get tagged (white players) All other players pair and link up holding arms (blue players) The 4 players will be safe if they link up with a pair that is linked (the person on the opposite end of the link has to release and can get tagged)

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Give YouthUsTraining Back Our Sessions Game

youth players Station 1: Penalty Game - 1 small goal - 3 penalty spots are marked out with a line created by 2 cones • 1st spot at 6 meters from the goal • 2nd spot at 7 meters from the goal • 3rd spot at 8 meters from the goal - 1 cone marks the waiting area for the other players - 1 cone as a corner flag - Player 1 dribbles to penalty spot 1 and stops the ball with his foot and shoots on goal, when he scores he may take his ball and dribbles around the corner flag to the back of the queue and takes his next shot from penalty spot 2. If he misses he has to go back to penalty spot 1 - The first player to score from all 3 penalty spots wins - If there are too many players you can position another group on the other side (they shoot on the same goal)

Station 2: Customs game - 6 players, 16 cones, 4 balls - 4 cones make a square of 5x5 meters in the middle of the field, 2 players are positioned in this area (this is the customs area, the 2 players are customs agents) - 6 cones mark free area on 1 side of the field - 6 cones mark another free area on the other side of the field - 4 players are positioned in the 2 free areas (2 per area, as illustrated) - All 4 players (ball smugglers) have a ball and must dribble into the customs area and dribble around their cone and back to the free area - The customs agents have to try and steal the ball from the smugglers (by kicking it out of the customs area) - The smugglers score a point when they have managed to dribble around the cone and back to the free area - The customs agents score a point when they have managed to steal the ball - First player to reach 5 points wins

Station 3: Junkyard game - Divide the group into 2 teams - Each team is positioned on a half field - Use an odd number of balls (3 for 2 teams of 3; 5 for 2 team of 4; etc.). - The game start on the coach's sign and the players start passing the ball into the other team's yard - The objective is to have a clean yard when time is called by the coach. The team that has the fewest balls on their side when time is called gets a point

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth Training Sessions

Training 1.2

Circuit training for U14s Type: Group Focus: Technique Field size: half field divided into 5 areas of 15 x 20 meters Stations: 4 Number of groups: 4 Number of players per group: 4-10 Duration per station: 10 minutes, 1 minute for moving to next station and water break Total duration: 55 minutes

Warm-up: Cone Tag - All players (all groups) - Cones are set up in the area, these cones are 'safe areas' - One player is it (white) and chases the other players (red, dribbling around the field), can save themselves by dribbling to a cone (only 1 player per cone) - The player who is 'it' does not have a ball, he tags another player by stealing their ball - Player may only stay at a cone for 10 seconds, 'it' player is not allowed to wait, but must look for another player to tag

Station 1: Gate Dribbling Game - Players pair up - Make mini goals with cones for players to dribble through - Players play 1v1 against each other and score a point for every minigoal they dribble through - Rules: after a player dribbles through a mini goal they leave the ball for the other player and start defending. When a player looses possession he switches to defense as well

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Youth Training Sessions

Station 2: 3v1 knock the ball -

Four players, two cones, two balls One ball is placed on top of a cone in the middle Team objective: to hit the ball off the cone in the middle Defender tags player with ball to get out.

Station 3: Transition game -

Two teams of 2, 3, 4 or 5 players 1 goal in the middle of the field Each team can only score on their designated side of the goal Defending team has 1 player in goal, the other players are defenders Every time a goal is scored the ball will automatically go to the other side of the field and a transition takes place (attacker become defenders and vice versa) - The same for shots that go wide

Station 4: Scoring game - Two teams of 2, 3, 4 or 5 players - 4-6 gates made with cones - Play is 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5 (depending on the number of players available) - Teams can score by dribbling through a gate

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Training 1.3

Youth Training Sessions

Circuit training for U16s Type: Individual Focus: Technique & Fitness Field size: half field divided into 11 areas

Stations: 11 Number of players: 11 Total duration: 11 minutes

Organization: - Station 1: 20 push-ups - Station 2: Agility run over low hurdles, through zigzag poles and ending with agility rings the distance is 20 meters - Station 3: 5 times back and forth over hurdle (the height of the object to be hurdled will depend upon the fitness level of the players) - Station 4: speed ladder (execute a movement that impacts foot speed) - Station 5: strike at goal on the first touch on the volley (head or foot) – the run begins at the top of the penalty arc – a server next to one post serves the ball underhand - Station 6: dribble through the maze of cones in the corner of the field – must dribble around every cone before you can move on - Station 7: plyometric bounding through a second speed ladder - Station: 8: receiving balls over a distance of 15 meters with 4 servers who toss the ball underhand as the player comes through– serve to receive with the foot, thigh, chest and play a pass back to the server after receiving – the last serve is a header back to the server - Station 9: diagonal passes – a server is at the top cone of a triangle and plays push passes to the other cones – the player makes a return pass and then sprints to receive and return the next pass at the opposite cone (works on lateral movement & one touch diagonal passing) - Station 10: juggle for one minute - Station 11: 20 pushups 32

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Training 1.4

Youth Training Sessions

Circuit training for U18s Type: Group Focus: Technique & Fitness Field size: half field divided into 11 areas Stations: 6 two-ways

Number of players: 8-16 (2-4 players per starting cone) Number of groups: 4 (2 blue, 2 red) Total duration: 30 minutes

Organization: - The four groups gather at the 4 starting cones on 4 sides of the training area. - Station 1: Players A1 plays a pass (i) to B1 - Station 2: B1 makes a one touch return pass (ii) to A1 who stops the ball and then sprints (iii) to the end of the B line - Station 3: B1 sprints to the rings and skips through (iv) - Station 4: B1 then sprints though the intersection while trying to avoid a collision with B2 (v) - Station 5: At the low hurdles B1 double leg hops over them (vi) and then sprints to station 6 (vii), which is the new starting cone area - A2 and B2 execute the same exercise on the opposite side (simultaneously with A1 and B1) No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

MK Dons Academy:

The game in the st 21 Century Youth development seems to have rocketed into the 21st century. Clubs are increasingly using the sciences and devising more imaginative ways to unlock the ‘formula’ which will give them the edge over other clubs. Players are being recruited and coveted much younger than ever before, a form of protectionism. Missing out on the ‘little gem’ to a rival is not an option, the stakes are too high. Also, Player development programmes are becoming far more detailed and measured. This is the natural response to an aggressive industry that leaves no stone unturned in order to raise the value of its human (players) assets. One of the obvious challenges for all clubs is to stay healthy in the industry and to do this they need keep up with the ‘trends’ and ‘fashions’ of the game. Team tactics, for example, are evolving at the same time as players morph into faster, more agile and stronger athletes. Technology, science and worldwide experiences are used to help teams and coaches develop a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of opposing teams and individuals, which is reflected in precise planning, organisation and preparation in training and on match day. By: Dan Micciche MK Dons Assistant Academy Manager (U9 – 14’s)

The game has shifted. Not too long ago, for instance, midfield players tended to receive the ball in ‘splendid isolation’. Now, the middle of the field resembles the ‘rush hour’, with athletes fighting for scarce space and time. Heads are spinning, searching for extra breathing space and as many as 20 players can be ‘crowded’ into 40 yards of the pitch. Players are now more able to ‘pressurise’ opponents into mistakes at faster speeds, quickly closing down those spaces that might have otherwise been exploited with ease. Penalty areas, which have always been fiercely protected, are now guarded by defenders that match the speed and agility of the forwards against them.

"The middle of the field resembles the ‘rush hour’, with athletes fighting for scarce space and time" At the highest level the game is characterised by shorter, quicker passing. There are less goals scored from crosses and more ‘creative attacking’ from the centre of the field where spaces are limited, so fluid and clever movement is essential. Compact,

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth development knowledgeable defences are now unlocked more by brains than brawn. Offsides occur deeper and success at counter attacking or defending against the counter attack is probably the key difference between winning and losing. Coaching young players needs to reflect these changes and is about preparing them for the game they will play in the future. If the current trends continue, the fundamental skills of the young player will revolve around solving the problems of ever decreasing time and spaces, against increasingly mobile opponents.

A ‘space’ programme at MK dons Training: The impacts of these ‘developments’ need to be given careful consideration when devising a coaching programme. For instance, players will need to think, move and make decisions quickly. Fast feet and sound technique will have to be accompanied by clever planning, effective scanning and lightening reactions. One of the ways we support our players in developing these skills is by practicing in ‘Tight Areas’. Often coaches may prefer to use drill like activities to get the same outcomes but at MK dons we like to use challenging games (see practices). Simply, players work in smaller areas with less space, time and with more pressure (from opposition). We look very closely at what this type of work does and what outcomes we should get. For example, limiting the spaces speeds the game up, impacting heavily in the ‘physical corner’. Players may need to hold off defenders rather than outrun them and this can help develop their balance and strength skills. Also, in order to work their way through these compact spaces players will need to move their feet (and body) quickly. Since games in packed areas are faster and played at a greater intensity than in more open spaces, players learn to react (and think) more quickly. This helps them to be ‘clever’ at finding and using space.

"In order to deal with the game of the future players will need to think, move and make decisions quickly"

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth development Technical outcomes may also vary. The types of skills the players develop are modified to suit the area and technique may be compromised as they work out ways to cope. Indeed, working in tighter areas can look ‘messy’, something which coaches may not be comfortable with. For example, in a 10 X 10 area normally used for very small numbers we often play with as many as 5 V 3. What tends to happen with practices like this is success for some players will be ‘rarer’ than for others which may again impact on their confidence. Players will need lots of encouragement and rests. The patience of the coach is the key.

"Compact, knowledgeable defences are now unlocked more by brains than brawn" Games: Experiencing the game in different spaces is not confined to practice or training, we also place a great importance on exposing the players to different pitch sizes in matches. Therefore, as well as looking and knowing what different practices do, we experiment with game formats to give the players a variable experience. This means that one week their task could be to play 11 V 11 on a pitch designed for 8 V 8 and the next week they could play 8 V 8 in a larger area. This gives our players different problems to solve and helps them to learn to deal with the different time and space issues.

Some players will deal with the physical demands of this type of work differently to others and these need to be understood and managed carefully. The big fast player, for example, may find he cannot just push the ball past an opponent and run after it as he might do in more open spaces, which may impact on his confidence. On the other hand, ‘smaller’ players may develop coping strategies to help them deal with ‘pressure’, or they could be ‘rushed out’ of any contact with the ball. It is essential coaches keep a watchful eye on how individuals are dealing with the practice.

At the younger ages (U9 - 11’s) we often challenge them in tighter areas by dividing the pitch into thirds and using these as offside lines. Once they get used to this it tends to compress the play into the middle, recreating what the players will face in the future. Also, our groups regularly go to matches with less players than the opposition and we use this as an opportunity to learn rather than trying to balance the numbers up. Varying the ‘numbers’ as well as the pitch sizes is therefore something we think carefully about. The value of small sided games, for instance, has been well documented especially at the younger ages. Regular contacts with the ball and exposure to constant 1 V 1’s (Attacking & defending) tends to mark the 4 V 4 game. However, it is also characterised by ‘high intensity’, leaving very little time for the players to ‘breathe and think’.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth development In comparison, larger numbers (7 V 7’s, 8 V 8’s etc) allows for movement further away from the ball since players can be 3 or more passes away from the play at any one time. Players in these games have more time to ‘plot & plan’ and there are also more opportunities for changing the tempo of the game. We ensure that we expose ‘all’ age groups to these different formats up to the age of 14.

Practice 1

"Limiting the spaces speeds the game up, impacting heavily in the ‘physical corner’" Summary Working in tight areas is not new. When John Cartwright was Academy Manager at Crystal Palace many years ago, he flagged up their essential value and insisted they formed an integral part of the development ‘plan’. Coaches were expected to work their players in tight areas at every age group on a regular basis. The value of Street football can never be doubted but the opportunities for children to experience this type of play are becoming increasingly less. If anything working in tight areas recreates some of the randomness of those days that have made up our history.

Organisation: Age group: U10’s Focus: Dealing with the ball when marked Area size: 15 X 15 Total players: 16

Rules: • • • • •

Reds V Yellows 5 V 5 in the middle 1 V 1 in the boxes (Target players) Keep the ball using the Targets Pass into a Target who plays it back to your team = Goal

Progressions: • Targets play their way out / someone replace them • Pass to a Target in a box and someone else brings the ball out • Note: Add a Neutral player (or two) if necessary

Practice 2

Organisation: Age group: U14’s Focus: One touch play Area size: 25 X 25 Total players: 19

Rules • • • • •

Reds V Yellows + Blues (7 V 7 + 3) Neutral players (blues) work on the inside Goalkeepers (whites) work on the outside Keep the ball and play one touch into a blue = Goal Blues play the ball out to either GK and he restarts the game

No. 34 – August / September 2009

The Reality of High Pressure Defending

The modern game has become a game of increasingly limited space and time. The combination of improved training methodologies, increased resources dedicated to individual players, and better understanding of human physiology has helped football players become bigger, faster, quicker, and stronger than ever before. One of the results of these improvements has been the development of players capable of covering ground quicker and applying pressure to the opposition higher up the field for longer periods of time. By: Christian Lavers

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Tactics: Defending Considering this, it is not surprising that an overwhelming percentage of goals at all professional levels are scored in 3 passes or less. This statistic underlines the obvious advantage that is enjoyed by a team capable of winning possession in advanced positions, and of doing so on a regular basis. Combining these facts, it becomes clear that, in the modern game, it is almost a requirement that players and teams be capable of applying high pressure defensive tactics to their opponent in order to be successful. This article aims to explain some of the basic principles necessary for playing with high defensive pressure, and the moments where it is most effective.

The myth of “low pressure” defending Whenever discussing defensive tactics, it is important to differentiate between what is commonly called “high pressure” defending and what is commonly called “low pressure” defending. In many ways, these references are misleading, because the first requirement of defending in any tactical scheme is to apply good pressure on the ball. Within this principle, “good pressure” could be defined as a defensive presence close enough to the player in possession to: (i) force the attacker to focus attention on protecting the ball; (ii) eliminate the possibility of forward penetration, especially through a long forward pass; and (iii) allow the defender the opportunity to tackle and win possession upon the first technical mistake by the attacker. With this definition it becomes clear that defensive pressure is either good enough to accomplish the above objectives or it is not. In other words, “low pressure” in defending is an oxymoron; low pressure equals no pressure. As such, we need a different frame of reference to discuss the differences in these tactical schemes. In describing the difference between “high” or “low” pressure defensive tactics, it is more accurate to discuss the location of the defensive line of confrontation of the team. The line of confrontation is where the defensive team begins to apply pressure on the ball, or in other words, the area of the field where the team really begins to defend. In general, teams that play in a “low pressure” defensive scheme usually begin defending (or set their line of confrontation) close to midfield. A team playing with a low line of confrontation usually concedes the attacking 40 yards of the field to the opposition, preferring not to step forward and contest possession in this area. Conversely, teams that play a “high pressure” defensive scheme begin defending far earlier on the field – often contesting possession in the attacking third of the field. At higher levels, the defensive scheme employed by a team during the course of a game is far more varied, and the location of the line of confrontation often changes based on a variety of factors. So, while a team may be known to generally prefer playing with a relatively high or low line of confrontation, this line is not set in stone.

The Line of Confrontation The line of confrontation set by a team is most clearly seen when the opposition gains possession of the ball in their own defensive third with time and space to play. At this point, the defending team will either attempt to immediately apply pressure on the ball where it is, or they will drop back to the area where the line of confrontation has been set. This decision may be based on many factors: (i) the score and the time remaining in the game (the team winning with little time left will typically drop deeper to prevent getting stretched out and conceding easy scoring

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Tactics: Defending

opportunities); (ii) the field and weather conditions (a strong wind or poor playing surface may invite the opposition to apply pressure higher on the field); or (iii) the relative athleticism and skill of the teams (the more athletic team may apply pressure higher on the field because their speed advantage reduces concerns about space behind the defense). The location of the line of confrontation is relatively independent of the team’s tactical formation. While generally a team with higher numbers of forwards and midfielders will play with a higher line of confrontation, this is not always the case. For example, a team may play a 4-3-3 where the wingers are pulled back defensively and look to exploit counter-attack opportunities more often than opportunities to press. Similarly, a team with 2 forwards may play with a higher line of confrontation than a team with 3 forwards if the wide midfielders are aggressive in their defensive positioning and decision-making.

While the “typical” line of confrontation may be decided by the coaching staff prior to the game, the defensive quality of the team can be partially measured by the number of moments in which they are able to read cues in the game and play with a higher line of confrontation – thereby exploiting opportunities to win possession farther up the field and increasing goal-scoring chances.

Moments to Apply High Pressure Even if it is determined that the team will play with a relatively high line of confrontation, in a 90-minute game played on a field 120 yards by 80 yards, it is impossible for players to defend the entire field for the entire game. Accordingly, players and teams must select moments to defend with the high line of confrontation, and moments when it is more effective or necessary to sit deeper with a lower line of confrontation. These decisions come down to determining when to commit numbers forward to defend in

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Tactics: Defending attacking areas of the field, and which spaces on the field are the areas where, once the ball enters them, the team commits to winning possession. The manner in which these decisions are made in the game will dictate whether the team is described as playing with the more commonly referred to schemes of “high pressure” or “low pressure” defending. There are several different cues that aid in determining when playing with a higher line of confrontation is advisable. 1) Possession by Technically Inferior Players A team may identify players on the opposition with a lower level of technical ability, who are therefore prone to making mistakes in possession, and determine to apply pressure on these players whenever those players are in possession – wherever they may be. When these players receive the ball, or even better, as the ball is traveling to these players, the defensive team may decide to commit numbers for ward to attempt to force a mistake and counter from it. Occasionally, teams may even adopt a defensive shape that encourages the opposition to play to these weaker players, thereby allowing the defending team to press these players more frequently. For example, if the right back of the opposition is technically weak in possession, the defending team may shift their for wards to the opposite side of the field when the opponent gains possession in the defensive third – thereby forcing the build-up to come through the right back more often than not.

4) Transition Moments It is often very productive to defend with high pressure immediately upon losing possession. Often, the player winning the ball is already in a tight space, with few options in support. If the team that loses possession can immediately put pressure on the ball, and quickly bring additional players into this defensive space, there is a much higher chance of quickly regaining possession. However, if the opposition is successful in quickly breaking out and finding a player with time and space, it may be inefficient or ineffective to continue to play with high pressure and fruitlessly chase the ball. 5) High Pressure Zones There are often areas of the field where the defensive team tries to encourage the opposition to play the ball, with the aim of collapsing on the ball in numbers as soon as it enters these areas. For example, when the ball is played into wide spaces in midfield, the defensive team may work very hard to lock the ball against the sideline, eliminate the ability to switch fields, and bring multiple defenders into the space to gain a numerical advantage. Similarly, the space in front of the center backs and behind the central midfielders is often a space that immediately gets squeezed by multiple players when the ball enters it. While these situations are not the only moments where playing with a high line of confrontation is appropriate, they constitute many of the most frequent situations when high pressure defending is likely to be successful.

2) Long Square Passes Long square passes provide opportunities for the defensive team to step forward on the field and get numbers around the player receiving the pass. This concept illustrates why angled passes are both more effective and safer than square passes; angled passes make it harder for the defensive team to get numbers around the ball. (Passes angled backwards provide more time and space for the receiving player to deal with defensive pressure, and passes angled forward beat defenders by playing them out of the game.) When long square passes are played, the defensive team can more easily get pressure on the recipient (taking away the ability to penetrate), and then push more defenders into the areas around the ball to take away short passing options. The longer the square pass, and the therefore the longer it takes to arrive, the easier it is for the defensive team to step up the field and play with a higher line of confrontation. 3) Balls Played Behind the Defense Balls played behind the defense are the most common cue for teams to play with a higher line of confrontation. Whenever defenders are forced to turn and face their own goal, there is an opportunity for the defensive team to step forward and make it difficult for the opposition to “face forward” again. When teams take advantage of this situation, they typically: (i) force the opposition to play the ball out of bounds and concede possession; (ii) force the opposition to play back to the goalkeeper who most frequently simply clears the ball and concedes possession; or (iii) force a mistake in possession that creates an immediate goalscoring opportunity. In general, teams that never make the opposing defenders face their own goal, or that do not step forward and press defenders facing their own goal, have a very difficult time scoring goals.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Tactics: Defending Requirements to Play with a High Line of Confrontation There are three main requirements for teams to play with a high line of confrontation: (i) a high level of fitness and athleticism; (ii) a high degree of coordination and communication on the field; and (iii) an aggressive and positive team mentality. 1) Fitness and Athleticism The need for fit players with good speed and quickness is selfapparent when playing with a high line of confrontation. A team without both of these qualities will either (i) quickly tire and get exposed in bigger spaces as the team gets stretched out, or (ii) constantly be in numerically inferior situations because of an individual inability to cover distance quickly enough to limit the attacking team’s playing options. As such, the decision to play with a high line of confrontation will need to be considered when determining the fitness components of training, and when evaluating relative athleticism of your team and the opponent.

2) Coordination and Communication There is a huge difference between intelligent and organized defending with a high line of confrontation and “organized chaos.” Unfortunately, at lower levels of play, particularly in youth and collegiate soccer, defending with a high line of confrontation is, in reality, an attempt simply to create chaos on the field. The ability to make repeated and multiple substitutions to keep players “fresh”, and the frequent break-down in technical execution of players in possession, allows teams at these lower levels to chase the ball all over the field attempting to force mistakes while being confident that even if their defensive shape is poor, the opponent will rarely be able to capitalize. This method of defending teaches very little tactically to the players, and fails to prepare them to play against skilled and organized opposition playing under FIFA substitution rules. As such, it is often a “quick fix” to maximize the chance to win games with little concern for long-term player development.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

In contrast, intelligent and organized defending with a high line of confrontation requires a high degree of communication and coordination between the players on the field, and between the different lines on the field (backs to midfield to forward). First, it is important that teams don’t defend with a “lone ranger” who works hard to pressure the ball without any other defensive cover or support. Without support, this player will quickly get played out of the game, leaving their team with fewer players with which to defend. To insure the ability to get numbers around the ball defensively, the team must always defend together – either with multiple players stepping forward or multiple players dropping deeper. Second, the defensive line must be very aware of the quality of pressure on the ball when determining when and how to step up the field and compress space. If the defensive line steps forward too soon they will be vulnerable to balls played behind them. If the defensive line is late in stepping forward they will leave too much space for the midfield to defend and will allow the opponent to break-out of the initial pressure with quick combination play. In execution, the team shape will move almost like an accordion as pressure is applied; first the pressuring players step forward to eliminate penetration options, second, the back line compresses space as the penetrating threat is removed. Executing this movement requires players that can read the tactical cues of the game and constantly communicate with each other.

Tactics: Defending 3) Mentality Finally, defending with a high line of confrontation requires players with an aggressive and confident mentality. Because of the physical demands of this defensive tactic, the players must have the mental fortitude to do the work required to cover distance for the duration of the game. Similarly, the players must have a high degree of confidence in their individual defending skills – as they will be repeatedly attempting to confront opponents in forward areas of the field. Finally, and most importantly, the players must have the desire to play in this manner based on the belief that they will be successful doing so. Doubt or lack of confidence will show in players that are slow to make decisions to step forward, or that pressure half-heartedly (too far from the attacker to make an impact). These mistakes will make the entire team vulnerable.

Conclusion In reality, no team plays solely with a high line of confrontation or with a low line of confrontation. The areas where a team decides to begin their defending will vary throughout the game depending on various tactical cues (as described above), and will certainly vary from game to game based upon opponent and other situations. Every team must have the ability to step forward and play with a high line of confrontation in order to maximize goalscoring opportunities. However, as a coach charged with developing players individually, particularly with youth and collegiate players, it is important to teach this concept in a manner that translates to the “real” game at the national level – not in a manner that simply capitalizes on bizarre substitution rules or technical mediocrity of a young and growing opponent.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Mental training

José Portolés Montañés:

"Improving the psyc side of players"

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Mental training

hological

Today nobody doubts the value of controlling emotions or building confidence and the positive approach to the activity of the mind. This improves the quality of life but also makes athletes reach a higher level of performance. It also provides stability to this performance, whatever the demands and circumstances. By: José V. Portolés Montañés / Guy Oldenkotte

Although this is generally speaking a common perception, it does not mean football staff are developing and per forming these programs enough to improve the psychological side of players. It is important to understand that the mental, affective and emotional sides, as well as the attitude and habits of a player can be influenced in a decisive manner to improve performance. With the necessary resources to develop action plans, techniques or strategies and put in place these psychological aspects, it can be efficiently further developed. But many coaches fear to put some of these initiatives into action. Perhaps the reason is the perception of psychology which is still considered by many as something separate from the training ground and the soccer field. Certainly this is due to the confusion between clinical psychology and the psychology of sports. Many coaches acknowledge that improvement of the psychological aspect is good, but only few dare to apply it into real situations. This contributes to the incapacity of some coaches to analyse in detail the effects and results that could have been obtained with its application. It is the usual contradiction 'yes, but no'. In that respect it is worth making reference to some thoughts from one of the best strategist in history, Julius Cesar:

‘Without capabilities, they had not enough knowledge. Without knowledge, they had not enough confidence. Without confidence, they failed in victory.'

Knock-on effect There is no doubt that the technical staff responsible for any team can obtain major benefits from taking on the psychological side. It is not only useful in personal development, but also the techniques and strategies of psychology can boost the efficiency of other components of training, including technique, tactical and conditioning. The preparation and application of any training process is influenced by how well they are organized, the objectives and how the exercises are prepared. It is also influenced by the relationship established and the communication with the players. All these elements create a climate, an atmosphere and a context where the players interact and which will determine the quality of their experiences and their progression.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Mental training In some cultures religion can contribute to positive thinking. Players at Orlando Pirates start every training session with a prayer.

Wanting to be there To establish the optimum environment and to benefit from the rich experiences the players and team requires, the preparation and a good quality of stimulus, relationships and communication between the team and all its players. It also requires a good and attractive environment to induce the WISHES of the player to belong to this environment (voluntary commitment) and reach to LIVE the soccer (sense of improvement or looking for excellence). In the end it is important that the player will reach the ideal situation of BEING in the match, not only just being on the field of play.

Not a production-line approach

ing up. rts during the warm Acting as a team sta

We cannot progress properly when we convert the training sessions in a simple 'production line' approach. The player should not be connected during a determined period of time to reproduce some routines and then be disconnected until the next training session or match. Coaches have the duty to stimulate attitudes in the player to interact with the team and more precisely with themselves. The attitude of the player at his arrival and during the training session will determine the efficiency of the session. We found out that the training sessions that generate most improvement are when the players have the same focus on the session. Meanwhile the value of the session is determined by what the player has assimilated, not what the coach has delivered to the player.

Changing the attitude It is all a matter of positive information; players of Heracles Almelo received information about the artificial grass pitch in a positive way, contributing to the level of acceptance within the team.

Making yourself th e centre of attention can be done in ma ny ways.

For the coach it is important to recognize that the attitude shown to the players will condition significantly what he wants to obtain from the players. As Goethe claimed:

'Treat the people as they are as they should be and that will help them to be transformed in what they are capable to be' The best part is that the attitude, be positive and optimistic, can be learnt. It is not unchangeable. It is true the attitude is being built since the early ages. But people have the ability to change, as another thinker pointed out years ago:

'The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes or mind'

Photos by: Guy Old enkotte

No. 34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August / September 2009

Mental training About a decade ago some research confirmed this approach and demonstrated the big capacity for change for human beings at a neural level. This contradicted the previous theories about the structural stability of the brain and its functionality. Known as 'neural plasticity', this mechanism allows us to change and progress day after day. One of the most influential neuroscientist, Francisco Mora Teruel explains it as follows:

everyday depending on the intellectual and emotional environment where I develop that allow me to be better everyday'

Including outside specialists If one of the main responsibilities of the coach is to prepare the training sessions, we have to take in mind that the quality of the training session will depend on the quality of the context or environment and the emotional status and attitudes of the player. The preparation will always be easier with the help of a specialist that will provide the right techniques and strategies of psychological action; therefore inclusion of outside specialists is justified. The relationship between the coaches and psychologist always will be complementary and non-exclusive. It will be some aspects of the psychological action that will be developed by the psychologist with the help of the coaches; meanwhile other aspects will be delivered by the coaches with the help of the psychologist. In any case, the efficiency of all players of the actions performed will be directly proportional to the capacity of collaboration between each other.

Born: 21 April 1955 Nationality: Spanish Education: - BSc Physical Education and Sports, 1972 – 1976, I.N.E.F. (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) - Masters in High-per formance Sports Training, 1993 – 1995, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Spanish Olympic Committee - Football Coach (Level 2), Spanish Football Federation José V. Portolés Montañés has been a lecturer since 1991 and has worked at universities in Spain as well as with the national team . He is also a founding member of the Valenciana Sports’ Psychology Association. His coaching career encompasses 22 years with clubs such as Valencia, Real Madrid and R.C.D. Mallorca in Spain and Vissel Kobe in Japan.

Ttraining session with the Costa Rica National Team in June 2005.

Explanation for the team:

my life, I will choose the environments

José V. Portolés Montañés

Situation:

All players sit down in front of me on one side of the field and they are asked to do 4x1000 meters in groups. They have to achieve this in 4 minutes, 4'15 minutes and 4'30 minutes.

If I know that I change and I progress

Who is?

An example during my professional career.

“The task to perform now is less attractive for you, but it has some advantages and this is why we propose it.” There is a fundamental aspect to be a good competitor and be successful. I refer to discipline. “Our opponent is not superior to you in technique-tactical aspects but they have other qualities. Amongst others, they are stronger physically. The task of today is not enjoyable, because it makes you suffer. However, we do not want to see you suffer and it does not make any sense to make you suffer just to make you suffer. What we are asking you is that you WANT to suffer, Face the suffering time as strengthening you, because if you are able to suffer for something useless as running around some cones, what are you going to be able to do when we ask you an effort in limited situations, such as at the last minutes of the decisive match where you will play a role in making history for your country. This is the moment to demonstrate where we want to achieve.”

Exercise: After the first repletion there are some comments about how hard it has been. I give them an answer: “you have to believe more in your possibilities, as we do. Because we believe the next repetition you will reduce the time of the first repetition.” Some of the players are surprised, others just do not believe it and some don’t know what to say. Once they finished the second repetition they accomplished the expectations and all groups reduced the time. Afterwards I introduce more polemic saying the third repetition is going to be even better (some players see how to make it better and encourage others sceptical to face the third repetition). After the third repetition they are euphoric, some groups have improved, others maintained the time but all ask to remove the fourth repetition as a reward for such a good job. My response was clear. “I agree with you. You did a good job and I understand you wish we can finish here but think about it: are you going to miss this opportunity to convert this good job into an excellent-per fect job? Let us think about the last minutes of a match in which we are winning and we need this extra effort: would we let our arms down at this particular moment? Overcome the message of comfort or protection that generates your mind when you face the suffering. Be yourself in control of your thoughts and not vice-versa. But it is your choice to continue or leave it. I am going to respect your decision.” Of course, they decided to carry out the fourth repetition, most of them in a good mood. Even then they reached good times.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Give Us Back Our Game

Balls! A nostalgic look of how we played the beautiful game In my fifty odd years I have used hundreds of different objects for a ball. It just depends on where you are and what is to hand, or rather foot! From a stone kicked around the playground to a brand new proper football, wrapped in Christmas paper and nestling under the tree. By: Paul Cooper

The old leather football had a bladder inside an outer leather casing. Part of the ball was laced, so as to gain access to the bladder. When brand spanking new the ball was fine, if a little heavy. However no material known to man changes as much, under the influence of water, than the old fashioned leather football. When carelessly left out in the garden at night, in the rain, it turned into a killing machine. The same effect could also be produced by leaving it out in a heavy frost. The heaviness of the ball went from the FA regulation weight to twice the weight of a baby elephant. The other hazard was the lacing, which if headed in a particular place could open the forehead up deeper than a Hussar’s sabre.

The Light Plastic Ball Cheap ball that came in a cheap plastic net. Usually red, yellow or blue with black hexagons. The ball was so light that even the slightest breeze could waft it to Venezuela and beyond. Frowned on by all street footballers and usually only purchased by well meaning grandparents, existing on a small state pension. The remedy was a quick kick about in Granddad’s garden and a volley into the nearest rose bush. The punctured version of the ‘light plastic ball’ was actually better for street football but was a bugger to head.

The Slightly Heavier Plastic Ball This slightly more expensive ball was usually white with black hexagons and the names of first division teams printed on it. A version with pictures of the Beatles was also available in the mid 60s. Unlike the cheaper, light version, it came with a small adapter for pumping up. Like its cheaper cousin, it was prone to puncture. When the ball was travelling towards a rose bush or anything spiky, many street footballers experienced a kind of strange spasm that would take hold of the whole body in the couple of seconds that would determine if the ball was punctured or not. Many hours were wasted trying to repair these punctured footballs. First spittle was applied to the area which is thought to be punctured. After the tell tale bubbling signs, the area was dried and depending on your degree of intelligence the following would be applied. The very dim would affix a band aid (the advert tells you that it is a breathable bandage which one would have thought would give the game away). The slightly less dim would use a bicycle tyre puncture repair kit, which was about as useful on plastic footballs as it was bicycle tyres. The clever street footballers and smokers would use a lit match to melt a small area of the ball at the puncture site and scrape molten plastic over the hole. This was only ever a temporary measure as the ball would still lose air and become too much of a chore to pump up every 5 minutes. This ball was an evil chunk of plastic if played with when punctured, unlike its cheaper copy.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Column The Tennis Ball Much loved by all street footballers and the main ball of choice for playground football. This ball can be stowed away in trouser pockets and is cheap and plentiful. It does not burst but will, like a middle age man eventually lose all its hair and metamorphose into a rubber ball which eventually splits along the seam. This was the ball used by the great stars of the past, Matthews, Finney and Charlton and was often kicked against a wall. The emergence of the larger plastic football in place of the tennis ball was seen as the beginning of the end for ‘good ball players’ in this country.

The Airflow Ball Hated and despised by street footballers. Indeed the playground footballers would often prefer to use a stone in place of this useless piece of plastic. The air flow ball got its name as it is dotted with holes, held together by rigid, shiny plastic, so that the ball would go just a short distance. Made for golfers to practice in the garden and the size of a proper golf ball. Also sold in pet shops with the addition of a bell inside for the amusement of bored cats. Would last for just a few minutes in the hurly burly of the playground arena before someone stepped on it and the pathetic ball was crushed into a dozen pieces.

You wake up Christmas morning Rushing down the stairs There amongst your pressies Is the answer to your prayers The one-foot square cube Can contain only one thing, It’s a Wembley Trophy Football With its wonderful ring Whenever it was kicked It thrilled us younger boys! From deep inside the ball Came that brilliant noise It’s textured orange plastic Adorned with deep black lines like panels on a leather ball. It was the master of designs

The Rubber Ball The same size as a tennis ball and bought by poverty stricken street footballers who could not afford to buy its more illustrious cousin. Usually orange, but occasionally blue. Also sold in pet shops for the amusement of dogs that salivate a lot.

Like a real football It was the Regulation weight But Regulation players are men And I was only eight...

The Stone Used in the playground as a last resort and occasionally headed by the class lunatic.

The Wembley Trophy Ball The Holy Grail of street football. The ball was quite expensive, so was usually only given as Christmas or birthday presents. Orange with black lines it came in a square presentation box with panels cut out to show the sexy curves of the ball. The box boasted that the ball was regulation weight, the same as the more expensive leather ball. Street football was great in the couple of months post Christmas because of the abundance of Wembley Trophies, but by the following December most Wembley Trophies had been punctured, lost or stolen. Having one of these balls punctured was like losing your favourite family pet. Beware the cheap imitation ball sold at Woolworths under their own Winfield brand label. Any street footballer who had a Wembley Trophy down on his Christmas list and received one of the Winfield’s instead would cry for weeks under the bedcovers at night. He would rather play with his little sister’s Sindy dolls than that fake pretender.

The Baby’s Ball Soft furry and with a bell inside, this was a joy to play with indoors. The favourite game was throwing the ball up for diving headers. Although soft the ball could travel and was responsible for countless smacked arses in our house after it had smashed many a family heirloom.

No. 34 – August / September 2009

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EDITORIAL

No. 34 – August / September 2009 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

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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.

Graphic Design Anton Gouverneur / Tania Dimitrova studio@sportfacilities.com

Editorial Staff Andrew Blight, Paul Cooper, Guilherme Costa, Maaike Denkers, Christian Lavers, Patrick van Leeuwen, Dan Micciche, Guy Oldenkotte, Paul van Veen, Hugo Vicente

No. 34 – August / September 2009

ISSN 1571 - 8794

Give Us Back Our Game Magazine W inter edition 2009 ! W O N t u o e n i z a ag M

G Working with mixed abilities O B Small sided games U G How to organise a GUBOG event Rugby Game Sense Voices from the playground The optimal learning environment for youth football