Elitesoccer20

www.elitesoccercoaching.net

march 2012

Soccer Coaching practices from English football league managers and coaches

Roberto martinez wigan athletic

The 1v1 situation Exclusive Training practices nal from top professio managers

In partnership with

Colchester United

Southend United

Crewe Alexandra

Derby County

LMA Ambassador

JOHN WARD Finishing under pressure

PAUL STURROCK Countering through a striker

STEVE DAVIS Preventing crosses

KEVIN NICHOLSON Drilling the defence

KEITH MILLEN Combination play

extra-time:

Exclusive interview with swansea city manager brendan rodgers

In partnership with

Elite Soccer is published by:

Green Star Media Ltd Meadow View, Tannery Lane Guildford, Surrey, GU5 0AB, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1483 892 894 Fax: +44 (0) 1483 894 148 Email: elitesoccer@greenstarmedia.net Publisher: Kevin Barrow Editor: James Evans Contributing Editor: Matthew Amos, LMA Design: Jimmy Egerton Illustrator: Richard Palmer Customer Services: Duncan Heard Marketing Manager: Paul Mortimer Operations Director: Toby Curthoys Managing Director: Andrew Griffiths Photos: Action Images

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League Managers Association The Camkin Suite, 1 Pegasus House, Tachbrook Park, Warwick, CV34 6LW, UK Tel: +44 (0)1926 831 556 Email: lma@lmasecure.com President: Fabio Capello Chairman: Howard Wilkinson Chief Executive: Richard Bevan This publication is protected by national and international copyright laws. Elite Soccer will take legal action against any individuals or organisations found to be infringing our rights, and will make that action public.

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2 march 2012

issue 20/march 2012: FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Absorbingcoachingsessionsfrom Englishfootball’sleadinglights Dear Coach, Welcome to the March issue of Elite Soccer.

The season is now entering a crucial phase as teams fight for success, whether they be claiming honours at the top of the table or fighting relegation at the bottom. We’re sure the selection of training practices contained in this month’s Elite Soccer will help you in this crucial period.

As always, our sessions are written by the managers and coaches themselves, and presented to you in a clear, concise and actionable fashion.

From the Barclays Premier League, Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez shows how defenders can succeed in challenging 1v1 situations, explaining how even the quickest attacking moves can be repelled.

Countering that approach, npower League One manager John Ward presents a session on finishing under pressure, something that has helped his Colchester United side maintain their push for the play-offs this season.

In League Two, experienced Southend United boss Paul Sturrock looks at the finer points behind counter-attacking through a striker, while Crewe Alexandra manager Steve Davis puts forward a drill that rehearses defenders in dealing with the threat from crosses.

We’ve also got a detailed defensive practice from Derby County coach Kevin Nicholson, while LMA Ambassador Keith Millen explains how quick combination play can really get players moving and creating opportunities.

We hope these exclusive sessions will inspire your team, and look forward to bringing more your way next month.

4

ROBERTO MARTINEZ WIGAN ATHLETIC

The 1v1 situation

6

JOHN WARD

Colchester United

Finishing under pressure

8

PAUL STURROCK Southend United

Countering through a striker

10

STEVE DAVIS Crewe Alexandra

Preventing crosses

12

KEVIN NICHOLSON Derby County

Drilling the defence Howard Wilkinson, LMA Chairman

Elite Soccer is a monthly publication for professional, semi-professional and aspiring soccer coaches and is available by subscription only. £97 for 12 issues.

To subscribe email duncanh@greenstarmedia.net or call on +44 (0) 1483 892 894

14

KEITH MILLEN

LMA Ambassador

Quick combination play

03 MANAGEMENT MATTERS

Ourreviewofthepastmonth

16 BOOKED Elite sports book review 18 EXTRA-TIME:

...with Swansea City manager Brendan Rogers www.elitesoccercoaching.net

In partnership with

management matters

MANAGER OF THE MONTH AWARDS

Brendan Rodgers scooped the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Month Award for January after Swansea City gained impressive league victories over Aston Villa and Arsenal.

Having started the month with a 2-0 success at Villa Park, Danny Graham’s winner at the Liberty Stadium then saw off the Gunners. And Swansea were less than a minute away from repeating the trick at home to Chelsea at the end of January, but a Neil Taylor own goal in injury time cancelled out Scott Sinclair’s opener.

We’ve an interview with manager Brendan Rodgers on page 18.

Birmingham City’s revival under manager Chris Hughton stepped up another gear in January, leading the 53-year-old manager to take the divisional award.

The Blues’ league form was nothing short of sensational during the month. After beginning with a 1-1 draw at Peterborough United, City hit six, three and four goals in their next three matches, against Millwall, Watford and Leeds United respectively.

They also defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United in the FA Cup.

In npower League One, Charlton Athletic manager Chris Powell scooped the award after his side moved clear at the top of the division.

The Addicks saw their way past Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United and Exeter City during the month – keeping clean sheets in all four matches - before finishing January with a draw against Bury.

The run cemented their place as the bookmaker’s favourites for the League One title.

Charlton Athletic: W4 D1 L0

And finally to npower League Two, where Torquay United manager Martin Ling was the panel’s choice. Torquay had started the campaign relatively slowly, but roared into top form in the opening matches of 2012 with a sequence of results that took them into the play-off places.

The Gulls saw off Plymouth Argyle, Macclesfield Town and Morecambe (in consecutive 2-1 away successes), before back-to-back 1-0 home wins against Dagenham & Redbridge and Northampton Town.

Torquay United: W5 D0 L0

Birmingham City: W4 D1 L0

Swansea City: W2 D1 L2 (league only)

CAREERPATH ... with Terry Brown, manager of League Two side AFC Wimbledon How difficult did you find the transition from player to coach?

I was very lucky in that I was playing for Wokingham at the time, and got the opportunity to become first-team coach there. This enabled me to do my homework really by running the youth section, the reserves and then the first-team – I’d also been to summer schools and attended courses. So by the time I hung up my boots I was ready for the challenges of coaching. Taking over at a club I’d played for, in Hayes FC, was another bonus because that provided me with familiar surroundings, and I had nine fantastic years there.

3 march 2012

What advice would you give to those looking to start on the path to semi-pro coaching and management?

You need is to start off at a level where you are comfortable. It doesn’t matter what style of football you play - whether it’s route one or something akin to Barcelona, it just has to be winning football. But it’s all about hard work and ambition – and there are no fast-track routes.

Should opportunities come your way then you need to make bold decisions. I was working for a sales company at the time, so needed to decide whether the gamble was right for me to enter football management full-time. I’m glad it has worked out!

But the lower you go the more opportunities you get, and the better your chance of success as well. But keep everything in perspective - success can be just keeping a side in the division. But nothing comes easy - make sure you’ve

done your homework.

Has your management style changed?

My overall perspective has always been the same – and that philosophy is ‘winning is everything’. I love reading about sports psychology and what makes people strive for success. My driving force is fear of failure - that doesn’t make me negative or any less positive than those inspired by success, but I’m always driven on by not wanting to fail at anything I do.

It isn’t something you choose - it’s already inside your soul, but having that mentality helps me on a daily basis.

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In partnership with

Wigan Athletic

Roberto Martinez The 1v1 situation Overview:

4 march 2012

Area

Up to 44x30 yards Equipment

1

Balls, cones, goal Number of Players

Up to 12 Session time

1v1 10mins, Three box drill 10mins, Small-sided game 24mins

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

Simple contact and noncontact 1v1s begin the session

What do I get the players to do?

1v1 warm-up In each 10x8-yard channel, players begin at opposing ends. Blues feed yellows, then close down at first by shadowing only, not making contact. This encourages balance and movement of feet.

Moving on, this can be run as a contact drill (1). If desired, this simple warm-up can also incorporate some dynamic flex exercises.

Three box drill Next, we use three 10x10-yard boxes sideby-side, with a defender in each. Defenders face the side where a line of attackers wait. One at a time, each attacker’s objective is to dribble through the three boxes (2). If he succeeds, a point is awarded. Each player who works during the phase is rotated off the pitch.

Small-sided game In a 44x30-yard area, we play seven phases played over a sixminute period.

Starting from beside the goal he’s defending, blue dribbles out aiming to score, but will be closed down by his opponent (3a).

2 i. Having failed to close down quickly, the defender allows the attack a way past

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

ii. The second defender approaches square on and the attacker side-steps past

10

“There is nothing in the game better than a successful 1v1attacking situation to dislodge any defensive set-up.”

SET-UP

10

Any football game relies on being able to control 1v1 situations, in defence or in attack.

In 1v1s, it’s not just the technical aspect of the play, but the decision as to when to take players on, when to use a simple ball to find a team mate, or when to develop the situation.

There is nothing in the game better than a successful 1v1 attacking situation to dislodge any defensive set-up.

This session can encourage any individual or any team - at any age or level - to experiment in that aspect of the game, from the basic skill of the 1v1, up to decision-making in a game-related situation.

the 1v1 situation

10

10

10

iii. The third defender shows composure, first angling the attacker towards the byline and timing his tackle to win the ball

3a

Blue dribbles out but is tackled by yellow in the 1v1 before he can get a shot away

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

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In partnership with

the 1v1 situation

Roberto Martinez Wigan Athletic Roberto Martinez became Wigan Athletic manager in the summer of 2009, returning to the club where he’d made his name as a player in the mid-1990s.

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The 38-year-old Spaniard was an industrious midfielder who brought continental flair to the club’s former Springfield Park home, and he has extended the methodologies of technical excellence into his approach to coaching as well.

Whether or not the phase ends in a tackle, or a goal, a second yellow then moves forward to form a 2v1 coming back the other way (3b).

The overload now switches with two blues entering play to make a 3v2 (3c), and so on - two players are always added to the team playing against the overload, until 6v6, when this becomes a small-sided game for the remaining time.

Each of our attackers will take a turn starting in a 1v1.

What are the key things to look out for?

Beginning in management at Swansea City, for whom he also played, Martinez guided the south Wales club into the1Championship – 0 the first time they had featured in the second tier of English football for 24 years.

We encourage the natural talent of an 10attacker in taking defenders on, but he also needs to think about how best to use a 1v1 for the benefit of the team – should he attack, or wait to gain a better numerical advantage?

After the Swans Defenders must finished 8th in the adopt a low, balanced 2008/09 season, Wigan position. And because made their move. And offsides count in this on one of the smallest practice, when they are budgets, Martinez overloaded, they should has secured the club’s use attackers’ positions Barclays Premier to decide whether to League status for the close in to the man on past two seasons, with the ball (to catch the notable victories along the way over the likes of opposition off-side), or Arsenal, Liverpool and not.

Tottenham Hotspur.

“An attacker needs to think about how best to use a 1v1 for the benefit of the team.”

5 march 2012

How do I progress the session?

We can condition one of the teams to play one- or two-touch, to encourage quick passing; while allowing the other team free play, to encourage dribbling.

This, in itself, will create lots of 1v1 situations.

3b Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

After the first phase, a second yellow enters play to make a 2v1

3c Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

In the next passage, blues have the overload in a 3v2

Small-sided game phases Phases of game Blues Yellows

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

1 1 3 3 5 5 6

v v v v v v v

1 2 2 4 4 6 6

The table represents one set, and the team with the overload number is always the attackers, with the scores being carried through. A player who scores in the first phase of the game will present a massive advantage to his team. The session will help attackers and defenders appreciate the immediate importance of their actions in terms of the scoreline, as well as helping players think about the different numerical advantages presented during the game.

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In partnership with

Colchester United

John Ward Finishing under pressure Overview:

6 march 2012

Area

Up to third of a pitch Equipment

1

Balls, cones, goals Number of Players

Up to 14 Session time

Coach determined

What do I get the players to do?

1v1 game We begin in a 20x10yard area. The coach serves the ball out to start a simple 1v1 game - each player looking to score in his opponent’s 2-yard coned goal(1).

2v2 game - halves Adding an identical channel to the side sees us move to 2v2. Each player must remain in his designated channel, but can pass to a team mate in the neighbouring box to progress goalscoring chances (2).

2v2 game - full Now the middle boundary is removed and all four players can move around the area, though team mates have only one 2-yard goal to aim at, placed centrally on the touchline(3).

3v3 The next scenario is 3v3, played in a standard penalty area (44x18 yards), with a halfway line added to determine offsides.

Players must link up well, displaying good

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“This session is about shooting and scoring goals in open practice.”

SET-UP

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

In the 1v1 players go head-to-head looking to score in their opponent’s coned goal

10

2 10

20

This session is about shooting and scoring goals in open practice. It’s effective because it takes players through developing game situations, getting them used to working and creating chances in tight spaces.

This ability to recognise quick opportunities is essential because every match we play offers penalty box situations where chances appear and disappear quickly.

To recognise and act upon these we require players to have a quickness of mind and the willingness to gamble.

Players enjoy the session because everyone gets to shoot, and we’ll generally run this for as long as we believe they are still being stimulated by the game.

finishing under pressure

10 Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

With an additional channel to the side, team mates can combine left and right, but must stay in their area

3

Removing the boundary line and centring a single goal, players work as pairs to fashion goalscoring angles www.elitesoccercoaching.net

In partnership with

finishing under pressure

John Ward Colchester United John Ward has been Colchester United manager since May 2010, and in his first full season in charge, guided the Essex side to 10th in npower League One.

The 60-year-old is also highly respected as a scout and media commentator, and as a player clocked up over 100 league goals for Watford, Grimsby Town 10 and Lincoln City.

“Quick and brave attacking decisions can catch out defenders.”

7 march 2012

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

The 3v3 penalty box challenge provides a longer and narrower area in which to attack

18

5

What are the key things to look out for technically/ tactically?

Accuracy is paramount in each of the games and players must be quick to recognise shooting opportunities when they come their way. When that happens, they must shoot low and powerfully, always being aware that quick and brave attacking decisions can catch out defenders. Playing without keepers in the early phases encourages players to shoot every time they can find half a yard of space. These are principles they should carry through into the latter parts.

44

10

4

44

Taken under the wing of former England manager Graham 0 Taylor at Aston Villa in 1 the early-1990s, Ward went about working his way up the coaching ladder, eventually taking charge at York City, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town and Carlisle United.

timing and recognition of team mates’ runs (4). 1v1 situations are important and attackers should be looking to exploit space.

5v5 In the last game, we extend the penalty area out a further 12 yards and mark a halfway line, adding a second goal and playing 5v5 (plus keepers) (5).

Progressing this, and to encourage crosses, we can add neutral wide players (6). We might also introduce a strict two-touch rule to ensure the ball is moved quickly and efficiently.

30

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

Here, in the extended 5v5, a quick interchange of passes leads to an attempt on goal

6

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

Progressing the game by adding wide neutral players encourages players to build in different ways

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In partnership with

Southend United

Overview:

Area

Space in between penalty boxes

1a

These players are inactive during the attack

Equipment

7

Balls, cones, goals Number of Players

Up to 14 Session time

Session 20mins, game 15mins

5 7 75

What do I get the players to do?

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

1b

7 5 7 75

4444 The striker receives the ball, passes to an onrushing blue and a goal is scored

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

1c

These players are inactive during the attack

5 7 75

4444

In the space between two penalty areas we place two defenders and a striker in each half. From one end, an attacking pair move in, and one receives the ball from the keeper.

Unopposed, the pair make a pass between themselves (1a) then, before reaching the halfway line, feed the lone striker in the other half. He must evade the defenders near him and work the ball back to his two supporting men who continue their runs, looking for the attack to end with a shot on goal (1b).

At the end of the move, the strikers leave the area and are replaced by a new pair, who repeat the task in the other direction(1c/1d).

We then rotate players.

Restrictions can be placed to test players and vary difficulty, such as allowing only six seconds before a finish must be made, or instructing defenders to only become active when the pass into the striker is made. And to progress, we can limit touches or reduce the time to four seconds.

One of the attacking players receives the ball from the keeper and moves unopposed through their half

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“We are looking for clever striker movement – away to come short or a quick turn; body shape side on or flat; and an ability to hold up play.”

SET-UP

4444

This session is about counter-attacking through your striker and using an extra man in overload situations.

It’s a scenario that always develops in matches and is worth running regularly so attackers, in particular, can practise their movement and make the most of the forward moves.

We relate this session to our upcoming opponents so it becomes the perfect practice for players.

So we’ll examine who we are playing next and what characteristics their defenders have – big, slow, quick, strong, tricky etc. We then set up the practice based on their defending characteristics.

countering through your striker

44

Paul Sturrock Countering through your striker

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

Now the move comes back in the opposite direction with the striker in the other half moving off the covering defenders to find space

7

8 march 2012

www.elitesoccercoaching.net

4

In partnership with

countering through your striker

Paul Sturrock Southend United Paul Sturrock has revived the fortunes of Southend United since arriving at Roots Hall in July 2010. In that time, he has made changes to the Shrimpers’ squad and taken them to the top of npower 75 League Two.

“We relate this session to our upcoming 75 opponents so it becomes the perfect practice for players.”

9 march 2012

1d

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

75

44

As a player, Sturrock scored over 100 goals for Dundee United in a 5 15-year 7professional career.

High tempo and good attacking pace is very important, and strikers must draw defenders in, which is why the quality of the initial pass into the striker’s feet is crucial.

We’re looking for clever striker movement – away to come short or a quick turn; body shape - side on or flat; and an ability to hold up play.

He also needs to be aware of space and the benefits of releasing the ball quickly to prevent tackles.

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The 55-year-old has extensive experience in the lower leagues having earned promotion to the third tier for Plymouth Argyle in 2002 and Swindon Town five years later.

And as well as taking Sheffield Wednesday to the Championship in 2004, Sturrock has been in the hotseat at Southampton, Dundee United and St Johnstone.

What are the key things to look for technically/ tactically?

75

2a

The striker does not have to pass – in this instance wingers have pushed the centre-backs wide to enable space for him to shoot

How would you put this into a game situation?

For a small-sided game, we place together two penalty boxes to form a 44x36yard area, with a goal at each end. 3v3 in each half, strikers follow their passes into the other half to make 4v3 overloads (2a). Now, if a tackle is made, opponents can counter to make a 3v2 overload (2b), or if really alert (and able to beat the recovery run) can push an additional player forward to make a 4v2 advantage.

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

In the small-sided game, the left-back passes upfield then moves to form a 4v3 attacking overload in the other half...

2b

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

... but when a tackle is made and the ball played back downfield, he leaves his team mates exposed to a 3v2 counterattack

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In partnership with

Crewe Alexandra

Steve Davis Preventing crosses Overview: This session is about full-backs and wingers stopping crosses into the penalty area.

Most attacks come from out wide, so the ability for defenders to be able to block crosses is essential, particularly in matches when our opponents have strikers who are good headers of the ball.

This applies to most teams in our division.

At the end of each phase, we reset play, and rotate positions regularly.

“We look at angles and distances between defender and attacker – the common fault is to be too tight or too far away.”

10 march 2012

Preventing crosses SET-UP Area

Up to half pitch Equipment

1

Balls, cones, goals Number of Players

Up to 18 players Session time

Session 30mins, game 30mins

What do I get the players to do?

Setting up as shown in the diagram, the server plays to the left-sided attacker (1). This player attempts to take on the winger or make room for a cross into a team mate who attacks the ball from his start position in the ‘D’.

In the second phase, we add an attacking full-back, plus an additional defender to create a 2v2 wing attack (2). The two defenders must stifle the threat of a cross.

In the next stage, we progress again by going 8v8 and coning lines from the edges of the penalty area to the halfway line. Wingers and full-backs work outside this line (3), while midfielders must ensure a good supply of balls out wide, although the server can follow his pass to the wing to support.

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

The server feeds the ball out left for the winger to attack 1v1

2

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

It is important for the defender to get his positioning right to hold up play and not ‘dive in’

Moving to 2v2, defenders must deal with the support player and the risk of an overlap or overload

3

Good defensive angles from a tackle should result in a throw-in and not a corner

What are the key things to look for technically/ tactically?

The role of the fullback is crucial - he must be alert to a number of attacking options, maintaining a position between winger and goal (4).

Never diving in, he holds up the attacker

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

Now 8v8, and with marked channels, defenders focus on precise blocking angles www.elitesoccercoaching.net

In partnership with

Preventing crosses

Steve Davis Crewe Alexandra Steve Davis was confirmed as the new manager of Crewe Alexandra in November 2011, having been assistant manager at Gresty Road for the previous two years.

Prior to that, the 46-year-old had been in charge at Northwich Victoria and Nantwich Town, guiding the latter to two promotions in three seasons and an FA Vase final victory in 2006.

As a player, Davis made 145 appearances in defence for Crewe, and also turned out for Burnley, Barnsley and Oxford United.

“Defenders must consider if the winger is quick or tricky, and right- or left-footed.

So should he position inside or outside?”

11 march 2012

to allow time for fellow defenders to support.

We look at angles and distances between defender and attacker – the common fault is to be too tight or too far away. Angles vary depending on how far up the touchline the tackle is being made, but a defender should never be more than three yards away from the crosser. A defender at the wrong angle will fail to block the cross. If the ball is successfully blocked but goes out for a corner, the defender’s angles are slightly wrong. But if the cross is stopped and goes out for a throw-in he is perfectly positioned.

Defenders must also consider if the winger is quick or tricky, and right- or left-footed.

Does he want him to go inside or outside?

And he must also be well balanced should the attacker change direction at any time - over-striding is a common mistake.

How do I put this into a game situation?

In the set-up shown, the pitch is 50 yards long (5). Midfielders are two-touch, while wingers are conditioned to play in one half before, on the coach’s instruction, being allowed into the other half (1v1s leading into 2v2s). We can now drop in other individual training plans, such as defensive midfielders tracking in relation to full-backs (6).

4

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

Defending midfielder should stay in contact with his attacker, but be ready to support the other defenders

Midfielders and full-backs must maintain a presence between the attacker and the goal, whilst staying the correct distance from an opponent Full back must cover the winger, but be ready to close down the attacker should he beat the first defender

5

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

In the first game situation phase, wingers are conditioned to stay in their halves, so 1v1s develop

Using a midfielder to defend allows the centre back to move across to cover potential attacking options

6

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

... but when that condition is dropped, the defensive midfielder must track back to defend in relation to his full-back and centreback www.elitesoccercoaching.net

In partnership with

Derby County

Kevin Nicholson Defending in and around the penalty area Overview: This session is about defending in and around the penalty area in a variety of situations. It looks at defending as an individual, a pair and a whole unit. The way the session is built up helps players to understand their various roles and responsibilities and the key defensive priority of protecting the goal.

It’s important to practise this because defenders need to be able to react quickly and deal effectively with the numerous defensive scenarios that occur. This session covers many skills and qualities that will be required at the highest level, including the reality that many top level sides are now are playing without an assigned centreforward. This means central defenders will now often have no player to directly mark and may come up against a player facing them up in an attempt to dribble past them. We deliver a session of this type once every two weeks.

12 march 2012

defending in and around the penalty area SET-UP Area

Up to half pitch Equipment

Balls, cones, goals Number of Players

Up to 18 players

1

1v1s

ii. The defender heads clear and away from goal – the ball mustn’t bounce

iii. The coach nominates an attacker, who dribbles the ball out to create a 1v1. He can only shoot once inside the central part of the penalty box

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

Session time

10mins per phase

What do I get the players to do?

Mark out the area as i. The fullshown in the diagram. back starts by Split the group into delivering a long aerial ball towards four defenders and the penalty area six attackers, plus two full-backs who serve long aerial balls from just over the halfway line. Attackers line up ii. The second defender drops then moves 2v2s behind two cones 10 forward, reacting off yards apart, placed 12 the first defender who yards from the 18-yard attacks the aerial ball box.

We run through a number of scenarios that build in complexity: iii. One attacker 1v1s dribbles the ball while a second attacker joins The defender clears a to create a 2v2 situation long flighted ball back in the direction it came, either using a header i. Another aerial or side-foot volley, and ball is lofted in without it bouncing. He then has to react to a 1v1 with an attacker (1).

In the 1v1, the angle (getting and staying low) and speed of approach is important, 2v2s and a and the defender must cross put the brakes on at final moment when tight to the attacker. He needs to steer away from goal, because the attacker can only shoot ii. Defenders look to steer from the non-hatched attackers away from goal, forcing them to feed the area. The defender’s ball wide to wingers main task is to keep the ball out of the area, rather than win possession. Defenders rotate after each phase and full-backs

iv. The defender must steer the attacker into the shaded areas, tackle, block or force a mistake

2

iv. Defenders should again aim to show attackers away from goal

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

3a

i. Two wingers are added as a supply line for the attackers Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

www.elitesoccercoaching.net

In partnership with

defending in and around the penalty area

Kevin Nicholson Derby County Kevin Nicholson is Under-16s Head Coach at npower Championship side Derby County. The 25year-old holds the UEFA ‘A’ Licence qualification.

On a day-to-day basis, he manages the development of elite youth footballers from the age of eight upwards, whilst educating and guiding his team of coaches.

Nicholson joined Derby in February 2007 having worked as Academy Coach at Stoke City, while he also has extensive experience in running Football in the Community projects.

He has recently been selected by the Football Association to attend the inaugural FA Elite Coaches Award.

3b

alternate.

2v2s As before, except this time after the aerial ball it’s a 2v2. The second defender must provide cover and The defender has done well to force support, track runs, play wide. With and communicate his team mate, danger. The pressuring he must now react, positioning defender must look to themselves in cut off the option of the order to deal with second attacker, so a cross leaving a 1v1, or a 2v1 in his favour (2). The angle of approach is crucial, as is the need for defenders to stay close.

2v2s and a cross Building on the previous phase, two attacking wingers are added, who must Full phase deliver crosses into the penalty area using the fewest number of touches. Defenders have done well if they force play to the i. Now attackers are wingers, but they must challenged in a 2v4, then deal with the and the player in cross (3a/3b). possession is forced to play out to the Full phase winger Now full backs are added. After defending the long aerial ball, the entire back four is now involved in repelling the central attack 4v2 (4a).

They then reorganise for a potential cross.

The full-back must go out wide to defend 1v1, preventing the cross if possible (4b).

If he cannot get there, he drops to become an extra defender.

4a

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

iii. The full-back moves out wide to defend 1v1, attempting to stop the cross if possible. ii. With the back four in place, two team mates drop around the defender to provide cover and support

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

4b

“Patience and blocking ability will be required if the ball can’t be won immediately with a tackle or interception.”

13 march 2012

Defenders organise to counter the threat of a successful cross

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble Optional pass/ run

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LMA Ambassador

Keith Millen

quick combination play

Quick combination play

SET-UP

Overview:

Ball, cones (and/or poles)

This session is about moving the ball quickly in creating and exploiting space.

In any match, it’s very important to move the ball within tight areas, to create overloads and to understand how to use space.

The result is that, in turn, this improves decision-making and technique.

In this training session, we’re fully focused on technique and high tempo passing, so all passes should be below head height as we progress from short, quick combination play to longer passing passages designed to stretch play.

Equipment

1a

Number of Players

18 Session time

Session 27mins, progression 27mins, game 10mins

What do I get the players to do?

Blues and yellows are fixed in their area, but two reds can roam and press at any one time

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

1b 75

75

35

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

Blues are served the ball and begin their passing sequence as reds move forward and press

1c 75

35

Set up as shown in the diagram (1a), using the space between the penalty area and halfway line, extended outward to each touchline. Across the centre is a 4-yard channel. The practice is three teams of six.

Red defenders start in the central zone, which they can move out of, while blues and yellows remain in their zones. The server plays to the blue team (1b), who must complete six passes – all of them below head height – in transferring the ball to yellows through the central zone. Two defenders can move out of the channel and apply pressure on the ball. The remaining four defenders shuffle from side to side to try to intercept a through pass (1c).

If blues lose possession the server plays to yellows and the practice restarts with two different red defenders pressing.

Every time yellows or blues complete six passes and transfer the ball they are awarded a point.

35

14 march 2012

Half pitch

35

“All passes should be below head height as we progress from short, quick combination play to longer passing passages

Area

75 Blues complete six passes and transfer the ball. Two new pressing reds move to close down yellows

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

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quick combination play

Keith Millen LMA Ambassador Having previously turned down the role, Keith Millen accepted the job of manager at Bristol City in March 2010, securing the club’s npower Championship status for two seasons before departing Ashton Gate in October 2011.

Millen, who made his Brentford debut in 1983, made 305 appearances for the Bees, before switching to Watford in 1994, where he clocked up a further 165.

75

In the progression, we increase the difficulty for passing teams.

Now, players must transfer through one of three gates, which are protected by two red defenders. And as two reds move out of the middle zone to press, another enters from the back of the area to apply pressure from behind (2a/2b).

Finally, and using the lessons learnt, we move to a 12v6 scenario (3). The team that relinquishes possession becomes defenders.

75 Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

What are the key things to look for technically/ tactically?

Passing and movement are key components, and we have to make sure players don’t take up the same positions each time. Passing teams must support the man on the ball and keep it moving, and shouldn’t feel forced to transfer on the sixth pass.

In the progression, bringing in the gates means passing has to be quicker in order to move red players who are protecting gates.

Bringing in gates means to transfer, blues must pass quickly and switch cleverly, which they achieve here

2b

75 Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

On the ball being transferred, two reds move out of the channel and are replaced by recovering team mates from the other area

3

75

35

15 march 2012

How do I progress the session?

35

“Passing teams must support the man on the ball and keep it moving, and 75 shouldn’t feel forced to transfer on the sixth pass.”

2a

35

Prior to that, the 45-year-old had been Under-17s manager at the club, having ended a 20-year professional playing career at City in 2003.

Each team defends for three minutes with the practice run all-in, then two-touch, then onetouch – so a total of nine minutes per team.

Removing all boundaries, blues and yellows team up to form a 12v6 possession overload game against reds

Key Ball movement Player movement Dribble

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booked: this month’s choice

Talentis overrated

Talent is Overrated What Really Separates WorldClass Performers from Everybody Else Nicholas Brealey Publishing 228pp £12.99

B

ecoming world class in any field of human endeavour is neither the consequence of hard work or Godgiven endowment”, Geoff Colvin states decisively at the opening of his investigation into what explains top performance.

These are the two most popular explanations of how greatness is achieved, yet they are not the full explanations. Lots of people work hard all their lives and never become great at what they do, and plenty of people achieve greatness without having an innate talent.

“Great performance is in our hands far more than many of us ever suspected,” he suggests. So what is the secret?

Modern research into high performance in many fields has shown that something called “deliberate practice” plays an

16 march 2012

important role, and in essence Colvin’s book is an exploration of what this means, and the implications.

Precisely what role deliberate practice plays remains a matter of some debate, with questions outstanding about exactly what needs to be practised and how, and, still more about where the passion, motivation and dedication required to carry out such practice comes from.

So what is deliberate practice and what use might it be to a soccer coach? Colvin is good at explaining what it isn’t and many of us will recognise his personal example of “practising” golf at the driving range. He turns up, grabs a couple of buckets of balls and does what he always does - hits a few short shorts, a few long shots, and quite a few bad shots. It feels like practice, but on reflection it’s not doing much, if anything, for his game.

“Occasionally I realise that I should stop to think about why the shot was bad. There seem to be

“We have to identify the painful, difficult activities that will make our players better and do those things over and over.”

about 5,000 things you can do wrong when hitting a golf ball, so I pick one of them and work on it a bit, convincing myself that I can sense improvement, until I hit another bad one, at which point I figure I should probably also work on another one of the 5,000 things.”

So this certainly is not deliberate practice.

Anders Ericsson, the researcher who coined the phrase, described it as something that isn’t work and isn’t play but something unique.

There are several elements: • It is activity specifically designed to improve performance, often with a teacher’s help.

• It can be repeated a lot.

• Feedback on results is continuously available.

• It’s highly demanding mentally – whether an intellectual or physical challenge.

• It isn’t much fun.

So deliberate practice isn’t what most of us do when we are www.elitesoccercoaching.net

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booked: this month’s choice

“practising”, or coaching our team, and it is most certainly a recipe for not having fun. According to Colvin: “Doing things we know how to do well is enjoyable, and that’s exactly the opposite of what deliberate practice demands.”

What would a soccer coaching regime based on deliberate practice look like? Well a positive start is that the team has a coach in the first place; a coach with a knowledge of how performance is developed and improved is even better. By observation a coach can see things that the players cannot. However, here’s betting that in a majority of soccer clubs on a Sunday morning the sessions do not fit the deliberate practice template, that they are not designed specifically for improvement, and that they are more likely chosen on a whim with little planning.

Let’s start with the first element.

The key word here is ‘designed’.

Someone has to choose the best practice activity and to make it stretch an individual beyond his or her current abilities. This is done by identifying certain sharply defined elements of performance that need to be improved, and then working intently on them.

We need not dwell on from the second element that ‘it can

“Doing things we know how to do well is enjoyable, and that’s exactly the opposite of what deliberate practice demands.”

Geoff Colvin

Here at Elite Soccer, we value highly the knowledge and judgement of you, our subscribers. Over the past few months we’ve been delighted to put forward some fantastic coaching literature that examines

17 march 2012

be repeated a lot’ as coaching drills are inherently repeatable.

The third, ‘feedback on results is continuously available’, is also true in a coached environment, and this puts a big responsibility on the coach to provide individual and accurate feedback. One has to be on the case on every individual – commenting, cajoling, encouraging – and given that this is in essence fault correction, they are probably not going to enjoy the experience.

Fourthly, the fact that it is ‘highly demanding mentally’ presents issues for groups of 20 or more 14 year-old soccer players in terms of concentration span, ability to engage, motivation, willingness to learn and not muck around, and so on.

And finally ‘it isn’t much fun’. This goes to the root of the purpose of sport and coaching an amateur team. What are we doing it for?

To win matches at all costs? To have fun? To develop world class performers? There is unlikely to be a consensus among the players, their parents or even the coaches.

Why would you invite your players to come along and not have fun every week? They probably wouldn’t come. The reality is probably that the painful, deliberate practice should form just a part of the

the psychological side of sports practice, but there are undoubtedly a number of gems we’ve not uncovered.

We’d like to hear from you if there’s a coaching book that has really helped to shape and focus your side. Contact us at elitesoccer@greenstarmedia.net, and we’ll

coaching regime, other elements of which are game play and which are very much fun and enjoyable.

All of this points to one very hard fact. Even if we as coaches wanted nothing else than to produce great performances from our players there are massive hurdles in the execution required just to set off on the road.

As Colvin points out, instead of doing what we are good at, we need to insistently seek out what we are not good at. We have to identify the painful, difficult activities that will make our players better and do those things over and over. Practice is all about pushing our players just beyond what they can currently do.

There’s more in this book about applying these principles in our lives and in organisations, but if it all seems a little daunting, consider this - as Colvin points out, if the activities that lead to greatness were easy and fun, then everyone would do them and they would not distinguish the best from the rest.

“The reality that deliberate practice is hard can even be seen as good news. It means that most people won’t do it. So your willingness to do it will distinguish you all the more.”

Precisely.

look to showcase the best going forward.

In striving to make Elite Soccer the ultimate monthly soccer coaching title, we’re always keen to hear your feedback on the magazine’s content - be that our book reviews, bonus manager features, or the coaching sessions themselves.

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EXTRA-TIME

brendan rogers /swansea city the ball. I don’t think there’s a right or a wrong way to do it. You have to win games, but the coach’s own philosophy will determine the way a team plays.

Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers gives an insight into a coaching philosophy that has won the Welsh club many admirers in their first season as a Barclays Premier League club.

Y

Y

ou’re known as one of the most progressive coaches in the game - what are the main elements of your philosophy?

In terms of coaching I like my players to be technically strong and to understand the game tactically, but I also think it’s vital to maximise the extent to which every player can play the game. It’s also very important to understand the human needs element of players.

In terms of the actual philosophy, I like my teams to be attractive and creative, but also with good tactical discipline, and that is really the core of all our work each and every day.

H

ow beneficial was it for you to inherit a squad of technically accomplished players at Swansea who were used to a flowing, attractive style? Did that make it easier for you to make immediate progress?

Certainly Swansea is a club with a tradition of having teams that play good football, and obviously they changed their structure when Roberto Martinez changed from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3. From that moment on the club brought in coaches and managers who understood that way of working and playing. That enabled me to fast-track and implement my own ideas into the group.

They’d had a very good year in the Championship where they finished eighth. Paulo Sousa took over and did an excellent job and they reached seventh position, and then I had the big challenge to take the club forward on a very limited budget.

So it was really about trying to implement my own ideas, but the core of the group knew and believed in that way of playing. It was then a case of developing and improving

18 march 2011

that way rather than having to create it right from the beginning.

H

as there been a change in the perception of how a promoted team should play, in light of the success enjoyed in recent years by free-flowing sides like West Bromwich Albion, Reading and Blackpool?

I honestly don’t think there is a right or a wrong way to play. You are judged on your results. West Brom played some fantastic football under Tony Mowbray, were in the Barclays Premier League, and when they were relegated they were told they were too naive.

Watford came up and were a breath of fresh air for the first few months, and they went direct and long. Aidy Boothroyd didn’t have a lot of time after they got promoted to change his style so they went with the philosophy that got them promoted.

And after a few months when they lost some games, everyone was telling them they should be passing

“Ilikemy teamstobe attractive and creative, butalso withgood tactical discipline, andthatis reallythe coreofall ourwork eachand everyday.”

ou mentioned implementing a 4-3-3 formation. How much did your time at Chelsea with Jose Mourinho contribute to your development? Do you still stay in touch with Mourinho?

Yes, I do stay in touch with him.

But it wasn’t just at Chelsea that I came round to that way of thinking. I have always coached my teams like that. From 20 years of age I studied in Spain and travelled throughout Europe, to understand the structure and the formation of 4-3-3.

I had always done that as a youth coach, but obviously going to Chelsea allowed me to work with players at the very highest level, both youths and seniors. It also allowed me to explore and experiment with how far you can take that system with really good players.

Y

ou and Andre Villas-Boas worked with Mourinho, while a large number of Sir Alex Ferguson’s ex-players have gone on to manage.

What is it about top managers that seems to rub off on the people they work with?

I think you obviously have your own ambition, and you need people to give you a chance, who think you have the capacity to work at that level. But obviously when you get the chance to work with such managers it gives you a chance to learn from the best and develop, and Jose was a fantastic influence for me.

When you move into management, you’re working alone, you can’t look to imitate or be anyone else, and you have to carry your own ideas with you. But the more experience you have the better, and I have been very fortunate to be able to work with lots of very good managers. I have then hopefully been intelligent enough to take on board the good and the bad, and work it into my own identity. www.elitesoccercoaching.net