Tools, Tips & Techniques
07 October 2009 issue 128
Under 4s - Under 16s
A bad loser will not be a winner With all the coverage in the media surrounding the treatment of referees and their assistants now is a good time to make sure your team has a code of conduct and that everyone knows it, says David Clarke
Play to win, but lose with dignity A code of conduct is written to reflect the responsibilities players have to the game. Young players should be made aware of this and be made aware of what is expected of them. They should know that nobody wins all the time. You win some, you lose some and when they lose they should do so graciously. They should congratulate the winners, not blame the referee or anyone else and be determined to do better next time. Good losers earn more respect than bad winners.
Codes of conduct should include referees
Obligations towards the game – a player should: l Develop their sporting abilities in terms of skill, technique, tactics and stamina. l Give maximum effort even when the game is lost. l Set a positive example to younger players and supporters. l Never use inappropriate language. l Always keep within the laws of the sport and use fair play.
Obligations towards the team – a player should: l Know the laws, rules and spirit of the game and the competition rules. l Accept success and failure, victory and defeat, equally.
Respect towards opponents – a player should: l Treat opponents with due respect at all times. l Avoid violence, rough play and help injured players.
Respect towards officials – a player should: l Accept the decision of the match officials without protest, if a decision needs explaining the team captain should ask.
Only let your captain ask the referee about a decision that has been made if the team do not understand why it has happened.
“It is a great achievement as a coach in his first year. Well done. Fantastic. ” Manchester Utd’s Sir Alex Ferguson congratulates Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola after losing the final of the Champions League 2009
Coach development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Laws of of thecoaching game made easy The art children
~
Law 1: The field of play
Are coaches, players or parents at your club struggling with the laws of the game? This series will break them down into easy to digest chunks.
Law 1: The field of play corner flagpost
width: max 100yds - min 50yds
(compulsory)
penalty mark
optional mark
flagpost
(optional)
radius 10yds
max 13
centre mark
10yds 10yds
0yds - m
penalty arc
halfway line
12yds
ds
goal area
in 100y
goal line
touch li
ne
length:
centre circle
penalty area
18yds
corner arc
6yds
optional mark
10yds
18yds
8yds
radius 1yd
6yds
11-a-side games – recommended pitch size all ages
The length of the touch line must be greater than the length of the goal line.
l Length (touch line): minimum 100 yards maximum 130 yards. l Width (goal line): minimum 50 yards maximum 100 yards. l All lines must be of the same width, which must be not more than 5 inches.
Small-sided games – recommended pitch sizes l Under 6, 7 and 8 years of age: 35 yards x 25 yards. l Under 9 and 10 years of age: 45 yards x 35 yards. l Under 11 and 12 years of age: 70 yards x 50 yards.
David Clarke’s touchline tales Sometimes a team is better off without the best player His dad asked me why I had taken off his son, ‘the best You often read about managers falling out with players in player on the team’. When I explained that I was giving the top teams, the latest being at Aston Villa in the English Premier League, between Nigel Reo-Coker and Martin O’Neill. him a rest and someone else a chance he wasn’t happy. I explained I wanted his son to stand and watch what was happening in the game so he could learn from watching as But, this also happens in youth soccer. Some players don’t well as playing – and perhaps find his goalscoring touch. like being substituted or being told to play a certain way. It isn’t great for the team. I had a good U14s attacker who was going through a period where he was missing chances. Off they both went and emailed me the next day to say the boy was no longer going to play in the team. Sad really, So to give the team a change I took him off, and was surprised to see him standing some distance away with his but had the dad supported me the boy would have been a much better player. arms folded obviously in a mood. 2
07 October 2009
Player development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Technique
Advance the pass
Advance your players’ passing run 1
G F E
B
This advanced passing and moving exercise gets players thinking about where they are moving as they control and pass the ball. It helps young players perfect the weight and accuracy of the pass while they are on the move and looking around them for the player to pass to.
A
pass D
4
1
C
3
2
A starts with a pass to B who returns it and runs towards the next cone. A controls the ball and looks up for C. 2
G F E
1
D
4
A
How to set it up 2
Set up an area 30 yards x 20 yards, with a cone at each corner. Have a number of players at the first cone and one player on the next three cones.
3
B
C
A passes to C who passes back to B, turns and runs towards the next cone. B controls and looks to pass to D.
The game is continuous but because there is a lot of passing and movement it relies on your players to listen and then perform the tasks using good technique, running and passing skills.
3
G F E
A
What you want to see in your players l Follow the steps in the diagram. Your players will have to concentrate as you talk them through the steps. Read the diagram carefully so you can see how the ball is moving around the cones. l Make sure your players are concentrating on all the aspects of the exercise – passing, controlling, awareness and moving with ease around the cones. Explain to them that the weight of the pass and accuracy of the pass are vital to the exercise. l When you have run the exercise for around 10 minutes (or less if you are only using a few players) have a drinks break then tell your players you want to see them do it again at full speed for five minutes. They will either be brilliant at it or have a great deal of fun and laugher trying to be brilliant at it! l End with a small-sided game where you want to see some of the aspects the players have learned in the session.
D
4
1
C
B
2
B passes to D who passes back to C, turns and runs towards the next cone. C controls and looks to find E. 4
G F
D 1
4
E A
2
C
3
B
C passes to E who joins in at the first cone. E passes back to D, turns and gets ready to receive a second pass this time from A. D passes to A then joins the back of the queue. A then passes to E turns and runs to the next cone. E looks for B to pass to.
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07 October 2009
Games workshop
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Small-sided game
4v4 front and back goals
KEY BALL MOVEMENT
SHOT ON GOAL
PLAYER MOVEMENT
This unusual set up is more reminiscent of an ice hockey game than soccer, but it’s a great way to get players to think about where space is on the pitch, then to cover space and attack that space.
Set up l Pitch size: 30 x 20 yards (minimum) up to 40 x 25 yards (maximum). l Two teams of four players. l Four mini goals arranged as shown.
1. Quick passing and movement will create chances to score.
Rules l The idea is to get around the back of the goals quickly to take advantage when teams have been defending one goal leaving space at the other goals. l You are looking for players to exploit this space with clever passes. l Encourage players to try and chip over the goals to players running around the back. l Or try to wrong foot defenders by passing to the side when they think a chip is on. l The teams can score in the front and back of any goal. l The game is played for a set time period.
2. Tell them to use the full length of the pitch to create chances.
THE MATCH DAY PLANNER IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD AT: www.bettersoccercoaching.com/MDP.pdf
3. But if they’re not quick enough they’ll soon be closed down.
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: david.clarke@coach-soccer.com Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Fax: +44 (0)1483 894148 Editor David Clarke Publisher Kevin Barrow Managing Director Andrew Griffiths Customer Service Representative Duncan Heard © Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
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07 October 2009