WELCOME…
September 29 2010 ›› Issue 179 Under 4s - Under 16s
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... to Soccer Coach Weekly. This week we’re crammed full of top tactical insight, combining a defensive lead move with a versatile small-sided game, a brilliant warm-up plus expert opinion from professional coaches and players alike. Enjoy the issue...
SUPERB SUPPORT
A simple move that will teach centre-backs exactly where they can position themselves to be most effective in both defensive and offensive situations.
THE PROGRESSIVE DEFENDER
Youth coaches will often spend a lot of time getting attackers moving into positions where they can get a shot on target, but will direct rather less energy on the defensive player covering their half of the pitch. This player has an important role in repelling attacks and getting in the way of shots, but when possession is won, there’s a crucial progressive role that, if perfected, can transform defenders into vital supporting players for your own attacks. It’s all about the position they take up when play begins to move upfield. Providing they’re not full-backs, being central is key, but so too is filling space so that they’re neither playing too deep nor venturing too far forward. Here is a move that will really help young players get an idea of where they should be in both supporting the attack and covering in defence.
Getting started:
l On a 30x20 yard pitch, play 3v2. l Start with the rear defender on his own goal line and tell players to attack. l His role is to follow the two strikers, being available for exchanges of passes, but not progressing further than halfway up the pitch. l When a move comes to an end, restart with the rear defender.
THE PROGRESSIVE DEFENDER 1 rear support
rear support
rear support
In this 3v2, the rear support player passes to one of the attackers and is open to a return pass
2
rear cover
rear cover rear cover
The key elements:
l In this position the progressive defender has two roles: to be used as support should the ball need to be laid back, and also to cover any potential opposition breakaways. l Players need to think about the angle and distance of support.
Why this works:
l Players need to think about the angle and distance of support. Getting this right means the supporting player has a full range of vision, can receive the ball comfortably and has space to pass the ball to a team-mate. In addition, he can move forward into space in front yet is positioned well so as to be ready for an attacking move coming back the other way.
Then the rear support player moves to a position in the centre of the pitch to cover any potential breakaways
run run run
pass pass pass
area covered area areacovered covered
y this! Now tr
How can I progress this? (See Now Try This!)
l In an area 40x30 yards, mark out two 10-yard end zones. l Play a 4v4 where the goalkeeper takes on the rear support role. l When in possession, the team is not allowed in their end zone. l The aim is for the rear support player to move quickly out of their end zone to provide cover in the middle of the park. l In the diagram shown, the whites have possession. The grey team’s covering player moves back into their end zone to cover the goal while the rear support player for the white team moves out of the end zone l Play normal match rules, but each time a team wins possession, check that both sides’ support players are in the correct positions.
10 yds
20 yds
10 yds
The white support player must be outside his 10-yard area but not further forward than halfway
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COACHING COLLECTION
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Warm-up KING OF THE RING
How to set it up: l Place your group of
players in the centre circle – use a few at a time or get the whole squad to go head-to-head. l Give a ball to each player.
Key elements
Protect what you’ve got, or go on the offensive?
KING OF THE RING
l Control l Awareness l Strength l Timing
Players shield the own ball while attempting to tackle opponents
Getting started:
l On your whistle, each player must dribble the ball around inside the centre circle. l The aim is to protect their own ball while tackling and dispossessing others. l A dispossessed player has to leave the circle. l The last player left in the area is crowned the King of the Ring
Why this works:
This is a great warm-up that combines lots of different elements, most notably awareness and control. You’ll quickly see which players go out on the offensive and which attempt to shield their ball at all cost. The warm-up keeps players on the move, and teaches them to protect and shield the ball using their legs and body.
SAID LIKE A PRO We ask some of the game’s professionals about their training ground gripes, past and present. This week, it’s Chesterfield striker Drew Talbot. “I don’t mind mini-games and small-sided games in training, but give me a full-on training ground match and I’m in my element. I’ve always been one of those footballers who can get frustrated with rehearsing moves and practicing technical elements time and again. Really, I just want to get on and take part in something competitive, and a lot of the lads here at Chesterfield are the same. “I think the manager and his coaches recognise that fact, so they’re always keen to get us taking part in competitive drills and games that are as relevant as possible to the sort of stuff we’ll encounter on a matchday. “For me, you can’t beat an 11v11 match. It allows players to put those technical bits into practice, although managers always fear that training ground injuries are most likely when you’ve got two teams going head-to-head. I’ve seen a few over the years, but I think what you might lose in the odd knock, you gain in the fact this feels like
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proper game time, and it gives players a chance to impress as well. At the end of the day, mini-games are always good for short, intense drills, but they don’t give you a fair representation of what happens on a Saturday. “I always feel I’m lucky to be involved in football and I’d always tell kids to keep battling through the adversity. I broke my leg twice in the space of two years between the ages of 15 and 17 and just felt that football wasn’t worth it anymore. I didn’t step on to a football field for eight months and then one of my ex-coaches at school invited me to play for his local side. That ignited the fire again. Sheffield Wednesday spotted me soon afterwards and I’ve not looked back since really, but it could have been very different for me, so I’d always tell kids to keep on battling.”
“I felt that football wasn’t worth it anymore”
FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHIES... Say What
Do you sometimes feel you sound like a broken record with your instructions? If you are getting a little tired of saying the same things then it’s a safe bet that your players are starting to tune out too. Here’s a list of four ways to help maintain your players’ concentration: “Come on, be like Ronaldo” Put forward an icon that the players can liken themselves to. They want to be like their heroes, so offer the comparison and you’ll find they will go the extra yard. “Five more minutes then lads” You shouldn’t expect your kids to do something aimlessly. Give them a time target and they’ll work to the end rather than losing interest. “Do it for me” If your players like and respect you, there’s no doubt they’ll put in that extra bit of effort if you ask for it as a favour. “We’ve done so well up until now” No-one wants to blot their copybook, so reinforce how much your group has achieved all the way through. They won’t want to ruin some good work by letting their performances drop off.
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COACHING COLLECTION TouchLine Tales
IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED... My coaching word for this week is ‘perseverance’. I heard Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson talking about the attributes that make a good coach and that was the first one he named – and having been in the management game for 36 years, he’s likely to know! Within a few days, I had experienced why this is such an important part of a coach’s toolkit. I was trying out a new session for my Under-10s, an exercise that uses movement, coordination, passing, receiving and sprinting – you’ll see it in Soccer Coach Weekly in a couple of weeks. I know sometimes when directing exercises with young players in front of their parents it can be a bit awkward for you, particularly if the players don’t understand immediately what it is they have to do. I ran the exercise a couple of times and it was not going well. It needed some finetuning and a few re-run demonstrations for the players to understand what I wanted. It was eating into my coaching time but I thought it was worth persevering with it. After 10 minutes they were still struggling but suddenly one of the players shouted “got it,
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Dave!” Instinctively, he showed the others how it worked. And with demonstrations from both of us, the whole squad got the hang of it. It still took time to really get things motoring, but we played the exercise for the next 20 minutes and I took notes on how to change it... how to make it easier to understand for my Soccer Coach Weekly readers.
and told me what a great session it was. Rest assured he wouldn’t have said that at the start, but as a group we persevered, and took home our rewards.
“After 10 minutes they were still struggling but suddenly one of the players shouted ‘got it, Dave!’” It had worked in the end but only because I was prepared to persevere with the session, and thanks in no small part to some visual aids and a player who could help me to show the others how to do it. After the session, a coach from one of our other teams (who had caught the final 10 minutes) came up
scw Surgery THIS WEEK’S COACH: Steve Thornber AGE GROUP: 9-12 YEAR-OLDS Steve Thornber is professional League Two side Rotherham United’s youth-team manager
Q
I have a young player who is 12 and very skilful, but small and light, and he gets knocked off the ball a lot. I have thought of putting a big lad in central midfield with him. What do you suggest? Mack Bygrave, Dibden Purlieu In our experiences with a player of slight stature, we’ve tended to play three boys in midfield to protect him. Not only do those players shield the smaller player, but through being involved in the physical toing and froing in the centre of the park, we sometimes find that the smaller guy will improve their own physical presence because they feel better protected and have more confidence. The other option is to start the smaller player a bit further out from the hustle and bustle in the middle and play him on the wing. Given his build, it may well be that he’s quick as well, so you can protect him on the wing and utilise other aspects of his game for the benefit of the team.
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Q
Some of my players seem to be scared of heading the ball and it’s costing us points. It’s now a psychological thing. How can I change their mindset? Tom Berkovic, Detroit If it’s just a case of the size of other players coming in for aerial battles, or that they are simply just scared of heading the ball, then sorting out their technique, and practicing again and again should correct that. Heading is something that can get overlooked by coaches in favour of stuff on the deck, but if you can crack it early, it will really benefit youngsters. Gradually building things up will help, starting with technical work, like getting players to throw their neck and torso into heading. Then train them against ‘semi-defenders’ – defenders who are in there but not really challenging – and increase the intensity again by putting players in full aerial combat. It’s all about confidencebuilding. Most kids at this age just want to play matches, so it can be difficult, but introduce specific heading requirements into small-sided games and you’ll find it will become much more natural for them.
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Q
We are a team in Blackpool who are looking to go on tour at the end of the summer. Where is the best place to go for a European challenge? Kim Caulker, Blackpool Holland is a destination I would strongly recommend. It seems you always get good facilities there and it’s not too far to travel. We all know about the quality of opposition on offer, and there is a common belief that kids over there are coached in the right way, with technical skills high a priority. Most importantly though is to approach any kind of tour – be that at home or abroad – as a lot more than just putting your team up against another side. The real benefit from any break should be that you are learning off the opposition, in doing so uncovering ideas that may benefit your own side.
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Got a question for SCW Surgery? Email it in to us at james.evans@coach-soccer.com
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: james.evans@coach-soccer.com Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Fax: +44 (0)1483 894148 Editor: James Evans Publisher: Kevin Barrow Managing Director: Andrew Griffiths Customer Service: Duncan Heard Designer: Isobel Cardew Contributors: David Clarke, Paul Dargan, Mike Ronald, Steve Southern © Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
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TACTICAL TALK
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THE ART OF COACHING CHILDREN This is a great game for angles of defence and changing roles in attack.
PLAYING AWAY FROM HOME(WORK)
You are limited to one or two football sessions a week, so should aim to improve your players even when they’re not on the training ground. Set out a weekly plan and have the players keep a diary of their daily physical activity, as other forms of exercise can add to their football development. Some players will respond to this, others might find it a struggle. Give your players tasks to work on from session to session, just like football ‘homework’, although don’t use that word, as it may well put some players off. Perhaps you can call it “extras” or “add-ons”. Check that the tasks you gave each player have been completed, for instance by asking them to demonstrate them at the next session.
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What tasks can you give the players? Ball control exercises Any type of juggling, trapping, flicking will serve your players well. Ask them to make up a 30-second performance.
Movement skills Dodging, stopping quickly, accelerating, moving backwards, or sideways. Again, have the players make up their own movement circuit and demonstrate it at the next session. Kicking skills Chipping, curling, or firing the ball at pace is good. Kicking accuracy games such as Football Golf (see Nostalgia Nod below) are very enjoyable, and can be played by a lone player or in groups.
“Check that the tasks you gave each player have been completed, for instance by asking them to demonstrate them at the next session...”
Observational skills Remember, not every type of homework has to be in the practical sense. Your players should be encouraged to watch as much football on the television (or better still, live) as their parents deem appropriate. Encourage youngsters to reference and observe as much as possible. For as many who write down a spectacular overhead kick, you’ll get the same number who comment on a box-to-box midfielder’s tireless running or a goalkeeper’s instructions when lining up a wall. Another thing to consider is that working on their own can be limiting for kids. Encourage the players to ask their mum or dad to help in these situations by feeding the ball to strike or being the target for the pass. You may be surprised at just how much your players can round their technique in between training sessions, and the parents will undoubtedly enjoy playing their part also.
NOSTALGIA NOD ›› No.8: Football Golf Football philosophy: For the troublemaker in class who would nudge you on the shoulder keen to bet you a sherbert fountain that he could hit the teacher on the head with a rubber... this was the outdoors version. What was it? Put very simply, this was a slightly warped version of the game of golf. The football was the golf ball, the hole was a designated object (usually a bin or the bottom of a tree stump), and the golf club was, well... your leg, by all accounts. Courses would be marked out from afar, a distant object picked and a shot rating attributed to the hole. Players would then drive, chip and caress the ball towards said hole, adding on a stroke for each shot taken. Who kept score? Players would record their own scores, but much like the real thing, you were always keeping a watchful eye on others, particularly when your tee partner would find himself
in a hazard (for bunkers, read ‘school sandpit’). Any other obstructions? Yes, hundreds of them, and they went by the name of ‘pupils’. Playing this at school often ended in disaster with shots being disturbed. We bet Tiger doesn’t have to put up with this sort of thing... So better played down the park? Indeed. You could be quite elaborate too, constructing woodland holes, some that extended over rivers and others that involved adventure playground rides. Technique? A football may have seemed clumsy in comparison to a golf ball, but shots that deflected off objects and around corners were always a possibility, and bending a lofted ball past a small bush was not only a potential par saver, but also a pretty good way to brush up on your technique! Often heard: “Par five if you kick it over the river, par four if you use the footbridge.”
Hole-in-ones were always a possibility
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3
1
... as were unwanted hazards shot
shot
shot
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Game on
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MIDDLE OR WIDE ADVANTAGE small-sided game MIDDLE OR WIDE ADVANTAGE player movement
ball movement
player movement
ball movement
Varying attacks with varying numbers. player movement
How to set it up
Skills
l Positioning l Pitch size: 30x20 yards (min) up to 40x25 yards (max). l Passing l This is a 4v4 game plus l Awareness two keepers. l One team plays with all four l Versatility players inside the playing area, while the other uses two on the pitch and two players out wide off the pitch.
ball movement
MIDDLE OR WIDE ADVANTAGE 1
Start with 4v2. The team in possession must look to use their use their numerical advantage to score quickly
2
The black team have won possession but the white team are forcing them inside preventing use of their wide players...
3
... but the black team manage to get the ball wide and the attack is on.
The rules White team l The white team have all four players on the pitch. When in possession they need to pass the ball quickly in order to create an opening to score a goal. In defence, this team can pressure quickly as they have the extra players who will attempt to force the black players to play inside and not towards their wide advantage. Black team l In possession, the black team need to try to pass out wide quickly. Doing this enables them to get another one of their players into the game. The receiving wide player can choose to dribble down the outside unopposed or dribble onto the pitch and attempt to score. When defending, the black team must try to drop off and reduce the space for the white team to exploit.
Why this game works
This set-up gives the teams different tactics when in possession and when defending, a mindset that needs to be extended to any full-sized game. The quick alternation between attacking and defending means speed of thought and movement are in equal demand, and the game also necessitates the need for quick breaks and clinical finishing.
Let us know how you get on. Soccer Coach Weekly is always keen to hear your feedback, so email in to us at:
james.evans@coach-soccer.com
player movement
ball movement
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