BE AN INSTANT HIT MAKE YOUR FIRST COACHING SESSION A SUCCESS
WEEKLY
SOCCER COACH SCORE Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy
LIKE MESSI NET BUSTING DRILLS FOR YOUR STRIKERS
January 23, 2013 • Issue 300
SHAKE IT UP WHY CHANGES CAN HELP LIONEL MESSI MADE TO SCORE GOALS
<
QUICK FIX
SIMPLE CONFIDENCE BOOSTERS
REPEL AIRBORNE ATTACKS COACHING ADVICE TAP-INS COUNT TOO
THE BEST SOCCER TRAINING GAMES EVERY WEEK!
26
TIPS FOR TEAM TALKS
WHAT DO YOU DO IF A PROBLEM PLAYER ASKS TO JOIN YOUR TEAM?
Contents
Practice Makes Perfect BE AN INSTANT HIT MAKE YOUR FIRST COACHING SESSION A SUCCESS
WEEKLY
SOCCER COACH SCORE Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy
LIKE MESSI
January 23, 2013 • Issue 300
SHAKE IT UP WHY CHANGES CAN HELP LIONEL MESSI MADE TO SCORE GOALS
<
NET BUSTING DRILLS FOR YOUR STRIKERS
QUICK FIX
SIMPLE CONFIDENCE BOOSTERS
THE BEST SOCCER TRAINING GAMES
REPEL AIRBORNE ATTACKS COACHING ADVICE TAP-INS COUNT TOO
EVERY WEEK!
26
TIPS FOR TEAM TALKS
WHAT DO YOU DO IF A PROBLEM PLAYER ASKS TO JOIN YOUR TEAM?
Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 300
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK.
Telephone
+44 (0)1483 892894
Editor Chris Hunt chris.hunt@greenstarmedia.net
Head Coach David Clarke david.clarke@coach-soccer.com
Contributors Bill Beswick, James Evans, Harry Gilbert Illustrations Mike Ronald Pictures Action Images, Nick Webster Production ATG Media Production
It’s funny, when you’re watching a match and a goal is scored, how often do you hear someone say: “that was just a tap-in – I could have scored that”. But it’s important not to forget that it was the movement in the build up to the goal and the decision to stay with the attack that often creates simple tap-ins. Talk to Lionel Messi about tap-ins. He scored a record-breaking 91 goals in 2012 and he would be the first to tell you that simple tap-ins count for just as much as his spectacular drives and dribbles. If the player wasn’t there to put the ball in the net, the team wouldn’t score. Tap-ins or rebounds are like the last putt in golf – they’re just as important as a huge drive down the fairway. A big part of a striker’s job is being in the right place at the right time, following up shots in order to put rebounds into the back of the net. In a youth game spectacular goals are a rarity but rebounds are plentiful. Young players can learn a lot from watching Messi – not just from his sublime skills but he also regularly demonstrates how important it is to be in the right place at the right time. You can always count on him to pop up and tap the ball into the net after it has been parried by a keeper. A good striker will always anticipate a rebound or be in the right place to finish off a move. I like my strikers to follow any
Designer Jamie Leeson
In this issue...
Publisher Kevin Barrow
3
kevin.barrow@ bettersoccercoaching.com
Customer Services Duncan Heard duncanh@greenstarmedia.net
Managing Director Andrew Griffiths (c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Click here to read the full disclaimer. To subscribe to Soccer Coach Weekly call Duncan Heard on +44 (0)1483 892894 or subscribe online here
SCORE LIKE MESSI
He scored 91 goals in a calendar year but can you coach your players to score like Lionel Messi?
4 EXPLODE INTO THE BOX
Young players can learn from Messi’s example
“A good striker will be in the right place to anticipate a rebound” shots on goal, however feeble they are, because young keepers often push the ball away rather than risk catching it, giving predatory attackers a second chance to score. Supporting strikers should never stop running, as they may be the ones that get the rebound coming their way. Having the ability to finish off moves is vital to the development of young footballers. A confident bunch of players makes for a much better team and increases the opportunities of success. There is nothing more disheartening for the whole team when chances are not taken. And it
8 DEFENSIVE HEADING
If your defenders want to be as good as Nemanja Vidic, they have to use their heads
10 HEADS YOU WIN
5
11
SOCCER SURGERY
Your questions answered, including confidence boosting advice for coaches on a losing streak
6 THE PERFECT TEAM TALK 12 THE BIG DEBATE
Leading sports psychologist Bill Beswick reveals the secrets behind delivering the perfect team talk
TIP OF THE WEEK
Show young players the basics of heading with this simple exercise Help your team improve the timing and direction of their headers
Get your players to turn and shoot just like Messi with this attacking exercise that improves ball control
David Clarke
9 HEADSTART
A dynamite ‘Messi drill’ to test the pace and accuracy of your players with the ball
GOALSCORER
takes practice to get it right. Look at any of the top finishers in the world and behind their success you will find hours and hours of practice, both in training sessions and on their own. You need your players to practice as often as possible, using sessions that will help them perfect their finishing technique. Otherwise you’ll end up standing on the touchline on match day with your head in your hands.
A well known ‘problem player’ wants to join your team – what should you do?
Shake It Up If you’re coaching a mid table team safe from relegation and out of the promotion race, your players may lack the desire to win. Shake it up by bringing in new players, changing the playing system or trying players in new positions.
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SCORE LIKE MESSI Score like Messi and you could be celebrating like this
“There are three players who are better than the rest: Iniesta, Ronaldo and Messi. But the best is Messi. There is nobody who can do the things he does”
- Brazil’s Neymar praises the skills of Lionel Messi
Score Like Messi Lionel Messi may have broken all goal scoring records last year but is it possible to coach your players to emulate his skills? Can you get them to score like Messi?
I
n a truly breathtaking run of form last year, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi reminded world soccer why so many people regard him as one of the greatest footballers of all time, hitting the net a phenomenal 91 times in one calendar year. While it is unlikely that your strikers will notch up anywhere near the tally achieved by the incredible Argentinian, working on some of the skills that make Messi such a formidable marksman will undoubtedly improve the fortunes of your team and help to get your forwards scoring more goals. But what is it that makes Messi so good? Is it his composure on the ball or the simplicity of his world beating dribbling skills? Is it his incredible acceleration, the perfect timing of his runs, or the low centre of gravity that has gifted him such fantastic balance? Cynics have tried to suggest that being blessed with creative providers such
as Xavi and Iniesta hasn’t hindered his goal tally, but in any team his abilities would be judged as extraordinary. “Messi is the best player in the world,” argued Zlatan Ibrahimovic recently, himself no slouch with the ball. “He plays like he’s on PlayStation, it’s unbelievable. People who say otherwise either don’t know anything about football or are just talking nonsense.” If Leo himself is to be believed, his abilities originally came from a passion for the sport and a familiarity with the ball – something that most of your players should relate to. “First of all you’ve got to love the game,” he has said. “From the age of three I played every day: every morning, afternoon and night.” If regular ball work has paid dividends for Messi, this is something that can be encouraged in all youngsters. There are also certain of his skills and techniques that you can coach on the
training ground, such as how to time those surging runs, when to attack the space behind a defender, and how to play the wonderful one-touch tiki-taka that he enjoys so much at Barcelona. We have two activities on the following pages that will help with these skills – try them in training and soon your players could be scoring like Messi.
Words by:
Chris Hunt Activities by:
David Clarke
The Hot 91 Lionel Messi scored 91 goals in 2012. This is where he scored them… La Liga: 59 Copa Del Rey: 5 Spanish Super Cup: 2 Champions League: 13 World Cup Qualifiers: 5 International Friendlies: 7
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SCORE LIKE MESSI
Explode Into The Box Exploding into the box is one of Lionel Messiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most effective attacking weapons. Get your players to try this drill and they too could be destroying defences in seconds
WHY USE IT
When attacking, runs into the box need energy, changes of pace and changes of direction. Players need to experience how short bursts of speed and movement can be explosive near the goal.
Mark out an area of 25x20 yards, with a goal at one end and two five-yard channels at the other. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re using eight players. You need balls, bibs, cones and a goal.
HOW TO PLAY In the first channel a server has five balls ready to play into two attackers in the main area. The two players in the second area must play like Messi and burst into the box but they cannot move until one of the attackers in the main area touches the ball. Defenders score a point by returning the ball to the server. Rotate all players after five balls have been played.
TECHNIQUE
The movement should open up space for a runner to receive the ball and burst past the defenders to shoot at goal
s 15yd
s yd 20
SET UP
The server plays the ball into an attacker, releasing the runners into the box
5yds
5yds
s 15yd
The players without the ball should try and drag defenders away to make space in the box
Defenders must try to hold up play but good passing will create space and a switch from one side to the other is a good way to exploit it
Timing of runs is vital to success when two or three passes are made to set up a chance at goal If the keeper or a defender wins the ball they must try to get it back to the server to score a point
The timing and type of run from the two attackers will determine how effective the move is. Attackers must make decisions based on what they see ahead of them and where the space in front of goal is. Be sure to note the score after five balls, then rotate the players to see which are the most effective Lionel Messis
Player movement
Ball movement
Shot
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SCORE LIKE MESSI
Goalscorer Get your players to turn and shoot just like Messi with this attacking drill that will improve both their ball control and their shooting ability
WHY USE IT
s yd 10
SET UP
s yd 25
Use an area 25x25 yards with a goal at each end. Put two passive defenders or cones on the halfway line, about 10 yards in from each touchline.
HOW TO PLAY A pass is played into the attacker who must use only three touches to control, turn and shoot. The defenders can only shadow the players not tackle. Make the defenders active once your players are turning and shooting with ease. Because the game is continuous, rotate the defenders every five turns.
TECHNIQUE This is a great set up for players to practice using a technique like a hook turn and then using their instep or the front of their foot to hit the target. Players should be encouraged to use both feet. Speed is of great importance so encourage fast runs to the cone and quick turns. Having only three touches will help speed up the action but it requires more skill so some players may need more touches.
Player movement
A
s yd 10
Creating space in the penalty box with a simple turn and shot is vital to the success of any striker. It gives attackers the edge over defenders when they turn in the area
Player at A runs into the centre to receive a pass from B. He must control, turn and shoot. The passive defenders can try to block but cannot tackle
s 25yd
B
Player B follows the pass and now becomes the centre player Player B turns the opposite way to control, turn and shoot
A
B
Now the defenders are active, they must start at the cones and cannot move until the player in the centre has received the ball, encouraging quick play
When the players turn they should try to use a skill like the hook turn or a step over A
B
Ball movement
Shot
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THE ART OF COACHING
How To Deliver The Perfect Team Talk Say the wrong thing at the wrong time and your well-intentioned team talk could do more harm than good. Sports psychologist Bill Beswick reveals the secrets behind delivering the perfect team talk
S
ome years ago Derby County had gone on a 20 game unbeaten run and then crashed 0-3 away from home to championship rivals Sunderland. The effect in the locker room after the game was more like a disaster than a defeat. The players sat in total silence, waiting for the wrath of their fierce and straight-talking manager, Jim Smith. Jim walked in, sat down, and to everyone’s surprise he said: “Thank God for that! I don’t know about you lot but I haven’t been able to sleep at night with the pressure of this unbeaten run. “Tell you what,” he continued, “let’s all have a good two days off and then we’ll start to build a new run on Tuesday.” After that speech the Derby players picked themselves up and held their form until the end of the season – earning promotion to the Premier League. That proved the power of a well-timed team talk from a manager who knew exactly how to judge the mood of the dressing room. If you ever find yourself in a position where you need to inspire your players, you won’t go too far wrong if you use this quick but perfect team meeting from Jim Smith as a model. It had all the qualities that coaches should consider in their efforts to hold the perfect team meeting with their own players. So, read on to see why Jim Smith’s team talk was so perfect…
> 01 It was needed
Only get the team together when there is something to say to them.
> 02 It was appropriate
The team really needed to know how to feel after their defeat.
> 03 It was relevant
Jim didn’t talk about the past in his team talk, he focused on the future.
> 12 It changed the story Great team meetings take players from negative thinking back to positive thinking.
> 13 It succeeded
Jim was not worried about losing (it was bound to happen) but about the possible impact of the loss.
> 14 It cleared the mess
> 04 It was concise
After he’d finished, the team talk left all the players on the same (positive) page .
> 05 It was effective
>> MORE TOP TEAM TALK TIPS ON THE NEXT PAGE
It’s not what you know that’s important, it’s what the players can take. With this team talk Jim made sure that a defeat did not turn into a slump.
Sports psychologist Bill Beswick recalls Derby County manager Jim Smith (below) giving the perfect team talk
> 06 It was clear
He spoke to his players in simple, understandable and emphatic language.
> 07 It had personality Jim Smith at his best – he was a big football character in action in the dressing room.
> 08 It motivated
In this case his talk re-motivated a team that could have collapsed.
> 09 It bonded
The message brought the team back together. Nobody was blamed and Jim took the responsibility.
> 10 IT WAS the right PLACE The message was best delivered where it should have been – in the locker room.
> 11 It was immediate Picture: ©iStockphoto.com/greenstarmedia
A coach has to be proactive when a problem is emerging and solve it quickly.
Left: Make your team talk concise
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Score THE ART more OFgoals COACHING
Make Your Team Talk Count When It Matters Follow Bill Beswick’s handy team talk hints to make your point in the dressing room and you’ll soon see the results on the pitch…
Speak to the back of the room
Make eye contact
Add some humour to relieve tension
Use visual aids where necessary, such as a flipchart
Be animated, give energy
Use stories/models to illustrate
Speak in bullet point form, not lengthy narratives
Don’t speak for more than 15 minutes Keep an upbeat tempo
Finish with a clear ‘take-home’ message
Stand where everybody can see you
Ask questions to engage players
The Best Team Talk Ever
I am a great believer in team talks because they are a fast and effective way of shaping the team mindset – and mindset is vital to performance. Preparing and giving team talks is an essential skill of the modern coach. Sometimes though, as the history of the game has shown, team talks just happen and it helps to react to your circumstances. When asked about the best team talk ever, I have to
refer back to that great coach and psychologist Brian Clough. His team Nottingham Forest were playing badly and losing 2-0 at home. At half time the players waited in the locker room for their manager. They waited and waited and just before they had to go on for the second half Brian Clough appeared and said: “Sorry boys, my fault, picked the wrong team”. Forest went on to win the game 3-2.
About Bill Beswick
A leader in the field of applied sports psychology, Bill has worked in the English Premier League with Derby County, Manchester United, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. Visit www.billbeswick.com to learn more. Issue 300
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DEFENSIVE HEADING If you want to beat Vidic in the air, you’ll have to jump higher
Repel Airborne Attacks Great defenders seem to tower above opponents in the box. But to make your players as dominant in the air as Nemanja Vidic, you have to work hard on their heading skills
F
ootball is not all about playing with your feet – using your head can be important too. When a high ball comes into the box, a defender can’t always count on his keeper to claim it. Repelling incoming crosses is a vital skill and defenders who are able to win the ball in the air and direct it to safety are much in demand at every level. In the Premier League few do it better than Nemanja Vidic. He has proved to be one of the most dependable defenders in the country and Manchester United missed his superb aerial skills and imposing presence during his enforced absences through injury last year. A key part of his team’s recent success story, he was largely credited with United’s record-breaking run of 14 consecutive clean sheets in 2008–09, picking up the first of his two Barclays Player of the Season awards for his contribution to that campaign.
Vidic has shown he can consistently win the ball in the air. When he made his comeback last month, his manager was one of the first to extol these virtues. “He always battles for you and sticks his head on that ball in the penalty area,” said Alex Ferguson. “That is what he is great at.” Pundits had predicted a poor season for United without him but now he is back, every time a high ball flies into the box you would put money on Vidic being the player to clear it, fearlessly attacking the ball with his head. He reads the game so well that he is invariably in the right place at the right time and can be counted on to clear the ball to where United’s midfield can pick it up and counterattack. If you want your players to repel an incoming attack like Vidic, they will have to practice hard in training. Heading the ball is important but it is a difficult skill to execute with accuracy.
The most important attributes are wining the ball in the air and directing it. We have two exercises to help your players develop these skills. One is aimed at encouraging younger players get to grips with heading for the first time and we also have a more advanced drill aimed at helping players learn to clear a high ball. With a little work, they could soon be heading like Vidic.
Words by:
Harry Gilbert Activities by:
David Clarke
HOW TO Clear The Ball With A HeadER The aim of defensive headers is to achieve distance and height in order to keep the ball away from the goal and give your defence more time to become organised. To clear with their heads, your players should... > Keep their eyes below the ball > Head the bottom half of the ball > Be almost side-on with the body > Take off on one foot > Use the arms for elevation > Arch the back before heading the ball
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DEFENSIVE HEADING
Headstart Winning the ball in the air is one of the key skills for any defender. This simple exercise can teach your players the basics of heading
WHY USE IT
It could be the last minute of a match and your team needs to prevent a goal from being scored. But without being able to head the ball, your players are more likely to concede than score. Heading is a crucial part of defending so get the basics right.
Position players 10 yards apart for a ‘throw, head, catch’ sequence
2 1
s 10yd
s 10yd
3
SET UP
Split your players into groups of three with one ball per group.
HOW TO PLAY
This is a simple throw, head and catch game but players have to move from one side of the pitch to the other without the ball bouncing. Players must head in sequence so that the same player is not heading the ball every time. Get the teams of three to race each other but they are not allowed to run.
Players must try and direct the ball in the right direction and the right distance Move from one side of the pitch to the other without running and with a heading sequence so each player takes it in turn to head
TECHNIQUE
Players are having to head the ball to a target, which helps them to focus on heading in the right direction. Moving together in competition with the other teams adds pressure, making it more realistic to heading in matches and give different distances to head the ball.
By making it a race between three or four teams the added pressure makes heading more realistic
If the header is dropped or doesn’t reach its target the team must go back to the start
Player movement
Ball movement
Header
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DEFENSIVE HEADING
Heads You Win If you want your players to intercept those high attacking balls in the box and direct them to safety, this exercise will improve their defensive heading
WHY USE IT
SET UP
Use a 40x20 yard area with goals at either end. Play 3v3 plus two keepers, with four servers (two for each team) standing to the side of the playing area.
HOW TO PLAY
Play a normal game but the ball must go to a server on each attack. Servers throw the ball into the attacking area and defenders try to repel the ball with their heads. The serves need to be accurate to help the success of the game. Add throwing points so the ball comes to the players from different angles.
TECHNIQUE
Timing a jump is important for heading the ball, as is using the forehead rather than the top of the head. Work on direction too. If players are finding it hard, nominate only defenders to head it for a few minutes (and then only attackers if you want to work on their attacking heading too).
Player movement
When they receive a pass, the servers take one step and throw high balls into the attacking area. The defender here heads the ball away
s yd 20
Heading makes all the difference in defending situations but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a skill that has to be worked at. This activity will help players improve the timing and direction of their headed clearances by giving them plenty of chances to practice.
Every attack must include a pass to one of the servers. The servers each have a ball in their hands ready to throw as soon as they receive a pass to their feet
s 40yd
The technique used by the thrower should be like taking a throw-in, throwing the ball high into the air of the attacking area
Play should be like a normal game with attackers trying to lose their markers, giving the throwers good targets to throw at
A one-two with the thrower will help open up the defence giving space to jump and head the ball
If the players are finding it difficult to head the ball, nominate only defenders to head the ball for a few minutes
Defender only
Ball movement
Header
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Soccer Surgery
Your Problems Fixed THIS WEEK: Advice on preparing for your first coaching session and an expert opinion on how to offer your team a quick confidence boost
Q “ Our team
Make a hit of your first training session
A
”
If, despite your poor run this season, spirits remain high, the chances are you are doing many of the good things well already. It sounds as if many of your players take on board something called a ‘growth mindset’ – that means they will recover from setbacks by believing they can improve and the outcome next time might be different. The alternative to this is a ‘fixed mindset’, essentially players lacking the belief to think they can improve. Vocal encouragement and an overall positive outlook on the sport feeds this mindset, and by all means feel free to inject humour into training. It reduces the element of pressure. But if you’re looking for a visible, physical boost, how about altering parameters in the warm-up that you do before a game? On a practice pitch, experiment with making the goals smaller, or play games in a very tight area where players don’t have much time on the ball. Alternatively, instruct players to only use their ‘wrong’ foot, or perhaps use a size three or four ball instead of the standard size five. This will be tough on your youngsters but you’ll find that when the match begins, and they are free of all these conditions and the task is easier, then the goals will ‘appear’ bigger, as will the pitch and the ball! They’ll instantly sense a boost in confidence and, psychologically, they will find the task in hand easier.
Answered by Mark Smith, a Chartered Sports Psychologist from Nottingham.
Picture: ©iStockphoto.com/greenstarmedia
hasn’t won a game all season, but although spirits are still high, how can I offer a quick boost to confidence
Q “ I am set to take my first soccer coaching
session soon. What key bits of advice can you offer to help me make it a big success?
A
The main piece of advice I would offer is not to rush into anything. Youth soccer is about building up rapport, ideas, skills and team spirit, so if your development is gradual, that’s actually no different to what you expect of your team. It’s not going to come overnight, so relax. Many coaches worry about non-soccer matters at first. Will the kids like me? How will I remember their names? What if no-one turns up? But just remember that kids are often much more patient than adults and they’re coming to soccer practice because they enjoy playing the game. Get going with simple passing and shooting drills, and show you’re interested in every single player, irrespective of individual abilities. Also don’t be afraid to let players make decisions over how the session develops – it doesn’t all have to come from you. They’ll like the fact that you respect their
”
opinion, and it will give you a useful opportunity to see who the ‘leaders’ are in the group. Move on to some skill and technique training and get players to work in pairs or small groups rather than standing around waiting in lines. And always ensure you finish with a small-sided game so players can put into practice the things they have learned. At the end, ask players what they liked about the session and what they didn’t, and take those thoughts on board for your next get-together. There are drills, games, warm-ups out there that will really enhance and improve your players, and it’s really tempting to run before you can walk, but keep it simple at first to ease your way into youth soccer coaching. Good luck! Answered by Nick Judd, youth soccer coach at Finchampstead FC
GET YOUR SOCCER PROBLEMS SOLVED If you have a coaching problem or a training dilemma that you want the experts at Soccer Surgery to cure, send your queries to Soccer Coach Weekly… Get into winning ways
editor@soccercoachweekly.net
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THE BIG DEBATE
Do You Let A Problem Player Join The Team? THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: The father of a well-known local ‘problem player’ asks if his son can join your team. Do you exercise your moral right as a coach to say that he can’t join or do you give him a chance?
LET HIM JOIN…
TURN HIM DOWN…
Chris Beech London Shoreditch Youth
“Every player deserves a chance. If every coach turned his back on this player, what then? Some of the best professionals have had second chances”
“
The spirit of youth soccer really does suggest that you should give him a chance if possible – after all, every player deserves a chance. If every coach in the area turned his back on this player, what then? Some of the best professional footballers in the game have been given second chances during their careers and here’s your opportunity to give someone else that kind of lucky break. If he really is a problem player, it’s quite possible that he has never had the right approach from a coach in the past. Why can’t you be that person who finally manages to turn his fortunes around and get the best out of him? Okay, you may already be over-quota in terms of player numbers and you might struggle
to cater for another player but it’s likely that there is room in the team, so why not give him a chance to prove himself. You could at least give him a trial, or maybe offer him a couple of weeks to bed in with the others. If it’s not working, then you’ll have to tell him so, but a flat refusal before even checking him out seems a bit harsh. If you want to make inroads with the player, try and get his father onside too – explain that you and he must work together to solve whatever problems the lad has had. His father has obviously shown initiative in coming to you in the first place. If he can replicate that by helping out at training, perhaps this would create even more of an incentive for the player to work hard and straighten out.
HAVE YOUR SAY
”
DO YOU LET A PROBLEM PLAYER JOIN YOUR TEAM? Visit our Facebook page and log your vote at www.facebook.com/SoccerCoachWeekly or email your thoughts to editor@soccercoachweekly.net
“
Chris Plunkett
Ringoes Youth Soccer, New Jersey
“What effect will an unruly player have on the rest of the team? He’s obviously unpopular for a reason and that’s not an influence you want on your team”
“
It’s a really tricky situation but it’s not the kind of problem where a coach should feel forced into a corner. At the end of the day it’s your team and what you say goes. There is a preconception that coaches should roll over and say yes for the good of the game, but what about what’s good for the coach? I think you should stand firm – this is your team, so you have every right to do so. After all, what effect will an unruly player have on the rest of the team? He’s obviously unpopular for a reason and that’s surely not an influence you want on the others. Any coach works hard to instil team spirit, harmony and a sense of unity amongst his players – it’s what being a team is all about. I’m not sure
threatening that harmony is a smart idea. It’s something you may well come to regret. You also need to accept your limitations. You may feel pretty positive about the idea of turning the player’s attitude around, but you must remember that you’re a soccer coach, not a behavioural coach. Without wishing to sound flippant, if this child really has ‘problems’, and is well known locally for them, is that really something a few warm-up drills and a smallsided game is going to solve? There will always be another team for this player to join if he wants to – there is nothing in the rule book that says it has to be your team, and it’s very likely his father is talking to other coaches already.
HOW YOU VOTED
”
Here are the results of a poll we ran in a previous issue of Soccer Coach Weekly, when we asked the question: Would you let a local television documentary camera crew film your team?
83% said yes 17% said no Issue 300
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