FIELDING RINGERS DO YOU COMPLAIN IF TITLE RIVALS HAVE CHEATED?
WEEKLY
SOCCER COACH Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy
ATTACK FROM THE BACK TEACH DEFENDERS HOW TO SCORE
MAKE KEEPERS PENALTY KINGS EXPERT ADVICE FOR YOUR SHOT STOPPERS
IMPROVE YOUR COACHING
THE BEST SOCCER TRAINING GAMES EVERY WEEK!
March 20, 2013 Issue 308 • £2.99
HIT IT FIRST TIME
FIRST TOUCH SHOOTING DRILLS FOR STRIKERS
4
GREAT PRACTICE SESSIONS Ashley cole CHELSEA’S FLYING FULLBACK <
SOCCER GEAR TRIED & TESTED FOR YOU
GROWING PAINS CHANGING ROOM SOLUTIONS FOR SHY PLAYERS
Contents
Improve Your Coaching FIELDING RINGERS DO YOU COMPLAIN IF TITLE RIVALS HAVE CHEATED?
WEEKLY
SOCCER COACH Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy
ATTACK FROM THE BACK TEACH DEFENDERS HOW TO SCORE
March 20, 2013 Issue 308 • £2.99
HIT IT FIRST TIME
FIRST TOUCH SHOOTING DRILLS FOR STRIKERS
4
MAKE KEEPERS PENALTY KINGS EXPERT ADVICE FOR YOUR SHOT STOPPERS
IMPROVE YOUR COACHING
THE BEST SOCCER TRAINING GAMES
GREAT PRACTICE SESSIONS < Ashley cole CHELSEA’S FLYING FULLBACK
SOCCER GEAR
EVERY WEEK!
TRIED & TESTED FOR YOU
GROWING PAINS CHANGING ROOM SOLUTIONS FOR SHY PLAYERS
Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 308
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 James Evans, Andy Greeves, Tim Hartley, Luke Nicoli, Alistair Phillips Illustrations Mike Ronald Pictures Action Images, Nick Webster Production ATG Media Production Designer Jamie Leeson Publisher Kevin Barrow
As a coach I am always striving to improve by going on courses, going to watch other coaches and making sure my advice is current and relevant. I am constantly reflecting on my coaching and looking for ways to enhance it. I work in three-week blocks of coaching and have a particular focus for the sessions in these weeks. For instance, it might be that we need to improve our defensive organisation around free-kicks or corners. I write down the key points I need to coach and then I break it down into the objectives for each session and the key message for the players to take away. From that, I decide which games and exercises will best introduce and reinforce the message. As I coach the session, I analyse key aspects of my coaching. I focus on one or two elements of the session, such as my demonstrations and questioning, or my organisation and the work/rest ratio. I make mental notes about them and how effective they are in the session. I also keep a note of all the challenges I have set my players and how they have responded – success or fail. Immediately after a session I ask myself how well it went. Were the elements I was focusing on as effective as I had wanted? I have sometimes come away from training sessions thinking the
kevin.barrow@ bettersoccercoaching.com
In this issue...
Customer Services Duncan Heard
3
duncanh@greenstarmedia.net
Managing Director Andrew Griffiths
FIRST TOUCH SHOOTING
Get your players to hit the net with their first touch
(c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
4
SHOOT ON SIGHT
A session to encourage your players to shoot immediately
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5
ONE TOUCH BOTH FEET
To advertise contact Peter Coltart on +44 (0)1483 892894 Download media pack & contact here To subscribe to Soccer Coach Weekly call Duncan Heard on +44 (0)1483 892894 or subscribe online here
Sharpen up your players in front of goal with this shooting exercise
6 SAVING PENALTIES
Six tips to help your keeper save more penalties
7
ATTACKING FULLBACKS
Get more attacking options out of your fullbacks
Improve your coaching and your players
“I am constantly reflecting on my coaching and looking for ways to enhance it” whole thing had been a waste of time because I hadn’t got my coaching point across. On these occasions I look back at the session and use something called an achievement exercise – I simply write down five things I achieved at the session. It’s a powerful reminder of what I achieve in different ways. Some things might appear minute in the grand scheme of things but are achievements nonetheless – even things like all the players turning up on time is a positive. Finally, I think about the sessions I have run during the three week period: Did I cover everything I wanted to? Are there areas where the
8 BACK ATTACK
A game to work on the attacking play of your defenders
players need more reinforcement? Looking back over the three-week period is a fantastic way to see how I am progressing and in doing so making sure the development of my players is progressing. I know how little time you have to spare for analysing your sessions. But a little time spent on preparation every three weeks will reap dividends when you look at the progress of your coaching and the development of your players over the season.
David Clarke
TIP OF THE WEEK
9 FLYING FULLBACKS
Develop the shooting and crossing skills of your fullbacks
10 SOCCER GEAR
We try out and test all the latest soccer gear for you
11 SOCCER SURGERY
Your queries answered, including advice for a coach on the best formations to use
12 THE BIG DEBATE
Should you complain if your title rivals have cheated? Two coaches debate the issue
Learn From The Past Modern coaching borrows from the past – you can’t reinvent the wheel and coaches always learn from and improve on what went before. Where would Spain’s beautiful Tiki-Taka be if the Total Football of the Dutch hadn’t laid the foundations in the early 1970s.
Issue 308
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FIRST TOUCH SHOOTING Falcao shows why he scores so many goals for Atlético
Hit It First Time Radamel Falcao has an incredible scoring record, including the ability to hit the net with his first touch. England Under 19s coach Noel Blake assesses what makes him so special
T
he hottest properties in world soccer are undoubtedly the guys who stick the ball in the back of the net on a consistent basis, making Atlético Madrid’s Colombian striker Radamel Falcao one of the most sought after footballers in the game. A strong and powerful player, he scored 36 goals in all competitions for his club last season and is heading towards a similar tally this campaign. He loves to have the ball and is great with both feet, making him one of the most natural finishers playing today. He also has an uncanny ability to find the net with his first touch. He will become the “best in the world” says Diego Simeone, who managed Falcao previously at River Plate and now at Atlético. Team-mate Diego Godin agrees, adding that Falcao is a great all-round striker. “He is a penalty box player but can also play with his back to goal and hold the ball up,” says the Atlético defender. “He moves intelligently without the ball, but as a goal scorer he is incredible.” Falcao certainly has the knack of
scoring. According to England Under 19s coach Noel Blake, who Soccer Coach Weekly asked to assess the talents of ‘El Tigre’ (The Tiger), it’s all about “the first half yard”. And yes, it’s a skill that can very much be coached. “What Falcao and many top strikers over the years have had is they are always looking to catch a defender off guard by taking a shot early,” explains Blake. “It’s very effective if they can hit the ball before the goalkeeper gets set and plants that foot for movement. What the best strikers also tend to do is shoot low, as with an early strike it’s more difficult for the keeper to get down. “Another player who’s at the top of his game technically at the moment is Robin van Persie. Sometimes players like Falcao and van Persie deliberately take a shot with a ‘toe poke’, so the defender doesn’t have time to get the block in and so the keeper hasn’t the time to get set. It’s so difficult to defend against.” Blake admits natural ability is an important ingredient but says that it only takes you so far and work on the training ground hones these shooting skills.
“You often hear about players creating ‘half a yard’ of space, and that’s what strikers like these need,” explains Blake. “You can practise this skill with just two people. It’s about the turn and the low shot – aiming for the corners, which makes it difficult for the keeper to get to. A short backlift can help too, decreasing the time of the shot, again not allowing the time for the keeper to ‘set’.” Get your players working through our drills on the following pages and they could soon be scoring with their first touch, just like Falcao.
Words by:
Tim Hartley Activities by:
David Clarke
“He will be the best in the world because he keeps on getting better. He has an intuition and a level of accuracy in front of goal that I have only ever seen in Hugo Sanchez, but he is a more complete player” - Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone sums up the talents of Falcao Issue 308
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FIRST TOUCH SHOOTING
Shoot On Sight Use this great game to encourage your players to react immediately and take a first-time shot when presented with a goal scoring opportunity
WHY USE IT
s 10yd s 20yd
The other players can only go into the end zones when the lone striker plays the ball
s 10yd
SET UP
Set up a 40x30-yard area split into two end zones of 10 yards and a middle zone of 20 yards. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing 3v3 in the middle zone, plus a neutral player. Each end zone has an unopposed attacker and a keeper. You need balls, bibs, cones and goals.
N
s yd 30
This session encourages players to shoot with their first touch. Shooting chances may only be there for a split second and young players miss the opportunity while moving the ball from one foot to the other or by passing when a shot would be the best option. This game helps with their decision-making in front of goal.
The neutral player only plays for the attacking team, creating an overload to exploit attacking situations
Fast link-up play forces the lone striker to make quick decisions so the advancing attackers from the middle zone must communicate their positions
HOW TO PLAY
Play a normal game. There is an overload in the middle zone for the attacking team, who use the neutral player. The ball must be played into the attacker, who sets up a one-touch shot for a teammate. The other players cannot go in the end zones until the attacker touches the ball. Give the attackers one or two touches.
Movement in the middle zone is vital to creating space for the attacking team to exploit
TECHNIQUE
Players have one touch to shoot from the attackerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set-up, so both the attacker and the shooter have to be on the same wavelength and the pass and the shot must be accurate.
Player movement
The attacker from the middle zone is able to run into the end zone and makes a first-time shot after the lone attacker has played the ball
Ball movement
Shot
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FIRST TOUCH SHOOTING
One Touch Both Feet If you want to sharpen up your players in front of goal, this is a continuous exercise that will help strikers perfect the art of shooting first time with either foot
WHY USE IT
This exercise replicates the kind of movement attackers make during matches as they try to create space for a shot at goal. It works on first-time shooting with both feet to sharpen even the dullest striker in front of goal.
The working player must sprint around the cones, mimicking movement around the penalty area to create space
SET UP
Use the penalty area of your pitch. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used seven players for this session. It also needs a server who is good enough to play balls of the right weight and direction, so you may want to perform this role yourself at first. You need balls, cones and a goal.
The sever must play a ball into the penalty area on the side the working player is running
A first-time shot should be hit straight away before the ball has gone past the penalty spot
HOW TO PLAY
The players run around the cones and you pass a ball into the penalty area for them to shoot first time at the goal. Tell players they must use the foot nearest the ball. The player shooting is the trigger for another player to go round the cones on the opposite side, making it a continuous exercise.
The goalkeeper must initially stay in his six-yard box, but to progress the session try releasing him to put pressure on the attacker
TECHNIQUE
This is a great way to get players using both feet so that in a match they will do it instinctively rather than try to shoot with their favourite foot. Praise attempts with a playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weaker foot however poor in direction and power.
Player movement
Immediately the working player shoots, another player begins his run on the opposite side
Ball movement
Shot
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THE ART OF COACHING Richard Lee saves to beat Everton in a penalty shootout
6
Ways To
Get Your Keeper Saving Penalties
Brentford keeper Richard Lee is an expert penalty saver, having won more than his fair share of shootouts. He also runs training courses for young goalkeepers. Here he offers six tips that will help you to get your stopper saving more penalties 02 TIME THE DIVE
03 GAIN CRUCIAL YARDS
“As obvious as it sounds, you need to get your goalkeeper into the mindset that he is going to save penalties. Talk positively ahead of a match and reinforce the message that your keeper can and will save spot kicks. If he believes the odds are in the penalty taker’s favour, chances are he won’t make a save. The keeper should be thinking ‘if I go the right way, I am going to save this’.”
“When practising penalties in training, try out some new things with your keeper. Get him to move a split second earlier than he usually would do when facing a penalty. Timing the dive is crucial in this situation and you can easily go too early or too late. By going ever so slightly earlier with the dive, your keeper may well find his success rate in stopping the ball is increased.”
“Emphasise to your goalkeeper that there is an advantage to be had by angling your dive slightly forward when attempting to save a penalty. Show your keeper some clips of Liverpool and Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina facing penalties, as he is a master at angling his dives when saving spot kicks. He will end up two or three yards off his line after the penalty has been taken and will narrow the striker’s angle.”
04 JUDGE THE TAKER
05 UNSETTLE OPPONENTS
06 TRUST THE KEEPER
“Talk through with your goalkeeper what certain opposition players might be likely to do with their penalty kicks. It’s a generalisation I know, but a centre back might be more likely to hit the ball straight down the middle as hard as he can, rather than place the ball into a corner. If a player runs up to the ball at a narrow angle, it’s unlikely they will be able to open themselves up enough to get it in a corner.”
“You should be supportive of techniques your goalkeeper might use to unsettle the penalty taker, such as movement on the line or ‘spaghetti legs’, so long as he is in a good position to dive and make a save when the kick is taken. As you would advise a penalty kicker to not change their mind when taking a penalty, tell your goalkeeper to trust his instincts and fully commit to going where he thinks the ball is going.”
“If you are going into a penalty shootout, it’s no time for you to be giving your keeper technical instruction. Instead give him massive encouragement, tell him to enjoy the shootout and tell him this is his time to make himself a hero. Don’t underestimate the importance of your goalkeeper being fit and agile in saving penalties. Work on his physical training as much as you would do with an outfield player.”
> Richard Lee’s company, GK Icon, aims to modernise goalkeeper training. For more information visit www.gkicon.com Issue 308
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Interview by: Andy Greeves
01 MENTALLY PREPARE
ATTACKING FULLBACKS Cole shows how defenders can attack
Attack From The Back One of the best attacking defenders, Ashley Cole offers teams something at both ends of the pitch. Follow his lead if you want to increase your attacking options
I
f you look at the modern fullback, strong in defence with the ability to break forward at lightning speed to join the attack, then Ashley Cole is most certainly the original and the best. Starting his career at Arsenal as a forward, he was earmarked as a future fullback by Arsene Wenger due to his tenacity in the tackle and his speed. He has honed both traits to perfection for the Gunners, Chelsea and, of course England. First and foremost, though, Cole is a defender. With his speed, he is able to push on and get tight to the winger he is marking, knowing that if he does get beaten, he can quickly recover by using his pace. Yet more often than not, it’s Cole who comes out on top, using his anticipation and reading of the game to get to the ball first. There is no greater test than facing the wing trickery of Cristiano Ronaldo, yet whenever the two players meet up it is always Cole who has the upper hand. “When Ashley marked Ronaldo he was superb and had him in his pocket,” says Steven Gerrard. “There aren’t too many defenders who can say they’ve ever done
that. There have been years when he has been the best left-back in the world and we’ve been lucky to have him.” Cole also shows class up front, linking up with the attack to send in a byline cross or being used as a decoy to take the opposing right-back out of the game. This requires a good understanding of the players around you: your centrebacks who need to cover when you push
forward, and also the midfielder in front of you, who will need to be aware of when you are going to overlap him. It’s a role that requires 100 per cent concentration because the very nature of the attacking fullback means a player will be active at both ends of the pitch. It’s certainly a tough, disciplined role but if you run the drills on the following pages, your fullbacks could attack like Cole.
Words by:
Luke Nicoli Activities by:
David Clarke
4 GREAT ATTACKING FULLBACKS
Jordi Alba He made his name with Valencia and proved his credentials as an attacking left-back at Euro 2012. Since joining Barcelona he has shown his flair for scoring.
Dani Alves A model of consistency for Barcelona at right-back, Alves is better going forward than defending, so fits perfectly into the Barça ethos.
David Alaba In sparkling form for Bayern Munich this season, the 20-year-old Austrian left-back shows a footballing discipline beyond his years.
Issue 308
Filipe Luis The Brazilian left-back is an excellent example of the overlapping fullback and one of the reasons why Atlético Madrid are having such a good season.
SOCCER COACH WEEKLY
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ATTACKING FULLBACKS
Back Attack Use this session to work on the attacking play of your fullbacks and encourage supporting runs and attempts on goal by your defenders
WHY USE IT
3
1
2
3
4
SET UP
Set up an area of 30x20 yards with a goal and goalkeeper at one end. At the other end you need pairs of players ready to be attacking defenders, shown here in white. In front of the goal put one defender and one attacker, and at the other end six defenders stand at the sides numbered one to six. You need bibs, cones, balls and a goal.
On the coach’s call, one or more defenders must try and recover and get goalside of the ball
5
6
s yd 20
Fullbacks don’t just defend – they can also be used as extra attackers, either to pull a defence wide open with quick passing play or to run at the opposition and shoot at goal. Often this will be supporting play in a counterattack or playing off a central attacker.
The waiting attacker should move the defender around as he would in a match – don’t allow them to just stand there
s 30yd
The attacking defender has options when approaching the goal. You should encourage running and shooting but here he sets up a support player
1
2
3
4
5
6
HOW TO PLAY
The pairs of players in white must attack with the ball, working out the best way to combine with the lone attacker to create a goal. On your call of a number, a red defender must join in to pressure them.
The supporting players can go wide to offer options for the player with the ball 1,6
1
TECHNIQUE
2
3
This session encourages runs from defenders who have broken into the space behind the opposition and helps them to take advantage of it. Attacking defenders can go wide to open up the opposition defence or go straight for the heart of the penalty area.
Player movement
4
5
6
If the coach calls the numbers of two or more recovering defenders, the attacking side must play quickly or be outnumbered
Ball movement
Shot
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ATTACKING FULLBACKS
Flying Fullbacks Develop the shooting and crossing skills of your fullbacks with a session that encourages their attacking instincts
WHY USE IT
Use the overlap to score
s yd 40
Use this session if you want to see exciting flying fullbacks who can either cross a ball or cut inside and shoot. Players can make use of 2v1 situations to attack or fool the defenders with a skill. Crosses into the box are also an option in this game.
The game starts with a pass to one of the fullbacks running from wide positions
s 50yd
SET UP
You need balls, bibs, cones and goals in a playing area of 40x50 yards. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used 14 players for this session. Use three teams, each consisting of four players. You will also need two goalkeepers.
The blue fullbacks create a 6v4 situation here with the reds, offering plenty of attacking options
HOW TO PLAY
Two teams play the game but the third team (in blue here) provides fullbacks for the attacks, making it 6v4. The game lasts for four balls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; each team has two attacks with additional fullbacks. If the fullbacks score, their own team gets an additional point as well as a goal for the team they are helping.
When the ball leaves play or if a goal is scored, the two fullbacks go off at the end of the pitch and wait there
The starting team has a second attack with two new fullbacks
TECHNIQUE
Tactically very good for defenders supporting both the midfield and attack, this session improves play in wide areas and encourages fullbacks to join in the attack. Good overloads mean that the success rate is high, so the session will really develop the attacking strengths of your fullbacks.
Player movement
After this second attack concludes, the white team will have two attacks assisted by the fullbacks at this end
Ball movement
Shot
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SOCCER GEAR
Get Kitted Out
Finding the right equipment can be a minefield with so many brands offering so many options. Alistair Phillips is our guide to what’s available
Mark Harrod 9v9 Aluminium Goals
RRP: £2,305.20 a pair Web: www.markharrod.com Looking for a match day goal? Try the ‘9v9 Self Weighted – Easy Lift Wheels Aluminium Goals’ from Mark Harrod Ltd. Having tested these 9v9 aluminium goals this season, they have proved to be a very workable choice. It takes a while to assemble the goals when you get them but that’s just a one-off job. After each game we wheel them away from the playing surface and secure them by bolting them together facing each other, but their robust nature outweighs any inconvenience. The nets are easy to put up and take down thanks to the well-defined grooves that run along the back of the bar and posts, and because of the easy to fix nylon hooks that hold the nets in place. I have often set the goals up on my own on match day and I manage to roll one set the full length of a pitch without too much trouble, even on a wet pitch. Once you set them in place they are very robust, just like permanent goals. It’s an investment financially but these goals will last for years.
Gloveglu
RRP: £9.95 Web: www.facebook.com/gloveglu An aid to help the ball sticks in your keeper’s gloves. When I first heard about gloveglu I thought there must be a catch but it turns out the only real catch is the one that your keeper makes that he otherwise might not. Spray this special formula on the palms of your goalie’s gloves before training or a match and it aids handling no end, thereby increasing confidence and cutting down on heart-stopping goalmouth scrambles caused by unwanted parrying.
Sub Zero Kids Thermals RRP: £14.99 Web: www.subzero.co.uk
A baselayer aimed at keeping your young players warm. There are plenty of baselayer brands that specifically target the soccer market but Sub Zero thermals seem to be spot on. Players can come off the pitch wet and cold all season round and they need more than just a jacket to put on if they are soaked to the skin, so I keep a couple of these in my bag to give to subs when they leave the field. Meraklon fabric makes these really warm and a brushed inner means they feel great next to the skin.
Precision Training 1500 Series Stopwatch RRP: £7.99 Web: www.precisiontraining.uk.com Keep your tactics on time with this simple and easy-to-use stopwatch. Every coach needs a stopwatch to keep a track of time during matches. Whether it’s to make a substitution or to change formation, timing is crucial. The 1500 Series stopwatch has all the features you need for football and crucially it is very easy to use, even with gloves on.
Responseball Origin RRP: £16 Web: www.responseball.com
A vital tool to give your keeper an excellent workout. The beauty of the Responseball is that it’s a simple concept: a ball with bumps that are strategically placed to make it bounce irregularly. It’s a great tool for sharpening reflexes and improving handling but it’s particularly helpful in recreating dodgy back passes or the movement of the ball on a bumpy pitch. Kick it along the ground to your goalkeeper, say it’s a back pass so they can’t pick it up and see how they deal with it using their feet. It has a higher than usual bounce, an air-locking system allowing it to retain its shape for longer, and it is available in sizes four and five. Try it and see the difference.
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Soccer Surgery
Your Problems Solved THIS WEEK: Advice for a coach on the best formation for the 11-a-side game and an expert opinion on dealing with a player too self-conscious to use the changing room
Picture: ©iStockphoto.com/greenstarmedia
Q “ One of my
players is quite early into puberty and refuses to change with his team-mates. What should I do?
A
”
Quite simply, go along with the child’s wishes. He will be selfconscious enough as it is at the moment given how his body is changing, so to force him to change with team-mates would make him even more shy, embarrassed and uncomfortable with the situation. At the end of the day there’s no harm in him coming to matches with his kit on under a tracksuit. I accept that, certainly for away games, it helps to have changing facilities so that players can get any muddy gear off for the journey home, but tell him to stay in his gear until he gets back. I suspect no-one will even notice. It would also help if you removed the changing room as being a focal point and essential gathering place for the team. Get your players in and out of there quickly and conduct team talks on the pitch. This should be easier now the winter months are passing and players are happy to get out on the pitch as quickly as possible. The alternative is to send him off into the bushes or behind a tree to change, but this will only highlight the fact there is an issue involving the child. I’m sure you’ll find this is something that he comes to terms with relatively quickly and he’ll soon be fully integrated back into the team. Answered by Katy Thomas, a Child Psychologist from Bridgend, Wales
Q “ I’m new to coaching and I have a great deal to learn. Could you tell me what would be the best formation to use in the 11-a-side game?
A
There’s no right or wrong answer to this, and the worst thing a coach can do is get into the mindset of working with one fixed formation. You’re going to need to be adaptable and flexible to the challenges that will confront you both before and during matches, so having a couple of alternative formations up your sleeve might be smart. If you must start somewhere, most believe a simple 4-4-2 formation will best help players learn their positions in relation to one another: four defenders, four midfielders, two strikers. Most sides will play this or 4-3-3 because, at the end of the day, it provides the bedrock for all the really important parts of youth soccer – shooting, defending and passing. As time goes on and you get more confident, you can adjust playing positions
”
very slightly during a game. For instance, with 4-4-2, whether defending a lead or chasing the game, you can drop an attacker back (for 4-5-1) or move a defender forward (for 3-5-2). But make no secret of the fact you’re learning the intricacies of formations at the same time as your players, and never practise any more than three formations over the course of a month or so, or you’ll end up with a confused bunch of players. Remember too, the real secret of setting up your team is in each player understanding his designated role. If he does that, the formation should do the rest of the work for you. Answered by Mark Ramini, who works with the Ankara Football League in Turkey, helping the country’s first wave of women’s youth soccer teams get off the ground
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…
editor@soccercoachweekly.net
Issue 308
SOCCER COACH WEEKLY
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THE BIG DEBATE
Should You Complain If Your Rivals Have Cheated? THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: You have just learned the team that beat you to the league title last season fielded two ineligible players. Should you raise an official complaint even though this happened eight months ago?
NO, DON’T REPORT IT
YES, REPORT IT
Benjamin Perez Superior, Wisconsin, USA
“Kids have a pretty strong sense of justice, and they’d want to pursue this. That should mean you should want to pursue it too”
“
Word will probably get out about this anyway. Would you want your kids finding out that you knew and did nothing about it? Say they confronted you with the information – what do you do? Do you lie, saying you weren’t aware of it? Or do you admit to knowing about these developments, in which case you’re left to explain why you weren’t going to report it. If I’ve learned nothing else over the years, it’s that kids have a pretty strong sense of justice, and they’d want to pursue this. That should mean you should want to pursue it too. That means it would be better to raise the complaint and get the information out in the open. Why would you want to let an opponent get away with breaking the rules? Youth soccer
HAVE YOUR SAY
is supposed to be built on a bedrock of honesty and respect. It’s clear you were not considered in either of those ways when the manager of this other team broke the rules. Cheats shouldn’t prosper in any sport, so report it. While it may not console your players for the fact they weren’t allowed to enjoy their league title as they might have, at least you can give them some moral comfort in the knowledge that they were actually the ‘best’ team in the league. That’s an unexpected boost they didn’t expect to have. Also, if you raise this and make a formal complaint, you’ll almost certainly discourage other coaches from pulling the same trick in future, so you’ll be going a small way to protecting your league going forward.
”
Do YOU COMPLAIN IF YOUR RIVALS HAVE CHEATED? Visit our Facebook page and log your vote at www.facebook.com/SoccerCoachWeekly or email your thoughts to editor@soccercoachweekly.net
“
Ken Thomas Billericay, England
“Kids play for your team because they have a passion for the sport, not because they want a taste of soccer politics… leave that until they get older!”
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You would be better off having a quiet chat with the coach who fielded the ineligible players. Tell him you’re aware what happened and you will put it down to ‘an honest mistake’ this time, but if the same thing happens again he’ll leave you no choice but to go through the proper channels. There’s always an assumption that ineligible players make a profound difference to a team’s fortunes, but is that actually the case? In my experience, half the time players are brought in simply so a team can fulfil the fixture. A lot of the ringers I’ve seen are no better than the players they’re filling in for. You have to ask yourself if there was a competitive advantage gained? If you cannot see one, then that would put a different complexion on things.
What’s the point in raking over something that happened so long ago? What do you want to achieve? Certainly, there will be no fresh presenting of trophies, so why get your kids wrapped up in baggage that will distract them from the here and now? Kids play for your team because they have a passion for the sport, not because they want an early taste of soccer politics… leave that until they get older, when they work out how the professional game works! Whistleblowers in any sport run the risk of becoming outcasts. Do you want to be regarded as the coach who dobs others in? Your players may thank you but your coaching peers may well treat you differently if you’re seen to make a fuss.
HOW YOU VOTED
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Here are the results of a poll we ran in a previous issue of Soccer Coach Weekly, when we asked the question: Does one-upmanship have a place in youth soccer?
90% said yes 10% said no Issue 308
SOCCER COACH WEEKLY
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