Soccercoachw312 by pscoach.pl

FAMILY AFFAIR SHOULD PARENTS INTERFERE WITH TEAM SELECTION?

WEEKLY

SOCCER COACH Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

CREATIVE

GENIUS USING SKILL TO UNLOCK DEFENCES

ON TARGET FOR GOALS

April 17, 2013 Issue 312 • $4.99/£2.99

WHEN TO USE YOUR

SUBS

IS THERE A PERFECT TIME?

GET THE BEST OUT OF A LONE STRIKER

TIPS FOR STARTING

UP YOUR

OWN TEAM

COACH VERSATILITY

< DAVID SILVA

MANCHESTER CITY’S MERCURIAL STAR

THE BEST SOCCER DRILLS EVERY WEEK!

WHY SWAPPING PLAYER POSITIONS IS SO IMPORTANT

TROUBLE ONLINE HOW TO COMBAT CYBERBULLIES IN YOUR TEAM

Contents

Coach Versatility FAMILY AFFAIR SHOULD PARENTS INTERFERE WITH TEAM SELECTION?

WEEKLY

SOCCER COACH Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

April 17, 2013 Issue 312 • $4.99/£2.99

CREATIVE

WHEN TO USE YOUR

GENIUS

SUBS

USING SKILL TO UNLOCK DEFENCES

IS THERE A PERFECT TIME?

ON TARGET FOR GOALS

GET THE BEST OUT OF A LONE STRIKER

TIPS FOR STARTING

UP YOUR

OWN TEAM

COACH VERSATILITY

< DAVID SILVA MANCHESTER CITY’S MERCURIAL STAR

THE BEST SOCCER DRILLS EVERY WEEK!

WHY SWAPPING PLAYER POSITIONS IS SO IMPORTANT

TROUBLE ONLINE HOW TO COMBAT CYBERBULLIES IN YOUR TEAM

Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 312

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, Mike Pattenden Illustrations Mike Ronald Pictures Action Images, Nick Webster Production ATG Media Production Designer Jamie Leeson Publisher Kevin Barrow kevin.barrow@ bettersoccercoaching.com

Customer Services Duncan Heard duncanh@greenstarmedia.net

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

I listened with interest to a recent interview with young German midfielder Mario Gotze. One of the most creative and versatile players coming out of the German youth system, he is blessed with outstanding technique and is comfortable playing in any position. Operating as an unorthodox false nine, rather than in his customary attacking midfield role, the twofooted midfielder netted his fourth goal for Germany in a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan last month. When asked about his favourite position he talked about how he loved playing centrally as an attacking midfielder but that he could also play on both wings. “I feel comfortable in every position,” he said. He put this down to the fact that when playing in youth teams he played in several positions rather than just one. He spoke about the youth system at Borussia Dortmund and how there was a conscious decision to give all players a grounding in as many positions on the pitch as possible. “It is serving me well today,” said Gotze, adding that it was good fun to experience different aspects of the game at youth level. I could identify with that. I too try to give my players the experience of playing in different positions, so they can learn from the problems faced by others during a match. I rotate players in blocks, so for instance, three will share the right-back role in a game before

In this issue...

GET CREATIVE

Have your players unlocking defences with a single pass, just like David Silva does at Manchester City

4 CREATIVE IN THE BOX

Mario Gotze shows Kazakhstan his versatility

“I give all my players the experience of playing in different positions so they can learn” going back to their starting positions. This system produced a great moment when I needed one of my attacking midfielders to play in central defence to cover injuries. The player, Charlie, having covered three weeks in a row decided he wanted to be back in attack. “Charlie”, I said, “what about those amazing covering runs you made in the game last week? What about when you made that last-ditch tackle, and two great interceptions when the opposition were on the counterattack?” Without that performance we’d have lost the game. Without Charlie playing in the centre of defence we’d have looked extremely slow and flat-footed. “Did I do that?” he asked with a look

8 TARGET MAN

How important is it for your team to have an effective target man like Zlatan Ibrahimovic?

David Clarke

TIP OF THE WEEK

9 LONE STRIKER

A session to help players make pinpoint passes to a target man

10 HIT THE FRONT

An activity to train players to create more scoring opportunities in the penalty area

Teach players how to set up your target man with clever build up play

5 CREATIVE MIDFIELD

11 SOCCER SURGERY

Help your players to hone their creativity with this game of possession versus attack

Your questions answered, including advice for a coach who wants to know when to make substitutions

6 START YOUR OWN TEAM

12 THE BIG DEBATE

If you want to run your own club, follow our ten-step guide to starting a team from scratch

of surprise. “I don’t remember that!” “Yes, you did, Charlie, and saving three goals is just as good as scoring three,” I replied. With that Charlie’s face lit up with a grin. He was surprised I was praising him for what he saw as something run-ofthe-mill and natural. He had learnt the role and when we needed him he could play there. You see, versatility helps with player development and creates a much better team, because everyone knows the responsibilities of each position.

Two coaches debate whether to allow a parent to limit a child’s playing time on the pitch

Make All Players Feel Equal All players should do the same drills. A good tip is to split the group into threes and fours, putting players of similar abilities together. But for the more skilled players you make the conditions different – smaller area, less touches.

Issue 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

GET CREATIVE David Silva gets creative on the ball

Creative Genius Having players with the ability to unlock defences with a single pass or skill can make a match-winning difference to your team. Just look at how David Silva does it for City

here is a belief that when David Silva plays well, Manchester City play well. The Spanish playmaker’s technical ability is matched by few in the Premier League, a bold statement backed up by the statistics: he created more goals than any other player in the division as his club won the title last season. Players who can split open a defence with a perfectly weighted pass or create scoring opportunities though a phenomenal piece of skill are the sorts of individuals coaches dream of. While creativity is, to a certain extent, an innate ability that a footballer either has or doesn’t have, the exercises over the next few pages will help to bring out and develop the natural flair of your players. Silva’s game is all about creativity in and around the penalty area. A master of the through ball, he can also draw on other abilities to create goals. His sublime chipped ball into the path of Edin Dzeko helped City gain a vital 2-1 win over Spurs earlier this season and his precise volleyed pass into the path of Dzeko for the fifth goal in a 6-1 away triumph over

Manchester United in 2011 was one of the most iconic moments of the club’s titlewinning campaign. “Silva is a top, top player,” his City coach Roberto Mancini has said. “I don’t know why he didn’t go to Barça or Real Madrid because he’s Spanish but we are lucky because he’s here. He’s different from Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo because they are strikers and score a lot of goals but I think he’s the same as [playmakers such as] Xavi and Iniesta.”

The drills on the following pages will help your players to take on a creative mindset as they look to create like Silva. Learning a variety of passing styles in and around the area – be they through balls, chips, volleyed or swift passes that go through, around or over the opposition – could be the key to your side unlocking a defence. Add to that individual skills such as feints and body swerves, and your players will leave their markers constantly guessing.

Words by:

Andy Greeves Activities by:

David Clarke

4 GREAT GAME CHANGERS

Xavi While much of the focus at Barcelona is on the brilliant Lionel Messi, it is Xavi who is the side’s creative hub.

Juan Mata The Chelsea midfielder has been his club’s most creative player this season, scoring almost as freely as he creates.

Andrea Pirlo Able to control the midfield like no other player, Pirlo’s cultured passing tore England apart at Euro 2012.

Issue 312

Mesut Ozil A creative gem at Real Madrid, his ability to create assists has led to comparisons with Zinedine Zidane.

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

GET CREATIVE

Creative In The Box If you want to see your players create more scoring opportunities in the penalty area, use this session to improve movement and creativity in the attacking third of the pitch

WHY USE IT

s yd 20

This is a fast game that relies on individual skill and teamwork to create shooting opportunities. The coaching points rely on the skills of players to be creative around the opposition goal, mirroring the role of skilful midfielders like David Silva, who can conjure up chances at will.

One pair of players from each team remain on the sidelines for supporting passes while play starts with a simple 2v2

s 30yd

Players must link up to try to create scoring chances. Encourage players to try everything from simple passing to complicated skills

SET UP

Set up a playing area of 30x20 yards. We’ve used 10 players: two teams of four plus two keepers. You need balls, bibs, cones and two goals.

In this attack a teammate on the sidelines is used for a ‘give and go’ to get past the defending team

HOW TO PLAY

Players pair up within their teams and play a simple 2v2, with one pair from each team at the side of the pitch. The game starts and restarts with the keeper, who isn’t allowed to kick so the ball must be rolled out. Players at the side of the pitch can be used to pass but must stay off the pitch and are restricted to one touch. Swap pairs with their team-mates at two minute intervals.

The players on the side must keep up with play, giving options to the attacking team. They are not allowed on the pitch and only have one touch

Swap pairs every two minutes so the game maintains a high tempo throughout

TECHNIQUE

In this session, match-like scenarios provide a good way of encouraging creative passing moves, while the frequent changing of roles is good for concentration levels. Communication and precision are essential because a mistake will almost certainly give the opposition the chance to counterattack.

Player movement

Ball movement

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Run with ball Issue 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

GET CREATIVE

Creative Midfield Help your players to hone their creativity with this game of possession versus attack. Players must keep the ball or take quick advantage of gaining possession with clever attacks

WHY USE IT

This drill is aimed at getting midfielders to use creativity in the final third of the pitch in order to create or take scoring opportunities.

The attackers (red) must try and win the ball by pressing the possession team but they cannot press the outside players

The possession team (white) plays two-touch and must keep the ball moving quickly, constantly changing the direction of play

SET UP

HOW TO PLAY

One team is in possession and the other team attacks. The team in possession is made up of the four outside players on the sidelines, two inside players and the two goalkeepers. The other team attacks either goal and uses four players. The players of the possession team have two touches and the team scores a point by making six passes.

s yd 25

Set up a playing area of 30x25 yards. In this session we’ve used 12 players. You will need balls, bibs, cones and two goals.

s 30yd

When the attacking team is trying to win the ball they should try to keep a diamond shape and stay compact. Work hard and communicate – the reward is to attack either goal

The keeper cannot use his hands when his team has the ball. This is good exercise for the keeper’s footwork

TECHNIQUE

This is a great activity to get young players showing their creative flair. The attacking four will have plenty of opportunities to use the overload in the middle when they win the ball, and the possession team needs to use the ball well with good passing technique. Encourage the attacking team to use skills like feints or step overs and clever passes to set up team-mates.

When the attacking team has the ball they can spread out and use the overload to show skills to beat their man and set up goal scoring chances

Player movement

Ball movement

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Run with ball Issue 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

THE BUSINESS OF COACHING

10 STEP GUIDE

How To Start Your Own Team

If you’ve ever thought of starting your own soccer team or forming your own club, try following our ten-step guide to getting it off the ground DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

Picture: Tom Childers

The number one reason for setting up a new team is to give playing opportunities to children who otherwise would not play – it is the best reason and the easiest to justify. A lot of new teams are set up to cater for additional age ranges within existing clubs where guidance and help may already be available. However, some coaches start their own teams because they can’t find a club run by someone who has the right philosophy, or because they fear their own child will become one of the players who sit on the bench every week. If you’re thinking of starting a new team, make sure it’s for the right reasons: so that children can enjoy playing football and develop both as footballers and as people.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TIME

If you’re going to start a new club or team and if you intend to coach or manage it yourself, you will need to appreciate the time commitment that will be required. Too often someone will take on the responsibilities for running a team without understanding the significant amount of administration involved behind the scenes. Also, the coach of the team will have to commit to running two practices a week and clear a three-hour chunk of time for a game on every Saturday or Sunday.

It’s hard enough to start a new team without trying to do all the jobs yourself.

FIND A suitable PITCH TO PLAY ON

Once you’ve decided to start your own team, you need to find somewhere to play. It’s rare to come across recreational facilities that aren’t already being used

THE MANAGER Nick Tytherleigh Banstead Colts United U12s Surrey, England Three years ago I took the step of forming a boy’s team. I did this because my son was being offered very little opportunity to play for the local village team. The club had two sides, along with a further four or five young lads who also wanted to play for a team. After a discussion with the committee, it was agreed that I would put together another team within the club, initially to play only friendly matches although I arranged 18 in the first few months. Although it’s hard work, I really like being involved with the team. Coming from a rugby background I conceded that I could not coach the boys myself and would have to rely on the hard work of one or two of the club coaches. This has worked really well and the boys have developed a great deal since we started the team.

for either matches or training at the peak times such as weekends and in the evenings. Conduct an inventory of all the possible places in your area that you could use to play and also check with your local council about hiring pitches. Ask at other clubs in the area too and at local schools (both private and state run). Pitch hire costs and terms will vary widely, so take note of these when making your decision.

Above: Start your own team and encourage player development

GET AFFILIATED

Find out which of the leagues in your area you could become affiliated to. Contact them and find out how to become a member and enter a team. You will need to fill in forms about the club and appear at a meeting of the league’s board of directors to gain approval. You have a list of things you need to show them, like insurance, a code of conduct and a list of club officials. Affiliation acts as a quality assurance and a safety net to help protect players, clubs, officials and administrators.

Issue 312

Words by:

David Clarke

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

THE BUSINESS OF COACHING

CHECKLIST Select club name and colours Appoint club officials Write club constitution Organise Annual General Meeting Affiliate with your local association and league Produce a list of running costs Understand the rules of competitions you wish to enter Familiarise yourself with Safeguarding Children rules (including under-18s or vulnerable adults) Obtain adequate insurance Purchase suitable kit and equipment Hire pitches for matches and training Raise funds and set up a club bank account Notify members of fixtures and liaise with opposition

BE AWARE OF ALL THE COSTS

To run a team you will need to set up a fund that each parent pays into in order to cover the costs of their child. This would include registration fees, referees’ fees, a full kit for each player, the costs of training and match day facilities, and possible fines for when you’re up and running. A treasurer will need to set up a bank account so you have somewhere to keep the money. Work out all your costs in advance and establish the budget needed to run the team. That will help you to work out the level of the subscription fee you will need to charge per player to run the club. With little money to start with, you may be able to secure sponsorship for the team from a local business putting its name on the team shirts.

APPOINT YOUR CLUB OFFICIALS

You will need to appoint officials to look after certain areas of the club. Don’t try and do it all yourself, ask for volunteers. You will find parents are

keen to help. The main positions are: chairman, treasurer, manager, coaches, secretary, child protection officer, and first aid officer. Some positions require going on courses to learn about the role. Anyone performing a role that involves a direct working relationship with children must face a Criminal Records Bureau check (or equivalent), to make sure the person is suitable to work with children.

RECRUIT A Squad of PLAYERS

For successful player development at a club you will need to have enough players in the age group so that holidays, sickness and injury can all be covered by the size of the squad. A great way to recruit is to run trials where people can turn up and you get to see what type of player they are (it also let’s you see what type of a person they are too). Talk to the sports editor of your local paper to get him to publicise the trials. Use social media and send out letters to local schools to get yourself a good number of players to turn up.

THE VOLUNTEER COACH Meredith Rilley Red Storm Rebels U12s Connecticut, USA As a mom with two young children and a part-time job, it was a daunting commitment to take on the coaching of an Under 8s team for girls. It had been a long time since I played in college and there weren’t many coaching resources online eight years ago, so when I started I called a friend who coached and picked her brain. She taught me three drills that started me off. The first season was an exercise in learning and patience, both for the players and for me but I grew my knowledge with online learning, as well as with coaching licensing. I’ve loved every minute of it, and as my daughters play in my teams I get to spend time with them that I otherwise wouldn’t. My former players still come up to me to say hello and tell me about their lives.

PICK A COACH TO SUIT YOUR PHILOSOPHY

If you’re not coaching your new team yourself, make sure you select the coach carefully. Write out a list of qualities you want from the coach and get the person you appoint to sign an agreement that they will follow your blueprint for the team. Remember, the reason you are probably starting your own team is because the set-up was wrong at your previous club. If you left your old club because the coach wasn’t giving the squad members equal playing time, then it would be stupid to appoint someone who was going to do the same thing. The coach also needs to work out a syllabus that covers all aspects of attacking and defensive play.

Left: Running a team means lots of equipment

The work of the club secretary begins immediately, with players having to be registered before they can play for a new club. Make sure parents know about registration dates and deadlines, so no one misses out. Also remind parents that players usually have to bring birth certificates and two passport sized photos in order to get player cards from the league.

BE INSURED

Make sure you have all the insurance you need to be certain that your players are cared for and your team is covered. Most leagues now require that clubs purchase liability insurance, and accident and medical insurance covering players, managers, coaches, scorekeepers and volunteer officials.

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SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

TARGET MAN Ibrahimovic is a formidable target man

On Target For Goals An effective target man like Zlatan Ibrahimovic is able to hold the ball, bring team-mates into play and score devastating goals too

ntil England played Sweden last November, not every Englishman would have ranked Zlatan Ibrahimovic among the best strikers in Europe. But that perception shifted dramatically after a stunning four-goal demonstration of forward play that was capped by a magically improvised overhead kick from 30 yards out. With a career that has taken in some of the greatest clubs in Europe, Ibrahimovic’s record speaks for itself: he has played for Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan, winning a remarkable eight successive domestic league titles since his career began at Mälmo. Now at Paris St Germain, he has a career tally of over 30 goals in the Champions League, which puts him among the competition’s top 20 all-time scorers. He was also Serie A’s top scorer in the 2008-09 season with 25 goals. The secret to Ibrahimovic’s success has been his adaptability. He can come short and operate as a false nine, but he is at his most devastating as target man. “At almost 100 kilos and 1.96 metres, he’s the best target man in the world,” says former Brazilian international Leonardo, now sporting director at PSG.

For a big and powerful guy ‘Ibra’ has an exquisite first touch and fantastic movement – key attributes for the role and they are skills your young players can learn with the simple drills on the following pages. The target man is an isolated position, acting both as an ‘out ball’ to relieve pressure and as a catalyst for rapid counterattacks. It requires patience, strength, the ability to shield the ball and a great first touch. With his back to goal and the ball at his feet, defenders will struggle to dispossess him. “The key is not to lose the ball when you get it,” he explains. “I try to protect

the ball and keep defenders away using my back, arms, strength and balance... if I can hold the ball, it gives the team a chance to join me in attack.” When he plays he frequently requires the attention of both centre backs, one to go tight and the other dropping off, but this leaves space and exposes the fullbacks. His movement off the ball is intelligent but it’s important his team-mates clear the space into his feet by pulling markers away from his supply line. Use our drills and your players can do an ‘Ibra’, too – just don’t expect the 30-yard overhead kick.

Words by:

Mike Pattenden Activities by:

David Clarke

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A TARGET MAN What does a target man do? It may seem obvious but if your players have a better understanding of the role it will help your team score more goals. > Shoot at every opportunity with power and precision > Help team-mates by holding the ball up and heading crosses down so they can control and shoot > Make the most of corners and set plays by getting on the end of balls played in > When the target man is on the back line of the defence he must stay onside and make runs into the space behind the defenders for supporting players to pass to > When wingers have the ball and are looking to cross, the target man must find space between defenders in the final third to attack the ball and threaten the goal > Try to play quickly and cleverly in the final third

Issue 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

TARGET MAN

Lone Striker Playing with one man up front means the final pass must be a good one. Use this session to help players get used to making pinpoint passes to set the attacker free

WHY USE IT

d 1y

If you’re defending a lead and don’t want to commit to attack, or if you’re facing a strong team and want to counterattack, this teaches the importance of winning the ball by flooding the defence and having a lone target man up front.

s 10yd

SET UP

Set up a playing area of 30x20 yards split into a 10-yard shooting zone and a 20-yard playing area. Create three small gates between zones. Place a full-size goal with a keeper at the end of the shooting zone and a small target goal with no keeper at the other end. We’re using eight players including a keeper.

The lone attacker stays in the end zone, with the keeper locked in the six-yard box

Start the game at the end of the small goal and play 3v3 in the main zone, with the red attacking team trying to get the ball to the lone striker

s 20yd

Players from the red team must get into a position where they can thread a pass through one of the gates to get the ball to the attacker

HOW TO PLAY

The red team has three players who must stay in the large zone and an attacker in the shooting zone. The other team has a keeper who must stay in his six-yard box and three players who must stay in the main zone. To get the ball to the lone attacker, it must go through one of the three gates. The other team attacks the small goal.

If the ball goes through the gate, the attacker has two touches to control and shoot from the pass If the opposition win the ball they must try and pass it through the small goal at the other end of the pitch

TECHNIQUE

This is great to get young players to learn about through balls to a lone attacker. The three gates represent the gaps players play through in a match to set an attacker free.

Player movement

Ball movement

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Run with ball Issue 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

TARGET MAN

Hit The Front A challenging drill to teach your players the importance of build up play when setting up a target man with a clear goal scoring opportunity

WHY USE IT

Playing patterns are vital if your team want to get the ball to a target man. Build up play shows your players how they can interlink to create passing opportunities that will open up a route to the man up front.

Play starts at the back of the penalty area with a combination move between player A and B D

SET UP

You need bibs, plenty of balls, cones and a full-size goal with a goalkeeper. Use the attacking third of your pitch. Set up cones as shown in the diagram. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used four players in the session.

HOW TO PLAY

This is a progressive sequence of passages of play that build up to creating a chance to score and a shot on goal. Start on the corner of the penalty area where it meets the goal line and play into the near corner. As play builds up players must move and keep a good pace to make the drill realistic.

TECHNIQUE

Build up play around the penalty area shows your players that it is not only in midfield and defence where clever passing can be successful for team play, but it is also necessary around the penalty area. In this session the players see how they can build up play into a target man and play off him to create good scoring chances.

Player movement

Player C receives a pass from player A and dribbles to the cones, where he plays a onetwo with player D and makes a shot on goal

Progress the session. After passing to player C, player A becomes a defender. After a one-two with player A, player B plays a one-two to set up player Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s run into the box

D C

3 B

Player A defends after his pass, player B attacks the far post and player C passes to wide player D and attacks the near post

Player C can go 1v1 with the keeper or set up player D who makes a supporting run

8 A

B 6

C 1

2 B

5 4

Player D should play in crosses at a variety of heights. Here player B gets his head on a high cross to score

Ball movement

Run with ball Issue 312

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SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

Soccer Surgery

Your Problems Fixed THIS WEEK: Advice for a coach who isn’t sure when to bring new players into a game, and an opinion on how to deal with the problem of cyberbullying

Q “ What’s the

Online bullying of players is a serious matter

best time to make substitutions? I’m never certain when to make changes!

Answered by Dan Waldron, a youth soccer coach assessor from Carlisle Time for a sub

”

Timing substitutions perfectly is something that even managers at the very top level fail to master, so you mustn’t be too troubled if you’re struggling to recognise the best time to make a change. If you are a coach who subscribes to equal playing time, your substitution policy is actually quite simple. You can plan your starters and subs, and schedule changes by calculating minutes on the pitch for each player. Don’t forget, many leagues will allow you to rotate players on and off the pitch, although some coaches choose not to do this with too much regularity because players might take 10 minutes to settle into a game. If that player is only then on the field for another five minutes before being rotated off, is he really learning much or being offered the chance to show his true skills? If you’re talking about substitutions being made purely for tactical reasons, then this is really only something that can be learnt over time. If you can recognise tired players – they won’t run for loose balls, may duck out of tackles, or spend their time directing others rather than working themselves – or know you need to strengthen in a particular area of the pitch, then logic should guide you. But, like so much of soccer, the right substitution can often be something that relies purely on using your instincts.

Q “ One of my players is being bullied online by a team-mate but he steadfastly refuses to say who is behind the attacks. What can I do?

The priority here is clearly the player, but the first thing is to remind yourself that you are not alone in dealing with this situation. You must inform his parents, but ensure you are giving the subject an appropriate level of attention. For instance, if this is just light ribbing then don’t blow it out of all proportion, but if it is something more serious then act quickly and decisively. From what you say your player seems happy to continue to attend training and matches, so it suggests to me the bullying is manageable – for now at least. There are key things that should and shouldn’t be done in this situation. Of course, you should start to be very watchful of the player in training and on match day to see if his relationship with a team-mate is strained in any

”

way and I’m sure you will quickly gather clues. Similarly, you can do your own investigative work through social media – visible online conversations may very quickly lead you to the culprit. But do not consult team-mates in the hope that they can assist. The player in question is clearly embarrassed about events, and highlighting the problem to the rest of the team would be cruel and clumsy. Also, you mustn’t badger him for a name – he doesn’t want to reveal it and you must abide by his wishes. Let’s be clear, situations like this often blow over quickly, but for the rare occasions when they gather pace and turn into something more serious, it’s good to act decisively. Answered by Carl Austin, an experienced Level 2 coach from Cardiff

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 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

THE BIG DEBATE

Should You Get Involved In Family Matters? THIS WEEK’S DEBATE: One of your Under 15s has had some poor exam results. His father has asked you to limit the amount of match time he has because he feels soccer is taking up too much of his attention. Should you agree to his request?

NO, KEEP OUT OF IT

YES, GET INVOLVED

Steven Paterson Ely Rangers AFC, Cardiff

“When soccer starts to get in the way of any child’s education something must give, so as a coach I must support the father’s wishes”

“

Although no coach would really like this scenario I would agree to the principle of a player’s game time being reduced, on the proviso that his father was the one who broke the news, and I would want to be present at the time. I usually make it my policy not to get involved with parenting issues but sometimes you are the middle man and you are answerable to the parent before anyone else. I would also have to consider the impact on the rest of the squad. How might this player affect the team? Could he be a disruptive influence given that he is being singled out for different treatment? But I would want to remind the father that coming to soccer is a means of releasing

HAVE YOUR SAY

stress from other areas of life. And I may want to make exceptions to this ruling if we had a vital fixture. But I agree that when soccer starts to get in the way of any child’s education something must give, so as a coach I must support the father’s wishes. Rather than just lay down the rules I’d help the player recognise the importance of education. And I’d apply this message to the rest of the team. I guess the player would be used as an example, although I would never make verbal reference to that. Restricting time acts as an incentive for any child to try harder. Only he can change this situation, and as soon as schoolwork improves, he will see the rewards.

”

SHOULD YOU GET INVOLVED IN FAMILY MATTERS? Visit our Facebook page and log your vote at www.facebook.com/SoccerCoachWeekly or email your thoughts to editor@soccercoachweekly.net

“

Arjen Florijn

SC Buitenveldert, Amsterdam

“Sometimes parents want to pass the burden of taking unpleasant measures to someone else, but a soccer coach should not be the parents’ whip”

“

Firstly, I don’t see why sitting on the bench would improve results at school. On the contrary, it would cause frustration and diminish the player’s self-esteem. Some years ago, when I was training a team of Under 6s, one mother asked me to be hard on her son because he was behaving badly. But if parents are not able to bring up their children properly they need a family coach, not a soccer trainer. I’m not sure what impact a couple of hours on the pitch would have on schoolwork anyway. I think it’s more important to see players going to bed on time, not hanging out with the wrong types of friends, not drinking alcohol or smoking. Sometimes parents want to

be friends with their children and are eager to pass the burden of taking unpleasant measures to someone else: a teacher, a school, a sports club. This method doesn’t work – it undermines the authority of the parents. A soccer coach should not be a whip for the parents. I do agree that we should use our figurehead status as coaches, but I think the improvement in school work would be a by-product. All those lessons about being outgoing, confident and striving for a common goal can be applied from soccer to other parts of his life to great effect. I also never like the idea of going behind someone’s back – neither in soccer nor in life. It only creates problems further down the line.

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 substitute a player on a hat-trick?

79% said yes 21% said no Issue 312

SOCCER COACH WEEKLY

67 EASY TO COACH DRILLS FOR MARKING, TACKLING & BLOCKING Perfect Defending

Kids are brought up to think scoring is everything. That’s why the drills in Perfect Defending are written to make learning to defend fun!

– 67 easy to coa

ch drills for markin

g, tackling and blo

cking

Individual defendin

Front and back This drill forces the players to react to the two most frequent defending and attacking situatio ns.

The se

t up 67 Easy to Coach Drills for Marking, Tackling & Blocking Area: 30x30 yards Equipment: 3 cones, 2 balls, 1 goal

The steps

1. The goalkeeper passes to player 1 wh o attacks 1v1 against player 3. 2. Immediately afte r this attack, the coa ch passes to player 3.

Player 3 races out to

defend against player

3. Player 2 must now run out and stop pla yer 3 from turning to sho ot. For the next attack, player 1 becomes pla yer 2 and player 2 becomes pla yer 3.

What to call out

• “Pressure” • “Force away from goa l” • “Stop the turn”

Premier League Academy Coach Michael Beale’s manual will help your team keep more clean sheets.

Player 3 now turns to

KEY

Player Movement

What they say:

“It’s just as simple as the stuff in the FA Level 1 handbook but more interesting and easier to understand too.” Des Clark, Reserve Team Manager, Surrey Athletic, UK

No risk

Click here t conce o fewerde goals ! Player 2 is out quickly and makes a tackle to the attack. stop

SOCCER COACH

WEEKLY

SOCCER COACHSOCCER COACH

Ball Movement

attack against player

If you change your mind it’s no problem! We offer a 100% money back guarantee on every purchase.

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