Publication of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America March | April 2012, Vol. 57, No. 2
Cover image is for placement only. will change to something else.
The Meaning of Playing Good Soccer Hear What the NSCAA Latin American Soccer Coaches Committee has to say
I’m A Coach Because... Learn how you can be a grand prize winner!
Learn. Participate. Belong.
www.NSCAA.com
THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER By Ralph Polson
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Subheader Copy to go here Subheader Copy to go here
LOOK THROUGH A WIDER LENS ...to see the people who make the Convention possible. No matter how great the task… how long the hours… how pressing the deadline, some people make everything look easy. Their work is so good and their dedication so complete that most of us never even know they are there, working behind the scenes.
PLACEHOLDER FOR PHOTO
2
March | April 2012
DUMMY COPY HERE
organized and managed with absolute attention to detail and a passion for excellence. Several years ago, I remember watching Robby lead committee members Rudy Zimmerman, Roy Gordon, Steve Veal and others into the hall that would be the site of the 2009 Convention. Through their eyes, I saw this blank, cavernous space become turf-covered fields with spaces for demos. I saw the layout of exhibit halls and places to highlight Convention sponsors.
Dr. Jay Martin Men’s Head Soccer Coach Ohio Wesleyan University
That was my perspective during my first Convention in 1983. I was impressed with the experience, Caption goes here. Caption goes here. Caption goes here. Caption goes here. actually in awe of how good it was, but I had no idea what it took to successfully pull off something so large and complex. A decade of Conventions later, I was selected to serve on the NSCAA’s Men’s All-America Committee, and my perspective definitely changed. I no longer viewed the Convention and our awards programs through a narrow lens. The more I learned, the more I began to see both the Convention and the awards program as a panorama of preparation that stretches from doesn’t have the experience to understand how they fit into the team, I did not fully grasp my Convention to Convention. responsibilities. Fortunately, I had two coaches,Robby Robinson (NSCAA convention manager) Some 15 years later, my perception changed again. and Jeff Farnsworth (NSCAA awards program chair), who patiently and deliberately worked with In January 2008, I was elected to the NSCAA Ex- me on and off the Convention-planningmanager) anmanager) an field. Since that time, Robby and ecutive Committee as secretary. One of my first Jeff have become my mentors and good friends. tasks was to represent the Executive Committee Between the two of them, Robby and Jeff carry more than 60 years of NSCAA experience — that’s at the Convention Committee meeting in Febru- a lifetime5 years on the NSCAA executive committee and 15 years as convention manager. Jeff has ary following the Convention. Now remember, the served the NSCAA as its awards program chair since 1991. That means for 20 years he’s literally Convention is held in Januat first year I expected touched nearly every award presented regionally and nationally by the NSCAA. Remarkably, both the preliminary conversations to begin regarding have performed their full-time duties with the NSCAA as volunteers. planning for the next Convention. After all, we still After the 2012 Convention in Kansas City, Mo., the job of planning the Convention and producing had 11 months… plenty of time in my mind. At that and organizing the awards program will be placed under the purview of the NSCAA National Office. committee meeting, I was absolutely taken aback The growth and development of the NSCAA demand this change. Robby and Jeff have earned a when I found out that preparation for the next well-deserved break, but I can’t begin to tell you how much the NSCAA is going to miss their vast Convention was well underway. As a matter of fact, experience and tireless leadership. it began the day after the Convention (truthfully organized and managed with absolute attention to detail and a passion for excellence. Several years probably even before the Convention was over). ago, I remember watching Robby lead committee members Rudy Zimmerman, Roy Gordon, Steve For me that was Lesson No. 1 and a turning point Veal and others into the hall that would be the site of the 2009 Convention. Through their eyes, I in how I viewed the Convention and my com- saw this blank, cavernous space become turf-covered fields with spaces for demos. I saw the layout mitment to the NSCAA. Like young players who of exhibit halls and places to highlight Convention sponsors.
story to come
Between the two of them, Robby and Jeff carry more than 60 years of NSCAA experience — that’s a lifetime5 years on the NSCAA executive committee and 15 years as convention manager. Jeff has served the NSCAA as its awards program chair since 1991. That means for 20 years he’s literally touched nearly every award presented regionally and nationally by the NSCAA. Remarkably, both have performed their full-time duties with the NSCAA as volunteers. After the 2012 Convention in Kansas City, Mo., the job of planning the Convention and producing and organizing the awards program will be placed under the purview of the NSCAA National Office. The growth and development of the NSCAA demand this change. Robby and Jeff have earned a well-deserved break, but I can’t begin to tell you how much the NSCAA is going to miss their vast experience and tireless leadership.
For example, each year thousands of soccer people from across the country and around the world walk into the NSCAA Convention and enjoy meals, clinics, lectures, soccer demonstrations and fellowship with others who love the sport. They applaud at awards presentations, wear name badges, pick up freebies, browse products from hundreds of soccer vendors and refer to a detailed schedule for what’s happening and where they’re supposed to be next.
FPO
doesn’t have the experience to understand how they fit into the team, I did not fully grasp my responsibilities. Fortunately, I had two coaches,Robby Robinson (NSCAA convention manager) and Jeff Farnsworth (NSCAA awards program chair), who patiently and deliberately worked with me on and off the Convention-planningmanager) anmanager) an field. Since that time, Robby and Jeff have become my mentors and good friends.
“
Between the two of them, Robby and Jeff carry more than 60 years of NSCAA experience — that’s a lifetime of service to the mission of advancing soccer in America.
”
Request for Nominations for the NSCAA Board of Directors This is to notify the NSCAA membership of an upcoming election for the following positions on the NSCAA Board of Directors: • Vice-President for Communications and Marketing • Secretary • College Men’s Representative • High School Girls’ Representative • Youth Boys’ Representative The election will culminate Jan. 11, 2013. Election results will be announced at the Annual Meeting of the membership, Jan. 18, 2013, in Indianapolis, Ind. Any active or life member may submit one or more nominees for these positions to the Nominations and Election Committee, which then will select a maximum of three names per position based on the following criteria: • Current NSCAA member who has been a member at least five of the past eight years; • Ability to fulfill the duties in the job description that will be provided to the nominee (to view the job descriptions, go to the “About NSCAA” section of NSCAA.com); • Have served on the Board of Directors for a minimum of three years, been the chair of a standing NSCAA committee or council for a minimum of three years, been a member of the Academy staff for a minimum of three years or be able to demonstrate distinguished service to the NSCAA and the sport of soccer.
No person may be nominated for more than one position in a given election. Nominations should include a brief description of how the nominee(s) meet the aforementioned criteria and should be submitted to: Director of Elections NSCAA 800 Ann Ave. Kansas City, KS 66101 directorofelections@nscaa.com Nominations must be postmarked no later than June 15, 2012.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe Cummings CEO and Executive Director
3
HONOR AWARD
Al Albert
NSCAA 2011 Honor Award Recipient
The criteria for the NSCAA Honor Award are very direct: They center around significant meritorious service to soccer, and especially to the NSCAA. Various definitions of “honor” refer to such elements as: • High respect, as that shown for special merit • Good name or public esteem: reputation • Honesty, fairness or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions
His contributions and service to soccer are extensive. He has been influential in youth soccer, co-founding the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club and the Tidewater Soccer Camp. Coaching away from his College, he led the Williamsburg Wizards into competition throughout the U.S. and Europe while claiming six Virginia State Cup titles. His outreach at the international level also was evident through his work with the Maccabiah Games in Israel. Albert served as the head coach of the U.S. team at both the 1981 and 1985 Games, earning a silver medal in 1981. In 2007 he was an assistant coach for the team that defeated host Argentina to earn the gold medal at the Pan American Maccabiah Games. In 2003 he founded the Soccer Community Partnership in Williamsburg, providing local elementary school children the opportunity to play soccer regardless of socio-economic status, supported by private donations and a legion of devoted volunteers. Ask those who know him most closely and they will tell you that he has a number of admirable qualities. Among them are his outstanding organizational abilities and his unique ability to get individuals to contribute their time, effort and resources to worthy causes such as establishing programs in soccer for needy youth. Their reward? Perhaps the promise of a t-shirt! His colleagues say that his astute way of knowing which projects will succeed has enabled him to pick the right ones to be involved with, and he then immerses himself in those projects. Like the old investment firm commercial went, when Al speaks, people listen. That ability to communicate and convince others to help when called upon continues to serve him well in his current position in athletic development at the College of William and Mary.
• From the Latin word, it is an abstract concept entailing a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability
His impact on our Association increased in 2004, when he was elected to the Executive Committee of the NSCAA. He served as our President in 2008, but his influence did not stop when he left that office. He continues to play an integral role in the NSCAA Foundation, the Association’s philanthropic arm. In fact, on this very special evening, his efforts as late as one hour before the Award Banquet began involved co-hosting the function that provided recognition to those who have contributed to the growth of the NSCAA Foundation.
Al Albert unquestionably reflects all of those qualities, and more.
Albert does it all well, with modesty, dignity and class, and he has given so much more. He is deserving of this tribute and becomes the 70th recipient of this distinguished recognition.
In 2003, ALBERT retired from coaching with an enviABLE record: Mention the College of William and Mary, and the thoughts of most people in the soccer world will immediately turn to Al Albert. Having devoted more than 40 years of one’s professional life to a single institution will do that. Asked about his impact on his college, his colleagues will assert that there are currently two statues on the campus of William and Mary. One is of King William, the other is of Queen Mary. There should be a third, they say: one of Al Albert.
• Five conference tournament titles • Five regular season titles • Nine NCAA Tournament appearances, with two trips to the Elite 8
His background is noteworthy, and his accomplishments are replete with events and statistics that are impressive at any level: Al attended Baltimore City College High School, an avid sports fan supporting the city’s professional sports teams. He departed the city to study at The College of William and Mary, where he became a 1969 graduate while majoring in sociology and playing lacrosse and soccer. Following graduation he stayed on at the College, serviong as the assistant coach in both sports. He then accepted the offer to become the head coach for both varsity soccer and lacrosse in 1971, at the ripe old age of 21. As the workload of coaching two varsity intercollegiate sports continued to grow, he stepped down as lacrosse coach in 1977 to devote full-time efforts to the soccer program. The result was a 33-year coaching career with an astonishing record of 401 wins, 187 losses and 64 ties. When he achieved the 400th win, he was only the eighth men’s coach to achieve that milestone, and just the third to earn all of his wins at one school.
• Four conference coach of the year awards • Three NSCAA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year awards • 29 consecutive winning seasons, and 26 in a row with 10 or more wins
The alumni from his program create an impressive list, both in and out of soccer. Players such as Steve Jolley and Adin Brown have gone on to successful professional careers, but he has mentored many others along the way. A number of former players have gone on to success in the world outside of soccer, including comedian Jon Stewart, who was the NSCAA’s Honorary All-America in 2005. As with most successful professionals, the individual is usually surrounded by a significant family team. Al’s wife, Gail, met the man as a student at William and Mary and has been a strong supporter throughout his career while attending to her own career as a public school teacher with a liking for theater. His daughter, Allison (or Allie), is now off on her own path to success in the world of fashion design in New York with her husband, Reuel (pronounced “Rule”). Son Graham had the good fortune of playing for his father at William and Mary, and now also works in New York in the world of finance.
8
March | April 2012
• And the Tribe soccer teams play on what is now “Albert-Daly Field”
Top Left: Al Albert, 2011 Honor Award Recipient Above: 2011 NSCAA Honor Award Recipient, Al Albert and his wife, Gail, have two children: a daughter, Allison, and a son, Graham, who played for his father at William and Mary.
9
SJ INTERVIEW
From the UEFA Technician
Andre Villas-Boas started to study coaching in his teens and after a short spell in the British Virgin Islands as a national coach he became the assistant coach of Jose Mourinho at FC Porto. He followed his Portuguese colleague to Chelsea FC and then to FC interanzionale. At the beginning of the 2009-10 season, the young
Andre Villas-Boas
coach left Mournho’s backroom team to take over at Academica de Coimbra in the Portuguese top decision and quickly lifted them from the bottom of the league into a safe position, finishing 11th. Good results and an
He is a highly intelligent, articulate and gifted technician-he is…
attractive style of play resulted in him being offered the post of FC Porto’s head coach. In one season (201011), they won four titles: the Portuguese Cup and Super cup, the league title and UEFA Europa League-the
How did you develop as a coach?
latter making him the youngest manager, at 33 years old, to win a European competition.
I was influenced by a lot of different people through out my career. Also, I think I need to acknowledge the luck factor that led me to some valuable opportunities, such as getting to a club like FC Porto at such a young age-club that has a background of nurturing players and coaches. I was then able to put into practice my ideas and all the small things I had learned on a coaching course in Scotland, England and Portugal. The Scottish courses were particularly important because I was able to express myself and exchange ideas in an open, respectful way. It was good for me to live in this culture and accumulate all these experiences. I also respect the fact that being an assistant to José was significant-his success helped me to progress as a coach. I was able, for instance, to get into a Portuguese first division club like Académica right away. There, I had great facilities and the freedom to work. I am a firm believer in the beauty of our game and I like to implement that conviction with the teams that I manage. I am very positive and attack-minded and I think we, as coaches, have an important role to play in that sense. I know this philosophy goes a bit against current thinking in society-everyone is taking less risk due to the financial situation and it is a mentality which is seen in the game too: fear, holding a position and trying to avoid criticism. I prefer to be positive, to take the initiative and to create as many chances as we can. I experienced a good mixture as I was developing as a coach and I am a bit of everything I learnt along the way.
Before the celebrations had died down, he was on his way to Chelsea FC in the English Premier League and one of the biggest, most challenging coaching jobs in European club football-further evidence of his meteoric rise to prominence. He is a highly intelligent, articulate and gifted technician-he is…
What were the main reasons for your quick rise to prominence? Circumstance played a part. At Académica the players who had previously been successful were not on form and were bottom of the league. My arrival was seen as an emotional stimulation and the players responded. I definitely benefited from living through this process-it was a leadership task linked to their state of mind. The players wanted to transcend themselves, to recapture the emotions of the year before, when they had been successful. So it was very much about human and emotional aspects of the job-trying to get the players to express their qualities, because it is the players that take you to success more than the other way around. They had an emotional block and the minute we got the first result we went on a run that took us off the bottom of the league. Once the players got over this period, they started enjoying it more and started absorbing my ideas. Then I went to FC Porto and faced a similar situation. The club had won the championship three seasons in a row and then had lost out to Benfica. There was a desire to win the title back. We used a lot of what Jesualdo [Ferreira] had left us, but added some of our own ideas and a new club leadership was born. It was a big change for the players-not to be in any way critical of the previous setup-and soon we reignited their motivation to regain the championship. My age was never an issue because I started coaching when I was very young. It is something that has always generated debate, but I have no problem with it because the players always accepted the position of the manager and they seemed to enjoy the relationship with someone of their generation. The players, of course, are always testing the manager to find out what his weaknesses are. In the first two or three weeks when you implement your ideas, they test your leadership and your competence. It also depends on the way you come across, and if you are able to sustain yourself through this period it can build the basis that can take you forward. The disruption will come and that is a normal part of the game because of the frustrations that players live with. We have to remember that players are often under tremendous pressure. The testing, if you cope, will strengthen your leadership position. The game is so unpredictable, but the variables are influenced by the team that wants it more. You need, of course, to have confidence and belief in what you do. The players must be by your side, but ultimately it is the players’ talent that normally solves the match situations. We won the Europa League, but in the first three games our goalkeeper saved us by dealing with some 1 v 1 situations early in each match. In my opinion, the more access you have to top players, the more likely you are to be successful as a coach.
This is difficult. The way you train does not necessarily reflect the way you play. It is not your methodology that takes you to success. It is your players’ talent, your ability to motivate and human skills that make the difference. You can be a coach who is very detailed in his preparation, but might miss something in the game itself. On the other hand, you might delegate a lot of the training, yet be able to get results by stimulating the players to perform at their peak. In my mind, you can be successful in football with different types of methodology. What makes sense for me is that you must convince your players that your methods will lead them to success. I believe in using difficult situations in my training, utilizing equal numbers or even overloading, and this helps the players to solve demanding problems in the game. Of course, if you give your team the numerical advantage, it helps to produce fluency in the play and confidence. So there are different ways of seeing things and more than one route to the top. Normally, I develop my training from small to big spaces, from drills to open play. Of course, when we have midweek games, the emphasis is on recovery, but with some tactical input. However, I repeat there are different approaches. The Italians, for example, have good physical preparation, and then you get coaches such as José who incorporate everything: the psychological, tactical and physical aspects. No matter the style, you need to sell your method to your players. 10
March | April 2012
Photo courtesy of Sports-at-Work.com
What do you emphasize in your training?
11
Because of my age and my lack of a professional playing background, I could never be dictatorial. I therefore let the players have a certain amount of input into the decisions regarding the way we play and the way the team is run. Also, when we talk about the well-being of a group, I encourage the players to participate in the decisions affecting their professional life. For example, at Porto I would discuss with the players the starting time of the training or the need for rest days. I try to be an open-minded leader and to respect people. You must build a two-way relationship, even on decision-making about arrangements or actions in the game. Naturally, as the coach I make the final decisions though and if I have to upset a couple of people, then so be it.
Do you see today’s top-level football in a positive light?
Photo courtesy of footyntech.wordpress.com
In a managerial/leadership sense, how would you describe yourself?
This is not an easy one to answer. In some leagues the gap between the top team and those that don’t challenge for the title is getting wider and wider, and that is a worry. Money is beginning to play a decisive part-the richer the league, the more competitive, the more equality there is. The premier league in England comes into this category, but that does not seem to be the case in Spain where, in recent years, the top two have been detached. Also there is so much pressure to succeed, and I am with Louis Van Gaal when he says it is much more difficult to defend an attacking philosophy. It is defiantly easier to produce a cautious, defensive organization with a compact block than to promote creativity, talent and attacking fluency. Those who are positive will clash with the “contain and counter” teams and it will not be easy to triumph. You need good players and good decision-making to overcome defensive structures, and it is difficult to nurture the talents that you need in order to cope with the demands at the top level. Because of Barcelona’s success, there seem to be more coaches willing to take the positive path. But when they are faced with pressure, they can find themselves in a difficult situation.
What qualities do you look for in a player? If it were easy to find the perfect player, we wouldn’t make as many mistakes. Maybe Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, at the moment, fit this term. They represent the defense of a culture-they were bred by the club and they now serve that club to the maximum extent. To find that situation at another club or to move them to another environment…they wouldn’t be the same players. When I look for a player, I look for technical skills because we seek fluency in our game. The player also needs to be able to express himself on the ball. In addition, he needs the right attitude, tactical awareness and to be quick in every way. To find this perfect player is very difficult, so you look for players who can serve you well in your team, and then positional requirements become a factor. Taking a general view, I look for players who are technically gifted and psychologically strong. I am a firm believer in the human aspect of the game and therefore the personal qualities are extremely important.
What is the toughest part of being a top coach? I suffer most as a coach when everyone is available and I have to select the lineup at the end of a week when everyone has given their total commitment. It is a basic part of the manager’s job, but when you have to leave players out for the sake of the team, it is tough. Nothing you can say to them can convince them that they haven’t done something wrong. This selection process, being ruthless, takes the human element out of you, and it is something that makes you sensitive to players’ feelings. You just need to talk to them and move on, because next week they can be selected and be decisive for you. The other issue relates to outside judgments and expectations. You are expected to be successful instantly, and the process and the circumstances are not taken into account. Tolerance and patience are less obvious today and maybe social frustrations play a part in this.
How important is technology for today’s front-line coach? The most important thing is to be comfortable with what you have. If you are happier with extreme, aggressive analysis, then that is OK. As assistant to José, I wanted to give him as much detail as I could. But when I went into management, I decided that this was only a part of the equation, and not the decisive part. When you have a role to play, you think that your contribution will be crucial. I am happy today with my scouts providing me with the things which I think are important, and basically, I want to know the main tactical strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. In the end, it is the strategic part of the game which plays a decisive part and you have to predict what you think the opponent will do. Some coaches are obsessed by their computers and the data they receive. I am not that way because, as I said, I favor the emotional, human aspect of the game and the cultivation of the players’ talent. Sometimes players can’t express their quality because they are restricted by rigid systems.
Do you have a certain way of approaching team meetings? Normally, my team meetings will last around 20 minutes, including videos. We address our team in relation to the opponents, in and out of possession, the opponents’ qualities and finally have a short video on our set plays. In midweek, I will occasionally get them together to discuss what we are doing well and what we are not doing so well. I try as much as possible to put this feedback into training sessions, in order to avoid putting them into a meeting room too often.
12
March | April 2012
What, for you, are the main tactical trends at the top level of the game? No doubt, speed of the game, speed of decision-making and speed of the counterattack are common features in the Champions League, yet somehow I don’t think this is related to FC Barcelona. They are an exception. What they have done is slow the game down in certain situations, and therefore slow down the decision-making. Because of their skill level, they are able to live with the pressure without rushing and they make the decisions when they are ready. Of course, they can play quickly like other top teams when necessary, but they have a gift for time and space. They have redefined the way of playing, creating more time for team-mates and raising decision-making to a higher level. At the moment, the game is going through an obsessive period regarding speed-the game is reflecting society with everything being done in a hurry. Everything is frenetic in life, so everybody expects the game to be the same. In England, football is fuelled by the emotions of the people. The fans want you to be quick, to accelerate the action, and possession and patience are not appreciated as much. It is a cultural thing. When you become a manager, you have to produce results immediately, to get the players to perform right away. What Pep [Guardiola] has done tremendously well is to redefine the notions of time and space, while maintaining ball speed and other quick elements of the play.
As someone who was interested in journalism, how do you see the role of the coach in relation to the media? I try to be open and explain what we are trying to do. Coaches such as Sir Alex and Arséne have brought a lot of respect to the profession through their achievements and longevity, and this helps. At Porto, I tried to treat everyone the same and I did this by holding open press conferences. In England, I have had to adapt a bit to the accepted requirements and arrangements. We each have our job to do and our relationship is gradually evolving.
What aspect of today’s football disturbs you most? We are still living off the financial bonanza that has taken place around football during the last ten years, and maybe this situation will stabilize. Appearance money could more important in stimulating the desire to play, and love of the game could return to pole position, and that in turn would help us to nurture the passion. The things I don’t like are negative, outside influences having an impact on the game. Remember, football, ultimately belongs to the players and the public.
What aspect of today’s football excites you the most? What excites me the most is how winning and losing affects my daily life and my relationships with my players. As I said, I am a firm believer in encouraging players to exploit their talent and I want to promote a better game for people to enjoy-it is a wonderful challenge. 13
Youth Coaching
11 Practice Tips for Youth Soccer Coaches a “bad pass”. The result is that receivers will stand there and watch a pass go by because it was a “bad pass” when they could have stopped it. See Aggressive Receiving tip number 8.
By David Huddleston
In 2010 SoccerHelp.com had 2.4 million visitors and 43 million hits from 150 countries. SoccerHelp is for youth soccer coaches and I receive a lot of emails from recreational coaches of ages 3 to 16. This article lists the 11 practice tips that I think can make the biggest difference for youth soccer players and teams and is based on the feedback I get from coaches. All 11 tips are things every youth coach can easily do. SoccerHelp works well for recreational coaches because it provides a training program that is based on the use of self-teaching practice games. This training approach is described in the article titled “Practice Games Beat drills” which was published in the September/October 2003 Soccer Journal (available in the archived issues at www.nscaa.com/education/resources/soccer-journal). Some of these practice games, such as Dribble Across a Square, work for all ages and all skill levels. These aren’t silly games – they are designed to efficiently teach real skills, to minimize lines, there are no elimination games, and most have a ball ratio of 50% to 100%. There are over 500 pages of free information and a subscription site that has over 1,500 pages. I have been a NSCAA member for 15 years and have set up a free subscription for NSCAA members that goes through August 1, 2012. The username and password are “nscaa”. The SoccerHelp program emphasizes fun, skill development and positive motivation. I receive lots of feedback and ideas from youth coaches and some of the things I have learned are listed in this article. I believe the ideas listed below are applicable to most youth soccer. The tips relate to skills, ways of thinking about playing (such as one-touch, aggressive receiving and passing to space), motivation, training in a way that prepares players to play fast while under pressure, and practices that are fun, efficient and effective.
“There are over 500
pages of free informa-
7. Teach Aggressive Receiving. I think it is important to teach young players Aggressive Receiving. What that means is to teach young players NOT to expect a pass to come to their feet. Instead, teach them that most passes WON’T be to their feet, that they MUST stay on their toes and be ready to move in either direction to stop the ball, and that their top priority must be to stop a pass from going past them, because if that happens in a real match the opponent might get the ball. An easy and effective way to teach this is by playing the SoccerHelp “Dribble Around Cone & Pass Relay Race” game. This game will teach the receiver to stop passes and to move to the pass when it is safe to do so. The receiver will learn that he or she can’t just rush at the ball because if the pass isn’t accurate it will go past him, and if one pass isn’t stopped his team will probably lose the game. It teaches the receiver to watch the ball’s “line” and not to wait for the ball to come to his feet. The teams that move to the ball the most will usually win this game because they play faster and don’t allow bad passes to slow their play, so players will clearly see the advantages of Aggressive Receiving and want to learn to play this way. The games are fast (about 3 minutes per game) so players quickly see the results of their style of play and have a chance to improve in the next game. That makes it easy for the coach to teach and players learn at a fast pace. Players will want the coach’s advice because it will help them win the game. The players who listen to the coach will win and those who don’t will lose.
tion and a subscription site that has over 1,500 pages. I have set up a free subscription for NSCAA members that goes through August 1, 2012.
”
Most of the tips below only apply to ages 8 to 16. Only the first 4 apply to U6. 1. Youth soccer practices should be fun.This is especially true for ages 3-12. If soccer isn’t fun, many youth will stop playing. Also, attendance will be better if practices are fun, or at least not boring. I’m not talking about playing silly games like Crab Soccer. I’m talking about minimizing lines and dead time, maximizing touches on the ball, a high ball ratio, positive motivation, and drills or practice games that keep score. (The SoccerHelp games for U6 do not involve keeping score, but most do for U8 and older). For an example of a very effective and fun game, go to SoccerHelp to “Drills” and read about the “Dribble Across a Square” game. You will see that it is easy to set up, easy to explain, self-teaching, has a 100% ball ratio, involves competition, and is a great warm up. It teaches control dribbling, speed dribbling, to look up while dribbling, turning, peripheral vision, instinctive reactions, composure and shielding the ball in traffic, to naturally dribble with both feet, and to recognize and accelerate into open space. Try it - you will be surprised. It is for U8 to adult and all skill levels.
24
March | April 2012
2. Emphasize skill development. In 2005 I interviewed April Heinrichs and she said “youth coaches should have a ball for every player and spend at least 80% of practice time on activities that have a high ball ratio such as dribbling, passing, shooting and small sided attacking and defending”. Like Anson Dorrance, she believes that practices should involve competition because it is more fun and better prepares players for real matches. 3. Positive motivation is important. Bob Motivation is critical to success. Motivation is what makes us want to do things. It is the difference between a 100% effort with a good attitude and just doing the minimum with a bad attitude. There is a lot of information on SoccerHelp about positive motivation and how to develop a motivation plan. 4. Have efficient, effective practices. Plan your practices, maximize the number of touches, have at least one ball per player, and minimize lines and dead time. Recruit assistants to help. 5. Train players to be able to play fast, while under pressure, instinctively, in chaotic conditions. We all know that it is best to train players in a way that simulates match conditions, and we know that there aren’t any line drills
in real matches. There is a better way than line drills. Keeping score creates competition, which causes players to try hard and play fast. If there is a drill you like to practice skills, try to turn it into a game where score is kept and where the ball ratio is at least 25% and lines are minimized. The Dribble Across a Square game is an example of a perfect game for ages 7 and older. The SoccerHelp “Hit the Coach” game is an example of a perfect game for U6 - easy to set up, great fun and a 100% ball ratio (there is a video on SoccerHelp). Both games are 100% on ball and chaotic, but that is good because they train players to maintain composure in chaotic conditions. Like in a real match, players don’t have time to think when playing these 2 games, so they learn to react instinctively. 6. Do not teach young players that a “good pass” is a pass to feet. I think this is a major problem with youth soccer in the U.S. and that it limits attacking creativity and understanding of how to use space. If you teach a young player that the only good pass is a pass to feet and that a pass that doesn’t hit the receiver’s feet is a “bad pass”, you are teaching them a way of thinking about how to play soccer that limits how they play. You are also unintentionally teaching receivers that if a pass doesn’t come to their feet, it is
David Huddleston has been a NSCAA member for 15 years. He started his soccer journey like many in the U.S.; he never played and didn’t begin coaching until he was talked into assisting with his 6 year old son’s team 19 years ago. He helped develop a coaching manual for his league and that evolved into SoccerHelp.com in 2001.
8. A simple way to teach one-touch play. Virtually all parents overestimate their child’s ability times two.I think one-touch play should be taught as soon as possible because it is a way of thinking about how to receive a pass and it is a much superior, faster way to play as opposed to always stopping the ball at feet. By “one-touch play”, I don’t mean to start with one-touch passing… what I mean is to teach kids that when they receive a pass they can move faster by one-touching the ball into open space either away from a defender or in the direction they are moving so they can accelerate faster. The best way to teach one-touch play is by playing the “Dribble Around Cone & Pass Relay Race” practice game (see tips above). It is a very
effective way to teach the concept of onetouch because the receivers who one-touch the pass into open space in front of them and run onto the ball will probably win (because they are able to play faster) and those who stop the ball at their feet will probably lose, so the Game makes it obvious to the players why one-touch play is better. One-touch play also helps teach the use of open space and allows players to play more creatively. 9. Teach bravery, strength on the ball and a legal shoulder tacklel. The youth coaches who contact me have found that it is greatly beneficial to teach young players that soccer is a physical game and not to be afraid of contact or being bumped or pushed. Instead of talking about being aggressive, I find it is more motivational to talk about being brave because heroes are brave and youth want to be brave. The SoccerHelp “Shoulder Tackle & Strength On The Ball Game” is an easy way to teach players not to be afraid of contact, strength on the ball to maintain possession while dribbling, shielding, how to challenge for the ball to slow the attack, and how to legally push a player off the ball. 10. The best way to teach dribbling. I think the best way to teach dribbling is by playing games such as Dribble Across a Square (age 7 or older) and Hit the Coach (for U6). These games are self-teaching, 100% on ball, and involve traffic. By playing these games players learn to dribble while looking up, to use both feet, and composure in traffic. Hit the Coach does not keep score, but all the players are trying at the same time to hit the coach with their ball, so there is traffic and competition. Note that these games do NOT use cones to teach dribbling. Cones are not at all game-realistic. 11. Teach players how to mark up on throw ins, goal kicks, punts and free kicks. It is important to teach the idea of marking up, when to mark up, and how to mark up. In recreational youth soccer, marking opponents is important when they take throw ins, goal kicks, punts and free kicks. Marking up in those situations is a good way to be sure defenders are in position to either steal the ball or at least to slow down the attack. Many youth players intuitively mark up in front of an opposing attacker so they are between the opponent and the ball, but I have found it better to teach players to mark up behind an opponent so they can see what is happening in front of them and can step in front and steal the ball if there is an opportunity. Marking behind also makes it hard for the opponents to get a breakaway on their throw ins, goal kicks, punts and free kicks.
25
FIVE FAVORITES
3.
Five Favorites from the Arsenal FC Academy Arsenal plays the ball in tight spaces as well as any team in the world. This is the first part of the Academy sessions developed by Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger. These activities help develop a player’s confidence to play in tight space
Organization: - Play 8 v 2 in a 10 x 10 yard area with one touch - Attacking players stand outside the square - Count successive passes and give extra points for a through ball - Defenders must win or disturb three passes to get out - Any through ball regains the possession group with one extra possession
Organization: - 4 v 2 in a 15 x 10 yard area playing with one or two touches - Possession players are outside the grid and may move up and down their respective line - Count consecutive passes and add a reward for a through pass - If defenders win the ball they can get out of the grid over any line by executing a 2 v 1 combination - This is an excellent positional training game – wide players play wide and central deep players play on the top and bottom Coaching Points: - Possession team must use the entire area and maintain their shape - The ball should be played away from the defenders using the deep player as needed - Coach may restrict touches or have the players use only one foot i.e. right - Defenders maintain pressure, support and communicate - Defenders must deny the through ball
Soccer Journal would like to thank member coach Phil Vigil from Colorado for his ongoing assistance in translating this article into Spanish. To read this article in Spanish please visit: www.NSCAA.com/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
28
March | April 2012
Coaching Points: - The key is to keep the team shape big - The middle player cannot restrict space – he/she must create space - Outside players look to play the ball into the middle when they can. - The middle player plays the ball one touch out
Possession Activity 4 Organization: - 6 v 3 + 1 in a 25 x 20 yard area playing two touch - This is in a larger space with more players and more options of play and more defensive pressure - The wide right midfielder and right back are positioned on one line and the left sided players on the other. - The target attacker, a center back and the inside midfielder complete the possession team - If the defenders win the ball they play 3 v 1 in the grid with limited touches
Coaching Points: - Possession team must play quick in tight spaces with good touch - Anticipate the next pass; be creative and deceptive; use a variety of touches and feints – find the best option - Defenders pressure the ball and provide support - Defenders must have constant communication and quick shifting of positions
Possession Activity 2
Organization: - 4 v 2 + 1 in a 15 yard x 10 yard area playing 1 or 2 touch - Possession team adds an additional player in the middle of the grid. That player is the only possession player allowed inside the grid - Outside players play 2 touch and the middle player plays 1 touch - This is an excellent positional game with the middle player being an inside midfielder - If defenders win the ball, they play 2 v1 in the middle
Possession Activity 1
1.
Possession Activity 3
2.
4.
Coaching Points: - With additional players more options are available - Play can go up one line, into the middle, up the opposite side, forward or back - The three defenders remain compact and focus on their shape of pressure, support and cover - The defenders should deny any through balls
5.
Possession Activity 5 Organization: - 6 v 4 + 2 in a 30 x 25 area with limited touches - This is a full build up with 12 players - The playing area is enlarged to have numbers - There are more options than ever with additional defensive pressure - This is a positional game with 6 outside players, 2 middle players against 4 defensive players. This represents a game like environment - The outside players play two touch. The inside players play one touch Coaching Points: - Defenders stay compact. Play in a diamond shape and play ball oriented defense - Defenders pressure the ball, two in support and one cover man - If defenders win the ball, they play 4 v 2 in the middle with two touches
29
Pep and FIFA Alhough barely into his 40s, Pep Guardiola has already made an indelible mark since taking up the reins at his beloved Barcelona. Under his remarkable stewardship, the Catalan giants have won every trophy there is to win, doing so in a captivating style that has made their young coach a role model in the global game. A born winner, Guardiola is as tactically astute as they come, a man with a gift for expressing his ideas with clarity off the pitch and executing them with deadly precision on it. This seasons thrilling Clásico win over Real Madrid provided just the demonstration of his and his team’s extraordinary capabilities, and ahead of his side’s departure for Japan, where they will run out in the FIFA Club World Cup, Guardiola spoke exclusively to FIFA.com. FIFA: Pep, it’s been one success after another in your three and a half years in charge at Barcelona. What’s been the secret? PEP: There’s nothing special about it really. First of all, I’ve tried to be faithful to the history of Barcelona, which is a great club in every respect. And then it’s just been a question of making good signings and blending them in with the homegrown players, handling them in the right way and not being scared to give the youngsters a chance when the time’s right. You made an instant impact when you took over. How did you manage that? I was an unknown quantity when I came in, and the first thing I asked the team to do was to put their trust in me. I told them everything would work out fine. I wanted the fans to see that the team was going to work hard, run, play good football, and take pride in their work on the pitch. People want to be entertained. They don’t want to be cheated. The fans can accept a poor performance but they won’t take it when you choose not to put in the effort. The team’s come one and we’ve made changes and tweaked a few things here and there. The idea is still the same, though: to attack, score as many goals as possible, and play as well as we can. You’ve reached the FIFA Club World Cup again by winning the UEFA Champions League for the second time in three years. Looking back, how do you rate that achievement? It was important to win the group. That’s always been a priority for me in the Champions League, because the knockout rounds are tough and you never have it easy. A lot’s been said about the semi-final with Real Madrid, and there’s no question that was a big hurdle for us. Sometimes it’s even harder for us than the final. Just look at the semi we won against Chelsea three years ago, then Inter and now Madrid. “Midfielders are intelligent players who have to think about the team as a whole. They’re selfless players who understand the game better than anyone.” - Pep Guardiola on the importance he places on midfielders But then you went and turned it on against Manchester United in the final, which was perhaps one of Barcelona’s greatest ever performances. That’s true, but it’s important to remember that finals are usually very close games, which is what made our performance against Manchester United stand out even more. There have been other games when we’ve played really well, but it’s always more difficult to do that in a final because of the emotional factors that come into it and the quality of the opposition. Our preparation for that game was crucial. We went to London a good few days before, made ourselves feel at home there, and went into the match in really good shape. Things like that tend to get overlooked but they make the difference in big games.
44
March | April 2012
45 45
Turning to this season now, you’ve made a few tactical alterations. Why change something that works? People talk about tactics, but when you look at it, tactics are just players. You change things so that the team can get the most out of the skills they have to offer, but you don’t go any further than that. When it comes to tactics you have to think about what the opposition does and the players who can hurt you. What I’ve done this season is a response to the game plans our rivals are now adopting against us. As time goes by, people get to know you better. They pose problems for you and you have to come up with solutions. Finding intelligent players must be a priority for you then. Absolutely. The problem is you can’t always get them. You can sign players on the recommendation of friends and colleagues and based on what you see on TV, but it’s only when they’re out on the pitch with you that you find out if they can do what you want them to. It’s not easy. Sometimes it’s worked for me and sometimes it hasn’t. I’ve never been worried about having a small squad. In fact, being a little short on options is probably better for us than having a lot, especially as I’ve got players with so much quality to call on. I’ve got complete faith in the team and my philosophy is that there’s a solution to every problem. Whenever there’s a potential problem I’ll always look at the alternatives I’ve got in the first team and even among the youngsters. A lot’s been said about the way you use midfielders in a range of different positions. Where did that approach come from and what do you hope to achieve by it? The midfield is a crucial part of any team. Midfielders are intelligent players who have to think about the team as a whole. They’re selfless players who understand the game better than anyone and the more midfielders you have, the easier it is to slot them into other positions. That’s how they become versatile and that helps us to have smaller squads that are still able to offer more options. As a coach, how much have you learned from Johan Cruyff, and have any other coaches influenced you along the way? Cruyff’s been my biggest influence. I spent six years with him and I learned an awful lot. Juan Manuel Lillo has also been an essential figure. He was my coach for just six months in Culiacan, Mexico, but we had a great time and I learned a lot. I think highly of him and I’m very grateful to him, because he was very generous and passed his knowledge on to me. And he knows a lot too. In a recent interview, Lionel Messi spoke about your attention to detail, how you came in and changed the players’ diets straightaway. Rest and a good diet are essential when you depend on your body for your job, so the idea is to be in the best possible shape. That’s why we try to get the players to rest at home, play well and eat well too. The fuel that powers the muscles is very important, and that goes for any player, not just Messi. Continued on page 70
You’ve also bucked the modern trend of getting your team together in a hotel the day before games. People don’t spend the day before they go to work locked up in hotel. We just try to make things the same for them. If they don’t rest, they’re not looking after themselves and that means they’ll play worse and lose their jobs. I judge my players on the work they do, not on their private lives. I’m not a policeman. I’m in bed at ten o’clock and I’ve got no urge to go and check up on my players. That’s why I’d rather have them at home and not cooped up in a hotel with nothing to do. We’re just trying to use our common sense. You wanted to know why we keep getting good results? That’s the answer: common sense. Barcelona kick off their FIFA Club World Cup campaign on 15 December. What are your goals for the competition? Our objective is to win the competition, no doubt about that. We need to hit the ground running and my job is to make sure the players are aware of how important the tournament is. We need to learn about our opponents, of course, play well in the semifinal and use our tactical ability and determination to become world champions once again. This tournament comes about shortly after the Real Madrid match. How hard is it to get your players to perform at their peak twice in such a short space of time? To be honest, we don’t train the players to peak at certain points in the season. We don’t think ‘we’re struggling now but we’ll be ok come November’. We try to be as good as we possibly can in every game. What is tough for a team like ours is that we don’t get to do a pre-season, so it’s harder for us to get into our stride. But I repeat, we try to be on peak form for every game. Do you think the 13-hour journey to Japan and the significant time difference will be a handicap for your team? Do you have enough time to acclimate? It’s tough. It’s something I experienced myself as a player and it was very difficult getting used to being in a different time zone, over and above the fatigue from a long flight. Two years ago we only had to go to Abu Dhabi, which is just two hours ahead (of Spain), whereas here the difference is much greater. Ideally we’d come here in plenty of time, a week or ten days ahead, but unfortunately our fixture list is very full and the gaps between competitions are very short – so we’ll just have to make the best of it. But don’t think that I’m complaining: it’s a privilege to be here, an honor to be representing Europe and we’re incredibly excited about the chance to try and win this tournament. “I don’t want us to be stuck in the hotel all day... we intend to make the most of the time we do have to do other things except think about football.” - Pep Guardiola on enjoying the Japanese experience Barça go into their semi-final as strong favorites to defeat Al-Sadd. How do you prevent any overconfidence? By working hard and, first and foremost, by knowing all about our opponents, thinking about them and watching their games to find out what we’ll need to do to win. It’s my duty to know as much as I possibly can about the team we’re going to face, so they can’t take us by surprise, and then pass that knowledge on to the players. And, of course, we have to adapt the way we approach the game depending on what we’re going to be up against, without ever straying from our soccer philosophy. Have you ever been to Japan before? If so, can you give us your impressions on the country and its people? I came here a few years ago when we came to play in the Toyota Cup against Sao Paulo [in a final the Brazil side won 2-1], though I wasn’t able to see very much of the country. It’s a country with an interesting culture and I’m keen to discover more about it. We’ll spend a week in Yokohama and we’ll try to sample some of the great restaurants and mix with the local people. Will you have time to fit all that in? Players usually say that they rarely get the chance to see anything of a country when they play in relatively short tournaments like this. I don’t want us to be stuck in the hotel all day. We’re not going to have many days free, because we’re tired after the long trip, but we intend to make the most of the time we do have to do other things except think about football. We’ve come here to enjoy ourselves without, of course, forgetting our determination to win. Japan was obviously hit by a terrible earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. With the nation still slowly getting back on its feet after that natural disaster, do you have a message for the Japanese people? Yes, I felt very sorry when I found out. Catastrophes like these are beyond our control and I hope that Japan, which is a strong country, continues to recover. We’re very excited about getting to know its people and traditions. I’m sure that with everyone pulling together, the situation will get back to normal. When nature decides to revolt, there’s nothing you can do about it. The only thing we can do is to try and anticipate adversity-using technology and, afterwards, stay strong to try and come through ok. Football can help with the healing process too, right? Of course! Just like going to the theatre, the cinema or having a good meal. At the end of the day you need to find ways to distract yourself, to fill your life and to have a good time. Let’s hope the football we play can be a part of that. We hope the fans in Japan enjoy the show that Barcelona are going to put on. And then, of course, we want to come home with the trophy. This was originally published on the FIFA.com website.
46
March | April 2012
47