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SoccerCoachWeeklyIssue 259 Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Look and learn

1SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team

A player opening up his body to play can also open up new options

I run this session to get my players looking around them when they have the ball. It means they’re aware of where their team mates are, and where there’s space on the pitch that can be exploited.

For the session to really work, players not in possession need to look to see where the opposition players are when deciding where they can run to receive a pass.

I’ll run a handball session first so players get a feel for the positional elements without worrying about ball control with their feet.

Handball• Set up a 25x15-yard area as shown in the diagram, with flags (or bibs) of the same colour on all poles.• The game is 6v6, with players in a 2-3-1 formation. • When a player passes the ball he must shout out the flag colour. The team gains a point after making five consecutive passes. Passes must be from the chest and cannot go above head height.• If a player is tagged with the ball in his hands, or a pass is misplaced, the other team takes possession.• Make sure players stay on the move and are at match pace, and change the flag colour throughout the game.• Play for five minutes.

Soccer• For the second part, use a larger 40x30-yard area, with small five-a-side goals.• In a 2-3-1 formation, players must defend the goal whilst trying to score in their opponents’ goal, but before they pass the ball they must call out the two flag colours.• Each team must make four passes and call out colours correctly before they can score.• Change colours at regular intervals to keep players on their toes.• Play for five minutes.

Technique and tactics• Players adopting a side-on body position for receiving and moving forward will be able to see both flags at both ends of the pitch. It’s easier to tell young players that they need to see both flags rather than expecting them to understand the technique behind opening their body to play. • Players also need to concentrate on good passing and control, in all areas of the pitch.

Players look to link up in a simple handball game, with the aim of making five passes

In the full game, flag colours at both ends must be called

Players must stay aware to the flag colours changing in the course of the game

TOOLS, TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

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David Clarke Head Coach, Soccer Coach Weekly

Red, white

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Red, blue

ball movement shot

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SoccerCoachWeekly WARM UPWednesday, April 11, 2012

Touchline possessionHow to play it• Set up as shown in the diagram – attacking team mates play on each 15x15-yard touchline with a defender in the middle.• Players on two touchlines are ‘fixed’ in their positions, while the other two are ‘free’ to move up and down.• The attackers try to keep possession by moving the ball across the area.• The defending player tries to intercept the ball.• If he is successful, he swaps with the player who last touched the ball. Similarly, if a pass is mislaid by an attacker and goes out of play, he then becomes the defender. Play for five minutes.• You can advance this practice by adding more defenders to the area, or by making it bigger.• Also experiment with attackers playing multi-touch, two-touch and even one-touch.

Technique and tactics• Attackers must be precise in their passing, with each man looking to plan a pass before the ball arrives at his feet.• They must use fixed targets in a different way to moving targets, adapting their game given the inflexibility of two of the players.• The defender can use the fixed players to his benefit, looking to block off lines, whilst closing down others in possession.

Attackers work the ball across the area looking to build a successful passage of passes

It’s essential that ‘free’ players must move up and down their touchlines to help out ‘fixed’ team mates

A matter of timingIt’s often a good idea to remind yourself of the optimal

length of time that you should be allocating to small-sided games. If the games are too short, players won’t have enough time to put into practice what they’ve learnt in the training session. If they’re too long, mental and physical tiredness will cause your players to switch off.

Recommended times for small-sided games:Under-6s: 2x10 minutes, with a three minute half-time breakUnder-7s through to Under-10s: 2x15 minutes, five minute breakUnder-11s upwards: 2x20 minutes, seven minute break

SoccerCoachWeekly Essential tools for your team

Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Head Coach: David Clarke Editor: James Evans Publisher: Kevin Barrow Managing Director: Andrew Griffiths

Customer Service: Duncan Heard Designer: Steve Southern Contributors: Ben Barlow, Michael Beale, Wilson Brown, Steven Lapere, David Lewis, Tom Scott, Steve Watson © Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Steven Lapere Aldershot Town Under-10s

player movement ball movementrun with ball shot

20MINUTES

20MINUTES

BREAK


Good timing of small-sided games

and other exercises is crucial if players are to get the most

out of training sessions

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SoccerCoachWeekly FOOTY4KIDSWednesday, April 11, 2012

Magic boxesHow to play it• For Under-7s and below, create a 20x15-yard playing area as shown in the diagram, with a 5x5-yard ‘magic box’ about two yards in front of each goal. Older children can be given a larger area to play in.

• This game is 4v4, with one player from each team (the magician) positioned in the magic box. Only the magician is allowed in this box, and he cannot be tackled.

• The rest of the players try to pass the ball to their team’s magician – a successful pass being one that is controlled by the magician.

• One point is awarded for each successful pass, while an additional point can be earned if the magician scores.

• If the ball goes out of play, restart with a drop ball to be contested in the middle.

• The first team to get five points wins.

• Change the magician every two minutes, or when five points are scored, so that every player gets a go.

Technique and tactics• The magician is the key player, so players know they must play forward to this man if they are to reap the rewards.

• Defenders need to push players wide in attempting to prevent forward passes.

Each team positions a magician in the box in front of their opponents’ goal

The team in possession combines to send a ball through to the magician


The magician receives the ball in the box – he turns, and scores

Steve Watson Editor, Footy4kids.co.uk

GREAT FOR

ENCOURAGING

FORWARD PASSES!

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There is a direct relationship between pressure, anxiety and performance. Pressure increases anxiety and heightened anxiety lowers performance. The more pressure, the more anxious your players become and the more their performance suffers.

Here are the four types of pressure to look out for:

1) Peer pressureChildren can be less than supportive of

team mates who make mistakes. The knowledge that there are players

in the team (I call them ‘snipers’) who are quick to criticise mistakes will raise anxiety levels among the rest of the players significantly.

If you have ‘snipers’ in your team you have to take action. Stress to your kids everyone makes mistakes. The best players in the world, their parents and even you, the coach, don’t always get it right and team players never criticise a team mate.

Making mistakes is part of the learning process. No mistakes = no learning.

2) Parental pressureParental expectation is a huge influence

on a child’s performance. I’ve seen talented players freeze up completely when their dad or mum is on the touchline, even if they are only observing quietly.

While it’s not easy for a coach to remove the pressure some parents put on their children to perform, we can explain to parents they should support their child regardless of how well they perform and that all you expect (and all they should expect) is that their child tries their best.

3) Coach pressureThe pressure a coach can unconsciously

exert on a child should not be underestimated.

Your players know that you want the team to do well, they have a part to play and you are watching them. What they also have to know is that you want players to take risks and you will praise them in front of their friends if they try something new or difficult.

And remember to smile! A coach who smiles a lot and has fun with his players will get the best out of them.

4) Internal pressureWe all have a ‘little voice’ in our heads

that berates us (often very harshly) when we make a mistake or do something wrong.

For our players, fear of the little voice in their head saying “you’re stupid” or “you’re useless at shooting” is enough to stop them from even trying to use their skills on match day.

Children can sometimes feel they have to be good at everything, but a good coach will attempt to change this dialogue to a more reasonable, ‘I am allowed to fail - my friends/coach/parents just want me to try my best, that’s all.’

Do this by consistently reinforcing the fact that they are not stupid, that they are not useless at shooting (or anything else) and that we really only want them to try hard.

If you can influence a child’s internal dialogue in this way it will have a really positive impact on many aspects of their life, not just their soccer.

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SoccerCoachWeekly TOUCHLINE TALESWednesday, April 11, 2012

The Charlie factor


“Can I play up front next week because I don’t do anything at the back; it’s boring?”

These were Charlie’s words to me at the end of training a couple of weeks ago. I’ve had this battle with Charlie all season having played him in every single position except left-back - he’s even been in goal.

I spoke to him about the brilliant game he’d played the previous Saturday - he was captain of the team and had been running the show from central defence, wearing himself out so much that by half-time he was a puddle of sweat, yet determined to carry on.

I took him off for a while, so I suppose I could legitimately add ‘substitute’ to his many positions!

The problem is twice this season we have watched as Charlie runs up to take a corner - we’ve seen him make perfect contact with the ball as it curves high above the heads of attackers and

defenders, over the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper to nestle in the corner of the net.

We’ve seen Charlie when he scores those goals - the look in his eyes, the joy on his face. It’s what Charlie likes to do.

So I spoke to him. “Charlie”, I said, “what about those amazing covering runs you made in the same game last week? What about when you made that last-ditch tackle, and two great interceptions when the opposition were on the counter-attack?”

Without that we’d have lost the game. Without Charlie in central defence we’d have looked slow and flat-footed.

“I didn’t do that!” he said. “I don’t remember that!”

“Yes you did, Charlie, and saving three goals is as good as scoring three goals,” I replied.

And with that Charlie’s face lit up with a broad grin. He was surprised that I was praising him for what he saw was something run-of-the-mill and natural. This is a player who never gives up, and that’s a fantastic quality to have.

“You’d be wasted up front,” I told him.“Yes,” he agreed, “no-one else scores

from corners yet can also stop the opposition scoring.”

Charlie has now started to realise that the team doesn’t win just because goals are scored, it wins because teams defend resolutely and with skill and intelligence. He’s a rare breed who can be good at both. If you’ve got one of these players, harness his skills, and prove to him how he can be good at both.

“We’ve seen Charlie when he scores those goals - the look

in his eyes, the joy on his face. It’s what Charlie likes to do.”

Take the pressure off!


Steve Watson Editor, Footy4kids.co.uk

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SoccerCoachWeekly SMALL-SIDED GAMEWednesday, April 11, 2012

Defending from wideHow to play it• This game teaches defenders how to keep play away from goal and in wide areas. This minimises goalscoring opportunities and allows team mates to recover and take up supporting positions.• Set up as shown in the first diagram. The game is played on a half-pitch.• The defender starts by passing a ball into a wide area of the pitch (replicating a diagonal pass in a match situation). The attacker chases the ball while the defender races back looking to close him down.• The defender must pressure his opponent quickly and take up a position goal side of the attacker. If he manages to keep the attacker out of the box, either by tackling, blocking a shot or forcing the ball out of play, he scores three points.• If the attacker manages to dribble into the box but is then blocked, the defender scores two points. He gets one if the keeper is required to make a save, and zero if a goal is scored.• Once an attack ends, a new one begins on the other side as players who have worked retreat back to their initial positions.• Play for five minutes then swap the teams’ roles.

Technique and tactics• Defenders must do their best to keep attackers in wide areas. Even allowing them into the box will cost them.• To give themselves the best chance of success, defenders must stay on their feet.• Defenders must communicate with their keeper as well in repelling the attacking threat.• Attackers must use good technique and tricks in combined areas if they are to escape the attentions of defenders.

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The defender prevents the attacker from entering the area, and scores three points

The next phase begins and the attacker goes wide to receive


On this occasion the attacker manages to cut inside the defender and fire a shot at goal. The keeper saves and the defender scores one point

Michael Beale Premier League Academy soccer coach


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SoccerCoachWeekly YOUR SAYWednesday, April 11, 2012

TACKLED: Getting shirty


Wilson BrownBrereton Celts, Under-10s

Of course we’re being overprotective. The ‘experts’ can’t say that kids are, on the one hand, passive to competitiveness and the notion of winning in sport, yet are unable to resist promotional messages being wafted in front of them. It just doesn’t add up.

There’s a huge amount of hyprocisy in this anyway. The English governing body, for instance, will gladly link up with fast food giant McDonalds, embracing their messages which, despite protestations, are still unhealthy. So is the name of a local bookmaker going to have any more of a negative effect?

Is the branding of the shirt manufacturer on every single soccer shirt not a promotional message? Should we demand the removal of the Nike swish as well?

The products and services regarded as unsuitable for appearing on the front of kids’ shirts are generally those that kids wouldn’t be able to access and consume anyway.

Sponsors are present in the consciousness of our kids in so many other aspects of real life. It’s ridiculous to ban their presence from soccer when within minutes of matches ending they’ll be reading magazines and watching TV with the exact same messages present.

Let’s be honest, it’s not as if a kid is going to head straight round to the bookies after a game to bet his hard-earned pocket money on greyhounds.

In these tough times sponsorship revenue is absolutely vital. Clubs have to watch every penny, and should be allowed to encourage local businesses to support them.

The rules are unclear and sketchy anyway. A sponsor deemed acceptable by one regional association will be banned by another. That’s not fair on the sponsor or the club.

Are we being overprotective when turning away certain sponsors from our clubs?

“It’s not as if a kid is going to head straight round to the bookies after a game to bet his hard-earned pocket

money on greyhounds.”

Tom ScottMilton Colts, Under-8s

A line has to be drawn somewhere – no-one really knows how susceptible kids are to these advertising messages. What is clear is that subconsciously there is more that’s taken in than we appreciate, so why not protect minds that are being bombarded with so many other negative influences. Let’s make a stand.

The marketing world cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over our minors. It may do so in other aspects of life but that doesn’t mean it’s right, and doesn’t mean that a stance shouldn’t be taken.

If clubs really want sponsor revenue, then there are plenty of other places where they can find it. It doesn’t always have to be from enterprises and brands that you’d regard as inappropriate to youths.

This isn’t a soccer policy anyway; it’s a nationwide policy across multiple sectors. To go against this is effectively to go against government legislation.

The best way to judge if we’re being overprotective is to ask parents if they want the name of a local pub emblazoned across their child’s shirt. When I’ve had this situation in the past the answer has been pretty clear cut. People sometimes don’t mind the theory of a sponsor, but when it’s actually seen on a shirt it can be a different matter.

The amounts of money talked about when it comes to shirt sponsorship are minimal, and sometimes none at all. A youth soccer team certainly wouldn’t rely on the income from corporate sponsorship in the same way that a professional side will. In short, not having a sponsor doesn’t have any notable influence on the team’s finances.

“A line has to be drawn somewhere – no-one really knows how

susceptible kids are to these advertising messages.”

YES NO

PUT IT TO THE VOTE: Which of our guest coaches do you agree with? Visit our Facebook page or email your thoughts to David Clarke at [email protected]

This week Ben BarlowCraven Wanderers, Under-10s

Q Should I be trying to stop my players from spitting

excessively during matches? My players seem to think it’s the cool thing to do. Sam Firren, Street

A Players of certain ages will go through a period where they’ll spit

quite a lot. They’ll be watching their heroes do it and, kids being kids, want to emulate them in any way possible.

As long as the spitting is directed at the floor, there’s no real problem here. It’s a phase that many youth soccer players will go through, and spitting excessively is something they’ll soon grow out of.

Be careful that your acceptance of this doesn’t mean they’ll use spitting as a weapon against other players though. It’s an extremely fine line, and crossing it can land your players and team in big trouble.

Q My players don’t take criticism well. What am I

doing wrong? Herb Ream, Cincinatti, US

A I’d say your biggest fault is in criticising them in the first place!

Sure, all players need to be corrected on things they do wrong, but my suspicion is you’re pointing out errors rather than good things.

Why not sandwich a negative comment with two bits of praise. They’ll take on board where they need to improve, but will consider your assessment favourable. It should help them move forward and, inadvertently, they’ll be taking criticism better too.

TACKLED: Results

Here’s the result of the poll we ran in Soccer Coach Weekly 256 (March 21). We asked if you thought there should be an age limit beyond which boys and girls shouldn’t be allowed to play in mixed-sex teams.

SCW Surgery

YES

NO67%

33%

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Soccer-Coach-Weekly/111136435679022

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