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Follow The 6 Pillars For Success To Go From

Also Rans To Potential Champions

It does happen, not overnight as a rule, but by reviewing

where you are and planning how to go forward you can point

your team in the right direction towards success. A good

example of this the Belgian national soccer team.

Belgian soccer had lived in the shadow of their neighbors, The Netherlands,

since 1974. The Netherlands were appearing in finals and their style of play

was being praised the world over, while Belgian soccer was in decline.

The Belgians realized it was time to do something about it and at the beginning

of the century the Belgian Football Association decided they needed a

blueprint for a ten year plan to bring them to the top. Their plan appears to be

working as they now have one of the most exciting young teams in the world

with their players performing in the major leagues around Europe.

While some may argue that their success is more as a result of other external

factors, their blueprint still has many aspects in it that are worth considering.

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Their "vision" was to develop young players. This vision involved, among other

things, giving all Belgian clubs a guide on player development. By doing this,

they believed that every player, from an early age, would have a clear

understanding of their role in this system.

The Six Pillars

There were six pillars to their plan; they are:

1. The fun aspect - The aim is for children from the age of five to learn the

sport through play. Every part of the game from training to matches should be

enjoyable.

2. Education, learning step by step - Having an education plan in place so that

individual development is mapped out.

3. Zone philosophy - To turn individuals into team players. Improve players'

understanding of their role within the team.

4. The learning plan - Introduce a continuous plan of improvement with

cumulative benefits.

5. Transfer of knowledge from the training ground to the match - Any training

drills must resemble match situations to have a benefit to the player and the

team.

6. Focus on the player - For this to work there should be help, support and

conditions that are conducive to players learning from their own experience.

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Despite there being dissenters about the "vision", few can argue that there is a

talented crop of players in Belgian squad and their performances have taken

them as high as fifth in the FIFA world rankings.

The Belgian plan is, in my mind, worth considering and gives you a framework

on which you can build your team or club. Consider what you can take from

their plan and adapt or modify it to suit your team. Even if you find nothing in

this plan that will work for you, I strongly suggest you set out a strategy for the

future of your team, as without it you cannot know where you are going.

With your plan, hopefully within a short period of time, your team too will be

challenging for the top!

Want More?

Visit my website, http://soccertrainingforkids.com for more hints, tips, drills

and techniques to improve your team's performance and increase your

knowledge as a coach. Why not take the opportunity to sign up for my free five

day mini course specifically designed for people like you, the brand new soccer

coach.