Coaching tips to help young players defend in soccer
If you're showing your players how to defend in soccer, coach them to be aware and think ahead. In defender football an "intelligent reading" of the game and intercepting the ball are often better skills to use than going for the tackle.
Key soccer coaching tips for defending
- Help defenders help themselves. Instead of coaching your defenders to react to what the opposition does, encourage them to take control. They can do this through intelligent reading of the game and by being more aware of what’s going on around them.
- This ability to “think ahead” is especially important if a defender is a bit short of pace, or is up against a very fast striker or opposing wing-back.
What to say to your players to help defending skills
- “Try to guess what is going to happen in the game as it unfolds before you.”
- “Try to read what the opposition strikers and midfield like to do.”
- “Keep alert and alive to the opportunity to snuff out that pass to their winger. Or to block that through-ball from their midfield to their strikers.”
- “A timely interception gives you more control of the ball, which will give you more options for what you can do next.”
Click here to order a copy of Perfect Defending, which has 67 easy-to-coach soccer drills for marking, blocking and tackling.
Click here for a soccer (football) drill to develop your players' effective marking skills.
Soccer coaching tips
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