Passing

Effective passing is the key to winning in soccer. The best passing teams dictate the play, conserve energy, make the best of their resources and score more goals. Passing is about technique, judgment and vision. These articles look give you some great advice on how to coach these attributes to your players. Long passing, short passing, side foot passing and crossing are all dealt with. We also give you some great passing games and really sharpen your players’ passing skills.

Shuttle Passing - This is a passing, receiving and conditioning soccer drill for groups of three or four players. Shuttle passing can also be used to practice heading and a variety of other ball skills.

Distance passing - This session looks at how to properly coach distance passing. You only need six players to complete one of his sessions, though it can easily be expanded to meet your needs. With lots more players you could have a number of grids working at the same time.

Improve Your Players’ Short Passing Skills - One of the great advantages of the 4v4 training programme is that your players get used to passing the ball and it becomes second nature to them. It creates goals, gets them out of trouble and is great to watch. But to do this you still have to make sure they know what a short pass is and when to use it.

How to Coach Perfect Passing Technique - There has been a bit of a debate going on between some of our readers and on our forum, The Dug-Out, over how to coach the simple pass. So here's our take on it.

How to Coach Movement Off the Ball - I am always looking for good ways to coach movement off the ball. The best way I've found is to set up a system which needs good fitness and penetrating passes.

A Great Way to Coach Passing and Receiving - Constant passing using match-like situations and a bit of competition to give it an edge is the best way to coach your players to be ready for soccer matches. And it should be fun too, says David Clarke.

How to Coach Your Team to Switch Play - Get your team to keep the game flowing and split defences by swinging the ball from one side to the other to create space and outnumber the defence. You can also release pressure by switching the ball, says David Clarke.

Get Better Quicker by Passing Under Pressure - We’ve all been at matches where your player has the ball in an important area, he looks up only to see an opponent bearing down on him and he is powerless to keep hold of the ball. You need to prepare him, says David Clarke.

Coach Your Team to Pass Past Players - There is a direct relationship between overall team success and both the total number of passes and the passing success rate. In combinations of twos and threes you can pass your way to goal, says David Clarke.

Wham Some Slam Into Players’ Kicking Skills - It’s very rare that I advise coaches to use training sessions that need something like a wall because not all of you have access to one, but this is one game that deserves going out of your way to find one, says David Clarke.