Better Soccer Coaching / Better Soccer Coaching / The Dug-Out

Help me get the word out about videos as a learning tool

djworth — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:12:03 GMT

Hey Everyone,

My teams have used video for the last 4 years and it's been a great learning tool for our kids and parents as well as the coaches.

I'm looking to put together a bunch of video interviews of coaches that use video as a positive learning tool. I'm interviewing coaches in a bunch of different sports that use video as a teaching tool. So, I figured this would be a great place to ask if anyone would be interested in the interviews.

These interviews would be published on my websites unreleased blog for free. My goal is to spread some knowledge to other coaches, players, and parents so everyone can learn and watch and hopefully get some useful tips from these interviews.

The interview questions would be in the form of Who, How, What works, What Doesn't...

We will conduct the interviews via Skype at your own connivence and roughly take 30 - 60 minutes.

Thanks for reading this and I hope this is an appropriate place to ask this question. If not, please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Dan W.

Taking over a new team

cobar1986 — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:07:33 GMT

HI,

I have recently joined a womens soccer team, well it was 5 months ago. This season we have not been doing very well at all. My coach is running out of ideas and has asked me if I can help. I have played at a pretty decent level in football and have a few ideas to try and help but any more ideas will be hugely appreciated.

The age range is 16+, they all seem to panick when the ball comes to them. Instead of taking the ball down and looking for options they just think they have to boot it up the end of the pitch. Are there any drills that will help them to stay calm in game situations??

Introduce Yourself

Noel — Wed, 23 May 2007 10:09:33 GMT

I know its not my forum but I always think its a good idea on forums for its members to introduce themselves here and explain briefly what they do

Managing negative feedback

David Clarke — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:33:21 GMT

Sandwich feedback is a method of giving negative feedback to a player in a positive way, to which they will be more receptive. It is based on ‘sandwiching’ the negative comments between two positive comments - for instance, on areas that the player is strong or improving in. Ideally, when negative comments are given, they should be accompanied by recommendations of how the player can improve.

1. BREAD:

Give the player a positive comment first. Focus on one of their strengths and point out the things they do well.

2. FILLING:

This is where you discuss the area where the player needs to focus on improving. Before he can start progressing, he needs to be able to accept that there is room for improvement. Make sure you have examples to give him of where he didn’t perform well, to help him understand the need to keep learning. Never finish without suggesting a way forward for the player, either something they can improve on their own or something you can help them with.

3. BREAD:

Finish with another positive. This time focus on an area the player has been working on to improve. Make sure they can see the link between the hard work they’ve put in and the improvement in their technique. Try this out and see how your players respond to a constructive way of reflecting both the positive and negative aspects of their game.

How do you view player poaching?

David Clarke — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:31:01 GMT

We're having a very successful spell at the moment with our U11s, playing some of the best soccer they have ever done. It's the culmination of a lot of hard work on all our parts. I've put a lot of work into coaching the team to play a good passing game from the back to the front, keeping possession and passing back to go forwards.

It has resulted in some fabulous wins without the opposition scoring and it's caught the attention of some bigger clubs in the area we play in. So much so that one of them has informed me they will be sending scouts to look at two of my players.

I've lost players before from my grass roots club to the bigger fish who can offer players a route into the professional game if they can make the grade. It is an irritation that today I'm finding hard to rationalise about.

I should be pleased but I'm not - I've put a lot of work into these players and watched them develop over a two year period. And they have developed under my coaching to such an extent they are now looking like world beaters - so I should send them on their way with my best wishes and think of it as an opportunity for more players to advance and fill their boots.

Today it just doesn't feel that good.

Back Pass Rule clarification

nollster — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:27:01 GMT

I swear that when my son and I watch an MLS match on TV, the ball is passed back to the keeper, he'll take a touch or two in the box then pick up the ball. They're not headers or unintentional passes to my recollection. Of course I tell my son that it looks like as long as he touches a back pass with his foot at least once, he can then pick it up. Well, it happened in our U10 match last week. Our defender was pressured, panicked and passed back to my son who took a touch then picked it up -- just like Dad said he could!! The whistle blew and there was an indirect at the 6!!:crying: Luckily the opposition shot right at Zachary who made the easy save. Can someone please clarify the Back Pass rule for me? Does the MLS have a variation of the rule that they use for their matches?

Forming a new football team

ALEEM — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:29:34 GMT

I am a new soccer kid coach in my primary school. I just want to indentify the criteria to choose the player after selection made. Then,i want the advise,how to start training include warm up and fitness session from best coaching? Is the manual provide? Or video.

Thanks.

I am a beginner :)

Valentine's Day... what distracts your players the most?

David Clarke — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:33:37 GMT

Certain age groups get distracted easily be certain things. I remember coaching an U8s team when the last defender spotted a dandelion growing on the pitch which was more interesting than the player running towards him!

However, Love has to be the biggest distraction to the older age groups.

A couple of seasons ago I was coaching an U16s team. We had training scheduled in for Valentine's Day early evening. I wasn't anticipating the numbers of players turning up to be any less than usual and as we had a big squad there was at least 12 players at every session.

If players couldn't turn up for any reason they always let me know. However on this particular occasion only 3 turned up. I was amazed, and asked the others where the players might be.

One of them sheepishly looked up and said, "It's the Valentine's Dance at school tonight".

And I also remember my U16 left back playing very high up the pitch trying to score. "What's he doing?" I asked one of the players. "His girlfriend is watching," was the response.

Five steps to positive praise

David Clarke — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:26:53 GMT

Using praise intelligently will have a positive effect on your players. Young players are usually eager to please and thrive on being told they are doing well, so here are some techniques...
ALWAYS USE NAMES
It’s important to identify players by name when praising them. It helps develop self-esteem and confidence in your players. It also lets other players identify the action you are praising so they can copy it.
TIMING
Praise needs to given at the time the action occurs so it is fresh in the memory. Waiting until after training will reduce the impact of the praise as the players might not remember what happened.
SPECIFIC NOT GENERIC
Focus the praise on specific actions. Instead of saying “that was a great attack”, be specific. For instance, “James, that was an excellent pass into space and a very good support run from you, Ian”.
POSITIVE EXAMPLES
Picking out positive examples has a far greater effect on your players than highlighting negative examples. It lets them see and understand what you are looking for in each situation they encounter. Rather than focus on the negatives when things go wrong, ask players what positive actions they would take to improve things. Players are often fully aware of what they are doing wrong and are looking for nothing other than solutions.
DON’T LEAVE ANYONE OUT
Make an effort to praise every player for something during every session. You cannot underestimate the power of a positive

App for soccer coaches

Libreindirecto — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:44:10 GMT

New iphone and android app for soccer coaches in [url=http://www.tacticalsoccer.net][/url]:
- Tactical Soccer
- Football Training
- Technique Football

Advice for a New 6 a side team

Farcelona — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:43:19 GMT

Hi everybody. I have started a 6 a side team and our first game is on Sunday. We have very average players and have played a couple of friendlies and lost 4-1 and 3-0. Our first league game is a few days away and I was wondering if any experienced 6 a side teams/players had any useful advice on how to become a hard team to beat.

It would be great if we could get a result in our first game as it would increase the teams morale. So if anybody has any ideas on the bast formation and tactics it would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Mike

Is social media a problem for your players?

David Clarke — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:23:47 GMT

I was reading this week about some players who were being bullied on Facebook by players in their league teasing them about playing on a losing team.

Unfortunately most children have access to social media and things like cyber bullying can go on without anyone knowing. I would like to think that any of my players would come to me and tell me they were being bullied over Facebook but I can't be sure.

What I do is talk to my players as a group and explain how this type of bullying shouldn't go on and that they can tell their parents, their teacher, myself or a friend and something can be done about it. If this did come to light I would contact the managers from other teams in the league and report it to the league officials. It needs to be nipped in the bud - I don't mind rivalries in sport but there is a line which shouldn't be crossed.

What happens off the pitch has a habit of affecting what happens on the pitch.

Do you use goalkeeping exercises with your players?

David Clarke — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:04:21 GMT

I've got a lot of tips for goalkeepers but I'm not sure how much value coaches of youth teams hold for them.

Peter Shilton's four tips for young goalkeepers

REACH FOR THE SKIES

A goalkeeper must practise catching the ball at its highest point. Don’t wait for the ball to drop, because the more it loses height, the closer an opposition head will be to it, so tell your goalkeeper to get both hands on it at the earliest point. This is obviously easier if the keeper is tall, but remind him that no matter what his height, his arms fully outstretched above his head should reach higher than even the tallest of strikers!

THE PERFECT POSITION

Make sure your goalkeeper has a good body position when playing. This could be in the instance of going for the ball, if being confronted by a striker, or even just when kicking. When the keeper gathers the ball, always make sure he has his shoulders well positioned and bent. Ensure his head is forward and check that his stance is similar to that of a boxer. That will mean he can drop down quicker to protect the ball.

COMPACT = COMPLETE

Every time I hear coaches telling young goalkeepers to spread themselves in one-on-one situations I wince, because there are times when that can be the worst advice. It goes against what you’d expect, but the best thing to do is to make your keeper adopt a compact stance so that shots cannot go through him. In that way, he can collapse on the ball and get in a position similar to that of a parachute jumper. He must form a barrier to prevent the ball getting past him, but he’ll get better propulsion reaching out from a compact position than he will spreading himself too early. Think about it, how often do we see keepers getting balls dinked over them when they’ve gone to ground at the first opportunity?

STAND TO ATTENTION

Following on from the last tip, this one is to encourage goalkeepers to stand tall and to stay on their feet for as long as possible. They have to try to make the striker go they want they want him to. Make sure your goalkeeper doesn’t give the striker an opportunity to make a simple decision. Instead, get him to force the forward into rushing his effort. If he does that, he has won. If the striker still beats him, then fair play, it’s probably a good finish, but the keeper has to trick him first into thinking he is in control.

Indoor coaching - explore all options

David Clarke — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:15:13 GMT

I have always been against the idea of indoor training sessions because the pace of the courts does not accurately replicate that of standard English pitches.

Some artificial surfaces can be very fast, while others are excessively bouncy. However, with the terrible snow and blizzard-like conditions last season, I booked one of my teams an indoor court for an hour a week. And I have to say, from the first session, my fears were realised, with players finding controlling the ball a lot more difficult on the courts compared to the grass pitches.

And there were also difficulties in players being able to judge the speed of passes being made.

However, something interesting happened after a few weeks. The indoor sessions actually began to pay dividends in reverse, in that when back on grass, my players found it easier to control passes on what was, in comparison, a slower surface. I know the parents of my players love the indoor sessions too – their boys are warm, dry and mud-free, so I have their 100 per cent backing for once.

So this winter we’re playing indoors again. My favourite indoor passing/control game at the moment is to split the squad into two teams of equal size. Set up a square 20x20 yards and in the middle of the square place six cones, 2 yards apart in a zigzag formation, with a player on each cone. Playing 6v6, one team is working while the other team has to run around the outside of the square, one-by-one. It is the length of time that it takes them to get all their players around the outside of the pitch that the working team has to score points. Points are scored by the team passing to each player in the zigzag formation each time it gets from one end to the other.

However, players only have two touches and any mistake means the ball must go back to the end it came from and the point lost. It doubles as control, fitness and playing under pressure. Great fun, obviously, but more importantly, the type of speedy technical move that, if playing outside, it would be impossible to lay on until at least February when the pitches had calmed down somewhat.

The moral? Explore all options.

Making the most of postponements

David Clarke — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:10:42 GMT

We turned up for a match this week and found that, while the ground was far from frozen, playing conditions were a bit tricky.

However, there was a good covering of grass on the pitch so I hoped that the game might still go ahead. The manager of the opposition thought differently though and was concerned about tackles that might become dangerous. Of course once he raised his concerns I agreed with him because only with the full consent of both parties should a game go ahead if there are any concerns over player safety.

I knew the pitch and he didn’t, but I wouldn’t have wanted to play with his players afraid to tackle. Also, if I had forced the issue that would hardly have been in the spirit of the game. He and his team departed amicably and I was left with a group of players raring to play a match.

‘I think they were scared of us’, said one of the boys to a cacophony of cheers. Thinking on my feet then, I decided to turn the morning into a fun event – starting with hot chocolate for all the boys from the pitchside café.

The conditions were freezing cold, but the skies were clear and the sun was warming. We played a small-sided game on the half of the pitch that the sun had thawed out. What was great was seeing the laughter and camaraderie between the players.

Sure, they were disappointed that the match had been called off, but they all had red cheeks and were running around with such vigour it was difficult not raise a smile. Every so often we had a hot chocolate break along with a chat about the small-sided game, plus speculated on whether matches in the Premier League would suffer the same fate as ours.

We ended up creating an impromptu kickaround, interspersing a few other games and exercises, all out of a morning that could have been a real letdown. The pressure was off the players and they responded brilliantly, plus the café was a few pounds better off by the end of it too!

What age should a player be assigned a position?

David Clarke — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:40:44 GMT

Rio Ferdinand was playing in midfield when the director of West Ham's youth academy Tony Carr decided he would make an excellent centreback who could bring the ball out of defence. There are lots of examples like that.

I played as a striker and, because I was good at heading the ball, my coach asked me to play in central defence for one match. I was 20 years old but because I had never experienced that position I was hopeless and dropped too deep, headed down back to the opposition instead of high and away and generally looked like a fish out of water - which of course I was.

Until players are around 14 when the body structure is in place you should give players as many positions as possible. An overall knowledge of different positions will give your players a better understanding of where they are on the pitch.

The Manchester City player David Villa didn't choose which sport he was going to specialise let alone his position on the pitch until he was 14.

Field checks - are they important?

David Clarke — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:30:37 GMT

Every week my lads see me marching up and down our (very) large training pitch checking for broken bottles, stones, dog and fox poo… anything, in other words, that might endanger the players.

I was asked by one of the parents why I did it because, as he saw it “you're wasting good training time – if the kids see something that shouldn't be on the pitch they'll just shout one of us over and we can clear it up”. I explained that it wasn't wasting time because I did it before training began, and anyway, it only took five minutes.

I could see he wasn't really interested. It is, however, very important that you or someone you can trust makes sure the children are not going to fall on glass or dog muck. The safety and wellbeing of the children in your charge is one of the most important parts of your coaching sessions.

Last week I removed three bottles and four clumps of fox droppings – not pleasant, but I get a big pack of disposable plastic gloves to use and can quickly get rid of these things before the players arrive. I have always done this, dating right back to my second season in coaching.

But there are lots of other things less noticeable that can be significantly more hazardous to your players. So my advice is, whether home or away, first on or last, it's always worth having a quick look to see if there's anything on the pitch. You owe that to your team.

How does "visual communication" relate to timing of runs?

rpfelder69 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:32:50 GMT

Topic around U14 to U18, both male and female teams. I need to find a good resource to answer this question so that I can discuss the answer for 5 minutes with other coaches.

7-a-Side Formations

Gav — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:08:10 GMT

Just wondering if anyone has had success with different formations at 7-a-side football? My side is just in pre-season training now so this is one thing to start thinking of...

My group are U8's. We play 7-a-side here until they reach U11 where they go to 11-a-side on a full field. Our fields for U8 are typically 60X40 yards - sometimes bigger.

I'm hearing different things from coaches... some like 2-2-2. Others like 3-2-1. And some play 2-3-1. At U8, I feel we're just trying to get them to learn the basics of positioning and so forth and it's not wise in my opinion to complicate it too much.

However, as I look at my team, I see a very very very fast team and I wonder if that factor should play into how I set them up? They can recover and get back very quickly and also move up to attack quickly. The trick for me is to work hard on getting them doing that *with* the ball at their feet and not lose control.

Any thoughts, experiences to share, suggestions?

PLATOSPORT: Match Analysis App for iPhone/iPod Touch

PLATOSPORT — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:17:52 GMT

Hi All,

Dr Grant Abt and I (Dr Lee Nelson) have just released a notational analysis iPhone/iPod Touch app called PLATOSPORT. The app allows you to record up to five 'layers' of information during a match (Player, Location, Action, Time, Outcome - hence the name of the app). Eight sports are supported (American Football, Aussie Rules, Basketball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Soccer). However, if you don't need to record where an event occurred then the app can be used with any sport. For further information you can either go to the AppStore or our website for more details.

AppStore link:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/platosport/id463279458?mt=8

App website:
http://www.platosport.com

Cheers,

Lee and Grant

How to make stop/start work in your coaching

David Clarke — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:43:34 GMT

I was running an exercise this week with my players grouped in 3v3s, and one lad in particular stood out. I wanted the rest of the group to watch some of his actions, so I kept stopping play to show them how he was using skill and movement to create space for himself - space that opened up the opposing three players and allowed him to score.

Using a ‘stop and recreate’ method is a great way of showing young players how certain things work during games, and teaches them in slow motion how to prevent a negative situation developing. If you do stop and recreate play you must do it quickly, always ensuring you get each player back to the positions they were originally in.

On this occasion it worked really well with the player involved keen to repeat what he was doing, but after a while the others began to resent being stopped and were getting irritated by my constant recreating of certain situations. So always know the appropriate time to move on and let the game flow again.

If you use ‘stop and recreate’ methods in your coaching you must look out for signs of irritation from players. Another method is to run the exercise or game again without stopping, then at the end talk about what you saw and how you felt they were progressing.

Whatever method you choose, you should quickly notice subtle differences in the way your team play or position themselves.

At the moment, this is how I plan out my sessions in order to include a ‘stop and recreate’ exercise:

Warm up - 10 minutes
Exercise or game with ‘stop and recreate’ technique - 10 minutes
Same exercise or game letting it flow to the end - 10 minutes
Small-sided game - 15 minutes
Warm down - 10 minutes
Q&A with players at the end - 5 minutes

This is a good way to control the whole session if you are coaching for an hour, and is one that keeps the players interested. It gives you the best set-up to get coaching points across whilst ensuring that your players are still developing their techniques and skills. And remember, a good Q&A session for five minutes at the end will help you find out if your players have understood and learnt from you.

A player who can do it in training but freezes in matches

David Clarke — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:29:20 GMT

A performance error happens because a player cannot perform a skill in a match that they can do in training. Once you have identified this type of error and the player has acknowledged that there is a particular problem, you can set about helping him to correct it.

TIREDNESS

Tiredness is the easiest cause to diagnose and overcome. Ask the player about their pre-match routine. What and when do they eat? How much do they drink before a game? Do they sleep well before matches? If necessary, get the player to keep a simple diary logging their exact routine. Based on their answers you can advise them about eating and drinking before games to maximise their performance.

TACTICAL NAIVETY

Speak to the player about what they would do in different game situations. Get them to talk through their decisions during exercises and games in training. In terms of overcoming the problem, put them into more game-related scenarios, and see how they respond. Players can often learn more on how to play in different situations by experiencing them. Encourage players to talk to each other about what worked and what didn’t. Ask the defenders what they saw and how easy different options were to defend against.

ANXIETY ABOUT THE GAME

The first step in overcoming pre-match nerves is for the player to realise that everyone else feels the same way and that if they can control their nerves they can turn it into a positive. Different things work for different players and you may have to try a number of options before finding one which works. Pre-match routines can help overcome nerves. Introduce a period of relaxation before games.

Players sit quietly and focus on their breathing while you speak to individuals and give them positive messages about their own performances. Use self talk and visualisation to help players remember things they are good at, or aspects in which they excelled in past performances.

In some cases, changing a player’s position in the team can help them rebuild confidence. For example, moving a struggling winger to full-back can help to alleviate some of the responsibility on them.

Can I play a right footer on the left wing?

David Clarke — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:18:01 GMT

I have two left footers in my team and sometimes I get them to play on the right wing because it usually forces them to cut inside and shoot at goal from a different angle. Having players on what is not their natural side can be an advantage because they create the unexpected.

Using wing play is all about making use of your options. If you don't have any left footed players then you have to adapt your tactics to suit them.

If the ball is played down the left then your attackers and midfielders will have to be ready for the player to cut inside and pass or shoot, rather than when it comes down the right and they can expect a cross.

can't seem to get my players to build a proper passing game.

joaoamotinado — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:24:06 GMT

my u13 side is short and as such i want them to pass the ball more rather than booting it forward. they sometimes play teams twice their size but panic and spew the ball allover the pitch.

how can i get them to pass and play together?

My goalie has lost all his confidence and is making mistakes week after week help!!

rafadevine — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:10:41 GMT

I know that at U8s alot of teams do not have a goalie who only plays in goal but i do. (And this is what the kid wants to do)

The problem i have is that for some reason that i cant get to the bottom of he has lost all his confidence and is now practically refusing to dive or move for the ball.

Help!!! he is a really lovely kid but how do i allow it to continue he is letting the other kids down every week and is destroying his own confidence (he had to be subbed in tears in the lat match as he couldnt continue)

He attends specialist goalkeeper coaching, i am at a wits end!! anyone had similar problems?? help!!

Hello to forum

joaoamotinado — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:09:16 GMT

Hello all, I currently assist with a u13 side that has potential but somehow it not playing up to it.
Looking to jump into the discussions and offer ideas as well as hopefully get some ideas from the forum as well.

How hard should you push training in the off season?

G2000 Stompers — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:40:12 GMT

I was a competitive Swimmer in my day, who has turned my sight to Soccer because of my kids interest. When I was training we trained extremely hard until short before a meet, then we would taper down the work load to increase focus on speed. Would this work for a Soccer season? Train hard on skill development , Strength and Conditioning until short before the season starts then focus on strategy and play. Or should I give them a break, fun games, non-soccer related sports for a few months? Half my team is brand new to competitive soccer and there skills are not quite up to par for the league we are in.

Do your clubs require any coaching certifications?

nollster — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:42:12 GMT

I'm finding very few clubs require any type of coaching certification. I think that even a volunteer coach, as I am, should take the time to understand what being a soccer coach is all about. I'm just curious about other clubs around the world -- do you have to have any kind of certification to be a coach at your club? Is it different if you're coaching rec or travel?

Any Thoughts on 2-4-2 for 9-a-side?

Gav — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:13:36 GMT

My U11 boys will begin 9v9 next season (thankfully we are not moving to 11-a-side yet).

Our outdoor season has just ended here and we move indoors for weekely training until early April. One of the other coaches and I were chatting the other night about how we might go about continuing to develop the kids and have them play a formation that begins the steps toward the full field 11-a-side game. We have worked really hard on having as many of our boys be able to play at least two positions on the field well. Not just be able to play one well and be OK at the other. We want them playing two positions equally well. Not all of them are there yet but most can make the adjustment and perform nicely whether we ask them to play right back or in midfield.

At 7v7, we had usually played 2-3-1 - sometimes 3-2-1 depending on who was there and what the opposition was like. Those formations definitely fit our team and the players we have the best. We now think that perhaps 2-4-2 will be a good fit for or group in the new year. Some of the reasons for this are...

1) We think most teams will play 3-3-2 so we get an overload in midfield.

2) We want to play a diamond shape as we feel we have the players for it and it will mimic what they will possibly play at 11-a-side

3) We have 2 boys who we think will be fantastic holding mids

4) We have one extremely skillful boy who would be ideal for the AM role (he is not the most positionally responsible kid but very much an instinctive roving type)

5) We have probably 6 very very quick boys who would be well suited for the wide mid roles

Anyone have any thoughts on 2-4-2 or have had experience coaching it with U11s?

Training on astro or in the gym

David Clarke — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:30:35 GMT

Pros: Practical, convenient and great for a fast passing game. Great for coaching awareness and control. Indoors is also good for continuous games where the ball never goes out of play - speed and fitness are key. Parents love it because you don't come home from training caked in mud.

Cons: Doesn't give the realism of playing on wet/muddy/heavy pitches. Long grass and a muddy pitch make a fast passing game impossible. Free-kicks, corners etc are harder on real grass. It's a bit like going down the driving range and the club head skims off the artificial grass whereas on a golf course you'd be taking big divots and slowing the club head down

How do you get U6s to pass the ball?

David Clarke — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:31:03 GMT

I was asked this week how to get a team of U6s passing more because they hang on to the ball for as long as possible, hurrying towards the opposition goal, but inevitably lose it. Because they are new to the game they see goalscoring as the main purpose of playing the game.

One way to encourage them that passing can be fun is to arrange groups of four or five players and ask them to exchange five passes quicker than the other teams.

You can also create a game where every player has to touch the ball before the team can shoot.

Watch how different teams will use different tactics – most will touch the ball as quickly as possible in the same area before running to attack the goal, others will pass as they run at goal. However, they do it, I can assure you they will have fun.

And fun after all, is why we are here.

Teachers v club coaches: who's getting in the way of youth development?

David Clarke — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:58:40 GMT

I was discussing the problems of developing young players this week with the sports teacher of a private school. Their problem was that they hadn't got time to spend on developing players because they were under such pressure to win. With a successful team they were more likely to do well in their career as a teacher than if the team they coached lost.

The teacher wasn't a soccer coach but the problem teachers have is the same. The majority of coaches at soccer clubs where parents pay to have them coached do not suffer the same pressures as teachers - although pressure is always there if you are not winning games.

Is this a problem that any of you encounter, that winning is getting in the way of development and if so how do we go about changing that mindset?

This week I felt the pressure of parents when I tried to get my players to do a different kick off. They lost the ball the first time they tried it so when they came to do it again there was a huge negative response on the touchline. They wanted to go back to the good old one touch to the forward who passes back to the midfielder who either boots it upfield or loses it to quick thinking opposition.

Pressure comes in many forms but it doesn't help us with the development of our players.

Does your goalkeeper have trouble with kicks?

David Clarke — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:37:23 GMT

To be good at goalkicks the keeper has to practice. With practise comes confidence, and with confidence comes consistency.

Start by getting defenders to come short so the goalkeeper doesn't have to get the ball far out of the penalty area.

You don’t want your team to be penned in their own half, but doing this does mean that players have to be more inventive in constructing passing moves upfield, and it still allows for occasional longer kicks that may catch the opposition off guard.

Lucky me... two good goalies but only one team...

David Clarke — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:23:27 GMT

During the summer a goalkeeper joined the club who is really good and we didn't want to turn him away. But now we play a goalkeeper in each half.

As their competitive spirit begins to mature they want one to be the main goalkeeper and both think it should be them.

The second problem is that the player who can play out on the pitch is also the best in goal. I'm still playing them a half each but the time has come to make a decision one way or the other.

I'm going with the better outfield player to play in defence and the lesser of the two goalkeepers in goal.

Anyone else have this problem?

Want your players to be more assertive and aggressive?

David Clarke — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:38:55 GMT

Being assertive is one thing, but playing the game in the spirit it is intended is the most important aspect.

As long as your players are tackling fairly and using their strength in the correct manner, being physical is a good thing, but using the word ‘aggressive’ is probably a step too far.

So whilst always staying aware that your players aren’t crossing the line in that respect, try a 1v1 exercise in training, so that they have to rely on themselves (and no one else) to win the ball.

At any age some players will hide behind the abilities of their team-mates, but if you do this regularly enough and keep a record of how everyone performs, you’ll see quickly where your weak links are. You’ll also help to dismiss players’ fears that being assertive equals potentially being hurt in the tackle.

Communication Issue

KitchyNI — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:13:22 GMT

Hi Folks,

I am looking for some advice in regards to getting my players to communicate on the pitch. It is even hard to get them to call for the ball in the air or on the ground never mind using saying such as - Man On, Time etc

Does anyone know off any good drills to use to help get over this big problem.

How early do you coach the correct throw-in technique?

David Clarke — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:33:10 GMT

In my latest game the referee came up to me before kick-off and asked me what I wanted to do about throw-ins. I told him I was quite happy if he penalised players for not keeping within the laws of the game.

However, the opposition manager didn’t want any throw-in to be penalised, because he said they hadn’t practiced them yet.

It wasn’t a problem to me. Although I do feel even at U9s it is important that the players are beginning to get throw-ins right so they can advance their technique as they learn how to do it. I often see players as old as U16 making foul throws through wrong technique and penalising their team because they hadn’t learnt the proper way to throw.

How early do you coach the throw-in technique?

Don't allow parents to bribe their kids to score a goal

David Clarke — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:57:20 GMT

We had a new player join us last season, he was a good player, strong and athletic but slow out of the blocks. He told everyone he was an attacker when he first arrived. So did his dad.

I had invited him along to train with us and he looked good. We put him into situations to test his skills and he looked for all the world like a good central defender.

He was a good tackler and could read situations where there was danger to the goal and he covered well. He was also very happy playing there – but his dad had other ideas.

The problem started when we played a friendly. He was continually trying to join the attack and move forward with the play. At corners he wouldn’t come back and was leaving space at the back which was being exploited by the opposition attackers.

I called him over exasperated by this change in his character. He told me his Dad had promised him £5 for every goal he scored! This was ruining our formation... Dad’s wagers can cause chaos, make sure your players’ parents all know that bribes are not acceptable!

8 ways to get your coaching point across

David Clarke — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:12:53 GMT

1. REINFORCEMENT

Reinforcing your key coaching points helps players to understand and remember your message.

2. SET OUT GOALS

Make sure you are clear what your coaching goals are for the session. If necessary write them down. Many top level coaches carry notes in their pockets to refer to during sessions.

3. A FEW COACHING POINTS

Limit yourself to three or four main coaching points in a session, and less if you are introducing a new skill or technique. Any more than this and your players won’t take the information in.

4. START WITH THE KEY POINTS

Introduce the coaching points at the start so players know what they are going to be doing. The most effective way to do this is through a practical demonstration either by yourself or using some of the players.

5. REPEAT THE KEY POINTS

Keep repeating the points during the activity. Be positive, highlight good examples to the whole group and give individual assistance to any players who are struggling.

6. A PROPER CONCLUSION

Sum up at the end. Go over the key points again, answer any questions and check the players have understood them.

7. USE FEEDBACK

Use questions throughout to check that players have understood you clearly. It often helps players to have the coaching points put into different terms by their peers and using slightly different language.

8. BUILD INTO THE NEXT SESSION

Revise previous points at the start of the next session. Check the players have remembered what you coached and start with an exercise where they are putting them into practice.

No ifs, no BUTs - four ways to say well done

David Clarke — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:04:09 GMT

Think about the word BUT.

“You did really well...” your player is on the up “BUT... you could do better” you've taken away all the good and they feel bad about themselves. You think you've been positive but you haven't

Try using phrases without using BUT.

Here's my top four:

“You should be proud of yourself” – get the player to think about their own performance. There's nothing quite like patting yourself on the back after achieving something worthwhile.

“You were brilliant this week” – qualify when the player did well. He'll realise you're assessing him each week and will feel he has improved from the last session.

“I couldn't have done that better myself” - never underestimate how much players look up to you. If you're putting them on your level, that's a huge confidence boost.

“Nothing can stop you now” – can there be any bigger plaudit? Today the local pitch, tomorrow the Premier League!