Better Soccer Coaching / Better Soccer Coaching / The Dug-Out / Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch / Latest Posts

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

swift1 — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:42:04 GMT

The problem with communication is every team will have players who are outgoing and confident and players who are shy and more timid, the quiet ones seem to think the others are doing enough communicating so they dont need to, i try and explain to them that its part of their responsibility to their team mates to let them know when there is a "man on" or someone in space to recieve a pass.On the flip side of that though by playing a possession match where there is no communication allowed so players have to look up for players in support etc our awarness has improved massively.

A drill that can help is -

1) possession match where the players are not allowed to call for the ball and the only communication between them is a "man - on" call. This encourages the players to look up before they pass the ball and they are getting used to calling "man - on".

Its all about confidence of the individual, shy players will not suddenly become "loud" just because they are on the pitch as i am sure we have all experienced!!

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Mursley United Manager — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:19:30 GMT

Hi all, Im new to this Forum, I have coached youth football, but now run a mens team in Buckinghamshire, reading on alot of this notes , its supprising how much you can still use from youth team coaching and take it into mens coaching.. I have already picked up some pointers..

I think communication on the pitch is hard enough running a mens team as well as a youth team, sometimes its down to how the individule player is as a person, ( confident or not) I guess the basics are needed, and for the players to keep going over them basics, ie: always mention the communication part at least 2/3 times in training and again before a game , half time..... maybe try something different like some code talking.. kids seem to love this stuff and it makes them feel different to the other team..

Just a thought!!

Cheers

Christian

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

George Black — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:19:49 GMT

IN MY EXPERINCES WITH YOUNGER PLAYERS, I FOUND THE USE OF KEY WORDS IN TRAINING ENCOURAGES THE QUIETER KIDS IN THE TEAM TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO COMUNICATE WIYH THEIR PEERS WHEN THEY ARE IN A GAME SITUATION.

E.G.................. TIME, LEFT, RIGHT, RUNNING, ONE HIT(WHEN A TEAMMATE IS UNDER PRESSURE)

HOPE THIS HELPS.

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

JimW13UK — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:49:43 GMT

I've found that two different methods worked to get my lads communicating better.

1. We had them play netball in training and its amazing how they all started calling and being really vocal with each other - we didnt have a netball basket we just had a goalie in a 5x5 square who they had to get it to - we then changed it slightly to throw-head-catch but still the same game really. we then moved it to throw volley catch- worked the ball from the hands and eventually down to the feet - oh yeah they couldnt move when they had the ball only when they were trying to make space. This is great for teaching them to make space.

2. We had them play 7-a-side the italian training way - no talking was allowed at all otherwise they gave a free kick away. They hated it so I then changed it round and they gave a free kick away if they passed or recieved the ball without calling out.

Some things mentioned earlier "wall" and the other things you got players to shout had me wandering as if our lads dont call out their names in games they get penalised. They cant shout "mine" or "leave" as its deemed unsporting apparantly - we have had a number of free kicks go against us last season because of that

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Big Mike — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:35:51 GMT

we came up with this idea after the infamous craig bellamy incident

Its quite simple really ;

place a pole or cone say 100 yds away - this is the golf hole

idea is to hit the hole in as few passes as possible for example you could make it a par 3 (max 3 passes)

if doing in pairs and racing against another team then pairs have to pass between each other whilst communicating (calling for the ball) - the quickest team to hit the hole(pole) & return to the starting point wins - progress to one touch to emphasise control/first touch head up out of feet etc & get the receiving player calling for the ball & moving in to space closer to the hole - penalties for not communicating (time delays)

This one is great fun & a big favourite with our u11s

though the passing & moving game with eggs goes down better !! especially when some are not hard boiled !!!

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Nick — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:32:37 GMT

Hi Big Mike that sound's interesting. Can you give me a more detailed description about this warm up, im sure it's something they will find fun and benificial too.

Cheers

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Big Mike — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:40:04 GMT

Try football golf in training

Two teams that run in pairs -objective to pass the ball between the two players & hit the golf flag at the other end of the pitch. The receiving player must call for the ball or suffer a 5 second penalty. We progress this by only allowing one touch for each player.

Great warm up game

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Dwyer — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:33:45 GMT

Wrestling over throw-ins is a familiar scenario. Everybody yelling for the ball all the time in inappropriate situations might be a by-product of the incessant yelling of parents and coaches from the sidelines. This is why I think it's important to speak to parents at the outset to let them know that too much yelling can be confusing and counter-productive for youngsters.

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

vornstyle — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:56:45 GMT

Hi there,

I'm a step-parent of a child in an under 8s team who is interested in maybe stepping up into coaching a team in a few years. The thing i notice with my lad's team is the communication is very poor, it basically consists of: (1) Team-mates arguing and even wrestling over throw-ins, and (2) Kids screaming for a pass from a team-mate when they are not actually in a good position, i.e. 2 yards further away from the penalty area, or surrounded by 4 opponents. I've made a mental note of it, and would deal with it if i ever coached a side.

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

David Clarke — Tue, 29 May 2007 15:07:03 GMT

Dave

One of the things I have done with my Under 11s is concentrate on getting the goalie to talk to the defenders. Get him to organise at free kicks and corners, tell him it is his job to do so. He's going to have to shout to get their attention, and the more he does this in practice the more it becomes second nature in matches. When you have the goalie communicating then get the midfielders and attackers involved.

During training get your team to walk through a move started by the goalie who is shouting to his defenders "Dave's on" or "John's made a run". Get them calling to each other so they begin to realise that getting the ball from A to B is a lot easier if everyone is shouting their positions on the pitch or telling each other who is in a good position.

Your goalkeeper is very important in communicating with the rest of the team, if he is a good communicator the team as a whole will communicate so much better.

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Wanderers Coach — Tue, 15 May 2007 20:46:09 GMT

Dave,

I had a similar problem with a group of U-12's that I was training. I finally asked them what they wanted to do, they came up with a "secret language". Blue for an overlap, green for a wall pass, orange for a short corner etc... We worked it in practice, got a bit frustrated because everyone was forgetting what was what. The cool thing was that they were all talking, the not so cool thing was that they forgot what color meant what. By the end of the week's practice they had decided to forgo the colors and just stick with using the tried and true, "overlap" -"wall" - "square" etc... Cool thing was that the first game they talked more not enough but a big improvement, it helped quite a bit. I think that the problem was solved by the third game.

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Canuck — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:13:34 GMT

Great question, Dave. Tough one to teach. Might try more 3 v. 3 drills, which isolates players as smaller units where they have to reply more heavily on one another. On the big field, I don't know if kids fully understand the connectivity to the game. They don't think of it as a series of smaller games within the game, and it's only by winning those smaller games that they'll win the big one. I've used 3 v 3 or 4 v 4 drills for years, as I'm sure you have, too. Maybe try them in this context. Good luck!

RE: Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

Happyhammer — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:57:18 GMT

I know exactly what you mean I have spent most of the season trying to get them to communicate, especially between goalkeeper and defence, telling them to listen for the keepers call, away or keepers etc, what happened sunday? keeper shouts "away" to a ball delivered in to a packed area landing short of the near post only for the defender to think oh thats my keeper and leaves it .....1-0.

Marvelous, all season he as been clearing because of no calls, gets his first proper clear it call, and leaves the thing. A lesson learnt though I think it is all down to patience with them........ I hope.

Getting Players To Communicate On The Pitch

BigDave — Tue, 15 May 2007 12:54:51 GMT

Hiya guys :cool:

I've spent the last few months desperately trying to get my players to communicate on the pitch to no avail.

We played our best game yet on Sunday, but I still hear no more than the odd "Man-On" throughout the game. Our opposition were constantly letting each other know they were free or someone else was free and they enjoyed the majority of possession because of it.

How can I get this mentality into my players?