Tunnel Vision

I have recently looked at a way at getting my players to lift their heads whilst running with the ball, as most kids are unable to do two things at once I found this session very useful as it forces the player to rely on their ball skills and lift the head up avoiding bumping into others.

The session itself can be used for any number of players and has to be as quite compact, maybe 20 yards in length and 10 wide with 3 rows of players

Keep the progressions to 2 rotations of the course and then move onto next progression.

The different progression can be:-

• Stronger foot

• Weaker foot

• Kick ups

• Other skills

• Both feet

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To move this session on further, move 2 players to the sides and their objective is to complete a successful whilst the other players carry on running up and down,

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4 Corners Model
Physical


• Running
• Turning
• Stretching

Psychological

• To understand when and where to use an appropriate turn to avoid another player
• Understand movement on and off the ball

Social

• Discussing what worked well

Technical

• Use of both feet
• Skills
• Changing direction with the ball

Interview with Justin Jose

Name

Justin Jose


Background

Semi-Pro football playing career ended early with a bizarre injury. Graduated in Aeronautical Engineering and worked for a year. Quit the job because I wanted to follow my heart, and that was football.

Did FA level 1 and started coaching. Next year will do coaching degree under Arsenal FC.

Favourite Team

Arsenal FC

Most memorable moment in sport

When 2 of my boys from the Vision India Project got selected to attend the U-14 National Camp.

Most embarrassing moment in sport

Failing to connect with my team during the play-offs. Everyone was excited about the match. We conceded 3 crazy goals in the first 3 minutes, and my players wanted to quit the match. I couldn’t motivate or inspire them from the shock. Managed to keep them on field, and lost 7-1.

Hobbies

Reading, Music & Football

Current Job

Working with the AFC Vision India Project.

Best Player played against/coached

Blaise Mathew, gifted boy, good attitude and comes from a very poor family. With luck, one day he will play at the highest level for India.

Interview with Andy Brown

Name
Andy Brown

Background

I spent most of my life working in call centre/sales management. I took up coaching about seven years ago as a favour for the club my son started playing for and have loved nearly every minute of it. After being made redundant 3 times in 5 years I decided to get paid for doing what I enjoy. Now as well as coaching voluntarily at a Grassroots club, I work as a Sports coach running after school clubs and P.E sessions and not just in football, but also martial arts and multi-sports.

Favourite Team

Millwall

Most memorable moment in sport

In professional sport it is without a doubt seeing Gary Alexanders wonder goal for Millwall at Wembley against Scunthorpe. I saw the greatest ever goal at Wembley!

In Grassroots football it would be seeing my son score a very rare goal, he was playing right back for the U11 team I was coaching, he picked the ball up just inside his own half, ran down the wing beating everyone for pace, cut in level with six yard box and from just inside the 18 yard box smashed the ball into the far top corner. He then ran all the way back to where he started his run and skidded along the floor.

Most embarrassing moment in sport

Having to replay a game that a side that I was coaching was losing 5-0 with only a couple of minutes to go, one of our players suffered serious knee damage and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Because the game wasn’t finished we had to replay it - Leagues and their decisions…eh!

Hobbies

Just football and I write the http://youthsoccerlessonplans.blogspot.com/ blog.

Current Job

Sports Coach

Best Player played against/coached

Not coached any stars yet, as most of my career had been with young kids who would not have progressed and at school most of the talented players actually went into athletics rather than football.

If you could run the FA, what 1 thing would you change?

I would add regular assessments for coaches at Charter Standard clubs and start to progress it from the tick box exercise it has become.

Interview with Tim Wareing

Name


Tim Wareing

Background

Played to Amateur Level in Northern Ireland before getting involved in coaching. I hold my UEFA A Licence & run my own coaching business, TWSports.Org Group.

I set up a successful Academy with Irish Premiership Club, Lisburn Distillery.

More info about me here; www.TWSports.Org/whois

Favourite Team

Manchester United

Most memorable moment in sport

Has to be 1999! Treble winning season for United

On a personal level it was seeing youth players I had worked with secure a move across the water, seeing them represent their country & simply moving up into the reserve team / first team.

Most embarrassing moment in sport

Fortunately nothing too major. I have slipped & landed on my backside demonstrating a session much to the amusement of many watching children & parents!

Hobbies

Football, coaching (even though it is my job!) & spending time with my family + travelling.

Current Job

Run my own coaching business, www.TWSports.Org & www.ToddlerSoccer.Org. I also have 6 other products including my coaching website, www.TrainingSoccer.Org. I published my first book at the start of the year, Toddler Soccer – The Essential Guide.

Best Player played against/coached

Best player played with / against has to be Bert-Jan Heijmans. Great Dutch coach that played to a decent level in Holland.

In terms of coaching I have worked with many players who have moved to England. Many others now play in the Irish Premiership & youth internationals including Mark Cooling & Stuart Thompson to name but a few.

I’m currently working with a number of talented kids at the minute. One is attracting interest from over 7 English, Scottish & European clubs.

If you could run the FA, what 1 thing would you change?

The boring, outdated coaching methods! Get down to the kids level, make the sessions fun & challenging & encourage our kids to be brave & play with flair & creativity – let them play. The FA (& IFA) need better relationships with Grassroots coaches & clubs if they want to make a real change.

Extreme Coaching - Not recommended for Youth Football

Extreme Training For Uzbekistan Football Victory

Click on this link, well worth it!!!

Simple but effective shooting session plan

This is a simple yet effective session that I have used in the past 2 weeks, the week before, my team played a match and had endless attempts at goal and never scored, I practiced this session for 20 mins, can be longer or shorter depending on your session. Our next match we won 15 – 0, whilst I cant put that massive result down to the session alone, I did see more sharpness, better placement and more confidence.

I have attached several screenshots to show you the layout and flow of the session.

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Let me know how the session works for you.

Steve Brown Interview

Name

Steve Brown


Background
Ex Professional Football Player, Played over 650 games, played for Northampton Town & Wycombe Wanderers


Favourite Team
Nott’m Forest


Most memorable moment in sport
Playing in the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in 2001


Most embarrassing moment in sport
Scoring an own goal playing for Wycombe against Rotherham

Hobbies
Coaching, Match Analysis, Fly fishing


Current Job
Recruitment for Adidas, National Scout for Everton


Best Player played against/coached
Alan Ball, the best 0ne-touch player in my opinion. Coached was Angelo Balanta at Q.P.R, currently on loan at MK Dons


Best Trainer
Too many to mention, but most of them never played come Saturday.

Improving Turning Skills

Warm Up Session
Use a square pitch and get the players jogging around the area and shout key phrase to get them to change direction making sure they don’t bump into other players

Introduce a ball per player and ask the players to demonstrate their favourite skills, I normally ask one player to show a turn and then all players practice the turn, then ask a different player to demonstrate second turn, practice both turns before introducing third turn. I normally call the turns 1, 2, 3 turn. Once the players pick the session up and are producing the 3 turns well, use 3 cones to represent the different turns, ask the players when the cone is shown to do the same turn. This will encourage the player to produce the turn with their head up

Tactical Session

4 players in outside squares and 6 players in the middle, Players pass the ball into a free player for the player to produce a turn through the gate before passing into another free outside gate. Ask the players to use the different turns learnt in the warm up, introduce different amount of touches to maximise the turn, 0 to 2 touches. Encourage the players to run away at pace after producing the turn

Skill

Remove 3 bibs from the players leaving 3 bibbed and 3 non bibbed, goals are scored when making a turn through a gate, players without the ball need to win ball back

Key skills used with this session is maximising body position, creating space, keeping head up, communication with the team,

Match


Remove the outer squares and leave one big square, move the turning goals to each corner, one per each corner. The aim to score through the gates with a turn, you can either nominate two goals per team or leave each goal open to each team, either way will encourage the players to keep head up and look to switch play, an excellent skill to learn for mini soccer.

Warm Up - Piggy in the middle

Create a circle 20 yds across and mark out with cones. Very simple concept, one or two people in the middle, keep the ball away from the people in the middle.


Start off with one player on a cone and stick to positions, this will make the player with the ball look for a pass,

First advancement: - Allow each player to move left or right if the cone next to them is spare,

Second advancement:- Make the outside players take 2 touches, which will increase the pace and improve the players first touch

Third advancement:- Increase the defenders if needed

Target Man

This is a session which is very popular with younger player, it involves a 20 yd long and 5 yds wide.

Have 8 players at one end and 2 players as throwers, The aim of this warm up is to get the 8 players from one end to the other without being hit below the knee from the throwers, as this is a football warm up, the throwers have to take proper throw ins, and the team goalkeeper either use proper throw ins or can throw the ball as if he would if distributing the ball to defenders in a match.

Once the player is hit by the ball below the knee they then become a thrower and join the sides. The last person standing wins.

Keep this game going and keep swopping the throwers around. Once the players are getting good, stop them from stopping at each end, this increases the run rate and also they have to think quicker at each end forcing potential errors.

Mike Trusson Interview

Name 

Mike Trusson

Background  

Professional Football player in England 1975 – 1992 over 600 games, 90+goals.

Played for Plymouth Argyle, Stoke City (Loan) Sheffield Utd, Rotherham Utd, Brighton and Hove Albion, Gillingham.

Coached for Bournemouth – Youth Team and First Team Coach,

Portsmouth – Chief Scout and Reserve Team,

Stoke City – Scout.

UEFA “A” Qualified Coach, Football Association Tutor at FA Level 1, FA Level 2 and UEFA “B”

Position on the pitch

Central Midfield

Favourite Team 

Manchester Utd

Most memorable moment in sport 

Winning player of the year at Sheffield Utd, 1982 and 1983

Most embarrassing moment in sport 

Many, but missing a penalty for a hat trick when playing for Plymouth Argyle. Also kicked a corner flag when taking a corner in a big match with thousands watching

Hobbies 

Golf, Music, Reading

Current Job 

Football Director http://www.grassroorootscoaching.com/,

FA Tutor

Best Player played against 

George Best – he was my hero

Best Trainer

Steve Charles – Sheffield Utd

Warm Ups - Goalkeeper

If you are fortunate enough to have time to dedicate to your goalkeeper it will provide a fantastic opportunity to both your goalkeeper and your overall team. The position of goalkeeper in the team is sometimes forced upon a player as no one else wants to play there or you have a player with a noticeable skill, either way a bit of specific goalkeeper training every couple of weeks at the most will bring on the skills very quickly.


I have been working with my under 9s looking to distribute the ball out to the defenders, rather than kicking the ball every time. This has definitely helped improve the teams dynamics and also adds a bit of doubt to the opposition whether they should push forward and mark up or get in position for the big kick.

This warm up session gets the goalkeeper moving around their area and improves vision and distribution.

The aim is to make a save from the coach either stopping on initial shot or winning the split ball, the goalkeeper then jumps up and distributes the ball looking to knock over a target. The targets will be specifically placed to represent were your defenders and centre midfield players will be placed. Keeps the repetition going for a few rounds. If the keeper is struggling make the target a grid, which the ball has to pass through or if it is too easy move the targets further away.

For clearer picture, please click on image

For clearer picture, please click on image

For clearer picture, please click on image

For clearer picture, please click on image

For clearer picture, please click on image

For clearer picture, please click on image

For clearer picture, please click on image

If your looking for specific sessions and would like me to provide relevant plans, please let me know and I will see what I can do

Creating Space

How many times do you watch your team train like pros and when it comes to a match, they just follow the ball, it’s something that I had with my team and took a while for the team to remember positions but more importantly create space.

There are plenty of sessions available to achieve this subject and when working with a team it is important to use different sessions to keep enthusiasm and interest high. I will be updating my blog with other related sessions in the near future.

Warm Up

Create an area 30yd by 20yd, splitting the area into 3 10yd by 20yd areas (plan below)

The aim of this session is simple, get the ball from one area to the other area by avoiding the middle area. Sounds simple but normally this sessions doesn’t click straight away, please do stick with it. If needed, break the session down to pass by pass until it clicks, once it does click you can start counting the successful passes.

This session can be split into two groups with more coaches and have 2 players in the two wider groups and 1 in the middle. If the session is too easy for the players, move the cones in a couple of yds and if to hard move out a couple of yds

Please click on picture to see in clear

Please click on picture to see in clear

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Please click on picture to see in clear

Skill

This session is fantastic way to get the players thinking differently and expanding their game.

Use Mini Soccer dimensions for your pitch and use 3 goals on each side of the pitch,

The aim of the game is to get your players to score in any of the 3 goals there attacking and defend any of the 3 goals there defending, The skills you will want to see the players using include:- Head up, vision, communication, creating space, shooting, defending, passing, receiving. The main skill you need to focus on is creating space and make notes about other areas if training issues arise. If you coach too many things in one session you will never maximise the objective of the session in the time you have with the players.

If you notice your players grouping in one area of the pitch ask everyone to spread out or ask one player to stand of the other side and get the pass across to him, this will lead to a goal and normally lead to a more open session after.

I have attached a few screenshots of the session for you to imagine the layout

Please click on picture to see in clear

Please click on picture to see in clear

Please click on picture to see in clear

Please click on picture to see in clear

Match

Adopt the normal pitch layout

Ask the players to use what they have learnt from the warm up and skill element of the session and you can see who has and hasn’t picked up the skills

I have had a fantastic response from my team since I tried this session

Passing and Receiving the ball

Whilst this subject to adults is very basic, and somewhat boring to under 9s it has to be a core part to any season. At grassroots level over the past 3 years the amount of mistakes that arise that comes from passing and receiving the ball is amazing. This is mainly down to very basic mistakes, body not behind the ball, too much power, not enough power, positioning on the field.

To make these sessions work over and over again the session has to be fresh and fun otherwise the kids will find the session very easy and become bored and mess around which isn’t what the parents want to see or you as a coach. I aim to provide you with several session plans for passing and receiving the ball which can be used at any mini soccer age groups of any ability. I will provide adjustments that can be used whether the session is too easy or too hard.

Warm Ups

• 20 x 20 yds

• Ideally 10 players

Get the team into pairs and with a ball per pair have them using the full square passing the ball between themselves making sure they don’t lose possession.

Place 5 goals using 2 cones (1 per pairing) about 1 ft apart and now get the team to make passes through each grid, this will get the kids making sure the path is clear to make the pass. And should control the speed of the pass and improve the receiving the ball as the body should automatically be behind the ball

Remove 2 goals (only 1 if the team are struggling), have the team carry on with what they were doing. By removing the two goals, this will encourage the players to lift the head and look for other players within the square whilst still trying to make the pass.

Add another goal back in to play (4 goals all together) turn two of the players into defenders and start again. This will then put the players under pressure. You can focus the defenders on particular pairs if they are comfortable and watch how they cope, they should use the same skills as previously mentioned but you should see an increase in communication.

Please click on picture to see clearer view

Overall this session should take 10 – 15 minutes

Skills used

• Passing
• Receiving
• Head up
• Communication
• Positioning
• Running with the ball
• Defending

Skill

After the warm up it is vital to make it more competitive to allow you, as the coach, to see if the players have picked the aim of the warm up.

A great game I use and can be used for many other session is a small pitch, 30yds x 10yds with two goals at each end. The team is split into 2, with one team in one corner and the other team in the opposite corner. The aim of the game is to run to the other end around the corner flag and attack the ball in the middle. The way that this works is by you issuing numbers 1 to 5 for each player. You need to shout 2 numbers per go, they will then both run around the corner flag at the other end and back into the middle, the ball will be in the middle and they need to score into their goal by using the skills learnt above. You can start off with no restrictions and watch them go, if you notice they are shooting straightaway you can add to passes before shooting which slows down the game but makes them think more. Initially it takes a while for them to get used to the concept at 2v2 but with communication and positioning it becomes easier.

Advancements

• 2v2

o Two passes minimum before shooting

• 3v3

o Three passes minimum before shooting

o Four passes minimum before shooting

• 5v5

o Pass to everyone in team before shooting

Please click on picture to see clearer view
Match

Normal match conditions but only coach passing and receiving the ball. If you start to coach other elements of the game you won’t develop the full skills for the session. If you find that the players aren’t passing and excellent way of improving this is to add channels down both side of the pitch, make 1 player from each team a winger who can’t be tackled and then each team has to pass into the channel when they receive the ball, the winger can then get into position and cross into the box, once the defending team win the ball this then switches and they need to get the ball into the channel before attacking.

Please click on picture to see clearer view

Comments gratefully appreciated