I was just reflecting on a number of useful things about football I've learnt from participating in the Performance Section of 442. Discussion with other coaches/players/stakeholders/fans in football has benefits. Sometimes I have reflected on something I do which can be improved.

Our football school is the better for my participation on here too.

The idea to create the Performance section of 442 was a good one.


1. Dirk Van Adidas posted a link to Rene Maulensteen's Man U Youth Academy. It presented some interesting corollaries to KNVB training. Maulensteen is Dutch and obviously KNVB trained. He had 1v1s and 2v2s added to the first two stages I use from KNVB.

It has helped cater for odd/any numbers of players that turn up to training. I just needed reminding.

2. Krones presented a training drill. Then he specified how he always uses every drill in the opposite direction, or opposite side to ensure both footedness. I realised how I've used some drills and not reversed them. I know the importance of developing both footedness, thinking I was doing it with all drills, when in practice I wasn't doing it with a specific few.

3. Arthur's junior articles thread. It has been interesting to see some coaching issues arising in other countries.

4. I can't remember who posted it, but one player was looking for specific exercises to develop his striking qualities. Ton Of Bricks suggested something about shutting eyes just before receiving and heading for goal. He also suggested other tips for a striker. It reminded me how hard it it is to play as the target player.
If a forward lacks pace, it is difficult to play in game plans that a lot of low level and middle ranging coaches devise for their team. Nearly all play balls over the top for forwards to run onto, with an expecation all forwards must be quick to be effective. Not enough coaches play to a target forward's feet.

5. Aussiesrus - with point 4 in mind Aussiesrus described that ASA used poles for developing forward play. I'd take a guess they are set up as a guide for players to learn to run diagonally, with clever, prescribed scaffolding to create angled passing lanes and hooked off the ball runs. If I'm in Sydney I'd like to take a look at ASA doing this exercise.

6. Aussiesrus also described the inside outside of the foot dribbling technique used in his training ground sessions. I've only seen Versleijen do it with the AIS and former Matilda Jo Peters demonstrate it with follow up drills with the Tassie NTC. Just about nobody does it here. I've used it for years after observing Peters and Versleijen. It is the fundamantal for developing the Matthews Cut.

6. Cardiff - I was searching for some sort of SSG to develop heading skills to complement a lot of 4v4 (5v5 with keepers) SSGs. Being a former CB he suggested soccer tennis. I used to do it as a player, but had completely forgotten it!!!:roll: It certainly worked well as an adjunct to the KNVB SSGs we've used at FFE.

7. General Ashnak- cut and pasted Gregory Parker's training ground practices. One drill Gregory uses was part of the Dutch passing square. I had used it with players and it didn't work out as planned. With 9 year olds he specified which foot to receive and which to pass. It worked a dream at FFE after that!

8. Gregory also specified a technique which emphasised a skip to enhance receiving. Barca4Life posted a video link. I found FFE players were doing it automatically if moving up and down on the spot on their toes. If they weren't moving up and down on their toes they were often flatfooted. I also reflected and learnt a bit from his well-presented drills for specific age groups with those excellent diagrams.

9. Distantfan entered an illuminating post describing the differences from a player's perspective about how the game changes to more elite levels. This was part of a plan to devise a programme for Krones' player who was needing to develop specific attributes for a higher level of playing (rep), whilst playing in a lower level of football at club level.

:)





Edited by Decentric: 1/12/2011 09:02:13 PM

Can you point me to this one D

8. Gregory also specified a technique which emphasised a skip to enhance receiving. Barca4Life posted a video link. I found FFE players were doing it automatically if moving up and down on the spot on their toes. If they weren't moving up and down on their toes they were often flatfooted. I also reflected and learnt a bit from his well-presented drills for specific age groups with those excellent diagrams.

10. Dirk Van Adidas described a good formation for 6v6. I get mental blocks, and simply get stuck sometimes and can't think creatively.

I've seen one of the top FFA staff coaches in Australia run some 6v6 with elite players at a workshop for coaches earlier this year. There was no specific instruction about what formation players should/could use. Each SSG team played in no useful shape - such as triangle/diamond, or combination of useful shapes which can be extrapolated to 11v11.

This would never have happened under KNVB instructors. They would have ensured a strucure and purpose for any formation for SSGs, whether 4v4, 5v5, 7v7 and 11v11.

When some question my reluctance to now undertake FFA courses in Australia, this reinforces the vast superioity of top European coaches over the best local coaches. I cannot believe this FFA coach (who is a good bloke by the way) would have operated the 6v6 with no structure.
This same scenario recurs when I've watched most local split state league coaches. There is so often no structure and rationale for pursuing a particular numerical SSG and how it relates to 11v11 at training ground sessions.

Dirk suggested the 5 outfield players in a 6v6 play a 2-1-2 formation. Two beautiful triangles. Thanks Dirk.:)


11. Forbze - described how he had applied for a keeping workshop repeatedly in Victoria for over 12 months. FFV had never replied to him. Our FFT would never do that. I attended it in this state earlier in the year.



Edited by Decentric: 1/12/2011 09:22:08 PM

If your ever in Sydney Decentric send me a PM before you come and i'd be more than happy to introduce you to the ASA director and organise for you to watch the Academy lads train.

And yeah that was back in the days when we could talk on the forum in the performance section without it being trashed by nutjobs burying it in crap. *Sigh*

From memory the lad lacked power in shooting and accuracy and needed some advice. I think I described the use of different parts of foot to obtain different results. Power off the boot requires the ball to be struck halfway between the toe and the top of ankle from a front on stance. That is to say if you drew a line from big toe to ankle along the bootlaces you will find a part which is particularly hard about halfway, This is called the sweet spot. By starting with a few steps run up, practice hitting the ball sweetly through the ball then increase the run up distance from the ball until the player feels comfortable with a balance of power and accuracy. Taking too many steps back and trying to belt the ball too hard causes a loss of accuracy. This style tends to give the player a straight power shot that has a gradual rise. When the same technique is applied but the angle of the foot is varied a curling power shot and curling dipping shot is the result. Slightly inside the foot a fraction below the sweet spot produces curl. The outer side of the sweet spot does not give the same amount of curling effect but tends to causes a flat drift.

For pure curl the inside of the foot is used. Draw a line from big toe to heel and hit the ball at an angle. This method gives great curl but lacks power.

I think that was the guist of it...

Edited by Aussiesrus: 1/12/2011 11:05:20 PM

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/videos/222,ac-milan-coaching.aspx

This is from the AC Milan Academy.

Thanks Barca4Life, or whoever suggested the video to explain the technique.

I've heard of the skip before, but I thought it would complicate things after I really scrutinised how I receive, and the players we instruct at FFE receive. We all do things differently and I'm sure Gregory Parker and the AC Milan coaches have had great success using the skip as an instruction tool for teaching effective receiving.

The technical instruction is good in the AC Milan videos, but they had some poor organisational activities (from a school teacher's organisational perspective) with about 20 junior players watching one player at a time perform a technique.

This creates preconditions for aberrant juvenile behaviour.:shock:

The second part of the AC Milan video video demonstrates the position of the non-kicking leg. It is integral for accurate passing.

I've just had a go again at receiving the ball. I do the skip automatically and subconsciously.

This 'skip' may become a coaching point for cumbersome male teenagers, undergoing growth spurts. Also, female players tend to be flatter footed when playing the game. We've had success simply getting them to bounce around on the toes alternating from foot to foot for instructing this technique.

I was a little flat footed naturally, but became nimble on my feet from skipping, specifically for modern karate training. I did it for 20 years.

Skipping also improves general footwork and makes one more nimble generally.





Edited by Decentric: 1/12/2011 11:24:10 PM

Thanks mate

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/videos/222,ac-milan-coaching.aspx

A further point from this AC Milan video is what the ball should after it is receved.

When Craig Johnston went to play in England his greatest technical flaw was that he couldn't stop a ball dead like all the English apprentices.

Many of us work for our players to stop the ball dead when receiving. A relative went to an American college fora sports scholarship earlier this year. A technical flaw detected was that the player stopped the ball too dead. No coach here had detected it, even state coaches, and another an NTC coach who has coached W League too.

The problem was that the player often needed to take a second touch to pass the ball, because it wasn't in the correct place, being too close to the body. The AC Milan coach in the video emphasises that the ball needs to be played a little away from the body at an angle, so the second touch is a pass.

Xabi is the best player in the world at this. His first touch is so good at putting the ball in perfect position, away from his opponent, to pass the ball effectively with his second touch.

That Barcelona Academy control pass video that I posted on the FFE thread encourages the good placement of the ball from the first touch.
Krones and I have used it with considerable success on the training track.



Edited by Decentric: 1/12/2011 11:45:15 PM

What you've just explained isn't taught in FFA coaching courses and even KNVB. Wiel Coerver was critical of KNVB for not being explicit enough about technique acquisition for the individual, but in the last few years they reconciled before his death.

I've read somewhere that Clarefontaine is more specific about individual technique acquisition.

For those who criticise private football academies, sometimes these are the only places where players, and coaches, can learn specific technique instruction.

To be honest it's something i've picked up by experience from better players. I use to coach at a club and watched Stan Ackerly (ex-socceroo)train his first grade squad and often he would play. He used the above method to pass a ball 40m and land it on dime. I also played against Tony Henderson (ex-socceroo captain)later in years and he could do the same thing using the above technique. It's not only important for shooting with power and accuracy it is important for long range passing with power and accuracy.

ASA does teach this technique but it's not easy to master and until players reach a certain age where they can physcially thump a ball it not often used. When it comes to kids you can only show the technique and hope they practice it for use when they feel comfortable and are ready in gameplay. Until mastered the ball can spray anywhere.

Edited by Aussiesrus: 4/12/2011 03:37:19 PM

http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/training/control/train/drills?locale=en_US

Actually I think this instep passing could progress from this activity listed above. It is called the Barcelona Academy Control Pass on days 2 and 3.

Instead of using the side of the foot, it could be used as an instep or drive pass.

It could be started by having the cones fairly close to each other, then increase distance as players become more proficient.

Edited by Decentric: 5/12/2011 08:41:28 PM

That'd be me. Cheers.

When I coach kids I walk them through these steps moving up a step as they become competent at each one.

1) Stop the ball dead.
2) Control the ball with a slight touch to finish a metre in front of you.
3) Move to the ball and control it in front of you so with the next step you can pass it or be on the move.
4) Take your first touch away from you and away from trouble.
5) Run to meet pass, control by taking ball away from trouble without breaking stride and either pass or run with it.

Hope that makes sense.

Certainly does and the above are very important skills to master. 2 touch football controls the direction of play.

The next level is one touch football but this requires players that can think ahead of the play by always looking around first before receiving the ball and knowing where your going to pass it beforehand to players constantly on the move.

Edited by Aussiesrus: 7/12/2011 09:00:04 PM

12. FFA C Licence holder and Sydney rep coach Andy Jackson posted that in his training ground practice that when he sets up a 4-3-3 he works at doing it via a 4-2-3-1 .

He finds it easier to set out the 4-3-3 and its defensive midfield triangle in four lines. It is another approach to 4-3-3 with merit.



4-2-3-1

...X................X...............X.................X.....

................X........................X

.....X.....................X......................X

...........................X......

One can also use the 4-3-3-in attack and the 4-2-3-1 in defence.

Simply move the two wide attacking midfields in a line with the target forward in attack.

Edited by Decentric: 11/12/2011 11:45:28 PM

x2

Thanks .

Do you use the skip?

It does.

Two Barca Academy exercises could do the first 4 steps incidentally. I wonder what Krones thinks as he has used them too?

The first, Control Pass, is listed in the fourth aforementioned post.


http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/training/control/train/drills?locale=en_US

This is the second - Directional Control.

A problem is that these links seem to only last a short time.

I have to keep updating current videos.


Edited by Decentric: 11/12/2011 11:57:48 PM

12. Krones made a suggestion for reducing the winning margin of good teams over weak teams. It also helps develop weaker players and for them to gain gratification from scoring goals.

This is by only allowing a team to score when their striker, a player specifically designated by the coach, often a weaker/weakest player, scores a goal. Team-mates have to keep directing play to this weaker player.

This works a treat.:)





Edited by Decentric: 26/1/2012 01:58:51 PM

Look up Michael Beale Chelsea Academy Coach in high demand has written many books on Skill and other

Is there a section in Micheal Beales books on how Chelsea spent 75 million dollars on there academy but failed to produce any players for the 1st team.

but what hope a country that uses similar dutch coaching methods but has bugger all money to invest in youth

Hi did I say that this Academy coach is in charge of the purse ? No disrespect but are we talking about youth?