Good to see you writing another article, Gregory. Can someone with better IT skills than me post this in the Performance section of the forum, so comments can appear both here and there, please?

Thanks.


What do you think about the FourFourTwo blog Not another Sand Dune!?
Yes it’s that time of the year again, when teams begin their pre-season training. I’m sure older players (16 yrs and over) dread this time year. It is tradition on the east coast of Aust...

Have your say.

I'm not sure how my cut and paste appeared here, but I'm rapt!!!!!

You seem to have a lot of knowledge about sports science, Gregory, which I admit, I have none!!!

Good to see someone advocate training with the ball.

In this state there is an epidemic of training without the ball at all ages, particularly for pre-season. If I go on Walter Pless's blog anonymously, it seems nearly all other stakeholders know it is me, because I condemn training without the ball, when they all approve of it. It seems nearly every photo taken at senior level at split state league clubs on Walter's blog, captures players running laps, totally unrelated to football.

It really seems to a lot of people, who think that if Inter Milan, Man U and Ajax run laps, then so should all amateur or semi-pro clubs. As I've said before, the KNVB advocates unequivocally (as I'm sure Clarefontaine, Coverciano and Barca Academy also do), that no training should take place without the ball - except at top professional clubs. That is, other than briefly for specific formational work, which still has specific football related intent.

My FFE co-coach C, has spoken repeatedly to the state FFA TD about this common malpractice, but he doesn't seem to have the will to do something about suspect training practices.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/craig-foster/blog/1091969/No-more-laps,-let


Gee for many of our coaches, they should read the KNVB recommended training practices, Gregory's article and Fossie's aforementioned article.

If football was won by sit ups and push ups Australia would have won more world cups than anyone.:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Love that one, Krones!

In the Real World

I observe junior and youth coaches at training, wasting their time playing unrelated games, without the ball (Snakes and Ladders or Ring -Around- The -Rosie approaches) or make great elaborate explanations about a simple concept, when their players desperately require technical training with the ball, in a game centered environment. It gets worse with adult players, who are thrashed up and down sand dunes, and put on long runs followed up by ridiculous core strength exercises when the athlete is unfit. This is only a recipe for injury (remember these amateur athletes have to also perform at school and work during the week). I see players boxing into punching bags on the field. Not a ball in site. I never see punching bags or sand dunes on football fields! What is the rationale? These thoughtless activities keep occurring, because somebody just made it up or somebody follows the leader, or it is what the coach experienced as a player? Is this logical and/or scientific?


It seems very logical for the vast majority of coaches in this state.](*,)

I think the state FFA TD doesn't know where to start with this problem. He could risk alienating many stakeholders who won't listen.

I should say the aforementioned quote is similar to nearly all training I did in as a footballer in my career, even in youth state squads. I played in the sixties and seventies. I know an English gent in Sydney, a former English Lower League player, and he took over a team who conducted all training without the ball, twice per week under the previous coach!](*,)

The parents didn't like the changes he made either.](*,)

Edited by Decentric: 20/2/2012 06:53:05 PM

Thank you for this article. I argued with some blokes in my team about some of the points you raised in this article, I said that we should be doing ballwork and not hillsprints, and they argued that doing hillsprints was still valuable to attaining a 'base fitness level', in terms of generating power etc..
It is frustrating when I sit in front of my computer reading up to date research about this sort of thing and still get told I'm wrong.

Some ideas for game based conditioning include:
* 1v1 Sprint to the ball to score. Coaches can be creative and include sprints to cross.
* General transition games
* Transition games with a recovery rule. Every player on the team that attempts to score must sprint back to their goal line before they can engauge the opposition.
* Sprints and transitions during SSGs
* Defending Sprints through two small cones.
* Use the field size, number of goals and number of players to create a conditioning SSG.

Reedy you are not wrong. Game based conditioning is more enjoyable for players, more time effective (technique, tactics and conditioning all in one), more scientific and creates competition between athletes. The competitive side of game based conditioning has a very large psychological benefit. Players are pushed further and harder. Think of the carrot.

seen shit loads of injuries occur from the sand hills mentality

The closest thing we are going to do involving sand hills/dunes, will be a bit of a team bonding day of playing beach soccer.

THE JVS FILE
John van’t Schip spent 12 years at Ajax after developing in the academy before signing for Italian side Genoa. He won 41 caps for the Dutch national team between 1986-95 before commencing a coaching career with Ajax in 1997.

THE COACH

1997–2000: Ajax youth coach
2000–2001: Ajax assistant coach
2001–2002: FC Twente
2002–2004: Ajax B
2004–2008: Netherlands assistant coach
2008–2009: Ajax assistant coach
2009-2012: Melbourne Heart

THE AJAX FOOTBALL FACTORY
Named De Toekomst (‘The Future’), Ajax Amsterdam boats one of the world’s best talent factories in the world.

Greatest products
Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Denis Bergkamp, Wim Kieft, Frank Rijkaard, Johan Neeskens, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Edgar Davids, John van’t Schip, Edwin van der Sar.

The JVS coaching era
Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Nigel de Jong, Ryan Babel, Maarten Stekeleburg, John Heitinga.

THE JVS SIX-POINT PLAN
Van't Schip draws on his experience from the famed Ajax football factory to reveal how Australia can produce better players

1. EXTEND SEASON
Six months off from the A-League is too long and windows should be introduced when the national youth teams are playing, like the Olyroos this year

2. A-LEAGUE FOCUS ON YOUTH
Young players should be given an opportunity instead of signing veterans from overseas. The national teams will benefit because better players will develop

3. TRAIN WITH THE BALL
Aussie kids train less than Europeans and they fall further behind because too many drills are done without the ball.

4. TECHNIQUE, NOT PHYSIQUE
Don't select kids on size, but skills. Some youth coaches and fathers focus on winning so they play stronger players, but that's not helping development and often the big kids don't make it.

5. PROMOTE THE STARS
Talented kids should be put up an age group or two and doing it in phases reminds them of their responsibilities.

6. BAN THE BACKPACKERS
The Victorian Premier League should be a good pathway for the A-League but many clubs are signing backpackers, often it's at the expense of young players who then leave. Set minimum squad and matchday under-21 requirements.











If one looks at points 3 and 4, it is important to plan a pre-season with ballwork as the primary focus.


I haven't coached a senior team over a whole season. Pre-season hasn't been different to other sessions in the season in the youth/junior teams I've coached over a whole year. I've only coached adults in mid-season or late season.

Over 16 years of age seems to be the age when all the warm ups and warm downs become more critical. In that case pre-season has been no different from any other stage of the season as I've coached youngsters over whole seasons.

If I were to coach an adult team, I would focus on technique exercises done slowly at first at the beginning of the season. The focus is on technique as opposed to speed and conditioning.

*Individual and paired juggling can be the warm-ups - 5-10 minutes. Distances between players need to be very small, 2-3 metres, so players are not strainng muscles by passing long distances.

*Players can perform the basic passing exercise also from UEFA, shown in previous video links. Short distances between players is important. Use both inside and outside of the foot passing.
As players improve, make one player go backwards whilst the other moves forwards. Then reverse the roles emphasising that players move backwards and forwards slowly.


*There is the basic dribbling drill in UEFA Training Ground, which I've listed somewhere in Performance in the last few weeks. It is important to do it slowly. Again the foocus is on technique. This can be exemplified with keeping the head up if dribbling at slow speed.

*Again if one works in pairs with partners taking it in turn to practise a dribbling technique - Brazilian stepovers, elastics, body swerves, Matthews cuts, rolls, reverse step overs, etc, the active partner does it slowly.
Whilst waiting passive partner practices stationary dribbling techniques. Again with the emphasis on technique, players can learn to use their weaker foot, or/and incorporate keeping the head up if possible.

*In those 8 Coerver skill drills, added somewhere in this section, drill 6, focusing on ball control, can be done slowly, without the races.

*The Barcelona Academy directional control can be done with shorter distances between players, and done slowly, again focusing on technique.

*The Barca Academy master control can be done with the instep of the foot for passing over longer distances. The side of the foot pass would place too much pressure on muscles which could cause muscle strain. The instep would be a substitute for shooting over distance and longer drive passing.

* Dutch passing square is a good exercise. Initially have the players working close to each other, in a small 8m x 8m square. Have two at each post and have two balls operating at once ( more touches). There can be explicit technical instructions as to whether the coach wants the players to use furthest foot, then pass with the other foot. Alternatively receive with closer foot and pass with furthest foot. ( (Gregory Parker has some good diagrams for explaining this in one of his articles).
Then receive with outside of the foot to receive the ball first (evolving into a bodyswerve turn), moving past the corner cone and passing with the other foot.
Jairzinho turns, Tostao turns, and other more difficult turning techniques can be incorporated. The receiving and turning technique should beat the outside of the cone.
After players have received, turned and passed, they slowly jog to the next station at the next corner of the square. Change this to operate in the other direction to work the other foot and/or do things in reverse after about 10 minutes.

*Rondos, 3v1, could be done slowly in a small grid, 10m x 10m. The pig in the middle should put limited pressure on players with the ball to avoid muscle strain. Maybe set limit so only a minute for the pig to be in the middle.


*I'm not sure how one can set up 4v4s and 5v5s (with keepers) to play with the emphasis on technique. As soon as one introduces competition, the speed inevitably increases. The small goals/nets can be used to stop hard shooting, which can cause muscle strain.

*Formational wotk can be done with 7v2 then 3, 4,5 , 6 leading up to 7v7( 8v8 with keepers). Focus on the defensive shape on a half pitch. Again it is difficult to ask players to play competitive SSGs, but keep it slow.


*The prescribled shape that the coach wants the team to play, can be done with the team on a full sized pitch. The eleven then play the players not necessarily in the starting 11. This is again difficult to do slowly as there is a competitive element. if there are are only 4 extra players over the 11, make the controls harder for the 11 to score - such as every player in the 11 must touch the ball before they can shoot.

Basically any drill I've listed or provided video links in performance, in the thread on FFE, etc, can be done as a pre-season exercise. The emphasis at the beginning of the season, is to do all of them slowly at first, with the focus on technique and ball control being paramount. The speed can build up for players as the number of training sessions increases. Even later in the season then start sessions slowly.


As I've said before, I know little about sports science. To prevent adults breaking down with injury, it may be useful to finish with a slow jog (still using a ball at the feet with specific dribbling techniques) around the pitch a few times. At the end static stretching may be important to stretch muscles used in football - quads, hamstrings, calves, groin, and lower back.

I'm sure the sports scientists can pick holes in what I've suggested for pre-season. As I've argued with them, and will continue to do so, these aforementioned exercises are foolproof European training ground practices to develop technique in players and produce better footballers, no matter what SS flaws are in it.













Edited by Decentric: 23/2/2012 01:35:07 AM

10 and 30m sprint times. This is done with two stop watches in the one sprint



Gregory you've listed this as a pre-season test.

If I have my ultra critical hat on - what is the purpose of this in a football related context? I would be more inclined to use this in a relay setting, using linear and zig zag diagonal runs with the ball at players' feet. I'd make make mental notes, not record them.

Players would find running within a SSG setting more valuable, putting pressure on opposition players with the ball, when a player's team is without the ball. By doing this it would be important to focus on closing the gap quickly, then getting into the low jockeying side on position, then possibly tackle if support is available.

Some slower players over the turf may move to a ball/scenario more quickly that a quicker player over the turf, because they read the game more quickly. I know one senior state split state league coach of a female team who has clearly not grasped this facet of the game. He is far too obsessed with players speed over the turf, even if they are slow thinkers on the pitch.

Don't get me wrong, I think your articles have been excellent. I have written to Kevin Airs stating how invaluable they've been. Plus I intend to use quite a number of them during the coming season. One midfield formational exercise in 7v7 within the context of 1-4-3-3 you've shown, is an excellent extension to my KNVB course.
We were worked a lot on on formational structure, but with a defensive focus as it is easier to do this than and attacking or midfield focus.








Edited by Decentric: 23/2/2012 12:47:04 AM

Bang on the money.

Let me clarify the sprint tests:
* Only use sprint tests if time is allowed and for 15 years and above for elite competition. My suggestion. Two stop watches are used.
* The sprints test can be used as a tertiary criteria only. It does provide objective data. You can see how players move, and their biomechanical faults.
* The sprint tests can be used to select between players of equal ability. Who are you going to choose and how?

I used the sprint tests in my recent selection of an U19 squad. I used it as a tertiary selection criteria if deciding between two equal individuals. It provided feedback on what we were seeing in SSGs or larger games. Explosive sprinting is what gets players where they need to be so they can make the correct decision or beat a player 1v1. At semi-elite and elite levels this parameter makes a difference. The game is getting faster.

What selection criteria do other coaches use? What are you looking for as a selection criteria? It is clear in youth competitions that I have experienced it is the size of the individual. I was shocked when talking to a elite youth coach in Sydney, that he could recite the average weight and height of each of the age groups. What about their technical ability?

Fortunately, I haven't had to axe too many players.

However, if players are of equal ability in a number of facets of the game, technique, game sense, football intelligence, strength, speed, I'd select the player with the better training attitude, ability to mix in a team context and how intrinsically enthusiastic they are for playing football. I'd never run sprint tests.

They did a lot of this measuring stuff in some Victorian rep teams a few years ago.

This is still a massive problem in this state.](*,)

It is an epidemic , along with running laps. So many coaches claim a player is too small. I always cite the case of Barcelona - the smallest team in the ECL!!!

Another one is how small South American teams are in international football at all levels.

Can you elaborate on the biomechanical faults, Gregory?

Would you contend that some players cannot reach a high level because of biomechanical faults, even though good technicians and with good game sense?

* Technique
* Game sense
* Ability to fit into a team and social skills.
* Tenacity
* Training attitude (punctuality) and desire to improve one's game.
* Intrinsic enjoyment of the game.
* Pace, depending on other qualities and the player's ability to play some positions ( I want 2 quick wingers, 2 quick full backs and possibly one quick CB).
* Physical strength, depending on other qualities and the ability of the player to play some positions (I want at least one strong CB).
* Leadership qualities
* Adaptability in changing positions on the pitch.
* Ability to follow instructions and organisational ability on the pitch, to coach/position the line in front.
* Natural stamina helps for implementing aggressive full pressing.

Selection Criteria
If you want to define pace I would suggest coaches start getting objective and measure this parameter with the sprint tests. How do you define technique? First touch, direction of first touch, ball control, body shape, eye and head movement, receiving with furthest foot so the player can see both goals, ability to shield, and striking the ball to name a few. Lets get logical and very specific. These selection criteria must be very well defined. We must reduce the subjectivity in selection as coaches.

Biomechanical faults is moving into another area which coaches are not trained in. Movement problems can include upper and lower limb movement, posture, asymetries of movement, and how the player moves in general. These problems may require referral to health professionals. I am fortunate that I am qualified in these areas.

These movement faults may result in recurrent injury and reduced efficiency during games. These considerations are important at elite levels.

Fascinating!!!

So many of us could be doing a disservice to players by training them when they have to run?

A relative had to do lot of exercises under physio supervision for US college soccer to compensate for physiological faults and resultant pain around the knees. Biomechanical faults is an area most of us have no training in. The college prescribed a lot of heavy squats for players for five days a week. The pain went away.

Gregory, are you a physio?

From what you are saying footballers need to be assessed in case damage is being done by training.



Edited by Decentric: 23/2/2012 10:20:17 PM

I'm sure you have a good answer to this.

I've seen a state youth coach use a drill where he had two players sprint for the ball, 1v1, towards goals, then it was a competition to shoot. The quicker player won every time. Does this replicate match scenarios? No.
Also, many players were standing around and watching just two players contest. These players all need to be occupied.

Two players are never competing for the ball and running in the same direction towards the same goal to score in a football game.

It would be better to have them running towards the ball with goals at each end, where they have to turn sightly to shoot at their goal. To make it less of a contest besides the initial sprint, the ball could be served ( by a player passing it) slightly towards the slower player to create a more even contest.








Edited by Decentric: 23/2/2012 11:07:54 PM

Player selection

Selecting players has a huge subjective component. What key points can we use to properly select our players? My advice is to take your time (at least 2 sessions) and give the players an opportunity to show what they can offer in a variety of game situations. Don’t use one session to select players. Objectively conduct a few tests to back up your subjective observations. At the very least, have a criteria for the small sided game component.

- Have at least one neutral party observing and assessing players and compare your notes.

- SSGs. 1v1, 4v4/5v5 to larger 8v8 games on half a field. Here you can add your criteria for selecting players. Watch what players do in game situations. Are they moving off the ball? How do they move? Watch their head movements. Do they open out when receiving the ball, do they have good technical skills. What is their attitude like to other players and to you?

- See if players are receptive to some coaching cues

- During games combine different players together

- Test sprint ability (10 and 30m), agility with and without the ball




From a football perspective, I'm not sure why one would test and record speed with a ball? KNVB advocates all evaluation to be done in a game context, like you suggest prior.
I know it sounds rich coming from me with my obsession with collating and analysing football stats.:shock:

I've known one very experienced state youth coach to have three other observers in selection trials to see if they see the same qualities using the 1v1, 4v4 and 11v 11 scenarios you suggest. I note you wisely suggest seeking another opinion from another observer.

The purpose for three other observers is to placate the inevitable backlash from ambitious parents of prospective rep players. The four coaches record the players they think should be selected. Notes are then collated to see if the four coaches have the same players. This was used by the coach to deal with difficult parents.

When one assesses players, it is not too difficult to improve movement off the ball, or closing down the opposition passing lanes when they have the ball within a team context. As players get older a heavy first touch is much harder to improve sufficiently, even though it can be improved with a lot of work.


By opening out, do you mean they are closer to side on to the opposition goal when receiving the ball, as opposed to front on, Gregory?









Edited by Decentric: 23/2/2012 11:10:10 PM

- SSGs. 1v1, 4v4/5v5 to larger 8v8 games on half a field. Here you can add your criteria for selecting players. Watch what players do in game situations. Are they moving off the ball? How do they move? Watch their head movements. Do they open out when receiving the ball, do they have good technical skills. What is their attitude like to other players and to you?


One could add :

How do players communicate with teammates in football terms?

What is their decision making like? Do they dribble at the right times? Do they pass at the right times?

Do they head the ball when they should catch it on their chest and keep the ball in close possession?

Do they hold on to the ball when they should release it?

Do they have vision to see players in better positions and pass to them, as opposed to passing to their best mate all the time?

Can they make decisions before they receive the ball? Some A League players can't do this!

Do they take too many touches to keep a ball moving quickly for their team?

Do they dribble when they shouldn't in dangerous positions in defence?

Can they beat players one on one?

Can they keep their head up when they carry the ball?












Edited by Decentric: 23/2/2012 11:22:13 PM

All good points and opinions.Could a top 10 selection criteria be made? What criteria can be improved upon the most by coaching? Should the FFA teach how to conduct trials and make selection in their AFC courses? What objective tests should we use?

Two years ago I attended a Bolton (EPL) Academy. The data from tests they used had been collected for each age group. The data was used to invite players into their academy from around the world. The test data was standardized. Interviews and psychometric testing was also done.

* Sprint Tests
* Agility Test with and without the ball
* Turns achieved within 10m in 30 seconds
* Running juggling test with turns
* Dribbling change of direction test
* Small sided games.

I suppose the big test is "can they play?".

I remember reading an article on trials in Hungary where the coach could'nt wait for them to finish the preliminary testing, so the matches could start and they could see who could play.

It is rare that I congratulate a community club but .......Well done to Kanwal FC on the Central Coast! Watching their grading system, communication and general organisation makes them one of the better community clubs that I have seen. Everthing ran on time.

The grading tests were SSGs and a full field game with GKs. There were observers so that assessments could be cross checked. Simple but effective.:o

Edited by Gregory Parker: 2/3/2012 02:34:00 PM

Thanks for post. It’s really informative stuff.
I really like to read.Hope to learn a lot and have a nice experience here! my best regards guys!

The problem i have with selections and identification is
I see players standing in space but not receiving the ball but players under pressure receiving the ball to the applause of coaches.
The worst thing i see is a player who makes 1 or 2 max good passes in a game and many many poor passes is identified as good, the only reason i can see is his work rate is high.
Too me this makes no sense.
The last one is a player is told to not hold onto the ball but when he makes the correct pass the player (on his wing ) fails to run and the ball goes out of play. hand over to the opposition.
Go figger

PS U16's

Edited by krones3: 6/3/2012 06:48:51 AM