Those who think this possession thing is just a fad expose one, or a combination of the following: their soccer age their global soccer literacy their racial, cultural, or national prejudice Soccer Age How long you’ve been involved in the game, plain and simple. If you’re fairly new, say within the past 10 years, it’s […]
Warning!!! To All Our New Readers: This Blog is Probably Not for You
I’m dead serious! The majority of you likely joined us after the U11 video. That means the chunk of posts you’ve seen since, have been about kids playing soccer and our trip to Spain. So cute youth soccer stuff. Well, you’re in for a big ass shock if you think that’s what this site’s about. […]
It’s Unbelievably Difficult to Capture What We Do! A Testimonial.
Coaching is an art! How do you capture this art? People have been asking me for ‘curriculum’ and things detailing what it is we do. How do we produce our end product they say. Here’s a quickie from our State Cup final: If you can’t see the video, click here. They seem to think there’s […]
Don’t Let Your Club Miss This Unique Opportunity!
Update I no longer support or endorse this thing. In fact, I’m embarrassed to have been duped by it. The past couple weeks have been crazy! With the release of our U11 video showcasing unseen before soccer in the States, and the subsequent chronicling of our younger U10s and those U11s competing in Barcelona, I’ve been […]
A Phenomenal Soccer Education in 12 Minutes [Video]
We’ve been talking on this blog. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Anyone can talk. And anyone does. Just look at all the garbage online, and the monkeys on TV (I guess you’d have to be able to identify it as such). Well, it’s time to do some show. First some things to keep in mind: […]
Marcelo Bielsa: Slapping American Faces!
I swear I remember it like it was yesterday. My parents, brother, and I were at a a barbecue hosted by longtime family friends in Chino, California. My dad and his buddy Edwardo were in the backyard tending the grill, and I (13 years old at the time) was right there trying to be – you know […]
Caleb Porter Took A Dump All Over US Soccer
Here’s the number one lesson to take away from the U23 performance against Mexico: People have a lot to learn about this sport. I mean A LOT! Stop making excuses for not being able to play dominant possession-centered soccer. You can’t play that way because this is college soccer. You can’t play that way because […]
3 Scenarios on Klinsmann and the National Team Player Pool
I have no verdict on Klinsmann yet, but I have splashed some thoughts in the comments area. In short, I’m not exactly thrilled and the reasons have nothing to do with score-lines. What seems to surface time and again, is the notion that the national team player pool “is what it is“. The implication being […]
Visualizing Youth Coaching Experience with 3four3 Analytics
Our mission here is education. Education so you can make better soccer decisions and have more sophisticated, well-grounded opinions. I think it boils down to two main components: The soft skills. Specifically, a continual and unvarnished discussion of soccer philosophy that reflects the values of the greatest teams, players, and managers in the world. The […]
A Program from the American Soccer Status Quo Playbook
Just fill in the blanks and you’ll fit right in with the American soccer incumbents. _______________ (Possession/4-3-3/Passing out of the back) like __________________ (F.C. Barcelona/Spain/Ajax) would never work for a __________________ (Mid-low table Premier League/Major League Soccer/NCAA Division I) team. The __________________ (British/American/American College) game is too ____________ (Fast/Physical/Aggressive) for a ________________ (British/MLS/College) team to play […]