A player ‘makes it‘, and then everyone who’s ever touched him claims development credit. So who’s responsible? All of them? Some of them? None of them? And how can credit (or blame) be distributed? Age So at what age(s) was a certain player under the tutelage of a certain coach? Much is made of “the […]
Soccer Education
Jose Mourinho Documentary
Because what we stand for is genuine passion, and the genuine pursuit and study of excellence. This is a man with the courage to expose his humanity. To expose his inner self even if it transcends what others have outlined as acceptable. And that not only makes him remarkable, but I believe is the enormous […]
Matters of Circumstance
Who ‘makes it’ versus who doesn’t is just as much a matter of circumstance as it is a player’s quality. Ben Lederman wasn’t some phenom, out of this world, player. But before we proceed, let’s get something clear: he was a player with good qualities and potential before he left to Spain. And having seen him […]
Map to the Gold Standard (version 1) Infographic
This is going to be an iterative process. Here’s the base version containing fundamental requirements.
Truths in Soccer
Everything is not just a matter of opinion. Let’s go beyond the box scores… Let’s talk about the other truths: The probability of scoring from 40 yards, is lower than from 8 yards. The probability of dribbling by 1 defender is higher than dribbling by 2. The probability of connecting a 5 yard pass is […]
It’s Time for Some Tough Love Again
Gary, let’s ‘move on’ already. What is all this crap you’re writing? Start telling me / showing me, how to do ‘it’. You’re repeating yourself. Ok guys, I hear you. Ever consider the possibility that I’m doing exactly what I should be doing? Ever considered that these so-called ‘repetitive’ posts are crucial? Think about this: […]
How Much Time Does US Soccer Need?
People like to believe time fixes problems. Yes. It’s important, but only if spent doing the right things. Consistently do the ‘wrong things‘, or simply not ‘right enough‘, and no amount of time will EVER produce quality. Part of 3four3 is about illuminating the wrong things, the right things, and the continuum in between. For […]
US Soccer Unravelled in Under 140 Characters
You know, it’s been with me for a long time, but I finally aired it out via twitter. So in less than 140 characters … another fortune cookie: When it's 50/50 jungle ball soccer, results are mostly random with an edge to whoever has better players at 50/50 jungle ball soccer. — 3four3 (@3four3) September […]
Why Do You Advocate ‘Possession’ Soccer?
Some people have huge sample sizes and experiences spanning youth to international level play. Some may have recently been introduced (or reintroduced) to football, say in the last 5 to 7 years – essentially born into the Barca era. Some have concluded it’s a, or the, safe position to have when discussing the sport. Some […]
I Opened 101 Soccer Fortune Cookies For You
One fortune cookie after another – in my brain – was just cracked open and its contents written down. Totally free-flowed and not second guessed. Winning is important. Possession is the optimal, if not the only, way to develop a player to their potential. Possession significantly increases your chances of winning consistently at all levels […]