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:
The product we field is WAY different than anything out there in this country.
The reason is simple: Everything we say, do, and believe is WAY DIFFERENT than every other coach in the US. We disagree with just about everyone, on everything! YOU, in all likelihood, only think you agree with me.
Now consider what’s done here.
Much like the product on the field, my approach here is WAY DIFFERENT when it comes to soccer education. So different that most may even believe there’s little by way of ‘soccer education’.
The reason is simple: I believe everyone out there trying to do some soccer ‘teaching’ through their blogs or platforms have it wrong. Totally fucking wrong! There is no excellence in ‘coaching the coaches’ out there. It’s all trash!
And why would it be any good? The product these ‘educators’ field is junk. How could they know what and how to teach something they themselves don’t produce?
Let say that again.
Want drills?
This spammer has a lot.
… and this guy
… and this guy
Do a google search, and you get 3 million results on soccer drills.
Do a youtube search for soccer drills, and get thousands of videos.
Not good enough? Those guys don’t have ‘sufficient credibility’?
Ok, well how about drills that FCB uses for their youth?
This document’s been making the internet rounds lately
Have yourself a soccer drill orgy!
You see all this stuff is fucking useless!
Every coach across the land has had access to as much or as little of this stuff as they want. Look at their products. They suck ass! Ever ask yourself why?
Of course you have, and you come up with a whole bunch of reasons, except the one that matters most!
Coaches don’t have a worldview that enables them. I’m not talking about soccer. This has to do with your cultural upbringing, your indoctrination, YOUR development as a person.
OUCH!
If I want you to achieve your potential as a coach, a HUGE part of what I must do, is address and engage YOU, the person. Your core beliefs!
Magnitude, Longevity, and Scale. Remember?
Giving you a set of drills and thinking that will align your product with gold standard football is beyond ridiculous.
Doing some sort of tactical breakdown of a game is equally ridiculous.
For that, you can go here.
Go ahead, study Zonal Marking posts (which I think are good), and get some great drills from Barcelona, Boca Juniors, Arsenal, Man City, Ajax, or whoever. Go ahead, pay a thousand dollars and listen to Mourinho speak at a UCLA-hosted seminar. Go read a ton of books. Go pay a bunch of money, travel to La Masia, and witness their training sessions.
All great stuff, all helpful, … but I promise you, it’s not going to do dick for you unless your worldview, your philosophy, and personal development is already well aligned. Again I repeat, outside of soccer!
How are you going to react if you hear me drop an f-bomb during a half-time speech to a bunch of 12 year olds? How are you going to process that?
Just like some players are ready for a certain level, some are not, and some will NEVER be …
So to, some coaches are ready for a certain level, some not, and some will NEVER be.
Maybe you’re already there. I don’t know.
Perhaps when you say: “Gary, let’s move on”, it’s because you truly are ready. But perhaps you’re saying that because you just aren’t getting it.
Here’s a quick-fire litmus test:
- If you think ‘diving’ is a problem, you’re not ready.
I’ve got hundreds of these ‘red flags’. But that one usually wipes out a whole bunch of you. Sorry, me and you … we should probably go our separate ways.
Now, as I’ve alluded to in many comments, I am developing our ‘practical’ curriculum.
I am going to ‘show’ you the drills, the sessions we run, the tactical, and all that good stuff.
But that stuff isn’t magic fairy dust!
If I can’t get you to buy into that, if I can’t get you to alter your mentality, nothing else will matter.
Might as well just buy yourself some Coerver Coaching DVD’s, a higher federation license, or whatever other education product is out there. FAIL, then rationalize the reasons for your failure like everyone else.
On a final note:
The last thing I want to do is discourage feedback.
I’ve been teaching Physics at a University for 6 years now. I am myself in the classroom, just as I am myself here. Yeah, I do drop occasional f-bombs in class too. And I try to create an environment of fearless participation. “Who cares if you’re wrong”, just speak up! Put yourself out there!
If a student has opinions on teaching methodology … no problem.
Here’s the thing.
If a student doesn’t think himself a student, but already a master of the material being taught, I shouldn’t be teaching him. And he shouldn’t be learning from me.
Ouch 🙂
Totally agree! My dad is a professional soccer coach and he coaches a National Team in a place that it’s big in soccer tradition, but they do have a cultural problem, they have all kinds of “bad habits” and some of them don’t want to change them, because they thin they know it all, and maybe that’s why they haven’t been in a world cup in the last 30 years. they are afraid to try something new, to change their habits, their philosophy to take risks, to dare! I truly believe that what you mentioned here it’s true, I have been in the US for one year and is so different in so many ways, parents have huge expectations but little knowledge as well as coaches, demanding too much from some kids, But I see a HUGE potential!!!! hopefully some good coaches can make a difference,..
El Salvador right?
yep, pretty tough but there’s quality…
I’m very curious, because our team has recently hooked up with an el salvadorian coach who has experience at the highest youth levels there. He doesn’t emphasize possession, but I’d like him to. Is this possible, culturally, for him to change? or is this a bridge too far?
I watched Guatemala vs USA and that kind of kick and run may be fine for the attackers but defenders get short shrift and for young players on the back line it’s the kiss of death.
“Is this possible, culturally, for him to change?”
What age is the team? Coach?
It’s always possible but I think their needs to be a reason to change. If your team is big, strong and dominates most teams why would there be any reason to change?
BU10, coach R is in his late 40’s. Thankfully, our team is not big, strong and dominating most teams, since there wouldn’t be any incentive to change. But our team has underperformed given the skill level of players on the team and I think will continue to do so until the coach “discovers” possession. Right now it’s very direct, repetitive as in the-definition-of-insanity repetitive. As in, the keeper punts 100% of the time while the back line stands around like statuary. Of course, the coach can impart his soccer IQ–the problem is it may not be very high…
“until the coach “discovers” possession.”
Wow, I don’t know how you discover something you’re not looking for. I knew I wanted to play possession soccer but just had to discover how to train for it. 3four3 just opened my mind so I could see it with my eyes. Honestly, the tools were always there.
“I have been in the US for one year and is so different in so many ways, parents have huge expectations but little knowledge as well as coaches, demanding too much from some kids”
Jurgen Klinsmann at the 2012 US Youth Soccer Workshop
“no opinion the right one”
“everyone has a different way of doing it”
Sorry but kids need structure and discipline. Less freedom and independence is needed. For starters every coach should train only one way at every age group with standards and criteria.
Totally agree! For example, you have your kid in a club team right? This club most have a philosophy, tight? but I don’t see it here in Oklahoma. You should have a plan structured like you said, for example at age 6-8 you have to work fundamentals, and certain skills exercises etc…at 8-9 another set of skills, 10-11 starting to develop the staged positions, more trainings but soccer related, and working in How you want them to play (let’s say if you want long kicks), well train them that way, if you like possession, same thing…that by the time the kids reach 12 or 13 they have an identity they know what the club expects from them and also other teams could spot you and say “oh they are from so and so club” How do you know?, “well jus look at their style”, look how they ass the ball etc”, But nope, we have one coach doesn’t know anything about soccer, and then you move on to another coach that he does know some, and tries, but just wants you to be “more physical”, then you have another coach that wants you to run all the time, (like horses) run, run, just hustle hustle! and then you get to the coach that knows more, and wants you to play good soccer, but guess what? you have no fundamentals, and you suck, so this coach instead of moving forward, has to teach the kids on how to kick the ball, how to time to ball while in the air, for a header, when to kick the ball and when to control it and pass it, and so on and on…so you wasted years and years ….
My dad gave this example once, how do we learn to write? repetition and repetition, see, memorize and repeat…it’s the same with kids starting to play soccer, visual, listening and doing it over and over and over again…
We need systematic progress across the US youth soccer landscape.
Repetition is a KEY!
Key to discovery, understanding, and mastery.
That’s awesome. Thanks for such a refreshing look!
Thanks JJ.
Glad you can take something like this and feel refreshed.
Hi Gary,
I passed your 1st litmus test. I influence many posters on Big Soccer MLS San Jose Earthquakes. Lastly, I dislike the “Fight the Flop” campaign 😉 Who are these folks?
Larry
Cool Larry!
Who are these folks?
Well, they are the ROBOTS of course.
Gary,
I am not against “flopping” from a philosophical standpoint (well, I am, but it’s not why I am against teaching it). I am against it from a practical standpoint. You are teaching 11 boys how to concentrate on how to fall at the slightest (or no) contact. You are conditioning them to do that automatically (sublimating it to a unconscious reaction) from a very young age. Once learned at that age it is almost impossible to unlearn. How many goals might they have scored or assisted if they had stayed on their feet and battled (like Messi)? What if the powers that be decide that they are going to crack down on flopping in the future? Your players will have a very difficult time adjusting when they have had it ingrained from a very young age.Training is a zero sum game: spend time on one thing means not spending time on something else. Why spend the time at age 11 learning to flop and instead take that time and energy into keeping your balance and trying to make something out of what is given? Once the players are at an advanced level 17-18 they can learn it if they must. This is not denying that flopping is a part of the game at the highest levels, but that it has no place being taught at the young ages because hinders high level development: aren’t there more important things to be spending time on in the limited training time you have? Choosing to teach flopping or not is not an indication of understanding soccer well enough to be a great coach. Understanding what you want to accomplish and knowing what instrument (game/drill) to use and how to implement, evaluate it correctly (not just doing it without understanding all its underlying concepts) is what makes a good coach.
Who said I’m teaching our kids to ‘dive’?
This post was not about flopping.
My take on the ultimate key point of this post is:
If you want understand what 3four3/Gary/BUSA are about and perhaps some day coach it effectively, you must have a certain worldview. (It is a necessary but not sufficient condition.) And this worldview, along with your own philosophy, and personal development must be well aligned.
Gary, I’d like to hear you speak more about this key “worldview” at some point, perhaps in these comments. I’d also like more about what you mean by philosophy and personal development in this context.
I’d like you to expand on these thoughts, not because I think if we read it, we will instantly get it and become that type of coach. That thinking is a fallacy just like thinking if you pay for a website/DVD you’ll become a brilliant coach.
But I do want to try to understand this, because it really is the foundation of everything you have and will talk about on 3four3 blog and twitter. I think it is worthwhile for you to expand on. Specific examples of of people you know and your own experiences would be great.
Thanks for your writing Gary. And I didn’t feel any ouch with this “rant”.
Tom
I agree on expanding this topic Tom.
Here’s the 1st little expansion:
I used profanity in this post. How many soccer coaches out there are doing that on their media outlets? This distinction is evidence of a difference in worldview, and life philosophy.
A handful of people quickly unsubscribed from the 3four3 email list upon receipt of this post.
Why?
I think the answer is pretty clear.
What is the language of sport?
It’s not: “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?”
Personally I would have no problem with dropping an occasional f-bomb to a group of 12 year olds (especially boys) to add emphasis and stress importance in particular moments. And I think kids (again particularly boys) would probably react to the situation fine and realize the importance of the time. I would have to wonder though if parents got word of something like this happening, would you still have a team with how ridiculously overprotective and sheltered parents have their kids these days? Or is this something you mention early on, or do you recruit based on who is ready for this level of I guess you could call it honesty or growth? Again, I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I would wonder how you would make this work successfully without parents having a total meltdown and running coddled little Johnny in panic to a new club in crazy ass mom’s arms.
Let’s be honest and direct to the parents. They will either hate you or love you so fuck it.
Just a quickie Kevin.
We are super intense in all that we do. We are hard-core.
On the field it’s business. Off the field we’re all friends and family.
That is the culture we establish with our teams. And our parents are usually compatible with that, a priori.
From my experience, I have found that the ‘best’ players have parents who are hard-core as well. Meaning, parents who are on their kid’s performance. We have little room for “My Little Pony” parents. They don’t last.
Now, that’s at the highest level. At the lower levels these are things that need to be well managed. Every team and parent has their own idiosyncrasies. It’s our job as coaches to identify and manage as we see fit.
For instance, if we’re coaching U12 Bronze, what are the parents really there for?
If it’s just for fun, friends, and an extracurricular activity, that’s a totally different state of mind than what our current parents have.
“…what are the parents really there for?…”
I ask this of every parent as it pertains to their kid…basically “why are you here?”. Since we are a lower level team, I expect the response to be realistic and tempered.
Now when you say the best players are hard core – that applies at my girls’ level as well. The skill may not be there, but the intensity should be. I have 17 on the roster (we play full sided), and my expectation of all the kids is they put in the effort. The effort to listen, to learn, to apply, to improve.
My view on that is with 17 kids, 11 spots – everyone has an equal opportunity, but that doesn’t mean you have equal playing time.
It comes full circle with the inevitable complaint(s) on playing time….and my response is usually – “”why are you here?”
Why do you have 17 players when you only need 13-14?
Why are you coaching? There should be no complaints if everyone is hardcore. Make 2 teams or get rid of them if you can’t play them.
Gary, I get that using profanity is a difference in worldview/philosophy than virtually all in the youth coaching ranks.
My understanding is that you’re also saying that use of profanity is more than just a way of delivering a message, it is actually part of your worldview and philosophy.
I’ll extrapolate and guess you imply it is not just a Gary thing but something that is found in virtually all YOUTH coaches in the countries/academies that are part of a similar soccer ideology. (Pro league coaches that use profanity is, um, not rare.)
Are you also implying that if one rejects the use of profanity at the youth level, one will never have a real capacity for the ideology you teach? I’m not saying I reject it, just trying to understand at a deeper level.
Would love more expansion on other aspects of worldview/philosophy/development when you can.
“My understanding is that you’re also saying that use of profanity is more than just a way of delivering a message, it is actually part of your worldview and philosophy.”
Kids use profanity period. It makes communication real. You as a coach must reach deep into your players.
Dr. Loco:
First, “kids” means lots of different ages. Could be U8 or U17.
Second, I get that kids use profanity. Anyone breathing gets that.
What I’m doing is trying to engage with Gary to understand his key point about worldview/philosophy. Gary is a teacher, so I believe he is purposefully using a sort of Socratic method here to get people to really think. He asks open questions and might seem like he’s talking in riddles. I’m trying to actively participate in that because I hope I’ll really understand it eventually. Maybe I won’t even agree with all this at that point, who knows. Doesn’t matter because I believe it will be valuable to understand regardless.
So I’m making an effort to go beyond just “Gary said he swears at kids, they must do that as La Masia, so I will too. ” That’s just a rote, naive and superficial way of reading what he’s saying in my opinion.
Gary if I’m way off base don’t hold back.
Pardon me?
Yes kids 6-18 use profanity. It’s not ok to curse and insult kids to demean and threaten them. That is abuse. However profanity does show a coach has passion and the kind of culture needed to play the game. Tell me NBA, MLB, NFL star players don’t use profanity. It’s ghetto out there!
Ever watch a live boxing match? Do you hear the boxer’s corner?
Perhaps profanity is part of teaching.
http://stlsportsmanship.blogspot.com/2011/10/coach-resigns-over-profane-speech.html
You’re arguing with yourself. I wasn’t even close to saying coaches should/shouldn’t or kids do/don’t use it. I don’t care about it.
haha, should have heard my 11 year olds the other day “so and so swears all the time!” “no! so and so swears way more than I do.”
Me: “I’m telling your dad.”
answer: “NO!!!!!!!!!” hahahahahahaha.
Anyway, if you are going to swear around 12 year olds you are best off telling the parents about it before hand. Also, TBH, makes you look like a tool swearing at or around 12 year olds. It’s unnecessary and if you need swear words to make your point……
I could go on for hours Tom.
What’s really cool is that you understand I can’t accurately communicate this stuff in a hundred words.
Anyways…
When I refer to “The Gold Standard”, I’m referring to an ideal, a maximum. The remarkable!
I believe what limits so many of us from excellence, is our fear of freedom. From birth we are funneled to the middle by well-established boundaries created by others. We have been told ad-nauseum, that stability comes to those who stay within the funnel and follow ‘the plan’. And for the most part it’s true.
But guess who the remarkable people are? Guess where remarkable products come from.
No. Profanity doesn’t make anyone remarkable.
But my choice to use it here is simply a tiny indication that I choose freedom. I am overcoming my fear, and letting it all hang out.
Thanks for expanding on the “gold standard” concept.
Love your thoughts on freedom and the remarkable.
Tom,
Let me also make something clear.
This is NOT about using profanity around 12 year olds.
This is NOT about profanity in youth soccer development.
This is about how YOU, the reader, the coach, the parent, the whoever, PROCESS the notion of using profanity in that context.
How you process that notion makes you fall on one side or the other in terms of worldview.
Gary: Got it now. Thx.
Gary while I agree that the use of profanity can show a distinction in worldview it ends at that. In no way, would i use the use or non-use of profanity as part of the definition of my worldview (not saying you are saying that although some are taking it as such). It is merely a result of my worldview.
With that sad, the use or non-use of profanity has absolutely no connection to the quality of a coach unless you are supposing that only coaches with worldviews which result in the use of profanity can reach the gold standard. In which case I would argue that to be an extremely myopic viewpoint.
I think I agree with you on all points.
Hopefully my responses above also help clarify some things.
Cheat to win (aka diving). Wow. Thought I was in the right place, but perhaps not. That it happens is not my concern; that anyone would teach kids how to dive is. Also, it’s only useful in your attacking third and probably less than that – only within shooting range. Do your kids drop at the slightest touch in midfield, hoping for a call to get “possession” that you advocate so much for? Agree with TDSoccer – I know it happens; I don’t like it; if you have true athletic ability and coordination/balance you WILL stay on your feet like Messi and Rooney and play like a man, not like some cheating bitch.
Guess I may need to rethink what you’re doing here.
Or perhaps you will rethink what you’re doing here. Which is one of his points in the post…
“If you think ‘diving’ is a problem, you’re not ready. I’ve got hundreds of these ‘red flags’. But that one usually wipes out a whole bunch of you. Sorry, me and you … we should probably go our separate ways.”
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out”
the word is “Flop” .. not “diving”. they are not the same!
seriously, I’ve been chastised on Big Soccer for saying that flopping is done by some
players in order to protect his knees. Plus, I have taught my son to protect his knees. Some folks do not get it! Some USA refs do not get it (which is even sadder)!
There is a HUGE difference between jumping over/avoiding a potentially injury-threatening tackle/collision (yes, there are dangerous tackles better to be avoided than have your ankle broken or an ACL torn out) and falling over when anyone gets near you to gain an “advantage.” And, yes, I understand when you’re in the box it is advantageous at times to try getting a call – same as anywhere else on the field. However, do you see professionals diving anywhere BUT in/around the box? If you do, you aren’t watching the same games I’m watching. The ONLY reason to dive is to try and get a penalty kick or direct kick just outside the box, creating a scoring opportunity. Teaching kids to do that is crazy. It has nothing to do with skill or possession, merely “winning.” That’s not development of the sort I thought everyone wanted here.
I played in goal. I can damn sure guarantee you I knew sometimes when I was going to get nailed and accepted it to make a save. I also knew that when I went in the air to collect a cross, some dirty assholes were going to not even try for the header but simply undercut me, flipping me and hoping I dropped the ball so their cheating asses could get a tap-in.
I accepted all of it and still do. I just happen to think that if you’re as great of a coach (or player) as some here profess to be, teaching cheating to get results undermines the entire effort.
Hi Lothar,
the problem occurs when a ref is allowing too much physical contact. Yeah! a player can simply ignore the contact & continue to play but what do you think will happen? More physical contact will occur! Working the ref when he/she has “swallowed his/her whistle” is part of the world game. Hey! I don’t make up the rules to the world game 🙂
Why do you accept all the unnecessary physical contact?
Larry
Actually, I let my U8s beat the hell out of each other so long as it’s not dirty. By dirty, I mean things that will (or should be) called fouls in a game. No tackling from behind. Pushing and shoving is perfectly acceptable, but if you actually “swing” an elbow at someone vs. simply using it for leverage/space/protection of the ball, that’s a foul that will cost us possession, so don’t condone it and tell them as much.
I have no problem with physical play at all, and encourage it as far as it goes. Where I draw the line is where it will cost us a foul and to lose the ball/possession. That is it. Anything and everything else is fair game – hips, shoulders, arms, legs – have at it as long as it’s not going to be called a foul.
Refs are something else entirely. Most of them are just kids and have no idea of what’s going on so I think that’s actually a non-issue. I’ve actually told the parents that it IS a physical game, in spite of what many of them think, and I’m fine with it.
I think I’ve been mistaken here. I don’t think diving is anything less than cheating, but I know it happens. I would just never teach a kid to do it. It should be up to him to figure out if/when it’s advantageous to the team. Even at that, I still think it’s cheap.
first we need to teach the kids, How to steal the ball with no foul…then we can move on from there…you will avoid so many injuries…
Well another reason for diving in and around the box, especially early in the game, is to establish space for yourself. Frank Ribery does this well for example. He let’s the defenders know if they when he has the ball they better not touch him or he will “frame and package” the foul for the referee to make a call. I get it (I think). The world-view in question is that surrounding FIFA games. FIFA is clear that they want this game with many players refereed by a minimum number of perspectives. They embrace the controversy. In most other countries the main referee is more hated by the end of the game than the opponents. Also, for national games the nationality of the referees has a huge impact on the outcome of the game. Are they allies or old foes? There is a game within the game that is going on with flopping being a part of it. In US we embrace the hammerheads that will run into a crowd and take a few big hits before getting a “heroic” shot off. Again, this enables the opponents to get tighter and tighter until injuries start to occur (Stuart Holden) and all we’re left with is lucky hammerheads. Keep flopping Jozy, Clint, and Landon. We need these guys with space in the box and to stay uninjured. As for Messi not diving he plays in La Liga which tolerates much less contact than all other top leagues. Put him in EPL for a season and watch him go down. He’s no hammerhead.
Player on my men’s team went in tough to a tackle. When all he really had to do was evade the tackle as the ball was clearly going to get kicked out of bounds, or in best case scenario a long ways away and likely roll to the GK. My player received a torn ACL for his “passion and committment.” I shake my head at him and ask him if it’s worth it? I told him to just let the guy kick it out of bounds. Guaranteed possession!!!!
“Cheat to win (aka diving). ”
I don’t call it cheating I call it being witty. I teach my players to confuse their opponents by distracting, annoying, talking, etc until they give up the ball to them.
Gary, I have two requests/questions: 1) What makes up a persons “non-soccer worldview”, and is this capable of changing even during adulthood? 2) List as many “redflags” as possible.
Very tough question Kevin.
If you don’t mind, I’ll have to address these things little by little. I mean we’re talking heavy duty stuff here!
1) What makes up a person’s “non-soccer worldview”?
Well, I think their upbringing and environment. Which may include things like geography, parents, friends, schooling, economics, media, etc …
And I have no clue as to the magnitude and scale of change one can make in worldview during adulthood. But I suspect it is definitely a function of external stimuli.
I’ll save the listing of as many red flags for a post. For now, here’s another major one and a rule of thumb.
Rule of thumb:
Anyone who repetitively cites typical memes permeating the American soccer landscape.
Another enormous red flag is when anyone says the following:
“winning at all costs”
Sorry to disagree. Worldview, philosophy ? Everyone has a different philosophy when it comes to soccer, this is why we are so passionate about this beautiful sport. There is no logic or truth to this, just hard work and passion.
Player skill development makes you a great trainer, but what makes you a great coach? Do you really think that someone has answers to this game ? NO, this is a circumstantial game with a million ingredients and the players on the field are the creators. Love it Enjoy it, don’t look for logic, just applause.
Don’t be sorry Paul.
We can all disagree. No problem.
Of course there are answers to this game, just like in any profession.
No, it’s not an exact science, but there is ‘truth’ is soccer.
There is way more than one way to play this game we all love, but the way that you do play has a lot to do with your “worldview” which I hope to hear more about soon, but how your brought up, and the way you view life definitely has an impact on the style you implement as a coach/player. There is a reason most national teams have a clear way of playing and year after year it is consistent, and no two countries are identical. Their brought up in the same environment, grow up watching the same national team, etc.
Absolutely true Kevin.
There are common threads seen in the typical Brazilian player.
There are common threads seen in the typical Argentine player.
” ” English player.
” ” Portuguese player.
… Spanish player, Italian player, American player, etc …
And the reason, as you correctly state, is the environment.
But not just soccer environment … it’s parents, friends, schooling, economics, media, entertainment … all that stuff!!!
Gary,
You said: “The magic, the real education, the big difference maker, is in worldview and philosophy!”
If each country (and sometimes regions) have common threads that influences their game, how does that make them better players? I’m sure it builds common thread to form a better team if largely homogeneous. Please expand if you could. Unless I missed it, I didn’t catch it in prior posts. Not asking to debate, more to understand.
My personal opinion is having a worldview forces one to think different, understand something they may not have considered and hopefully help them broaden as people. In terms of soccer, I routinely try to bring this worldview to my son. But the difficulty is talk cannot replace real experience. We are fortunate in that we do travel quite often and exposed to cultures and soccer and just everyday stuff. My wife and I are both nationalized but hold dual citizenship.
But I honestly don’t see any of that influencing my son’s soccer education. What makes him better is is drive, motivation, commitment, his own personal long-term goals. Maybe I don’t get your angle, which is why I’m asking you to expand on your above bumper-sticker.
Do you think Porter will succeed in Portland?
I don’t know scott.
The higher the level, the smaller the margin for error.
Margin for error in player selection & margin for error in tactical.
I think he’s got tactical chops. Player selections? We’ll find out.
If he selects the ‘adequate players’, it’s game over!
I hate that so many only know him for the U23 NT, and their failure to qualify for the Olympics a couple months after he took the wheel.
I hope he builds a team, in that enthusiastic soccer city, and leads the way for MLS 3.0.
Drafting/trading for players is much different than recruiting (especially if you dangle the carrot of being connected to the USNT).. But I would love to see that guy succeed.
Gary, without sounding like a ‘Yes’ man, I’ve agreed with pretty much all your posts that question the culture of soccer here in the US. I think your goals of taking your teams beyond what US soccer has to offer are spot on… for your situation. There’s no doubt your attracking some pretty good talent, not only on the ball, but talent that has a better than most understanding of the game. Be it through nurture or nature, they can see the spaces and angles that you’re teaching them. The goals set in front of them is attractive to the parents and they understand what is expected of them from the beginning of their time with you and your program. I think this makes it a bit easier in terms of your own environment.
My question in all of this, is how does what you’re preaching fit with a large majority of the US where soccer is competitive but not at the world scale you are developing? I would admit to being envious of your resources that allow you and your staff the time and effort to put a world class program together. That being said, does that make coaching in my situation any less of an influence on the game in the US? It seems, that through your posts, you make a clear distinction between your level and those that aren’t at your level. I find that in training, I’ve focused on the correct tools, but I fall short on the culture because there isn’t an understanding of what a soccer culture truly is, be it Europeen, South American or somewhere in between. Believe me, if I could find (read: gain the knowledge) the resources and connections that would allow me to do this full time, I’m sure I wouldn’t get frustrated in reading some of your posts.
Perhaps your posts are more focused on the bigger clubs that supposedly do have the resources and time but still refuse to truly develop a soccer culture, and us little guys need not apply.
Look, I get the need to develop better soccer, I wouldn’t be reading your blog otherwise. And, I get that a drill or curriculum does not a club make, but more the culture that surrounds the program. So, for me, the question is really how does a club our size, only about 300 players, enforce this ‘new’ soccer culture and help in our own little way? I have my ideas and I’m implementing them, but I’d be curiuos as to yours coming from a more worldly viewpoint.
Awesome Nate!
I want to help. And it’s encouraging that your response was thoughtful and tempered.
What I want to get across more than anything is that CONTEXT is crucial when communicating! And I’m failing! Big time!!!
Everyone’s an expert in everything these days. And in today’s fast-paced world it seems few take the time to think.
So, if on any given day, the topic happens to be the quality of our professional players, then the quality of the elite youth and their instruction is a central topic (not AYSO or U15 bronze girls). And I’m trying to give people some honest to god insight on why our product is worlds apart. Unfortunately, many take offense.
This isn’t being elitist, or who’s big or little. That’s a convenient way to not listen.
No. This is about CONTEXT.
I teach at a run-of-the-mill State University, not MIT, Caltech, or Stanford. I don’t have this country’s next Nobel Laureates in my care. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do my best, or what I do is not important. It just means the context – the contribution – is different.
If the topic were 5 to 8 year olds, or the growth of AYSO, I don’t know anything!
If the topic were MLS promotion/relegation and it’s impact on the league’s financial model. I don’t know anything! I can advocate for something like that, but I don’t presume to know how or when that should be done. I don’t have a seat at that table.
Each situation is riddled with it’s own idiosyncrasies. And each parent, coach, team, or organization has it’s own objectives.
That’s where we have to start discussions, with OBJECTIVES.
Because that begins to give us context.
Sorry … dinner time. I’ll get back to this later tonight.
I guess that was the point of my comments/questions. I feel that in your situation, your doing what needs to be done and in my situation I’m doing what needs to be done. The context of both are different, however, the underlying tone and thought of our programs still needs to be not settling for the status quo.
I’ve worked extremely hard on creating an environment here in my own community where soccer gets treated with a lot more respect than the ‘soccer mom’ league. So far, I’m happy with the results. In a town of only 20k, I’ve managed to make some noise that soccer isn’t and shouldn’t be treated as just a past time. That soccer and having a passion for the sport is not only okay, but healthy. And believe me, I’ve pissed a lot of people off along the way and will probably continue to do so.
In the meantime, I feel I continue to develop the right mindset for these players. I surely am not going to try and convince anyone I have done everything right. Not even close, but within the context of our situation, we’ve certainly come along way into developing something worth writing home about. These players are starting to get ‘it’ and each generation I can see us getting ‘it’ even more. That being said, if you were to come and take a look, you’d probably say, “That’s nice, we were there a long time ago”. But, again, your situation is different.
Bottom line is I really do like your ‘not going to put up with the ‘ol boys club shit anymore’ approach to your program and development of your players. Not that you’re out to stick it to the man, but just that you’re out to show them that the usual way isn’t working and never will and it’s time for something that WILL work and I think your results speak louder than any blog post. I’d love to see if we too can reach that level of competence and understanding of the game, and I’d like to think I won’t stop until we do.
Soccer isn’t so much a sport outside our borders more than it’s a way of life. I’d like to think the US would achieve that eventually, but who knows. With all the know-it-alls, it may take quite some time.
Who the hell teaches diving? Deal with it, its part of the game and a sound protective measure.
This might be off topic but the “redflags” thing got me thinking. How about these for red flags?
1) DOC’s who aren’t anywhere to be seen when they have games of their own club going on all over the complex. Why aren’t you holding your teams to a standard? Why aren’t you talking to players, coaches, and parents? Why aren’t you demanding a specific brand of play and quality of play? This is a sign that you’re just in it to collect checks!
2) Claiming that a coach can’t identify talent because he chose a big or fast player. Maybe they can play too! Just because a players small doesn’t make them a baller, and just because a players big or athletic doesn’t make them a donkey.
3) Also, thinking that picking a bunch of small kids and playing a 4-3-3 and that makes you think you’re the next coming of Guardiola. Even Barcelona has Busquets and Pique, and often plays a 3-4-3. The quality of their players, their technical ability, and tactical awareness is what makes them great. They aren’t great because their small or because of a line of numbers.
Sorry for the slightly off-topic rant, must be the late night coffee!
Hide the children…colossal rant coming…a smashing one 🙂
Can just imagine the experimental swearing going on this coming weekend across the sidelines of this great land…
I still like to believe the reason most are attracted here is mainly because of the quality of the product…people see the magic in motion and want to try to replicate it…they realize there is a method behind the good stuff and they want it…what they get from who will shape the future
Ok, one more reply before dinner. 🙂
I hope to god people don’t go out there doing some ‘experimental swearing’ at children!
CONTEXT!!!!
I can hear it now . ” Aw shit Jose, how many fucking touches do you need? You got a fucking donkey touch. My grandmother moves up the field faster than fyou. You got a fuckin piano on your back?” Oh what a sideline movie we could make!
Make the movie.
When you embarrass players on the field they will remember it. It might be a good learning experience.
“So different that most may even believe there’s little by way of ‘soccer education’.”
I recently gave my players an evaluation. I’m either completely crazy or on to something. I told the parents that the player evaluation will surprise you because it has nothing to do with soccer specifically. Think about it before we discuss it in our next meeting.
Gary, I don’t know you personally but I want to learn from you.
I really felt you were the real deal when you wrote this.
81. The more you suck other’s dicks, the less you’ll learn.
82. The more you suck other’s dicks, the more likely you don’t know shit.
I wish you and everyone else could get to know me personally.
I think many might be surprised.
I’m going to try to help any way I can!
p.s. Sometimes I wonder if I’m more Loco than you. 🙂
Being one of those people who have asked for the practical curriculum, I only do it because I want to help my player’s improve as much as possible. I am constantly reevaluating myself as a coach to see where I can improve and what can I do better. Just getting a bunch of drills will not improve me as a coach, but it will open up my mind to new ways of teaching my players that may be better. I have a group of players who have the potential to become a premier team who are passionate about soccer and want to improve as well so it is my responsibility to help them learn the technical-tactical aspect of the game so they can gain the skills to compete at the higher levels of soccer.
Attended a coaching course… Hated it. Researched one of the instructors a bit more, found this link on his site: http://www.ziemer.com/index.php/articles
The guys got a list of credentials: http://www.ziemer.com/index.php/about
Now, I could be wrong about him, but the two hours I spent with this guy got progressively worse. I left wishing I hadn’t gone. Thank God it was free. The ‘leader’ of the course, Frans Hoek, formerly with FCB, Bayern Munich, Ajax, and Dutch National Team, seemed to think very highly of this guy. I can’t figure out why though? (Frans Hoek was legit by the way. Excited to hear him talk more at the next part of the clinic.)
But It seems to me that this guy has found a way to make a living off of ‘educating’ coaches. He’s got all the bells and whistles needed to put on a good show. Connections with professional and college level programs, international academies, club and recreational, you name it! And with all of his experience, almost 25 years worth according to his bio, he struggled leading a session at his own clinic. He said he wasn’t good at training 8 year olds, but has written a book about training 8 year olds. Hmmmm? He said he specialized in training older players, but looked lost there as well.
But there it is guys. You want curriculum? He’s got you covered. He’s got everything you guys want to see and hear. For pretty cheap, too!
Goal scoring coach?? Spicy
Worst course ever taken was from Karl Dewazien.
http://www.karldewazien.com
You can find many worthless courses here.
http://www.calnorth.org/coaching/courses/free_coaching_clinics/
“but I promise you, it’s not going to do dick for you unless your worldview, your philosophy, and personal development is already well aligned.”
I’ve already had a coaching course orgy and it was disappointing. These courses do not work in the real world of soccer. They only seem to work in a simulated environment. For the most part they are useless unless you are looking for examples of what not to do.
Simulated environment = the environment that the instructors create in order to make them look knowledgeable. Get them off their scheduled topics and you’ll see how good of a coach they really are.
The Dutch guy I’ve been listening to the last two nights is LEGIT! The guy is spot on. I honestly love listening to the dude. The thing that I really enjoy is hearing him talk about his experiences with top teams, top players, and top coaches. We throw around names like Messi, Mourinho, and AJAX, but none of us have first hand experience. This guy is telling us stories that he actually lived. He remembers Messi showing up to La Masia. He worked with Mourinho at Barcelona. He developed the youth system in AJAX.
The course is at its best when he rambles about random memories. When he gets off topic. When it’s unscripted and you can see how he really feels. When you can see how much he really knows.
But his assistant and the other coaches involved in the course make me want to shove knives in my ears.
It was funny- there is a young kid in the course. Seems like a really bright kid. And he asked a really good question of the college coach that was presenting information. He asked something like: “What is the main difference between the point down and point up (with central midfield trio in a 1-4-3-3) in the moment when you change from possession to full blown attack.” And the coach turned around to look at his white board, moved some stuff around, stood there for a second, and then came up with a quick, nonsense answer.
The young kid stumped the college coach! I was smiling. Not because he made the college coach look a little dumb, but because the young kid showed that there is promise in our youth! He brought that coach out of his comfort zone. He brought himself out of his own comfort zone by asking a question in front of a room of older, ‘more experienced’ coaches. That was exciting.
John, what do you think of the Ziemer brothers?
http://www.usclubsoccer.org/main.aspx?sec_id=19&guid=1bfcec84-3655-4847-98c6-2e3e39f69ee5
Head Coach: Gerry McKeown (Summit, N.J.)
Assistant Coach: Benjamin Ziemer (Sebastopol, Calif.)
I can only give my opinion of the one that I met. Like I said, I think he found a niche and a way to make money. I’ve never seen their product, though. I’m basing this off of a quick, poorly thrown together, very unorganized camp led by Andrew Zeimer.
Camps = Money
He also advertised his overseas trips.
Trips = Money
That’s how I feel.
Can anyone provide knowledge on Carlos Menjivar?
http://www.carlosmenjivar.com/
thanks!
In my opinion, I don’t think coaches wanting to see your drills and activities is a bad thing in itself or shows poor understanding of the “big picture”. I think that viewing your activities will give us great insight into how you communicate and choose teach your philosophy. There are obviously ways that you are structuring your sessions and what you are saying to them during those activities that are different than most of us based on your results.
I think as coaches, as mentioned above, we must focus on the communication and not so much the session itself. How we present the material and the teaching dictates the what the player gets out of it as much as what we present. When are those “Golden Teaching Moments”. Identifying those and then communicating with your players in the most effective way for them is huge.
Great coaches have a thread that runs through them all. Identifying and studying that is so important and what I am trying to do. Whether it is Mourinho, Biesla, John Wooden, Bob Hurley, Tony Dungy or Vince Lombardi, they are all very different people, but what ties them all together as great coaches? I am striving to find and study that “Thread” of greatness amongst the differences.
Gary,
I think I understand what you are trying to get at. Coaching to the “gold standard” is a multi-layered process.
First, you must recognize what the gold standard is and what it takes to achieve the gold standard. Recognizing what the gold standard is and how to achieve it means being deeply understanding the entire process it takes to get there. This is no different than knowing what it takes to be world class in anything, sports, music, art, science, literature. So many people think they know, but in reality have no idea what it takes to be among the elite of the entire world and what the decision to try to achieve that entails. Getting to be world class in anything means that you fundamentally approach life in a different way than most people do, the day to day choices you make based on your overarching philosophy about what is important in life. Deciding to deeply understand the process it takes to achieve the gold standard (something that most people aren’t willing to do) takes a certain dedication and outlook on life.
Second, you must decide that reaching the gold standard is a worthy objective. This sounds obvious at first blush, but it is not. How many people are really willing to make the tough choices that it takes to achieve the gold standard, both as a coach, a parent, and a player? Reaching the objective MUST be THE priority in your life. The decision to make this objective THE priority in your life, at the cost of sacrificing others is a result of your overall outlook on life and what you hold as important. When push comes to shove, most are not willing to make the necessary sacrifices, which are considered to be unhealthy, unbalanced, or unwise in a person’s overall life. Most parents and coaches and parents pay lip service to wanting to be the “very best” but when you dig below the surface you realize that their fundamental philosophy about what is important in life is not compatible with what they profess, they aren’t willing to make the hard choices that are necessary to achieve the gold standard.
Everything must start by truly knowing what it takes to reach the gold standard and truly deciding to achieve it. Only then can you have a chance to be successful in taking the next step: acquiring and utilizing the knowledge and experience it takes to achieve it.
I highly recommend the book “Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation”. It talks to so many of these issues of what it takes to be world class, things that are so applicable to teaching and learning to be world class soccer players.
From Senda de Campeones: I have seen trainers come from half a world away to attend training sessions for Infantiles and Cadetes. They take notes of the exercises, ask questions of the coaches from the club, but it will be difficult for them to successfully extract all the keys of this very peculiar philosophy. And if they do it, even more difficult will be if they can harness all the energy of an club, all the will of the coaches and the players to follow a model so unique and atypical. For all of them, many complications wait for any potential imitator of this language, says Vila. “What are they trying to accomplish? What are the fundamentals? What are the soccer concepts that this or that exercise is designed to work on? How do you accomplish an objective through an exercise? If you desire to improve something, you must have two or three methods that you can use, so that the player really understands the underlying basis for improvement. For instance there are the triangulations that they will try to institute but that bore so many others. But it is the triangulations, the tiki-taca, that possess very deep content of supporting a team mate, solidarity, fooling the opposition by showing one way in order to leave them behind. This is to say, there is much contained within the idea. And to copy by rote makes no sense. It’s one thing to see a training session and a whole different thing to understand the training session. This, definitely, is the big difference.”
Xavi adds, “Barca’s play is sublime and, because of this, Barca is different from everyone else (as far as developing and culling players). There are players that don’t achieve the level necessary to play for Barca because you have to be excellent in everything. But for another team, they could be a perfect fit and play marvelously. We are seeing this now with Martin Caceres, for example, in Sevilla. Because, what’s more, there is another factor. There are players who have the skills to play here, but all the technical concepts that we have are very difficult to master. And it takes a lot of effort to master them. And the Camp Nou is not forgiving. If your touch is too slow, they say, “we don’t like the way you are doing it.” This pressure does not happen with any other club, here it happens all the time. Here you have to be excellent in everything, the pass, the control, transitions, defending, covering.”
I have a headache after reading all this — in good way.
“they aren’t willing to make the hard choices that are necessary to achieve the gold standard.”
I think most superstar artists, musicians, athletes, scientists, entrepreneurs, professors, coaches, etc are crazy. The are obsessed knowing everything about nothing.
Dr Loco I like your comments a lot and I have a headache too after getting halfway through this topic. I think it is because it is both Brian’s most interesting topic in a while and at the same time total bullshit. In answer to the original question, I learned a couple years ago when my son first started playing and came up against a team that would today be the core of this state’s gold standard or Barcelona USA equivalent, diving is a skill…it is an art. No different than any other technical skill and often appropriate when the ref lets the game get out of control in favor of the bigger, stronger kids. That said, nobody knows what the gold standard for USA soccer will ultimately be. Not Brian, not me, not you. We have not seen it yet. It could be something totally different than what anyone expects. My grandfather landed on the beaches of Normandy and took a hill controlled by Germans with little to no cover…something in real life that you only see in a movie. He could not care about world culture and, born in a small Kansas town, was probably not worldly wise as we are today. He did, however, have a strong sense of right and wrong regardless of anything else. He would dive for no one. He IS the gold standard in my book and maybe…just maybe that will be the character that defines the first USA team that meets the gold standard. I may be wrong, but it is equally likely Brian is totally fucking wrong on this one and maybe the best choice is to go your separate way.
No.
“Gold Standard” is a concept concerning the past and the present.
And it is in the global context, not local.
Talking about the future without understanding the past and present is absurd.
I don’t think the US has any standards when it comes to youth player development. Watch any youth baseball, basketball, soccer team and the product is quite sad. Every coach and team just doing their own thing. Really we don’t understand the past, present, and future. As a nation we prefer the self-made athlete, business man, student, politician, etc. Believe me it’s not the most efficient route. We need to work with quality people that are experts in their respective fields. Carry on history with culture and tradition in order to achieve and maintain a high level.
Just posted a vid ( a few more to come) of our recent trip to Germany. As you can see it’s not the “drills” or “training routine”- They have orange cones- we have orange cones. They have round balls (although pumped to max compression) and we have round ball. But something is very different! I’m not sure vid shows well but please take notice of how many parents watch their kids train. 150 kids training- and maybe 5 parents- and they’re drinking coffee in the clubhouse. I’ll have time this weekend to upload a few more. Bayer Leverkusen- 02’s and yes, my son is the smallest player on the field. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqId3avoJaw&list=UUlmM2LiAcrL3v1-AxntbIyg&index=1&feature=plcp
Only 1 or 2 of my parents watch training – does that mean I have a good u12 club culture?
Ive been reading your blog for a while and always good food for thought. In regards to this particular post I totally agree that “Context” in what we do as coaches & educators is crucial.
What’s the point of having a collection of thousands of drills (dvds, online, books, etc) if we don’t have a clear objective of what we want to accomplish in the game. Ask a kid after a game “what was your objective this game?” and they will probably look at you with confusion. Is it to win? is it to out possess the opponents? are the objectives aligned with the kids age, cognitive level? with how we communicate? with a clear philosophy?. I’d say that the lesson plan (collection of drills) is the last (even least important) step of this.
What I think Gary is saying here is to look at the context about how/when/who he communicates the way he does, probably won’t be cursing through out the whole game but in the context of the objective an F bomb might be necessary at a particular moment. Also diving, not teaching it but maybe utilizing it as another tactical tool to keep possession of the ball (THAT seems to me that it’s the main objective for his teams), so let’s use the tools we have to accomplish it and getting a free kick when in danger of losing the ball gives us an opportunity to keep it. I coach my kids to use the rules in their advantage, let’s say you are shielding the ball on your own defensive third with the risk of losing the ball, the opponent in an effort to get it put his hands on your back, and that’s a foul so why not take that opportunity to keep the ball for ourselves by having our players fall? and it’s different than diving when someone doesn’t touch you.
There are many styles, and ways of coaching, we can learn from all of them. Bielsa treats players “usted” but you can also hear him cursing his famous “carajo”, and many more examples.
Playing like Barcelona is in vogue, and that collection of FCB drills have been circulating for months now, look at some of those exercises and think what would happen if you did them during a USSF coaching course, look at some of those German exercises provided in Scott’s link and think what would happen if you did them during an NSCAA course.
Having players waiting in lines is Satan for some, but could also be a useful setup if it serves a purpose (obviously dont want lines of 15 kids waiting, but a proper organization can give you a good work/rest ratio and keep the intensity up)
Great post Gary! Abrazo!
I was thinking the same thing when watching the video. If you did any of that in a final test for a USSF course, you would have been failed immediately!
Gary –
Thanks for the tweets / posts / emails / updates. By way of background, and take with it what you will, I am a former player through college, current U12 coach, Director of Player Development for our town program, and not least a continuing player (call it 1x-2x a week with a bunch of glory days 40+ yr olds).
The game for me has been a lifelong passion. I am a fan, student, player. When I was younger, with no specific direction from parents or coaches, I pursued the game whenever I could. That pursuit found me most often in my back yard. Juggling, bending shots around trees, and chipping the ball over deck furniture. It was all I wanted to do.
I sought after opportunities to play. There were not all the options you find now: Town Leagues, Club programs, ODP, etc. Each chance to get on the field was a thrill.
I come at the “problem” with development in this country from an angle of over-exposure and going through the motions. I cannot tell you how heartbreaking it is to have players that you believe can succeed at a higher level but really ONLY get a ball to their feet when they show up on the field. They are over-programmed. They go from dance practice to lacrosse to soccer. Each hour of each day set in a schedule.
The over-scheduling is killing a number of things in my opinion, not the least of which is creativity. And that creativity – or lack thereof – can be manifest in numerous places including a soccer field. We are squandering a kid’s ability to lead themselves to a place where they choose to excel. Gone are the days where a child can discover a talent of their own on their own.
I can force feed drills to kids, repeat instructions of movement off the ball and passing into space, but I feel like I am satisfying a parent as much as a player sometimes.
I would relish a day when a parent came to me and said, “Cindy has been kicking the ball around in the yard for a year now and can’t seem to stop. Any chance you could work with her for a season?” Isn’t THAT the player we want? Isn’t that THE PARENT I want? A child who has discovered the game on their own and a parent that has allowed that to flourish?
That would be a player and – more importantly – a family I and suspect you and your brother could challenge to EXCELLENCE. That player is eager and sought out the resource. Not a player or parent going through the motions, from schedule to schedule. Not a parent keeping up with the Jones.
I didn’t spend too much time on the soccer. I apologize for that – or maybe I don’t. The game to me is one that is at its core – creative. If we lose that, the chance of REALLY succeeding on the world stage is diminished.
Regards and sorry for droning on.
Tripp Frank
You mean someone like him?? 🙂
“”I have watched him closely on the pitch for a long time and one of the things I don’t think people see is that capacity to suffer, to read the game and know how to adapt: when to be practical, when to be expansive,” Marchena says. “He is also always there for you, in all games, injured or not. His commitment, for someone so talented, is extremely unusual. For weaker players, sure. But not for someone like him.”
“Players who think they have got it all tend to stagnate but Santi was never like that,” Marcelino says. “He was straightforward, noble, very mature, humble. You didn’t have to tell him much but when you did he listened and took it all on board. One of his greatest virtues was that he loves football. He watched every game, he was humble, he listened, and he wanted to win. He was a footballista futbolero.”
Guerrero explains that description: “He watched every game, read everything he could. He really lived the game.” Friends recall him as a 10-year-old playing his own games before heading off to watch his brother play, a football always at his feet. “With Santi it was football, football, football,””
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/oct/26/arsenal-santi-cazorla-spain
How can you not appreciate a dive? You hate it when it occurs against your team. You love it when your player successfully draws a foul for a penalty kick. I have always taught my players to push the envelope when it comes to the Laws of the Game. Simply put, the Laws are interpreted and enforced by people in the form of officials and that will vary from game to game, even if the official is the very same person. It is up to the players to figure out within each game where the true boundaries of play are and to do so as early as possible.
Who hasn’t used psychology to gain an advantage by winning the support of a center referee? I’ve done it using offside traps against a very tough/fast direct playing opponent. The more their players, coaches, fans argued with the official, the tighter the calling became until we ended up with 35 successful traps to which two disallowed opponent goals and their coach being warned because of their fan’s behavior. It’s just one aspect of the game and I believe you have to appreciate all of it.
Another example; I took on a team last year of girls who used to complain about how “pushy” other teams had been, how they hated certain teams because of it. I could agree with them and say “yeah, aggressive play should be called by the officials” and blame everyone but our team. Instead, we dealt with the issue head on and adopted the “cheater defender” approach in training sessions. In 1v1’s and 1v2’s, our defenders were encouraged to grab a hold of anything if the attacker was successful in dribbling around them. Literally drag them down if they could.
It wasn’t to teach my defenders how to tug a jersey or wrist (which I will not deny they might of picked up), but to develop a focus/determination in my players when they had the ball to figure out how to still play, and still score in spite of the “cheater defender”. The girls figured out that they still could be successful against that type of defending and considering in games, they never had to deal with that level of aggression from an opponent, they excelled and they also became tougher, rarely complained about the opponent’s aggression. Actually, they turned the tables on a few of their opponents who started to complain about them. Guess what, the officials seemed to reprimand the whiners.
Don’t: Seek a coach or teacher who’s like a courteous waiter.
Do: Seek coaches and teachers who scare you a little.
Don’t: Celebrate victories.
Do: Celebrate repetition.
Daniel Coyle
http://thetalentcode.com/
See how Messi moves the ball away from the wall a couple of times:
http://www.as.com/futbol/video/messi-retraso-balon-veces-falta/20121008dasdasftb_39/Ves
How does he dare?? What a cheat!!
or part of the genius, just maybe?
Thanks Nuno! I saw the game on TV but at the time I did not notice how Messi set the ball down & back a few times before finally taking the kick. I noticed the “bend” .. starting from the middle of the goal & then the sudden drop of the ball .. but I didn’t notice the setup phase.
details Larry, details… 🙂
I’ve been following this website for some time now and never posted my opinion. To give you a background on myself I’m 25, from England and qualified as a PE teacher 2 and a half years ago. Since I have taught English and coached soccer in Madrid, La Plata (Buenos Aires), Rio de Janeiro and now I’ve started to work in Sou Cal.
I know people are first drawn to this website to find session plans that Gary uses so they can make their team play like Gary’s team. As he quite rightly said, a coach can be equipped with all the drills in the world but there is a key to being a good coach. Once I read this post it reminded of something I read in one of my books. I got the book I thought I had read it from and found the quote. This is taken from ‘The coaching philosophies of Louis Van Gaal and the Ajax coaches’ pg.72 “The Ajax philosophy is as follows: You can learn a brilliant book full of coaching drills by heart, but the ability to act at the right moment, to make an accurate analysis and to show how things should be done, is much more important. That is the heart of the matter! And it is just important that every player, from the youngest to the first eleven, realizes and accepts that the coach knows best. A coach can soon lose his credibility if he stops play at the wrong moment, or talks rubbish. The same applies if too little instruction is given. Only by choosing the right moment, and making constructive statements, can players be improved.”
So it is a case of having the knowledge of the game rather than having the knowledge of a book full of drills. If people are looking for ideas to improve their players and make them more like the idol team Barcelona you’ve got to remember that you don’t have all week to train them. Most coaches that come to this website may only have two sessions of an hour and a half a week with their team. Some teams will start 10 minutes into their session and then spend 15-20 minutes running. That’s an hour without a ball at their feet. Then most teams end their session with half an hour game and give no instructions as to how to play the game. So that’s one hour without a ball and one hour jungle ball leaving one hour to work on improving the team. Try to fulfill all of your time with improving your team.
Now you’re still asking the question. Even when I maximize my team, how can I improve my team?! How can I improve their ability of getting their head up, movement off the ball into space to receive a pass? Well ok, let me give you one game that can be played over and over and has helped every team I have coached. I first thought of this game when I was training to be a PE teacher. I was teaching a netball lesson and thought, I wish they’d move into space this quickly when they had the ball at their feet. So that’s what I did. Same rules as netball/ultimate frisbee. You can’t dribble with the ball and you can’t be dispossessed (extra rule:one touch for the finish). The opposition can only intercept passes. A player will receive a pass and stop it. Now it’s their ball, nobody else can touch it. You begin to see players run into space to receive that next pass as they know the player can’t go anywhere with the ball. They pass, they move, they pass, they move. You can start the game with giving the players as much time on the ball as they want. If they aren’t moving off the ball then stop the game and walk through a scenario of a player passing the ball, moving into space and receiving the pass, then another player moving into space and receiving it. Then put the ball back to where you stopped the game and ask them to do it again but in real time. Then after some time reduce their time on the ball to 3 seconds each. Then after some more time reduce it to 2 seconds. You’ll begin to see players using 1 touch and playing 1-2 passes (double pass).
Making sure the size restraints are correct is essential. Start with small sided teams such as 4 v 4 or 5 v 5 then build it up and have the correct size of field. In my sessions I sometimes start with this after a warm up, do a passing drill to work on passing and moving in the middle of the session and then go back to this game. You’ll be amazed at how well they move off the ball. After sometime of this you can begin to play it and have the players set up in their formations. It’s just one game I’ve given you. Don’t think all my sessions relate to this but it is a big part of getting their mentality right. Obviously they can’t enter the game following these rules strictly as when there is space to run into, we run into it. I ask the players, why attempt to take on a player and risk losing the ball we have worked hard to get back when you can pass the ball simply 5 yards and move into space to get it back.
Now watch this video of Barcelona playing tiqui taca fútbol and imagine they are playing with the same rules. No running with the ball, can’t be dispossessed if in control of the ball.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGuaQ1khn2k
I’ve been coaching for 9 years, since I was 16. I’m still learning every day because I research, I study, I educate myself, I learn from my mistakes. If you want to improve you need to do the same. Read coaches books, research new ideas, understand coaches philosophies, educate yourself!
Grant, great stuff. I only recently discovered netball was a sport. I have a similar game I learned from basketball. No Dribble Scrimmage: the players play a game but no one is allowed to dribble.
What’s wrong with dribbling??? Doesn’t that help these boys learn individual skill, technique, and problem solving??
Just kinda giving you the gears there – I realize there is a time and place for dribbling, as well as a time and place to demand the players focus on passing only.
Of course dribbling is a big aspect of the game. The main reason I posted that game is to give coaches an idea of how they can get their kids to take it upon themselves to move into space rather than them standing there and giving their team mate no support. It’s just ONE coaching game that helps with movement off the ball and working as a team to move the ball around the field. Movement off the ball moves the opposition which in turn creates gaps and this game really exposes this to the children. Of course, I also develop dribbling, shielding the ball, (x) v (x) with limited time to score a goal, penetrating passes to the strikers feet, through plays, strikers pinning their marker and spinning off them, curved runs, changes of direction, feints etc the list is endless. The reason why I added that ONE game is because I’ve noticed a lot of players pass and watch. The game I posted teaches them it’s hard to play if you don’t move into space. This is the starting mark. Once you see them moving, dragging players out of position, playing quick 1-2 passes then you move onto the next weakness. Can they receive hard passes comfortably? Are they dribbling at the right times? How can you improve their change of direction or their fake of changing direction? Etc etc etc. Get the basics right and build from there.
Don’t spend hours on technique. Let them play! Coach in the game! Know what you’re coaching and be careful you know when to stop. Don’t babble. Be precise on what you’re saying.
Thank you Grant. I actually had heard of this … now understand it more more clearly. I always see groups of kids 8 – 11 or 12 in age, and they have no clue.
“What’s wrong with dribbling???”
I could be very wrong but I’m starting to think dribbling makes players stupid (I see it in basketball and soccer). They don’t seem to know what to do so they just dribble.
Dribbling does not appear to improve individual skill, technique, or problem solving. What problem is dribbling solving? How to get from point A to point B with the ball? Repetitive ball touches involving fakes and juggling improve skills and technique.
Whenever I focus on passing exercises I realize how behind my players really are. The so called best players are the worst. They can’t do anything if the ball is not at their feet.
Agree wholeheartedly Dr. Loco. We keep hearing about ‘creativity’, fostering it and otherwise.
But ‘creativity’ and mindless dribbling are not the same thing.
A week ago we played the worst game ever. This past weekend the best ever. Since Aug we have played about 20 different teams. This past weekend was the first time ever a coach talked to me after our game. He wanted to know how I developed the players. He had never seen anything like it. Most coaches just leave the field pissed off that they lost.
“Coaches don’t have a worldview that enables them.”…to learn.
Funny thing … I am only a U9 parent but am going to coach come hell or high water by next fall … actually forming my own team … tired of bitching so I will show them or shut up finally. We played another team from our same club but in a different area or branch … club has more teams than stars in the sky … branches are spread out locally. I knew we would have a problem when I saw them doing a Roundo drill before the game. Our trainer believes in passing drills – later. I made a point to praise his win and asked how much time was spent on passing during practice. I am sure a few parents wondered why the hell I would be talking to the coach that just wiped our asses. So to address a few topics just discussed earlier – largest club in town – U9 coaches have totally different philosophies – PROBLEM 1. All we do is dribble … and no one notices that all we do in a game is hog the ball, run ahead of the pack ( alone) and usually loose the ball.
I would rather see them run straight into a wall … they might finally learn that what they are doing is stupid. No I do believe in footwork skills ( my son is the only on e that has any – thanks to me ) and yes I love the touches during the dribbling drills … but when they do get a chance to do a passing drill … it’s like they are learning a new sport.
I think our coaches want Powerpoint presentations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RqxT5fprLhc
“[games] you start worrying about your life”
Teach players how to survive on the field.
Gary- Great post! Anyone with CONFIDENCE should not be offended by this blog…
Just been thinking, do I really know soccer say as a language? Seems like when I have to explain (aka justify) something to a parent about soccer, I have to put it in the context of another sport. Kick and chase soccer being the equivalent to a Hail Mary pass in football. Swinging for a homerun every time you’re on the plate. Chucking the ball at the hoop from mid court.
However, I think I do this on occasion in terms of understanding soccer. For instance, the smaller stature of players at Barcelona compared to premier clubs in England. Why? If you’re playing a game where the ball is lofted, height would be an advantage. Barca went the other way, preferring to keep the ball on the ground, so shorter might equate to quicker more agile, similar to a full back in American football. Then I realize I may know how to speak the language of soccer, but I’m constantly translating it into something I’m more familiar with. If it were literally a language it would be the difference of knowing what someone is saying say in Spanish by knowing the English equivalent versus thinking in Spanish, dreaming in it.
Then I start thinking about what could potentially be the next dimension in soccer that overcomes Barca possession. Could it possibly be a team that figures out how to keep the ball in the air, only using headers? Height would be an absolute advantage. Play the game entirely on a different plane than where it primarily is being played now. Sounds ridiculous…wouldn’t happen in my lifetime…
Hi PG 19,
How about this idea? 😉 Defend Defend Defend .. Then, QUICK Counterattacks. The key is the break the high press, especially, the DM (e.g., Busquets) & expose the CD (Pique, Puyol) for being slow pokes.
This was a big post. I just spent quite a while reading comments and it was very interesting to see how many idiots are reading your blog. There were so many absolutely retarded comments. They should still be allowed to read, but I think you just “exposed” a lot of idiots.
“interesting to see how many idiots are reading your blog”
We have to learn somehow.
Long-time reader, but never posted. I’m done with this site. It was promising when I went back and read original posts from first 2-years.
Above long rant from Gary says: you need to have worldview, coaches can’t teach because they never produced anything, and diving isn’t a problem (and I assume is good).
But what has been getting annoying is Gary is coming off way too arrogant. Likes to put down others who don’t share his opinion. Goes on and on about coaching. But he never talks to his coaching practices. Many arrogant people like to attack others and never address their weaknesses. They are always better than everyone. And when they get a bit of success, they brag and use themselves as the benchmark. But never open themselves up for attack by not giving away too much on themselves. Hence why we never get any coaching tidbits on this forum. Just philosophical one-liners.
All coaches, no matter who always have god and bad performing teams. Most lose more than they win. Exceptions are few, like Sir Alex, Mou, and Pep. Maybe 90 – 98% of all others have very average records. Does that mean they suck as coaches? Is there a one size fits all coaching method? No! Does Gary and his brother possess the secret key that Dr. Loco is so desperate for? No.
Your last two questions sum it up perfectly. Not sure why you’re leaving? I would stick around for a little longer if I were you man.
“We disagree with just about everyone, on everything! YOU, in all likelihood, only think you agree with me.”
I feel that I have it totally wrong that is why I am looking for guidance and a mentor. All the coaching courses, videos, and information I read does not get to the heart of quality coaching.
I am not a career coach so I do have limited TIME. I must raise the level of our team in 6 months otherwise I will cut my losses and stop coaching. There is no point for me to spend so much effort, time, resources on a product that is garbage or even half of top quality. I must either fail or succeed in a short period of time.
Gary, please give us more tough love.
Great first post!! Your contribution is unbelievable 😉
If you want to see real passion for soccer.
See today’s game River Plate vs Boca jrs.
11:30 am. Gol TV.
If you wanted to watch crap soccer. Watch that game..how far Argentine soccer has fallen.. As the commentator rightly pointed out, neither team completed 5 passes in a row the whole game. Made the MLS look like La Liga in comparison.
Not to start making excuses, but high profile games like that are sometimes a bit harder for teams to play. Real Madrid/Barcelona Clasico’s, EPL derby’s, and most rivalry games, even in other sports.
Especially in Argentina, where the game means more than just a W or L on the stat sheet. It’s their way of life. That’s about as close to war as you can legally get. But regarding the passion- it is incredible in Argentina. The atmosphere looked amazing. It was almost too hard to watch because of all of the debris on the field and the distracting color of the crowds apparel.
That passion, from the fan and players, does have a massive influence the game. Again- I’m not trying to make this an excuse, but comparing that situation to an MLS game is a bit of stretch.
I have been to several supercasicos that were well played so that doesn’t fly. That was crap soccer and no amount of ignorant excuses can hide it. If that had been an mis playoff game people would have been complaining aboutnthe total lack of quality. Just because it’s Argentine does not make it good soccer.
This doesn’t look to shabby tdsoccer…maybe not is lost down by the Rio del Plata 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XDshUoj4f8&feature=player_embedded
I was speaking of PASSION, if you’ve been to a game like that you’d know what I mean. since we are talking about worldview and philosophy. As far as Argentine futbol is concerned the obvious downfall in the Club’s and Country’s economy not talent, but far from crap soccer. If half of the exported players would have never left the AFA. well I guess all the TV stations would be focusing the big bucks south of the equator. Talented players don’t last a season in ARG, it has become more of a business. $$$$ is important gentlemen.
My friend, I will be willing to bet I have been to more River-Boca Superclasicos than you have. And don’t take my word for the current dearth of creativity in Argentine club soccer, read Tim Vickery’s latest column (Vickery is one of the most respected journalists who write on South American soccer). http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/timvickery/2012/10/river_plate_v_boca_juniors_-_w.html#more
Interesting. Reminds me of the old Chivas and the new Chivas.
Then you would likley loose you money. My father owned club 56. Across the street from el Monumental, I’m still a River Plate socio and live in L.A. AGAIN !!! sir, I was speaking of PASSION !!! I understand how the quality of el Torneo the has dropped and explained why. Exportation. $$. Unfortunatly Classicos and derbies are more about winning than playing well. I’ve been to Real vs Barca , Flu vs Fla in Brasil, America Vs Chivas. Can you name a match that generates more passion ? To loose this game means the Coach is likely to loose his job, sometimes its more than wining the league. By the way did you see Mora’s goal ? You call that crap soccer ?
Suarez robbed from a last minute winner….Neville yellowed for diving…those South American cheaters are spoiling the game
Today was a great day to see how the campaign against diving went. Two games went into the proverbial shitter because the referees were so focused upon stopping diving. Torres was improperly sent off for a dive that wasn’t and perhaps one of the best games of the young season was made an absolute farce. Rather than focus on the quality of play and reducing the tendency of English players to use physicality instead of skill and brains, the league, coaches, fans and referees focus on the non-problem of diving (simulation). So much is so wrong with the game in England, and here we are putting the cart before the horse. Americans would be well-advised to take a different path, enjoy the nuance in the game and chart our own path.
As for the real problem, three blown offside games decided three games (Arteta, and Hernandez were not flagged for offside when they should have been, and Suarez was denied a valid goal). The focus was all wrong and the game suffered. England might be better served by simply working on the basic competence of the referees starting with the assistant referees. The scary thing is that the American perspective follows the moronic English approach.
But a glorious day for two of the most outspoken anti-diving voices…Moyes gets faced dived by Suarez, Neville yellowed by one of the most farsic dives of the season…priceless his sheepish face…somethings money can’t buy
The Phil Neville card outside the box is a problem. Yes, he dived. But why must a card be given? Play on, if the dolt decides to stop running and hand the ball over to the defense. I thought the FA had made progress last year, but this whole Suarez issue with managers offering unwanted and inflammatory opinions has derailed the season. The FA should have come out with clarifications to the public, not just to managers and teams behind closed doors. Now it’s going to be all about diving, and it’s impossible to be consistent since every flavor of simulation will now be deemed card-worthy. The FA has chosen to complicate the LOTG instead of simplifying and created a monster.
i really dont get this rant by Gary, not sure it is offering any value to this blog whatsoever. I can do without the swear words as well as i dont see how that relates to passion or “freedom.” i also don’t come to this blog to hear play by plays on games, that’s what the papers are for. i find myself posting less and less as there is too much repetition about the same things over and over. FCB seems to be the focus of everyone’s comments which is understandable these days, but i think it also shows the lack of “wordly opinion” of other methods and style of play which are worth discussing as well.
If any coach here thinks they have the gold standard, (including the Kleibans) then you should be coaching in a professional club somewhere in Europe. We are simply a conduit to teaching kids the game, Professionals coaches “Coach”, amateur coaches “teach”
i would not mind seeing more discussion in the way of technical/tactical issues of the game and how other coaches solve problems they are having with their respect teams. I was initially drawn to this blog as i thought it was more about the game, rather than just philosphical ranting. Some of it is fine, there is way too much and it really goes nowhere most of the time.
anyways, i guess i am ranting now, so i will stop!
Are some of you guys really getting what Gary and Brian are trying to do and say here? You need to live and breath this stuff, you need to understand the gold standard at it’s very core. Read the blog and watch Gary’s U11/U12 kids play. Now, do you really need to see what actually happens in their training sessions to start down the path of implementing what we all know is the only way to develop these kids. What you need to do is right there in these pages, now go and create your own drills that develop possession style players in your club or on your team.
What do you see and read here that is different to the way your team currently plays, now go address that at practice, and go talk to the kids parents and tell them this is what you are going to do….start working the problem, and stop waiting for someone else to do it for you. The whole concept will take months if not years to implement, and you will need the buy-in from your players and parents to pull it off to any degree of success. What drills are you using to stop the vertical play?, the kick and run?, the blind passing?, the forcing of passes into risky situations?. Can you players make 20/30/40 yard passes accurately?, are they using more than 2 touches to move and pass the ball? are you midfielders making the connections….its all there…its easy, start working these issues at your next practice.
Gary and Brian have opened our eyes, but asking them over and over again for them to show you everything…might actually prove to be counterproductive. Is your team made up of the same personalities?, the same technical skills?. You need to tailor this stuff for YOUR team and YOUR kids. Different factors play into everything. I totally understand why Gary can drop the F bomb at half time and I could not to my U12’s, again, he knows his team and you have to know yours.
I see the blog is now getting hammered because its getting repetitive. To force change you need to be repetitive, just like on the training ground. Long time readers need to be reminded we are on the right path, first time readers need to know the value of the new Gold Standard. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Latching onto a methodology, a philosophy, and then implementing it cookie cutter style without weighing up the intangibles and the long term impact is why US and British soccer is in the mess it is right now. Even though you buy-in into a new standard and framework, you are going to need to work hard on creating your own flavor based on the raw materials you have. Gary could show me a video of a drill or pattern play right now, and I would have to go change it to make it work with my travel teams because of who and where they are right now.
So, why not just start now, let the Gold Standard guide you, and go create a possession focused team based on your own factors.
Worth a read:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2224514/England-match-Armenias-best-player–Martin-Samuel.html
This. Well said.
“now go and create your own drills that develop possession style players in your club or on your team.”
“and go create a possession focused team based on your own factors.”
Although I like your comments I don’t agree with them. That’s like telling an elementary school teacher just go out and create your own agenda based on your own factors and ideas of what should be taught. 99% will fail.
Dr Loco – agreed with your comment, but I wasn’t too clear of what I was trying to convey.
I think coaches that “get” what this Blog is all about will have the ability to use the information and the frameworks being discussed and will have a much higher success rate than 99%. One of the biggest issues is having the balls to implement this strategy over the long term, and having the charisma to sell the concepts to parents who don’t “get” soccer or have a win now mentality.
My starting position for this argument is based on coaches that have accepted the Gold Standard as the ONLY way to go, and by doing so, I am suggesting that they have what it takes to pull it off. Disappointing, very few American/British elementary school teachers have this experience or world view….this is something I really do agree with you on, and that is very sad state of affairs for the future of soccer in both countries.
Thanks for the replies to my post.
We got the balls. Now we need the gold standard and the steps required to achieve it.
“Read the blog and watch Gary’s U11/U12 kids play.” That was like the finished dish. Now we need the recipe and ingredients required to recreate it on our own. We can’t modify or improve it if we can’t even make it from scratch. We’re not a master chef you know.
Talking about “balls”….Why some coaches freak out about playing a better team and decide to change their philosophy so much…fro example, you are playing a “faster team” and then you want to put 5 guys in the back and 4 in the middle and expect not to get scored on…How about this…improve your trainings, be more demanding in the passing, practice some staged plays bring the ball from the back, make the ball do the running, implement your philosophy better and better, If a coach keeps changing so much, the kids will never get the “idea”…I am not saying about line ups or formations, I am talking about worrying too much about the other team, so much that you don’t focus on your team so you don’t make them better…you know what I mean??? I hope and I made sense! hahahaha
By former Canadian international, Gregor Young. Now a technical director (DOC equivalent) in West Vancouver, British Columbia
http://mondaymorningcentreback.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/what-ive-learned-so-far/
Perhaps that’s why Canada was embarrassed in Honduras, eliminated from World Cup.
You make me sigh deeply Doc.
ps-it’s about youth soccer
What is the point of rants about culture and player development?
How the Suarez / Neville saga ties into that?
Luis Suarez plays with creativity, guile, craftiness unmatched at EPL.
Is it a coincidence that he has also been turned into the league’s biggest villain?
The cultural message is loud and clear: we don’t like your way of solving soccer problems
Is it a coincidence that England has never ever produced a player like Luis Suarez?
Is it a coincidence that a soccer troll like Scott Parker won the footballer’s award of the year last season?
Is it a coincidence that the closest England produced (Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle) had to go abroad to get recognition?
Is it a coincidence that the US has never ever produced a player like Luis Suarez?
Is it a coincidence that that the closest US produced (Gio Rossi) didn’t identify culturally with US and ultimately decided against playing for its National Team?
Is it a coincidence that the one US youth coach that has a track record of developing a Gold Standard product on the field post swhat he posts?
As for the level of the Buenos Aires classic…yes there are also strong dark forces at work on the soccer hotbeds of the world…did you watch the way Holland behaved at the last World Cup final? Have you heard of the menottismo vs bilardismo debate? Have you heard of catenaccio? Have you heard of Goikoetxea?
The difference is that are also strong enough cultural forces that gives you what we remind and cherish about the beautiful game
One of these big positives forces comes from kids, players, coaches trying to emulate and surpass their idols, pushing themselves to do so. Ignition they called it on talent development jargon. But are you going to emulate Luis Suarez or Phil Neville? Big Sam or Pep? Capello or Bielsa? The Kleibans or a fully licensed polished courteous waiter?
http://thetalentcode.com/2012/10/26/how-to-nurture-talent-without-being-a-psycho-parent/
…on the other hand this is why college soccer might be the right decision for most of “good” players:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/4938593/Football-academies-kicking-and-screaming.html
if we can just figure out a way of making it “better”
I would never send my kid to England. Unless he was going to sign and play first team football in the premiership or championship. Then again, he would be ‘old enough’ to make the choice himself.
Sending American kids to England academies is not much better than keeping them here.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France…or South America.
So if your kid got an offer to join the Arsenal academy, you’d turn it down cold to have him learn from a US Soccer coach?
Just like with everything else, I’d weigh the pros and cons. At 17/18? Probably, yes. (Course I’m an Arsenal fan so that might be a little skewed…)
At 14 or 15, probably not. But if I had a choice between say, an Ajax, Feyenoord, Herenveen and say, a Crytal Palace or Milwall, I’d choose the Dutch club.
The older the player, the easier it is to attempt to gauge true potential.
England, and Europe cast a much bigger ‘net’ than we do here in the states.
My point is England may have the best league (arguably..but I’m talking money and reputation) in the world…but they certainly aren’t at the forefront of player development.
Which is why you see so foreign players on their rosters. At 16 they can bring in whoever they want and can afford. 9 out of 10 British players end up in the Football league…or lower.
Why do you think so many come to the states for college soccer? Because most of those players are released by the age of 16/17.
Pure attacking, ‘creative’ players are easier to spot. In addition, they peak earlier. But the bulk of the player pool will end up being converted to defensive mids, outside backs and central defenders.
it takes longer for these players to ‘break into’ first team football. Usually 21 if not later. The upside is that these players can play well into their mid and late 30’s.
Whereas when strikers turn 30…they are generally on their way out.
So the main point of my rant above is:
aim high and far
Your final destination might not be completely on your control, but if you don’t enjoy the ride and be pride of the path you choose, you might as well go be a courteous waiter at an insurance company
I guess if this doesn’t make any sense to you, we are at different cultural places, if it does make sense we might just be soccer soul mates… so touching
We might even start sharing some drills and feel that we are not wasting our time
and this is independent of the level you are coaching / playing at…there are some “Rec” coaches one might respect more than coaches working at senior “pro” level…
Just posted another short vid of training in Germany- Bayer Leverkusen. I think the coach in the morning spoke 5 words of english but probably my son’s favorite trainer. He let the child know when they did something well but they also knew when not performing to the expected level- and this was without speaking the same language. Is it possible for a coach to talk too much?? I think it is. This guy also played in 2 world cups for Poland so has been around quality soccer for a while. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHoJXfdzsI8
Interesting.
Well … just started reading this, only on the third post and already grumbling – having read –
Dr Loco says:
October 26, 2012 at 10:42 am
Sorry but kids need structure and discipline. Less freedom and independence is needed. For starters every coach should train only one way at every age group with standards and criteria.
*********
One way to do something – sounds like exactly the problem here – a “Federation”, License for coaches – that is a standardization of something – everyone here seems to agree they are worthless . Who is to say what “One” way is best. Free market or collectivist societies – which produce better results !
I agree there are problems here but to think there is “one way” to do anything is a problem.
Is there one way to teach Basketball, Baseball or Football ?
“Is there one way to teach Basketball, Baseball or Football ?”
That’s the problem. Everyone and their grandma thinks they have a solution.
I took a basketball clinic where the instructor talked about the ‘Eastern European’ method. It was enlightening.
standards and criteria is key
Mark,
Question: Should coaching innovation happen at the grassroots or at the top? At the elementary or advanced levels?
DR. I admit that it’s all shit around here ( soccer in my area that is ). Believe me … I love this site and it has truly lifted me out of a depression. Currently in my second season of club with my U9 son … obsessed totally, totally willing to learn and suck it all up. Depressed because I hear the same from all the “experts” in this area – and the product is total shit. My son improves in the off season because we work on all the stuff the “experts” miss. So I just laugh when Gary states
“The product we field is WAY different than anything out there in this country.The reason is simple: Everything we say, do, and believe is WAY DIFFERENT than every other coach in the US. We disagree with just about everyone, on everything!”
I laugh because I knew I was right about what is going on around here. BUT – They are all on the same page, to a degree, about what should happen and when … probably have the same licenses ( a standardized method ) and for the most part do very similar drills. Now tell me – is Cincinnati, OH on the map when soccer is being discussed. Personally, I am still looking for one team that looks 1/2 as good as the kids in the U11 video.
I had tears in my eyes after seeing that … because I fucking knew kids could play that way. It was beautiful. I then had larger tears later because I realized that I would never see that beautiful form played here ! I’m not kidding.
How come no one sees the U10 kid kicking with his toe … why do the idiots kick the ball perfectly to the goalie 95% of the time … why do we get upset at the kid that runs down the field, gets to the goal alone and flubs the finishing kick … after all, we never have a goal shooting session … and I have never seen a kid asked to practice simply going with the ball the length of the field in practice dribbling the ball – ever ????
So here there seems to be only “one way” of teaching … and it’s totally wrong.
On coaching innovation ….. I believe in developing proper fundamentals … and repetition is golden … but yes I believe in creativity and innovation … and I am only at the lower level so I believe it applies here. Again, fundamentals … but here are some of my plans for my new team.
1) On occasion, were going to an area that is actually going to have small trees everywhere … and I am going to tell them to “play soccer” – can’t wait to see the look on their faces. They will have to slow down and get their heads up andthey WILL learn to weave passes through the trees… and there will be minor adjustments.
2) Thought of this tonight while reading – 3v3 or 4v4 … one team is allowed to use hands and carry the ball … the other must play traditional soccer. POINT … if you can control the ball better than your opponent ( like the team with hands ) you will slaughter your opponent !!! I don’t think they get it yet.
3) Playing on a hilly terrain like a golf course – good for legs, must read the bounces and a change of pace.
4) I hear there are no plays in soccer … still surprised …ya know, there was a time when American Football was played without really throwing the ball … so yea, I have a few ideas …
5) How about saying “fuck positions for know” … were going to learn how to see each other, realize were a unit … not 5 ball hogging idiots trying to out run everyone … were going to learn to master keep away … were going to keep score by seeing how many passes we can do … not goals … but passes … and were going to make the team run till they puke while we exert little energy. Then we will have fun … first the goalie is going dribble the field and score by himself, then every player will have their turn … so after they all puke we will get our goals – it’s about winning right?
6) well …I’m not giving away all of my ideas yet.
So Doc … is this creative/innovative ??? I think it’s different … haven’t seen it around here ever … think it has merit and can’t wait to try.
Or I could do it the “Way” it is done and has been done around here – and go watch another idiot Jungle ball match.
For the record Doc, I enjoy your posts … and if 3four3 creates the “Way” I’m in …
America used to be a great country … and some of the worst countries were the ones with planned economies ( few experts in control vs. many allowed to try their own hand ) and thing those same countries, that were certain they were “right” usually murdered their own citizens. So I am a little when told there is only one way.
The point about BB, Baseball and Football is that we seem to do OK with these sports … how can I get a license for these ??? Is there one way to coach these sports ? I know at my HS we had an expert coach, been there for years, we always had a star player but a suck team. New coach comes along … first year coaching HS – worked on defense, team play and took a mediocre group of boys and won state – Purcell-Marian (OH) 85′ or 86′ – no shit. So obviously there are different methods.
The problem with soccer teams is that they play soccer drills, do drills out of context, kids never play on their own so can’t think on their own… So yea, we are creating robots.
I surly don’t claim to be an expert. Actually, I am glad I haven’t been brainwashed like the experts around here so I think I have a chance at becoming a good coach.
Basketball really is very similar to soccer – more so than any other sport I believe. I know how a kid becomes a good basketball player … I know the same method is not followed when a child plays soccer … and I think I know how to help fix this problem. We have to teach the child how to simply PLAY !
I realized this watching kids at a skateboard park. All ages, all learning from each other – many falling but getting back up again.
Funny thing, they all rode their boards there ( got there on their own .. and by their own desires ) and probably spend more than two 1 1/2 sessions per week. And most importantly – there is not one adult EXPERT teaching them or yelling at them. I thing this insight might be the best golden nugget to ponder when reading everything posted on 3four3.
My eyes are bleeding!
“So here there seems to be only “one way” of teaching … and it’s totally wrong.” Follow the right way and make it that “one”.
“Funny thing, they all rode their boards there ( got there on their own .. and by their own desires ) and probably spend more than two 1 1/2 sessions per week. And most importantly – there is not one adult EXPERT teaching them or yelling at them. I thing this insight might be the best golden nugget to ponder when reading everything posted on 3four3.”
You are on your way Mark but remember there is no need to reinvent everything. It’s more like rediscovery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkS3FQnaMxI
Need advise. I am a U9 parent and lately I find myself changing my son from club to club. Every coach I’ve met basicly teaches the same drills over and over and over. They do not teach the kida how to think, enjoy or be creative. I dont want my son to fall into this. Is this fine for the age group ? And I asking too much?
I would suggest working with your kid at home on technical skill building (dribbling activities, fakes, moves, ball handling, changes of direction, juggling). Coerver has great ideas on what to work on at home to improve individual ball skills. Help your son develop a love of learning so when you find the right team, your son has the technical skills to excel and the mental aptitude to learn tactics and team concepts.
Need advise. I am a U9 parent and lately I find myself changing my son from club to club. Every coach I’ve met basicly teaches the same drills over and over and over. They do not teach the kida how to think, enjoy or be creative. I dont want my son to fall into this. Is this fine for the age group ? And I asking too much?
Thx.
Hey Paul … was typing the book posted prior to your post … fingers still bleeding … will give you some ideas later. I am in the same boat … realize I have to coach him myself. I know this is not possible for everyone. Some basics we have done – that probably your coaches are not doing either.
1) Go buy 10 soccer balls ( seriously … better investment that your club fees ) and have him shoot at the goal at least once a week for 1 hr. You stand at mid field with balls, kick towards goal, he follows and takes ball towards goal and puts it in.
2) Place balls in semi circle 40 feet from goal, he has ball, must dribble and do 1 move and then shoot at you the keeper – if you block it he must keep going to finish.
3) Same thing, but now you are slowly going out to defend .. allow him to have time to think .. decide how to pass you and then go shoot at the goal.
That should get you started – … more later.
Work on fundamentals – you can teach them after you learn them – buy Herbert Vogelsinger VHS on ebay or Amazon – again, better investment than club fees.
Probably will have to stay on shitty club – but you can help more than you think.
Also, find a wall, let him make friends with his ball, short kicks, long kicks, high kicks and low kicks. NO HANDS – the ball will always come back – and you can play too – we call it “wall ball”.
Try at least 30 minutes a week on this.
These two tasks done weekly, if nothing else is done, these will take you a long way. I’ll give a few more ideas for goal shooting tomorrow … I’m tired.
Mark, like the idea of getting 10 balls for your own kid for use at home.
I require all my players to have their own ball at training sessions (most coaches do) so each has one. Amazing how many will show up with the ball under inflated which tells me the ball is never kicked outside of a session.
Also, having soccer balls just around the house. Amazing how impossible it is for a kid to resist dribbling or knocking the ball around as they walk room to room. They’re getting touches without even knowing it. The other part, working with your kid will pay huge dividends in terms of getting them to want to play soccer. I’m not talking about drills, but games at home. My son liked #1’s, what he called our 1v1’s to a single goal. Through it he learned on his own how to control the ball under pressure and work it around me as well as basic defending (get goal side). I also got to show him moves I’d use against him to which he would try on his own. Kids replicate what they see, often in their parents. If their parents sit around waiting to do something when someone asks, their kid is going to learn the same. Model what you want your kids to do by showing and they are more likely to.
Confused? Did you mean 30 mins a day? or week? 30 mins a day won’t do jack shit. Just sayin!
Tim …. agreed …to an extent. My advice to Paul is … child is doing nothing outside of practice … at least help him go shoot goals once a week if possible. This is the most exciting part of the game, everyone wants to be a striker and from what I have seen no one spends time doing this. In doing this one will do other good things with the feet … like a kid shooting at a hoop – he will dribble also. The other bit of advice was to find a wall abd play against the wall … all types of touches will be used. If anything, yes, 30 minutes at the very least … sure, 30 min a day would be better but this is the first step to start doing something outside of practice and games … for 8 or 9 year old kids or older. 95% of the kids do nothing outside of practice.
thx
Paul-
I agree with everything said above with one caveat-some kids will rebel if they perceive that a parent is constantly drilling them. That’s why we found “soccer buddies” to be great. Through rec coaching and observing after school playfield goofing around, at age 7, I cultivated a group of buddies for my son to play with. They’ll do 1v 1’s, passes, traps, jungling contests, etc with each other. This weekend he and a buddy watched youtube videos on kicking a knuckleball and practiced for hours in the yard. Some weekends we get a bunch together for “kick arounds” at a field. Everything for more and more touches.
Tactically there is nothing you can do better than investing in what we call “the Spanish Channels” on your local cable network. ESPN Desportes/Fox Desportes/GolTV/Bein Sport are all in a row. Some of the matches are broadcast in English and even if you don’t understand the Spanish commentary, not much teaches an American kid passion for football better than imitating an announcer yelling GOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!
I agree … it’s not always easy working with your own child. Sometimes ask them what they would like to work on. Getting involved with other kids is always a good thing … but the other parents want to “help” and now there is more coaching/instructing … avoid this at all costs.
Every REVOLUTION starts with a little rant. We’ve seen lots of that already.
The DECLARATION of Independence has been established: say no MORE to a mediocre product everyone else is producing out there.
NOW we’re just waiting for the CONSTITUTION. 3FOUR3: “Soccer development through Education”.
We’re ready to be educated !!!
It’s much more than education.
Teaching games for understanding.
Territorial invasion games.
Net/wall games.
Target games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQfiDAR0WW4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DKGojMDzII&feature=relmfu
Listen to this guy. Sounds crazy but he knows quite a bit. The sad part is our kids are lost. PE teachers don’t know what they are doing. Most kids have no cultural foundation in sports. PE teachers have to teach every kid how to play sports!!! We as a nation are never making PROGRESS. Yes we might be developing kids but we are not making PROGRESS in most team sports.
The quality of the foundation of our kids is so poor it might take magic fairy dust. It’s everywhere you look just go watch any soccer, baseball, basketball kids’ game. It’s all the same junk. We have got to raise the foundation before we raise the top.
The answer for players that young is really simple. Spend as much time with the ball as possible. About the age of 8, I took my son out to the park and started throwing balls at him from all angles. Most out of the air. Control the ball, make a run toward goal…and finish.
Then I added ‘resistance’. This progressive resistance forced him to keep his head up and look at the pitch in front of him. Within a year he was controlling balls that kids 2 and 3 years older wouldn’t even attempt to control.
Then as a u10, I played him up a year on a u11 select team. He was the starting central midfielder on that team for 2 years. What he did not do was spend countless hours on coerver moves and otherwise spend all his time on 1v1 attacking. Given the fact that he was small (at the time) was playing up…in the most congested part of the field, he HAD to learn to play 1 and 2 touch football.
In the last 3 years I have tried to make his movements faster and more efficient. (Speed of play.) But it has always been about the basics. That, and he has become a student of the game. Watches a lot of pro games and more importantly has learned what NOT to do.
For several years he has played pickup in the park with adults. Now he is one of the top players out there. Every one of those adults have complimented me on his technique and more importantly, his BRAIN!
My point is simple. Regardless of how shitty the team environment or coaching is…it is all about the fundamentals. That’s the case with any sport. But footballers have the added burden of solving their own tactical problems on the field.
My son has developed into an exceptional player organically on his own. But first, it’s all about controlling the ball. That’s the foundation. You can’t teach tactics in a meaningful way without players who can’t control the ball and keep their heads up in order to combine.
So, I wouldn’t stress out too much about the level of coaching, tactics or team play/success at u9 or u10.
I think the Kleibans have something special. But, their situation is truly unique. In other words, I doubt it can be ‘franchised’ out on a mass scale. Then again, I think Gary is trying to make that exact point with this blog.
Great info. I agree but sometimes get what ASO says, about the child rebelling when doing drills with dad. I have to make him think we’re just having fun not actually training. If I correct him too much, he feels like he’s doing homework. Have to use physiology with him.
thx.
So you want to develop the next Maradona, Riquelme or Messi??
Are you sure?
OK, here’s the secret. Just replicate this at home:
http://inbedwithmaradona.com/video/2012/10/29/caminata-al-gallinero-boca-river-2012.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Nuno, what an awesome display of culture. I don’t think any sport in the US creates such an atmosphere. If it did police would surely break it up so everyone is tame and stays controlled in their mediocre state. Here everything has to be staged and organized with permits otherwise it’s considered unlawful.
It is vibrant…there were it seems unfortunately some serious incidents this year…full picture, everything counts…study, learn, absorb, adjust, apply and start over 🙂
We are closer than you think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UubzKhgJIGA
Sure it is organized to some extent by the fan club, but I don’t think those folks with flares have permits ; ) Attendance at games vs Portland is over 60,000
Now if they could only play better quality football…..
I know we have fans. It’s just the spontaneity is lacking. It’s about as disorderly as a marching band walking into the stadium. Superbowl? World Series? NBA Finals?
We’ll see if Caleb can go into Portland and make a difference. Having him in the Northwest where MLS’s biggest rivalry game is played is definitely a plus. His work will be put to the test. If he’s able to turn things around at the professional level… this blog will be having a different conversation in just a couple of years.
John…..we are almost exactly 1 year to the day of your post and the Timbers currently sit at #1 in the Western Conference. I would say Caleb’s been successful 🙂 .
I think we are a long way from developing an attacking player of that quality. if ever.
I think we have a better chance of developing a Pique, Scholes, Maldini, Schweinsteiger or even a Fabregas in the interim.
Our ‘footballing’ landscape just isn’t conducive to finding and nurturing that type of player. Those players tend to born…not made.
I think that is part of the problem. Too many players are trying to go that route and consequently don’t become well rounded, technical AND tactical footballers. It is a symptom of our general lack of understanding and foresight into what makes up a competent, elite footballer.
More boring stuff
bla, bla, bla…for goodness sakes, just give us some fucking drills!!
“Frank de Boer’s vision: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
By Mohamed Moallim
Jim Collins, in “Good to Great”, wrote the secret of long-term corporate success lies in cultivating a distinctive set of values. For all the talk of diversity and globalisation, this usually means promoting from within and putting down deep local roots. Boris Groysberg, Harvard Business School, affirms companies are too obsessed with hiring stars rather than developing teams.
Both theorists have an ally in Frank de Boer. The difference is that he’s not concerned with Wall Street but the future of AFC Ajax. In essence the former left-back’s vision, to make the Dutch giants top of the food chain again, is the one perpetuated by Johan Cruyff, who championed De Boer to succeed Martin Jol. The legendary number 14 distinctive management model has been proven a success at FC Barcelona. De Boer is hopeful Ajax can enjoy similar riches. “Whether his vision can lead to a utopia in these times remains to be seen.”
After months of upheaval, the Amsterdam club are now restructuring around Cruyff’s philosophy with him in a new role overseeing the transition. Despite his departure from the board he still pulls the strings. With a historic back-to-back Eredivisie won, all eyes focus on the next phase: making an impact in Europe.
Europe is once again the final frontier. A club rich in tradition, decorated with success on the continent, knows the reality is different from years gone by. To once again conquer they will require luck and in the words of De Boer, “sheer belief”. As well as accelerating the individual development of his players. Their ‘daring’ brand of possession-based football, reminiscent of the period between 1986 and 1997 should hold them in good stead. But they will need to be braver, compact as well as clinical. It might not get them far but it’s a start. A presence in the latter stages of European competition is the first objective of a long-term goal.
In order to fulfill such an ambition De Boer has gone back to the future. But what is his and Cruyff’s outlook? The opposite to how Ajax has been run in the past 15 years. Reaching successive European Cup finals in the mid 90s hid a reality. The Dutch club were at a zenith, enjoying their most successful period since the early 70s, but behind the scenes the future wasn’t being safeguarded.
Louis Van Gaal, De Boer’s managerial role model, removed the ‘Michels model’. Individual based training at all levels. In the short-term it wasn’t seen as a big deal, but the subsequent Bosman ruling and rapid globalisation of the game would make the decision a heinous one. Ajax was forced into a slumber they’ve yet to recover from. They might never. But the first steps have been taken by De Boer to rectify things.
This only added more fuel to the fire of the feud between Van Gaal and Cruyff. One that is personal as well as philosophical. Van Gaal wrote in his autobiography of the genesis: “On December 26, 1989, I was a guest at Cruyff’s home with his family for Christmas. The phone rang and I got the news that my sister had died. I immediately left, but I later found out that Johan Cruyff and his family were upset because I left in a rush without thanking him for the invitation.” He would later refute such accusation: “If Van Gaal wrote that, it means he does not remember anything. He must have Alzheimer. Personally, I have no problems with him.”
Personal animosity aside, when it comes to football, their clashes boil down to collective versus individual. “Of course, Louis van Gaal has an understanding of football,” Cruyff said. “But we both have a clear difference in approach.” A good example is when it comes to development of players and running the youth program. Van Gaal, as well as Co Adriaanse, is credited with allowing the deterioration of Ajax’s academy in the mid 90s.
As a coach his approach is on the side of the collective, also applies to how he develops players, often militaristic it’s ultimately geared towards winning. “I do not think he can make Ajax a top club again,” Cruyff stressed. “He will get results short-term, but things have to change in order to improve Ajax.”
Cruyff, believes in the individual, under Van Gaal’s watch there was a shift away from the traditional approach – often referred to as the ‘Michels model’ – effectively the importance of individual training which Cruyff is an ardent supporter. The belief in this is during critical stages of a match, instead of relying on others, the player would solve the predicament himself – for example, running towards goal, he would know whether to shot or make a pass – character building is as much as important as skill development, talent is one thing but with a football brain things become more advantageous.
Also, every player is unique, no two are the same. In terms of ability and talent, each individuals’ strength combines to make a strong eleven. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. De Boer has bought into this philosophy which has been central to his rebuilding of Ajax. The result: a natural and seamless progression in implementing Van Gaal’s doctrine.
Ajax’s 31st national championship was won by returning to their old principles. The intelligence shown in constant switching of formations in the last few months is a positive sign. De Boer wants to replicate this brand of football against Europe’s elite.
Football to Cruyff is more than just having technique and skills. It help’s having the two add intelligence the player becomes a different beast. “I never practice tricks. I play very simply. That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “The solution that seems the simplest is in fact the most difficult one. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust and daring.”
His one-time rival and close friend Guus Hiddink is another advocate. “Players should not just run with their legs, but with their head as well,” he said. “They should be conscious of the fact that they constantly have to think during a game. Sometimes players act without thinking. But they have to actively consider how they can break their opponent.”
There are encouraging signs, the next generation – majority of which will ascend to the first team soon – including Viktor Fischer, Stefano Denswil, Joël Veltman, Mitchell Dijks, Fabian Sporkslede, Davy Klaassen and Mats Rits. All have the advantage of being one of the first groups in over two decades to train and develop the same way De Boer did.
“The individual cleverness of the players was missing when I first got here (in 2006 as a youth team coach),” he said. “The individual action at the highest level is essential. We are now in training much more individualized. That is so important.”
This is why the restoration of intelligence is so important coupled with talent can be the difference in losing a game or not. Individual mistakes and loss of concentration when required has been the bane of his existence in the first half of the season. Awareness is something he’s always preached even as a player.
De Boer knew against Real Madrid and Lyon there would be limited openings. Whenever an opportunity arose it had to be seized. In the four games Ajax had nothing to show other than good spells of possession. Although they unfairly had two perfectly legitimate goals disallowed when Madrid came to town. After the 3-0 Bernabéu mauling, the Spanish press were split on the Amsterdammers performance. Some praised them for their bravery others called it naive. Naivety is often the by-product of a lack of experience especially at the highest level. As Immanuel Kant put it “theory without experience is mere intellectual play.”
After what seemed an age, the Dutch club – under Cruyff’s auspices – returned to the latter. This is where the individualized approach comes into play. De Boer, as much as he would like, knows he can’t go into the market and sign a €20M marquee player. Instead Ajax can develop one with the added advantage of being moulded in the clubs philosophy. “We know if we want to survive, we have to generate new players.”
Aside from De Boer on the training field players are individually coached by a stellar cast of former players turned trainers including Jaap Stam, Bryan Roy and Marc Overmars, as well as members of the ‘technical heart’ Wim Jonk and Dennis Bergkamp. Already De Boer has handed professional debuts to nine players including Ricardo van Rhijn this season whose greatly impressed Stam as well as Bergkamp. His rise has seen him named as the clubs talent of the year.
Cruyff’s believes his structural changes can be the solution and will eventually lead his boyhood club returning to the summit of the European game. The same model he introduced at Barça, overhauling from grass roots upwards, is now certain to be adopted. Everything is in place, if much of De Boer’s squad – growing in experience – can be maintained, plus new additions. Amsterdam could be on the cusp of another bright era. A club that has come to define itself through success at home and abroad will never lack the drive and desire to be the best.”
Mohamed Moallim is a Dutch football expert who has featured on AFR before. He mostly features on the respectable magazine FourFourTwo and occasionally writes for his own blog La Croqueta.
Top European Academies Report
http://www.ecaeurope.com/PageFiles/6175/ECA%20Youth%20Report%20on%20Academies_A4_SECURE_final.pdf
I have to agree with TDsocer…that was horrible soccer. Paul, you may too emotionally invested to see otherwise.
John Wooden once said “never confuse activity with achievement”. I would add “never confuse emotion or passion with achievement” 🙂
About this??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XDshUoj4f8&feature=player_embedded
…and the first 3-4 tiers of talent tend to be abroad…
Gary,
When having a parent meeting with your team, what and how do you tell them the things you expect. Do you just ask them to buy into it, do you explain it, so on and so on. Parents are the problem…. in the United States. I think I sort of can guess how you say it but I would love some insight…….
Thanks,
Kg
The coach is just telling “knock, knock” jokes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjLAPY0t3nc
FOR PAUL … Goal shooting continued … and about soccer balls –
Again, this is a good first step to take with a young player that does nothing outside of practices and games … not the only thing but a good first step. Why goal shooting ? A kid playing basketball spends more time shooting than doing anything else …and does other things while shooting. A kid playing soccer spends the least amount of time shooting goals, generally speaking ? What are the numbers … maybe 5% of the players have 95% of the goals … anyone have the stats ???
Now that you have your 10 new balls … realize that you want to simulate real life shots – not the place ball on the ground, kid backs up 6 steps then takes 6 steps towards the ball and kicks – not a realistic situation.
You stand at midfield (center line or closer) … kick ball towards goal past him, he chases and as ball slows down he kicks it in. later, advanced version of this – your at center, roll the ball at a 45* and he chases it but first touch cuts the ball diagonally 90* … next touch cuts it 90* other way – so he is cutting the ball each touch and then kick ball in at the end after about 4 or 5 cuts/touches. Repeat while starting first roll diagonally in the other direction … he will finish last kick with other foot.
New drill – your on the side line about 20 feet from end with all balls, he is with you, you kick ball across field ( ball travels across field – like following say 10 yard line on a football field – parallel to end zone line) so he has to chase it and with one touch/kick he must kick the ball 90* – that is perpendicular to the path he is running into the goal. He countinues running several yards in same direction … turns around, now he runs towards you, you send ball at him and again with one touch/kick he shoots 90* into the goal. Then switch sides and do the same thing. The beauty with this drill is that he works on timing, shooting while chasing ball, shooting as ball approaches him … and he is learning to shoot at a 90* angle – body must turn through ball … and balance will be improved. Also by doing from both sides … both feet will be trained.
You can get 50 – 80 shots in one 45 minute session – equal to what maybe most kids get after 5 or 6 or maybe 8 practices – over maybe a month. Balance the running, the point is not to wear him out but to get goal shots. There will be running for sure though.
You can stand in the goal, roll the ball to him forcefully and let him try to kick it back into the goal. When he connects the ball really goes – the forces are additive.
I want to puke at our practices … when the kids get a few minutes before practice to shoot at the goal, they all stand behind their ball, wait for the keeper to pick one of them and then they back up and then run towards the ball and kick it in. So all are standing doing nothing and shoot in an unnatural way.
ALMOST FORGOT – last brilliant drill – he stands with ball centered … shoves ball 30* sideways with outside of right foot about 2 1/2 feet, that foot naturally follows and plants on ground, bring left foot next to that right foot naturally, he then pivots on that left foot and then fires with his right foot. Your learning to push the ball sideways slightly and kicking it the fastest most efficient way as close to the body as possible … a rapid fire. Most never learn this. Easy to show … hard to put into words. And do this both ways with both feet. Everything with both feet … always.
So in all these goal drills, Many things are experienced – touches, cuts, turning kicks, improvements on balancing and timing will be worked on. Usually these are worked on without shooting at the goal.
I’ll post my favorite drill for young players tomorrow … let me know if your resading these … I hate typing but am happy to help anyone.
About balls – great to have them around house. Try kicking a tennis ball against the wall – like hitting golf balls with bat … makes baseball seem like such an easy target. We have an exercise ball about the size of a bowling ball, heavy and squishy. My son rolls it around all the time. Can’t kick it but can roll it with the sole of foot – must be helping with leg strenth.
Practice kicking size 1 and 3 also and kick on pavement and baseball dirt – speed increases and so must reaction time of feet.
Mark,
I’m sorry to say this but you are not helping but only contributing to the problem. Read your post…”kick and chase ball”. Your drills are not entirely possession based. Instead, pass, trap, take a touch and shoot to the far post. You can do this at any angle you desire. So, your player works on his/her first touch (the most important touch and what most players lack), a touch to space (ultimately the keeper will have to go to one side of the goal (which exposes the other side), and then the hit to the far post (which is almost always the right place to play it tactically). You can advance this by having the player pass back to your feet, run to space and end with the same, trap touch and shoot. Now you just taught him or her how to pass and move (wall pass, 1,2). You can still do this with 10 balls.
VDUB – Your advise is well taken .. like your added drill. Back up and read my disclaimer – its a goal shooting drill – one thing to do as kids never shoot goals and are expected to do magical things during a game under game pressure. Even if you mastered possessing the ball – there cones a time when you go ( break away ) and fire at the goal. Most ( or many) of Messi’s shots are exactly this … lots of passing (tiki taki) then he finally receives the ball, smokes past his opponent and lets it fly while running. These drills allow those skills to be developed. Does possession never allow the ball to be kicked into open space and then a person chases it and kicks it in ?
In our second year with the “experts” I am amazed at how little they really get a chance to just shoot at the goal. Then everyone is slightly upset when those easy shots are wiffed during the game – it’s because they hardly ever do this and it’s even harder to do when running full speed.
I like your drill … but this approach leaves out kicking while running … so doing both would be wonderful. I hardly think my drills will do any harm … simply because this is a very realistic situation that happens. As well, shooting is really passing to a degree … and in possession soccer many passes are sent while a player is running … so this drill will help with that I believe
Here is the magic!
from U.S. Soccer
Is the coach correctly using the Coach’s Toolkit?
All we need is this Toolkit.
As I typically do, I sent this Blog Entry to fellow coaches of mine.
Some comments received:
–wow
–haha…rough
–Not buying this guy…. too full of himself
It is making my fellow coaches uncomfortable. Not sure we are “ready” fully in my club….but we need to have these dialogues. I know I am frustrating some of these coaches by continually bringing up this stuff and challenging their current methods and thoughts about the game. But I feel I must bring these things up !!!
As coaches we experiment with different possible solutions to the player development dilema. For example, I’ve trained my teams to compete in FUTSAL in the spring and that has helped them develop passing/support techniques that align with my intended philosophy of play. Yet lacking a complete and standarized player development programme is limiting my potential to develop players to the next level. That’s the reason why I keep coming back to this blog. I’m hoping to soon see some of the developmental material here.
Forza Italia- add futsal to the outdoor game year round and you can really increase the amount of time on the ball for your players. My sons have been training on an abandoned tennis court at least once a week during the fall outdoor season for a futsal tournament this weekend.
Yesterday the U12s played 3 futsal games, watched 4 futsal games, had a presentation from San Jose State Soccer players and then saw SJS play a division 1 game at night. The team went on the field with their new idols before and after the game. 3 of the SJS players had been on our coaches youth teams, and brought huge credibility in the eyes of current U12 players. For them to get to know a college player (they were awesome with the kids) and see them play up close, as well as the amount of soccer they are playing is inspiring. It was a long day, but those kids can’t wait to return to play again today for the championship.
Since US is adding futsal to the U13 /U14 DA, they should open it up to everyone from the start and see the players that are out there, and not just the ones who are in the system.
Everyone reading this blog is already interested in playing possession–the problem is with the coaches that don’t care about that or don’t know any better. Just refereed a good U12 team. Does well locally but don’t have what it takes to play at the highest level. They have plenty of skilled players up front and in midfield, and play most of the game in the attacking half. But their back line is shite, they can’t hold possession because no skilled player wants to play on the back line of an hispanic team. But I love their striker, Gordo. He doesn’t panic in 1 on 2 situations, even though he’s this high to a grasshopper’s knee. Quick, tough–he’s a joy to watch. This is the kind of player that I think should be getting into top player pools, but never will.
Came across below (an exceprt) from http://www.runofplay.com/2011/07/02/keep-calm-and-carry-on/. While it’s talking about England, can be said about USA. And touches on much of what Gary and Brian talk about on Podcast.
Not long ago, Simon Kuper wrote a superb short essay on Frank Lampard, which doubles as a terse diagnosis as to why England’s “golden generation” has underperformed in meaningful competitions. Based on conversations with Guus Hiddink, Kuper explains that individual English players often hurt the collective by simply trying to do too much. A peculiar but ultimately familiar sight for Hiddink when he was coaching Chelsea was that of the overly assertive English midfielder hysterically bombing up and down the pitch fueled by an almost neurotic need to satisfy the braying crowd. What continental coaches like Hiddink and Rafa Benitez discovered was that British midfielders like Lampard and Gerrard are not only trained by coaches to play in the frenetic, be-everywhere-at-once fashion, but also by the fans and the culture that surrounds the sport. They are told to constantly hunt the ball and carry it forward—never sideways—with pace and purpose irrespective of their position on the pitch. This makes them individually a) extremely tired and b) often out of position, which makes the team as a collective a) predictable and b) easy to pick off on counter attacks. In Kuper’s words, “Lampard’s flaw—and the golden generation’s—isn’t a lack of spirit. It’s an excess of it.”
To add insult to injury, it was a Spaniard, Xabi Alonso, who pointed many of these flaws out in an interview with a South African publication during the World Cup, when he said: “You have to have players with different qualities and, in my opinion, the England team had too many players who can run all day long, who invest a huge physical effort, who attack and defend—‘box to box’, as they say in England. But the way I understand the game, you also need someone who delivers short passes, even if they seem innocuous at the time. That sort of player has been missing from the England team.”
Wow – this is an excellent and relevant POV. I have some players that believe this is the way to play, and I have a devil of a time trying to get them to understand the short passing game. I swear it’s as if someone else is telling them what to do (and that’s probably true, whether it’s mom, dad, or a rec coach, etc.).
We played a scrimmage this weekend (hadn’t played for a week due to the storms here on the East Coast) and we were getting smoked UNTIL my girls woke up and began passing. Then it was a completely different game.
I need look no further than 99% of teams I see play in SoCal to know above is true. Route 1 ingrained in our DNA.
Route 1 is great if that’s Plan A. But when you run into resistance, there is no Plan B because the kids haven’t been taught to think through the problem. They just repeat Plan A all game long. I sometimes think the half-time talk should minimize the coach lecture, so the kids can talk through the problem and decide for themselves how to resolve it. Has anyone ever seen that?
” I sometimes think the half-time talk should minimize the coach lecture”
I always get a good laugh watching our opponents go off somewhere during half-time for a private lecture. Perhaps their high-priced clubs require it so parents think they are getting their moneys worth. Our team just fucks around and drinks water. I only mention a few things for 15sec and let the players talk about the game and relax. Usually it’s a close game the 1st half then we dominate the 2nd half.
Wonder what all that half-time talk accomplished???
Yup – pretty much same with my team. Why load them up with stuff other than a few tips and some encouragement. No speech – just drink, rest, and “go get ’em”.
Gary,
After spending way too many hours studying your blog to get it, I think I have gathered enough of the clues to think I am close.
3 things a soccer coach must have
The definition of an elite player
Drills are not the answer
Soccer IQ
Intensity
Context
COMMITMENT
I am the frustrated father and TM of a U11 boy (He can play soo much better. His coach and i have seen it). I helped a friend coach a U9 coed team (Smiled when I saw #2 for things a coach must have). I am starting to use some quotes from the blog in my Reminders and Random Notes to my sons team. We will see what kind of feedback I get. I told my wife about you, she asked where you were located. Then said it was the wrong way – trying to get back to the Carolinas and family. If we ever get out that way, be sure that I will try to find you. Keep asking the questions and we will eventually come to the conclusion you want us to discover. Excellent work!
I don’t think diving is a problem, per se. It is part of the game. But, I don’t advocate. There is just too much more to work on or teach. I don’t mean to imply you are teaching it, either. I do love when a ref gives a yellow for it, when rightfully so. (Although some plays are neither dives nor fouls and are erroneously judged by refs.). I ask my players to stay on their feet a la Messi style. I don’t mind nor care for some cussing to drive a point (f bombs, etc.,). I don’t tolerate degrading. (You don’t need to cuz for that to occur either) Again, I’m not implying you would or do.
I totally agree that first you have to know what you stand for before you can truly coach. The right message (teachings) can be done with simple drills/activities/choreography. But a million drills won’t matter if wrong approach.
Still as good as the first time I read it.