• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

3FOUR3

Soccer at the cutting edge

  • Coaching Membership
  • About
  • Contact
  • Videos – Our Product
  • Podcast
  • Premium Coaching Education

They Laughed When I Said It Could Be Done; But When I Started to Coach!

By Gary Kleiban 6 Comments

Coaching possession soccer

That’s pretty much it, right?

All too often it seems that if you want to do something that breaks the mold, people react strangely. It’s like you’re an extraterrestrial or something.

Two kids want to build a search engine better than multi-billion dollar incumbents? Larry and Sergey create Google.

Twitter? Who the fuck is going to use that piece of crap, right? Right.

Winning possession soccer at any level? Yes; that’s right; it can be done. We’ve done it across the youth spectrum, and when we get an MLS first team, we’re going to smash on everyone there too!

But first things first, it’s your turn. And we want to help.

We quietly released our coaching membership program on Wednesday, and now we’re letting everyone know how to get in.

Go here to find more details and to get started. Do it now, because we’re closing it down on Friday, December 27.

One last thing I want to make clear; do not join if you’re not serious. This is not a product to consume in a day or a month, and then you move on to the next shiny object. This is meant to be a long-term journey. If you’re not committed, it’s entirely possible this is not for you.

 

Filed Under: Practical, Soccer Education, Solutions Tagged With: Development, Education, Practical, Solutions

Reader Interactions

Free Coaching Membership


Learn our possession-based soccer methodology.

Get access to select lessons from inside 3four3 Coaching.

Get Access

Premium Coaching Education

Learn more and join over 1000 coaches using our proven, yes PROVEN, possession-based methodology.

Comments

  1. socalcj says

    December 20, 2013 at 10:35 am

    “and when we get an MLS first team, we’re going to smash on everyone there too!”

    soooo… what does someone have to do to get you as head coach for CUSA?

    Reply
    • socalcj says

      December 20, 2013 at 10:58 am

      OK, let’s be serious.

      First, great site. Each entry challenges all who read it to take a look at his own philosophies, and question his commitment to it. I know that entries to this blog have caused me to examine my approach, not only to coaching, but to other things in life as well.

      I think that anyone can learn from this site, and its approach to development—even if he doesn’t agree with the underlying “possession” philosophy. The key is the “professional” attitude and commitment to development.

      Awesome job guys. Can’t wait for everything to really start flying.

      Reply
      • Gary Kleiban says

        December 21, 2013 at 12:22 pm

        Thank you so much for that!
        And if I’m interpreting correctly, I think you’ve really nailed the key to it all … “a professional attitude”.

        As far as getting a 1st team … we’re just going to keep learning and working our asses off in as many facets of the sport as possible.

        Reply
  2. Kana says

    December 21, 2013 at 8:53 am

    There are dozens and dozens of clubs and coaches who profess possession, tiki-taka and attacking systems such as the 4-2-3-1. They go on Soccer Nation and ring their own bell. But I don’t see them winning so consistently, pumping out quality players, tearing up major youth tournaments. Many of these coaches succeed by poaching and poaching alone. Little to no meaningful development going on. They fail to deliver.

    It’s clear that the Kleiban’s success at FC Barcelona and now Chivas is no fluke. The difference is they have very good teams at multiple ages for few years going, while many large influential clubs have huge variability across age groups. As much as many USSDA clubs try, most fall woefully short in coaching, player id, player development, player release, sticking to a philosophy. The USSDA club we are at is no different than any other more competitive club. Marginal difference in player ability. No difference in coaching. Unfortunately the USSDA moniker is more a bragging right. We often play against non-Academy teams and many times they outplay us. Better coached, better passing, smarter players, but not necessarily better players.

    So go on Gary and be proud of what you and your brother are achieving. Don’t be humble. Keep the entrenched gate keepers how it’s done.

    Reply
    • Gary Kleiban says

      December 21, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      Thank you Kana.

      I think everyone would be surprised at how “humble” we are with the work.
      I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said: “Brian, do we really know what we’re doing?”
      It’s a terribly difficult question to answer when in the context of Global Football.

      Not to mention the amount of things to learn in this game are inexhaustible.

      Reply
  3. Brian Kevin Johnston says

    December 21, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    Congratulations On The Coaching Membership Site Gary…

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Gary Kleiban Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Free Coaching Course


Learn our possession-based soccer methodology.

Get access to select lessons from inside 3four3 Coaching.

Get Access

Premium Coaching Membership


If you are ready to commit and get serious with all the:

Videos, Audios, eBooks, networking, from the program that reduces your trial & error cycle, and revolutionized American soccer.

Premium Membership

3four3 Updates

* indicates required

Archives

Copyright © 2025 3four3