Pre-Game Preparation

Posted on May 30, 2011 by admin

Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

When coaching young footballers the coach should be concentrating on training and developing the players. Part of this is playing matches. In order for your squad to deliver the best performance they are capable of you need to make sure you have the right pre-game preparations in place. Getting ready for matches obviously starts in training sessions but in this article I will focus on the match day. The following are the key points:

1. Prevent De-motivation

Motivating players is important, but taking steps to ensure players do not get de-motivated, or upset, before a game is vital. You must make sure players are in a good frame of mind when they arrive and that they are focused on the game. If you do not put the work into preparations for the match day, players will quickly get upset. If the opposition team look professional and are going through a good warm-up, and you just ask your players to run a few laps, your players will get de-motivated very quickly. Its important that you know your players and you know what might de-motivate them, and you take steps to prevent this from happening.

2. Demand Concentration

When the players arrive for the match, you should have the warm-up set up and their playing gear laid out in the dressing room. You should have a good team-talk planned and you should ask the players to be focused on the game from the moment they arrive to the pitch. If you are focussed and concentrating on the game the players will follow suit.

3. Give Clear Instructions

In your pre-match team-talk make sure you explain clearly to the players what is expected of them in the game. Keep the information simple and to the point. If you have specific information for individual players take them aside and give them the information on their own, don’t confuse the whole group by giving out individual bits of information one at a time.

4. Plan a good warm-up

Make sure you have a good warm-up planned. It should only take 10-15 minutes. Make sure to include competition in the warm-up, for example, you might finish with a 3 minute high tempo 5v5 to get the players ready to start the match.

5. Nutrition and Hydration

Players need to have a good meal 2-3 hours before a game. If its an early kick off, make sure they have breakfast. Playing on an empty stomach will severely reduce their fitness. Make sure they take on plenty of water or sports drink before the game begins to ensure they stay hydrated.

6. Motivate

Before the game begins you need to motivate the players and get them energized. Each coach has their own way of doing this, and the most effective techniques depend on the group of players. Its important that you time any efforts to motivate the players well. There is no point in the players being ready to go 15 minutes before kick off. You should plan it so their motivation levels peak just before kick off.

 

Posted in Match Day | Leave a comment

Learning From The Best

Posted on May 30, 2011 by admin

In my quest to improve my own skills, I like to read the biographies of some of the great coaches. It is interesting to read about their background and how it shaped their coaching style. I’m also fascinated by the types of training sessions and the match strategies used by coaches at the top level.

The most useful biography I have read is Luis Lorenco’s official biography of Jose Mourinho. Lorenco gives an insider view into how Mourinho developed into one of the great managers of our time. For coaches like myself, he gives a fascinating insight into the structure and content of his training sessions. Unlike many managers, Mourinho likes to coach the training sessions himself. He also describes Mourinho’s man management techniques, his scouting techniques and his unique method of handling the media.

Sir Alex Ferguson has an excellent autobiography, entitled ‘Managing My Life’. In the book Ferguson explains how he managed some of the biggest names in football, from Gordon Strachan in the early days to Eric Cantona and David Beckham. Its a lesson in man management from a master of the art. The book is filled with 25 years of stories and examples from his role as manager of Manchester United which illustrate the skills necessary to manage players at the top of the game.

I suggest you begin by reading the two above and if you like them consider reading the books on the managers listed below. I have purposefully aimed to read books on a diverse range of managers with different backgrounds and experiences. Its interesting to read the autobiographies of managers who were successful, and those who weren’t, and compare the differences.

Brian Clough

Arsene Wenger

Ian Holloway

Neil Warnock

Martin O’Neill

Kenny Dalglish

Sven Goran Eriksson

Claudio Rainieri

If you are like me and you like reading, you could also consider reading the autobiographies of some footballers to get their view on the managers. For example, you could read the autobiographies of Alex Ferguson and Gordon Strachan, to see what they thought of each other. I am reading the autobiography of Robert Pires at the moment, in which he gives a frank account of the many managers he has played for.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Coach Education | Leave a comment

Difficult Decisions – Selecting Squads

Posted on May 9, 2011 by admin

Coaches are often faced with the challenge of selecting a squad for a tournament or a specific game. In particular, selecting a squad to take part in a tournament is difficult as the players who are left out are missing out on a great experience. For example, coaches working with an Emerging Talent squad will usually enter that squad in an end of season tournament, such as the Kennedy Cup or the Galway Cup and can only bring 20 players.

If you are faced with the challenge of selecting a squad, how do you make your decisions?

Many coaches will just select the 20 best players without giving it much thought. However, experienced coaches will usually spend a little bit more time making the decision, as they know that selecting a player with a poor attitude can bring down the performance of the whole squad, no matter how good that player is. This is particularly true at a tournament such as the Kennedy Cup, where the players are under the supervision of the coaches 24 hours per day, for 5 days.

I use the following four criteria when selecting a squad:

Technique

The ability to play football is always going to be the most important criteria. Coaches should evaluate each players ability to pass and receive the ball, to take shots and to cross with accuracy, for example. Consideration should also be given to the player’s potential to improve before the tournament.

Athleticism

Football is a physical activity. Players need to be fit in order to compete and to perform to the best of their ability. Fitness for football includes speed, agility, strength and stamina. Be careful not to confuse size for strength. Coaches should make sure that technically gifted small players are included ahead of physically stronger players that do not have the same technical ability. The technically gifted smaller player will do best in the long run, and that’s what we as coaches should be interested in, the long term development of the players, not just the need to win the next match. If in doubt, spend ten minutes watching Lionel Messi.

Game Understanding

As a coach I am always looking out for young players who demonstrate a good knowledge of the game. I am looking for players who are conscious of their position and their responsibilites while attacking and defending. Look for players who can spot penetrating passes, or can intercept a through ball. Look for players who are aware of the space around them and who can spot a pass quickly. These skills are the most difficult skills to find in young players. If you find a player who demonstrates a good knowledge of the game, keep them in your squad.

Attitude

Most young players have an excellent attitude and are great to work with. There is a minority of players who do not have a good attitude and coaches should be as aware of their attitude as their ability to score from 20 yards. So what should you look out for?

-    Does the player demonstrate respect for the coaches?
-    Does the player demonstrate respect for the other players?
-    Does the player behave him/herself when on a bus or at an away game?
-    Are you constantly correcting the player?
-    Does the player listen to the coach and engage positively in training sessions?

If you identify a problem you shouldn’t remove the player from the squad straight away. Give them a chance to improve by showing them what they are doing wrong and asking them to improve their attitude. If they don’t improve their attitude over time make sure they know that they could lose their place in the squad.

The Importance of Communication

Selecting a squad is obviously going to leave a number of players disappointed and this can cause a problem for a coach if he does not handle the situation well. In my experience I have found that giving the players and their parents as much information as possible before and after the decision is made. You should hold a meeting with the players and parents to explain the process, to explain how you have selected the squad and to explain to the parents how they should deal with their child if they are upset. I also find it best to announce the squad by letter to each player. This allows players to digest the information and cool down before they see the coach who made the decision and prevents any rash reactions.

If you are put in a position where you have to select a squad, decide on your criteria, communicate the criteria to the parents and the players and stick to the criteria you selected. Good luck!

Posted in Management | Leave a comment

Beyond Football – Being a Role Model

Posted on April 19, 2011 by admin

Coaches are very important role models in the lives of young footballers. Young people are impressionable and will tend to learn from and copy the habits of the adults who they respect. Very often one of the most respected adults in a young footballer’s life is their football coach. This puts a lot of responsibility on coaches, who must ensure that they are setting a good example for players, on top of everything else they have to do.

I personally find it rewarding to help teach young footballers good manners and to help them learn habits that will hopefully last them a lifetime. Many young people forget their manners when their parents aren’t watching and must be reminded of the simplest things, such as thanking host teams for providing food after an away match. After spending a significant amount of time with one squad, I get a great sense of accomplishment from seeing players go out of their way to thank hosts for the food they have provided, without being prompted.

Of course, coaches can be role models for far more important decisions players have to make about their lifestyle. Obesity is a growing epidemic and it’s caused by poor decisions when it comes to food. Do you set a good example for your squad with the food you provide for the players to eat? Quite often teams will be brought to a McDonalds restaurant or a Burger King as a reward for taking part in or winning a match. By doing this the coach is glorifying fast food by using it as a treat for the players. Would the players benefit more in the long run if you organised a proper meal for them with wholegrain pasta and some lean chicken? When travelling with a squad of 13 year olds last year I organised such a meal and I was told that the players wouldn’t eat pasta. 20 empty plates beg to differ.

As the players get older they have choices to make about drinking alcohol and smoking. The coach is not the only role model for players to follow, and if they are getting a bad example at home, the coach cannot be blamed for that, but wouldn’t it help the player if they had a least one good example in their life? Would you smoke in front of your players? I’ve seen a couple of coaches smoking in the middle of a training session. Do you talk about drinking in front of the players? Do you tell them about your nights out or complain about being hungover? Most coaches are conscious of such things and never would…would you?

Always be aware of how important an influence you are in a young player’s life and make sure you are proud of the example you are setting.

 

 

Posted in Lifestyle | Leave a comment

Playing Out From The Back

Posted on April 13, 2011 by admin

Coaches are always working with their players on keeping possession. In the past many teams would have asked their goalkeeper to kick the ball as far as possible from a goal kick. This gives the opposition a great opportunity to win the ball back, particularly in youth football where the goalkeepers often don’t have the strength to kick the ball far and goal kicks can often present good scoring opportunities for the opposing team.

Many coaches are now getting their teams to play from the back by getting the goalkeeper to pass the ball to one of the defenders from each goal kick. It doesn’t take long to train a team how to play out from the back, and players of all ages are capable of doing it, as long as they are playing in appropriately sized games, i.e. 7 year olds should not be playing an 11 a side game etc.

This is best practiced in a small-sided game to begin with.  Playing out from the back begins with the goalkeeper and so they must be involved in the small-sided games. Set up a 5 a side game using two defenders, one midfielder and one striker. Get the players into the correct positions, and make sure the midfielders and strikers are pushed on to create space at the back. Show the defenders what positions you want them to be in:

-    as wide as possible
-    side on to receive the ball and also to see forward

Encourage the goalkeeper to play the pass out to the defenders every time he/she receives the ball. Coach the pass from the goalkeeper to the defenders (accuracy, weight, timing).

You can then move on to a 7 a side game to introduce the idea of a central defender receiving a pass from the goalkeeper. The central defender needs to be side on and needs to be aware of where the space is so that he/she can move into the space to receive the ball.

When coaching in the 5 and 7 a side small-sided games (SSGs from now on) show the players how to get into position as soon as the goalkeeper has the ball. In order to launch a counter attack the defenders need to get into position to receive the ball very quickly. While coaching the defenders you can also show the midfielders and the strikers their role in creating space to allow the team to play out from the back. Show them that they need to be giving the team depth by pushing as far up the pitch as possible, thereby leaving space for the defenders to play out from the back. If your team has mastered playing out from the back you can progress the session by showing the defenders how to link with the midfielders.

If you are coaching older players who compete in 11 a side games you will then want them to start playing out from the back when they are playing 11 a side games. You can start by setting up the team shape in a training session with no opposition and walk the players through what they need to do when in an 11 a side game when playing out from the back.

The key factors for the players are:

Goalkeeper:

-    React quickly and be ready to play out from the back early
-    Make a good decision – is playing out from the back on?
-    Play a good pass (weight, accuracy, timing)
-    Support the defender and offer a return pass if needed

Defenders:

-    React quickly and be ready to receive the pass from the goalkeeper
-    Get into a good position (wide, side on, in space)
-    First touch when they receive the ball should be forward
-    Play a pass forward if possible

Below are some of the ways that playing out from the back can go wrong:

-    Bad decision from the goalkeeper…the defender is not in enough space to receive the ball
-    Bad pass from the goalkeeper allowing an interception
-    Defenders not reacting quickly enough
-    Defenders not moving to get into good positions
-    Midfielders dropping deep compressing the space and not giving the defenders an opportunity to play out from the back

Getting your team to play out from the back properly can take time and effort, but it will be worth it in the long run when you are able to keep possession from goal kicks and not give the ball away immediately after winning it back.

Posted in Team Strategies | 2 Comments

Getting Started in Coaching

Posted on April 6, 2011 by admin

Learn The Basic Skills

If you are interested in getting involved in coaching the first thing you need to do is attend a basic coaching course. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) run a course called a Kick Start 1 which is designed specifically for new coaches. Its a short course, usually taking place over a Friday evening and a Saturday, and there is no test at the end. You can see the list of Kick Start 1 courses for 2011 here and you can find the contact details for the FAI Development Officers who co-ordinate the courses here.

Join A Club

After completing the Kick Start 1 you should approach your local football club and ask them if they need a new coach…most clubs will be delighted to get a new coach. If you are having trouble finding a club to coach with, contact your local FAI Development Officer (contact details in the link above) and they will point you in the right direction.

Find a Mentor

A great idea for a new coach who is looking to learn a lot about coaching quickly is to find a mentor. Look around the club you are coaching with and find a coach who holds a UEFA A License or a UEFA B License. Ask them if you can shadow them for a while and watch their sessions.

Watch Other Coaches At Work

Spending time watching other coaches put on training sessions is a very effective way of learning the basic skills involved. Find out who the most qualified coaches in your area are and go watch their sessions. Most coaches would be delighted to let new coaches watch their sessions and will answer any questions a new coach might have.

Go Practise!

Coaching is a skill that you will only develop with practise. Go out and take some training sessions and you will be amazed at how quickly you will learn.

Posted in Coach Education | 1 Comment

Dealing With Parents

Posted on April 6, 2011 by admin

Dealing with parents can be very frustrating for a youth football coach. Many parents will not fully understand football and what it involves, they may only be interested in their own son or daughter and they may have unrealistic expectations of the coach. Other parents simply won’t care. They will treat a football team as an inexpensive babysitter and will not give it a second thought. Before I go on I must say that the majority of parents I have had to deal with have been absolutely fine. Of course, there is always a minority that will cause a problem and a huge amount of a coach’s time can be taken up with dealing with this minority.

Issues with parents can lead to many problems, including:

- Arguments between the coach and the parent (s)
- Pressure on the coach to make decisions to suit a parent(s)
- Poor attendance by players
- Players not having respect for the coach
- Difficulty collecting money and covering the costs of operating a squad
- Complaints about a coach to the club or organisation in charge of the squad

The problems above, and many more beside, all reduce the coach’s motivation to work with the squad. The coach will put less work into the squad, and this will lead to fewer matches and less effort put into preparing each training session. In extreme cases, the coach may even decide that the stress he or she is experiencing is too much for a voluntary activity and he or she may decide to spend their free time elsewhere. Ultimately, it is the players who will lose out.

Most problems arise where there is ineffective communication between the coach and the parents and when the coach has not put transparent policies in place with regards to important issues, such as team selection. Thankfully these issues are not difficult to fix.

Communication

It is important to speak to the parents as often as possible. I recommend that you hold a parent’s meeting at the start of the season, midway through the season and before any major events, such as a trip away. This will only take a half an hour and could be held in a changing room before a training session. You can inform the parents about your plans for the squad and give them a chance to ask any questions they may have. During the season, if you have an issue with a parent, or you can see an issue arising in the near future, pick up the phone and give them a call. It’s best to defuse the situation as early as possible. Give the parent your opinion on the issue and listen to their opinions. You can then work to find some common ground.

Policies

I like to have fair and transparent policies for dealing with potentially contentious issues. The most obvious issue is team selection. If you let parents know how you pick the team, and allow them to give you their opinions on your policy, you won’t have complaints during the season about your team selection, as long as you stick to your policy. Other issues which you may want to have a policy for are:

- Discipline
- Training attendance
- Transport to matches (bus vs. players make their own way)
- Squad selection for tournaments (in the case of representative squads)
- New players joining the squad

It’s also a good idea to let the parents know what your priorities are for the squad. Are you concentrating on creating a winning team? Or is the quality of the football more important? Are you trying to create a fun, enjoyable atmosphere or is concentration and discipline more important to you? Different coaches in different situations will have different priorities, and that’s ok, as long as the parents know in advance what the coach is working on.

If you have had problems with the parents of players in your squad before, or you wish to prevent problems occurring in the future, work on your communication with the parents and create fair and transparent policies for any contentious issues. This should help make your life a lot easier.

Posted in Parents | Leave a comment

The Warm-Up

Posted on April 6, 2011 by admin

A good warm-up is very easy to do and is very important. The warm-up prepares the players for peak performance in a match, builds a base for development in a training session and helps reduce the occurrence of injuries. A good coach can also use a warm-up to help players develop a particular skill or technique. Here are some basic principles that should be followed:

-          The warm-up should begin at a low intensity and finish at a high intensity.

-          It should last from 10-15 minutes

-          It should include dynamic movements and dynamic stretching (more on these later)

-          It should be enjoyable for the players

The aim of a warm-up is to slowly increase the players’ heart rates and to prepare the muscles for the movements needed during the training session or match.  The structure of the warm-up can vary every week as long as the principles stay the same. For example, in the last coaching session I did, I used a 3v1 structure for the warm-up. You can let the players start at a slow pace and slowly increase the tempo by asking the defending player to work harder. The 3v1 is very enjoyable for the players and they start to enjoy the session right from the warm-up.

Dynamic Movements and Dynamic Stretching

Good warm-ups should include dynamic movements and dynamic stretching. I will cover the reasons why (and the differences between dynamic and static stretching) in another post in the coming months. When I say dynamic movements I mean the following:

-          Jogging backwards

-          Sideways skipping

-          Jumps off each foot

-          Knee raises (lift knees up in front)

-          Heel raises (kick heels up)

You can use your imagination with these, just imagine any movement a player might make in a game. If I am doing a 3v1 I will just stop the players every few minutes, get them to do a few movements and then get them back into the 3v1s. Towards the end of the warm-up I will bring in some dynamic stretching. I generally stop the players and line them up on a line, or get them into a circle around me. Dynamic stretching is hard to explain in words, I recommend that you watch the excellent video below:

Dynamic Stretching

Increase the Pace

After the dynamic stretching the players should go back into the activity they had already been doing for a few minutes and you should ask them to increase the tempo. After a minute or two at a higher tempo the warm-up is complete and you can move on with your session or move into a game. If you are planning on doing speed work as part of your training session you should do it right after the warm-up. If you are warming up for a match I recommend that you do a quick 3-4 minute 5 a side on a small pitch before the game beings. This gets them up to match speed and lets them get a touch on the ball before the game starts.

Getting More Out Of The Warm-Up

What I have outlined above will leave your players ready to perform in a game or take part in a training session and will reduce the chances of them picking up an injury. If you want to get even more out of your warm-up, you can introduce some technique practise. For example, instead of doing a 3v1, set up a drill for the players to practise throw-ins. This does not replace the technique practise part of your training session, and you won’t be coaching the technique in the warm-up, it will just be an extra practise session for the players.

Posted in Training Sessions | 1 Comment

Introduction

Posted on April 6, 2011 by admin

BibsAndCones.com will be a blog about coaching football in Ireland and the challenges facing coaches at every training session and every match. The website will also contain resources for coaches who are looking to develop their own skills and want to find new ideas to take back to their teams.

The majority of the content will be focused on coaching under-age football teams though most of it will be relevant for senior football also.

I will be posting an article here at least once per week.

Posted in Introduction | 1 Comment