08 May 2012

Football Coaching FA Level 2 in Kent Day 3

Today we showed the football coaches a series of small sided football games. The basic organisation is to play 4 v 4 outfield players, with goalkeepers.

To really help the football coaches understand how to coach attacking topics within a small sided game, the coaches need to plan the size of the pitch related to the topic they are coaching.

For example, for a topic like Short Range Passing, it would help to coach the topic if the pitch was smaller than normal. This would also depend on the age and ability of the players being coached, but a pitch size of say 35 x 25 yards, would require the players to pass the ball consistently over a short range. The second thing is to try and manage both teams to play some kind of formation, say 2 – 1 – 1 and for the players to try and be disciplined to stay in that formation and play in their positions. Of course defenders can go forward, as can midfield players, but if they interchange positions, for two of the players to recognise the need to play as defenders and at least one of the them to play up front.

The third thing is with attacking topics, for the team in possession to create space as a team when they gain possession of the ball. By this I mean, for wide players to pull wide and for the forward to stretch the opposition by making the pitch long and by pulling as far forward as possible.

This creates space as a team and makes the pitch as big as possible. From this basic attacking principle, it makes it much easier for the team to attack and for the coach to coach the attacking topic, in this example, short range passing.

In summary:

• Size of pitch related to the topic
• Teams to play and try to be responsible for playing in a formation, say 2 – 1 – 1 or 2- 2
• When in possession of the ball, create space as a team and to make the pitch as big as possible.
• Coach not only short passing, but support play and creating space as individuals and as a team