The start of a session sets the tone for the day, focuses the players on soccer and gets their body ready for physical activity. With younger teams (U12 and below) I like to start with a game that relates to the topic I'll be teaching. One of my favorites for days that we are working
Continue readingThere are a two main reasons (excuses) that England rarely do well in the World Cup or Euro Championships. I actually agree with both of them. Weather - The majority of the English season is spent in cool or cold temperatures with wind and rain. Obviously the training sessions are done in the same weather.
Continue readingIn the last week of May many teams enter their final week of practice before the end of the league season and end of the year tournaments. At least this is the case for our teams in the Midwest. If a team is not participating in State Cup and are one week away from the
Continue readingOkay, it's only another Champions League title (can it be described that way?), but my opinion of Jose Mourinho have sky rocketed after Inter won the Champions League this weekend. The "Special One" can certainly be described that way now. Let's look at some reasons why. He has generated success with three different clubs, winning
Continue readingCongratulations to Brian Mancill who was the winner of the $100 worth of books and DVDs for posting a comment on this blog. We decided on a blind draw for the first winner and I guess Brian got lucky. Brian will now get a certificate for $100 worth of books and DVDs of his choosing
Continue readingI wrote about the special intensity and atmosphere at playoff games earlier. There is just something special about the all or nothing outcomes of these games that make them such a pressure game that isn't replicated in cup finals. I am writing this on Friday night, so it is before the Champions League final and
Continue readingIn the current issue of the NSCAA Soccer Journal, Editor, Dr. Jay Martin discusses what he sees as the difference between a "Coach" and a "Trainer". His thought is that a trainer can possibly set up a drill/exercise or even plan a training session, but can't really coach that session. Whereas the coach can set
Continue readingWhile I was planning my sessions for this week I thought about how lucky I am to have access to a wide variety of goals. My club trains at the Overland Park Soccer Complex which will host the 2010 US Youth Soccer National Championship. There are 12 lighted Tiger Turf fields that each have as
Continue readingOver the years, I have begun to realize the importance of "team chemistry" as being a major component of a successful team. Over the weekend, I saw an article about William Gallas of Arsenal and the conflicts he has with some of the Arsenal players. Teammate Samir Nasri, says that there are 4-5 Arsenal players
Continue readingSince I was kid, I have always enjoyed playing the game of choosing who you would pick as the first player in your team. Not for the kick about game but when picking a team of the best players in the world...or for the England team. So let me get right to it. The first
Continue readingIf you asked a group of 100 players to list their 5 favorite practices I don't think that 'Long Passing' would show up on the list. The activity itself is not intrinsically fun or exciting. But you can make it challenging and competitive if you turn it into a game. It's important to first make
Continue readingEveryone benefits (if that is the right word) from the advances in technology. I am without a computer this morning due to a video card failure and have borrowed a laptop to write this post. I don't know what I will do the rest of the day but I am scratching my head to figure
Continue readingI am writing this as I watch the Man City v Tottenham game. It's 2.15 pm here in the Midwest and it's a good job I got most of my work done earlier in the day as I'm not getting much done right now. I thought I would write about the distinct pressure and atmosphere
Continue readingI feel that one of the most important responsibilities of a coach is to constantly evaluate WHAT they choose to teach their players, HOW they go about teaching it and most importantly, WHY they are choosing to focus on those topics. Without this kind of evaluation there is a real danger that we can fall
Continue readingWell, the final week of the EPL season is upon us and here are some random thoughts. Even though the Championship will be decided with the final games (Chelsea and Man U), I don't feel any real suspense. Unless there is a major disaster, Chelsea should have no problem with Wigan. This makes Man U's
Continue readingI couldn't help posting this. I've given it some thought and I can't come up with a missed goal chance worse than this that I can remember. Check it out at about 1 min 25 seconds. I know there must have been other incredible goal line misses that you have seen over the years either
Continue readingWhen I work on shooting with my teams I like to create realistic situations that transfer easily into the real game. My favorite resource for these kind of exercises is a book by Chelsea Academy Coach, Michael Beale, called Training Creative Goalscorers. This is the best book or dvd I've seen for exercises that engage
Continue readingWe are starting a special promotion with the WCC Blog. Every month (or more often if I feel like it), someone who has posted a comment on the WCC Blog will win a $100 certificate to be used for books and DVDs from our web site. How do we decide the winner? - It could
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I love set plays. Well, let me clarify that. I love well thought out set plays. They don't necessarily have to work because let's face it they don't always work. But the well thought out set plays show some creativity. Anything is better than the mind numbing default crosses from wide positions or shots from
Continue readingWho would you choose as the manager of your professional team if you had the choice of Arsene Wenger, Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho? The argument could be made for Ferguson based solely on his incredible record with Man U over the past 20 years or so. The number of EPL titles he has won
Continue readingI always have a 'Fun Practice' with my teams after a tournament weekend. This break from the normal routine gives the players a chance to play some fun games and just enjoy being with their teammates. 'Fun' is defined differently depending on the age and competitive level of the team. My younger teams (U9 &
Continue readingI've been in the U.S. since 1991. In 1996 Major League Soccer (MLS) played its first season. Since that time, I have been many MLS games and seen a ton more on TV. I must admit though, that I have seen more EPL and Champions League games. The MLS has gone through some changes in
Continue readingSince Sky brought big time money into the Premier League, it has really changed the landscape of who is capable of winning the EPL. Before Sky...let's say the early 90's and before (the old First Division), teams like Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Everton, Aston Villa and in the early 70's, Derby County all were English
Continue readingComing out of a long winter of indoor practices and Futsal games, I'm always anxious to play our first outdoor league game of the spring. I was looking forward to it even more than usual this year because it had been more than a month since my U12 girls team had played their last Futsal
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