All Posts by Mike Saif

1 Should Speed and Agility Training Change with Age?

This article comes from our conditioning experts at Soccer FIT Academy. Our club is fortunate to work with Scott Moody and his trainers at Soccer FIT. This post caught my eye because we are currently working with Scott to set up Speed and Agility goals for the wide range in age groups that we deal with. We have more than 6,000 players in the club and the level goes from elite National League teams down to recreational.

Many aspects of sport are progressed as players develop, but speed and agility training is often not one of these things. In basketball and soccer we start off playing small sided games at 6- or 7- years old (3v3) and then progress to

1 Improving Skills and Moves needed for 1 V 1 Encounters While Developing Multiple Components of Soccer Conditioning

By Justin Cresser Author of Total Soccer Conditioning: A Ball Orientated Approach

Being able to take a player on 1 v 1 is an important and beneficial quality for soccer players of any playing position. For the attacking player to be successful in 1 v1 encounters, they must be able to beat the defender with a change of pace or by using a variety of moves and fakes to get around them. Players therefore need to be comfortable and confident at performing different moves, and doing so at speed.

Today’s activity will focus on teaching/practicing various moves and skills using an individual dribbling training format. We have also modified the exercise so that we can target a number of conditioning parameters that are necessary for soccer athletes.

Set-up and Design:

This exercise uses the space between the top of the 18-yard box and the half-way line for the playing area. Begin by setting up a 20 yard by 20 yard grid in the centre of the playing area. Place a small pylon 10 yards away from the middle of each side of this 20 by 20 grid. Give each cone a letter. Divide your players into pairs and give each group a different number. Have each Player dribble around inside this area performing a specific move (scissors, Ronaldinho, Stanley Matthews, etc.) as quickly as possible but under control (Figure 1).

(For simplicity, we have only used 6 players in the illustrations. However, you will likely have between 10 to 14 players when you choose to do this activity, which means 5 to 7 groups of two.)

After a few seconds, the coach will call a specific number as well as the letter of one of the

0 Competitive Goalkeeper Game

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter.  Today’s featured activity works on kick out dives, smothers and throwing.

Start with 2 keepers 10 yards apart (the distance can vary depending upon their level) in goals 3 yards apart.  One keeper starts with a ball in his hands.

The player tries to score by throwing the ball through the other goal.  The opposing keeper tries to

0 Ajax Attacking Tendencies

This article  was written by Dave Brown. He and a group of coaches observed training sessions, lectures and matches during the WCC tour of Dutch Professional Academies. These observations were made during a game featuring the reserve teams from Ajax FC and ADO Den Haag.  This complete article is part of the November issue of the WORLD CLASS COACHING Magazine and was uploaded to the Member Drills Database.

Jong Ajax (Ajax reserves) play their games at the Ajax training ground stadium on Monday nights in the Beloften Eredivisie, the highest reserve teams competition organized by the KNVB. Players must be aged 23 or below with three over-age “dispensation” players allowed on each team. The game we observed was a 3-1 victory over ADO Den Haag earned despite Ajax having a player sent off early in the second half for tussling with an opponent after a hard tackle.

Notable players on the reserve team included Mats Rits, an 18 year old Belgian U23 national team player marked for stardom, former PSV and Blackburn Rovers centerback André Ooijer aged 37, and striker Mounir El Hamdaoui, 27, who - though born in Rotterdam - has elected to play internationally for Morocco through parentage. El Hamdaoui previously scored 50 goals in 80 appearances for AZ Alkmaar before scoring 13 times in 26 appearances for Ajax in 2010. He is considered to be “exiled” to the reserve team after falling out with manager Frank De Boer.

Ajax youth teams famously play the same system as the senior team and in the case of the

0 Playing and Receiving Long Passes

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter.  Todays featured activity works on playing a long ball, receiving long balls, attacking from width and defensive shape

Start with  a player with a ball near the center circle.  There are 2 attacking players  out wide on each side between 18-25 yards out.  There are three defenders inside the 18 a keeper in goal.

The player with the ball starts by playing a long ball to either of the most

0 November Magazine Preview

Each month we add a new magazine update to the Member Drills Database. The magazine contains training sessions, videos and articles presented by top teams and coaches from around the world.

Here's part of a training session presented by Chelsea FC Academy coach Chris Woodword. The session focuses on 1 v 1, 2 v 1 and 2 v 2 situations that lead to a zonal game.

0 Coach Goalscoring Chances, Not Scoring

By Waleed Zaghloul

A team that creates a lot of scoring chances in a variety of different ways is usually a sign of a well-coached team. On the other hand, a team that puts away its chances is usually a sign of good players. So as a coach, you are responsible for defining how your team will create chances and which of the following methods they need to utilize against a specific opponent. The coach needs to build his team’s arsenal of attack and make sure that they can score in a variety of different ways, otherwise the team will be easily shutout by superior teams.

Wing Play and Crosses

For years, wing play has been a very important and entertaining way for teams to create chances and score goals. Players like David Beckham became famous operating on the flank for Manchester United, Real Madrid and England. Developing a good winger requires finding a player that has a combination of important attributes.

A good winger must have very good physical attributes. The winger needs to have

0 How to Deal With Break-Aways

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter.  Today’s featured activity works on reading the game and dealing with breakaways.

A keeper starts in goal.  There is a forward at the top of the 18 standing in front of a cone (the cone represents a defender). Two servers have balls on an angle

One server starts by playing the ball past

0 The Benefits of Staying Compact Defensively

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter.  Today’s featured activity works on staying compact defensively.

This is a 5 v 3 game to goal with a keeper in the goal.  The 3 are defending the goal.  The 5 attacking players start at midfield with a ball

The attacking team gets a point by scoring a goal OR any time the defending

0 Functional Training for the Central Defender and Striker: 1 v 1 to a Big Goal while Receiving under Pressure

By Justin Cresser Author of Total Soccer Conditioning: A Ball Orientated Approach

In this week’s article, we continue with our series that focuses on developing position-specific conditioning needs. The exercise presented below targets both central defenders and strikers and is taken from my book entitled: Total Soccer Conditioning: A ball-Oriented Approach.

The objectives of this activity are to i) coach defenders and strikers the technique and tactics required in 1 v situations close to goal; ii) improve the ability of the striker to receive under pressure; and iii) develop anaerobic endurance.

Set-up and Directions: This activity uses the 18-yard box and the area just outside it for the playing area. Have 5 to 6 players, with a ball each, stand 5 yards outside of the 18-yard box. They should be spaced equally apart. Instruct your central defender and your striker to stand at the penalty spot facing the players with the ball (Figure 1).

Play is initiated by the striker who tries to evade their marker to receive a ball in space (Figure 2). They can receive the ball from any of the players on the

0 Increasing Confidence in Possession

Teaching players how to protect the ball until the option to shoot or pass is available is extremely important if you want your team to keep possession and learn to build an attack. There will be times when there isn't an open team mate and they need to buy some time and create some space before support arrives.

The first thing I do when working on this topic is to have the players focus on the quality of their first touch. A player's first touch can put them into a tackle

2 4-2-3 v 4-2-3-1 – Counter Attacking Practice

This article is an excerpt from our new best-selling book, Coaching the 4-2-3-1 by Stevie Grieve. The Blacks play 4-2-3-1 v the Yellow 4-2-3 formation. The Yellows play 9 v 10 and when they win possession, look to counter attack quickly over the line with passes and dribbles. Players must not go chasing the ball

2 A Modified Warm-Up Routine to Focus on Anaerobic Endurance and Agility

By Justin Cresser Author of Total Soccer Conditioning: A Ball Orientated Approach

Today’s activity is one that I routinely use as a warm-up routine and to keep my players technically sharp. However, I recently modified the format of the exercise to focus on anaerobic endurance and agility. The great thing about this exercise is that you can vary the technical element in several ways to touch on a variety of skills. Another benefit is that it involves all players at the same time.

Set-up and Directions:

Divide your players into groups of two. Each pair will need a ball. For each group; have the player with the ball stand on edge of the 18 yard box with the ball in their hands. The partner of this player should stand at a small cone placed 10 yards away. Both players should in a straight line facing each other (Figure 1). Ensure each group is separated by about 3 to 4 yards.

Play begins with the players standing by the cones sprinting towards their partner on the

0 Including a Goalkeeper In a Passing Drill

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible. Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter.  Today’s discussion shows how you can work on a keepers footwork, fitness and positioning. We have all seen teams do three person passing drills as a warm up.  Two players start 20 yards apart and a third player starts behind the one

0 Midfielders and Forwards Attacking Combinations

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter.  Today’s featured activity works on midfielders and forwards combining to get to goal.

Start with a midfielder in possession of the ball around midfield.  Two other central midfielders out a bit wider and 10 yards in front and a forward just outside the top of the D.  A keeper is in the goal they are attacking.

Player 1 finds the forward with a pass.  He then starts

0 Is the 4-3-3 Making a Comeback?

This blog post from Vasco Mota Pereira of 'Combination Play' got my attention recently. It contends that the 4-3-3 formation may come back into vogue despite the popularity of the 4-2-3-1. It's an interested point of view that I thought you would enjoy. 

Football, like most (all?) things in life, has its trends. Not that many years ago, playing anything other than a plain 4-3-3 would be sacrilegious (let's leave England alone, for now). In fact, when 4x2x3x1 started rearing its head, with Quique Flores its main champion, it was a bit criticized (including here) for numerous reasons. On the other hand, just like the two-man midfield, a three-man defense looked all but dead, some reminiscence from the Beckenbauer times. As this text is getting to you, it seems impossible to get away from either 4-2-3-1 (or 4-4-1-1, which is basically the same thing) or some version of a three-man defense (especially in Italy), nowadays - and there is hardly any team playing a true version of a 4-3-3.

A typical 4-2-3-1 formation

It is often said (with good reason) that games are not won on paper, sincethere is no one given tactical system that is

2 How To Exploit Space In the Center Midfield Area

By Vasco Mota Pereira 

Last Saturday André Villas-Boas' Tottenham defeated Manchester United in their own turf, something Hotspurs hadn't done in 23 years - which may well be just what the doctor ordered for AVB's team. Every single goal from the Lilywhites came from United worryingly tendency to be overrun against stronger sides, over the past couple of years (namely after Carlos Queiroz left).

With Carrick and Scholes in the center, and Nani and Giggs on the wings, pockets of space were bound to appear on United's defensive midfield, but the appalling display from his midfield and defense must have Sir Alex Ferguson quite worried. For that matter, Tottenham's goals will be dissected, in order to shed some light over the Red Devils' frailties.

Tottenham goal #1

There were some repetitive patterns throughout the match as far as defensive positioning is concerned. In this particular case, you can see

0 Developing Anaerobic Endurance and Finishing Skills with a Simple 2 v 2 v 2 Small-Sided Game

By Justin Cresser Author of Total Soccer Conditioning: A Ball Orientated Approach

I was speaking to a coach earlier in the season and he said his team was playing really well but was having problems finishing. I thought to myself: “that’s a problem for so many teams”. Over the past few weeks I have been to, and analyzed, several games, and finishing really does seem to be a problem for so many teams. I have seen some spectacular displays of dribbling and combination play, but the players just can’t seem to get the ball into the back of the net.

In today’s exercise we will address the above problem with a simple 2 v 2 v 2 small-sided game that focuses on finishing. As with any other technique or skill, I believe the key to improving your player’s ability to finish is repetition. The format and structure of the exercise also allows your players to develop their anaerobic capacity. This is an excellent activity to use during the competitive season when match-preparation takes a high priority.

Set-up and Directions:

Divide your players into two groups of 6 players and then further divide each group into three teams of two. Make certain to give each team of two a different colour shirt. Set up a grid 40 yards long and 25 yards wide with a regular-sized goal (or large net) at both ends of the grid. There should be a goalkeeper in each net. One group of 6 plays at a time. The coach should stand on one of the sidelines with a large supply of balls (Figure 1).

Play is initiated with the coach playing a ball into any of the six players. It is each team for themselves. Players can score on either

0 A Great Goalkeeping Warm-Up

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity is a nice warm up working on movement and reactions for diving.

Two keepers are jogging in a line (one in front of the other). The keeper starting in back has a ball.

The keeper with the ball rolls the ball past the front keeper and as soon

2 How To Improve Decision Making With Your Team

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity is a game that involves decision making, spacing, movement and much more.

Start with a 40 x 40 grid with a 10 x 10 area in the middle. There is a 4 yard wide goal in each corner.

This is a 6 v 6 game (the numbers can vary) with a neutral player in the middle. Each team is

5 Developing Great Foot-work with the use of Foot-Speed and Coordination Exercises - Part 2

By Justin Cresser Author of Total Soccer Conditioning: A Ball Orientated Approach

In last week’s article we spoke about the importance of developing foot speed and coordination in our players. We highlighted the need for these qualities by wing backs for example, who need to be able to jockey and defend fast wingers in 1 v 1 situations. Fast and coordinated footwork are also necessary for attacking players trying to dribble their way past one or two defenders, or for goalkeepers that constantly have to move across the face of the goal as the ball is passed around inside their penalty box.

Last week we presented a basic footwork exercise that can be used earlier in the season or by younger players that are being introduced to this type of training for the first time. However, as your players advance into the season or become comfortable with the basic exercises, it is important that you progress to more complex footwork exercises to continuously challenge and develop your players. The following is a more advanced footwork exercise that you can use:

Set-up and Directions: Divide your players into pairs. For each group, set up four small cones so that they make a diamond shape. The length of each side of the diamond must be 1.5 yards. Have a player stand on one leg in the centre of the diamond facing their partner who is standing 2 yards away from the top cone. The player on the outside should have a ball in their hands (Figure 1).

When ready, instruct the player standing on one leg to hop to the top cone and then

0 What Can Soccer Learn from Basketball?

The post below from our Conditioning Expert Scott Moody with Soccer FIT got me thinking about how we inspire our young soccer players in the United States. As the quality and reputation of the MLS grows and more American players find success in the top leagues around the world, dreaming of a future in professional soccer is becoming an ever more realistic goal. Sure, reaching that level is a long shot as it always has been for kids playing basketball in school yards around the country but not so long ago it was almost impossible.

The dream of playing professionally will help young players develop to the very limit of their potential. They won't all make it to