WORLD CLASS COACHING
Pro Academy Training Sessions
By Jonny Carter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part One
BUILDING A CURRICULUM
CURRICULUM AND SESSION PLAN BUILDING
SESSION PLAN
Part Two
THE FOUR CORNERS MODEL
CLUB CORE VALUES
THE TEACHING METHODOLOGY
TOP 15 TIPS
Part Three
THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCCER
NUMBERING SYSTEM
SMALL-SIDED FORMATIONS
5V5 FORMATIONS
6V6 FORMATIONS
Part Four
7V7 FORMATIONS
8V8 FORMATIONS
9V9 FORMATIONS
BIRTH YEAR MATRIX
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Building a Coaching Curriculum
When coaching, scouting, assessing or analyzing the ability of players it is worth considering the layers of training and education that has been invested to create the finished article. The ideal objective being to produce the ‘complete player’. It is often a generously used term, but on occasions there are rare players indeed who can lay genuine claim to being the ‘complete player’. The assumed definition of the ‘complete player’ being the refined athlete who has a full and complete range of skills at his disposal combined with the cerebral dexterity to utilize those skills at the appropriate time.
Frequently players who do not reach the highest echelons of the ‘complete player’ have gaps in their ability that can be exposed.
All too regularly, and even at the richest altitude attainable within the game, players fall short with technical deficiency or tactical misunderstanding. Premier League and MLS players are still often mitigated for their mistakes all too easily. Players unable to use their non-dominant foot have a major void in their skill set, and conversely players who are two-footed have a significant advantage. Some players lean heavily on their physical attributes of speed, strength and power, sometimes to the detriment of skill development.
When analyzing a player, from youth development through to world-class performers, it is beneficial to recognize where a player’s strengths and weaknesses are most evident. From a coaching perspective the recognition of skill deficiency is a necessary trait, the coaching ability to then provide the player with those missing components is an even greater trait.
To attain the ideal objective of the ‘complete player’ training is layered to ensure that the full ranges of skills are developed. The layering of the training takes on four distinct stages and this structure contributes heavily to ensuring that players receive the entire spectrum of skills required.
From a player analysis perspective and from a coaching perspective, training needs to be pitched at the appropriate level for the player’s needs. At the youth development grassroots level the training focus of individual technical skills is far more necessary than team tactics. And equally at the professional end of soccer strategy is far more prevalent than repetition drills, though not exclusively.
By analyzing the ability and needs of a player or of a team the coach should be able to tailor the training to enrich the most vital requirements necessary for success.
The four distinct stages of the training focus are |The four distinct stages of the training focus are:
1 Individual - The pursuit and perfection of individual technical ability to manipulate the ball
2 Pairs - The understanding of the technical and tactical relationship between two players in response to the play
3 Group - The appreciation of the group, unit or department tactics in the context of the game situation
4 Team - The tactical agenda of the team as specified by the collective strategy
The pursuit and perfection of individual technical ability to manipulate the ball
The ‘individual’ ability to manipulate the ball as desired in the context of the game is the biggest separation of players. Technical skills allow a player to have command of the ball permitting them to focus on other decision-making aspects of the game. Those players with limited technical skills will struggle to move into a decision-making phase while still being preoccupied with the ball manipulation.
Technical skills can be acquired through no other method than training, often in a High Repetition – Low Pressure training environment. The pursuit of technical skill is endless and can always be improved; players never reach the end of their development. Without technical skill a player is destined to forever be a burden to their team.
There is little reward for a player to have intimate knowledge of tactical team formations if they cannot control the ball to the required standard. There is little value in a coach forcing advanced strategies on a collection of players while technical skills remain underdeveloped.
And even within the ‘individual’ stage it should be considered at which point within the development curriculum a player should appropriately enter. There is little point in a player perfecting their shooting technique if they don’t have the command of skill to receive the ball with an adequate first touch.
Building a Coaching Curriculum | Pairs
The understanding of the technical and tactical relationship between two players in response to the play
All over the field sets of ‘pairs’ work together both in an attacking sense and when defending. ‘Pairs’ of players are required no matter what formation or strategy the coach deploys. The right fullback and the right midfield, the two central defenders, the two central midfielders, the two forwards are all classic examples of ‘pairs’ working within the team structure.
How any given two players respond, technically and tactically, to the play can have great benefit or detriment to the team agenda. If ‘pairs’ are not in synergy with each other then attacking passages of play can be under-exploited and defensive coordination can be horribly unbalanced.
Building a Coaching Curriculum | Group
The appreciation of the group, unit or department tactics in the context of the game situation
Different departments, units or ‘groups’ refer to a small collection of players within the team structure who have a common objective. These ‘groups’ are found usually in six main areas.
Defenders - Left Sided Players
Midfielders - Centre or Spine
Forwards - Right Sided Players
Antonio Conte has enjoyed an illustrious playing career and is now enjoying an illustrious journey into coaching at Premier League heavyweights Chelsea FC. As the head coach at Italian giants Juventus FC Conte was very successful, winning triple back-to-back domestic league titles and a couple of other notable trophies as well. For the vast majority of his coaching time with Juventus FC and with the Italy national team Conte would play with a three man defensive ‘group’. Often more in a 3-5-2 system of play, but a three man defensive ‘group’ all the same.
It was somewhat of a surprise that Conte didn’t implement this strategy straight away when he took over at Chelsea FC after the Euro 2016 summer tournament. Conte’s early season shift to a 3-4-3 system of play with a three man defensive group proved a turning point for Conte and his Chelsea FC team.
It’s not just a case of throwing players onto the field. How a ‘group’ work together within the team agenda is a vital component to success and is the reason why ‘group tactics’ consumes large amount of training time at the professional levels of the game.
Building a Coaching Curriculum | Team
The tactical agenda of the team as specified by the collective strategy.
The acquisition of the ‘individual’ technical skill, the ‘pairs’ work, the ‘group’ tactics are all foundations to delivering within the context of the ‘team’. Much time is spent on many details to ensure that the ‘team’ objective is clear, understood and ultimately correct.
Curriculum Building & Session Planning | Coaching Theory
Season Plan | Know when and know why
Elite player/team development should be broken down into palatable segments of planning. At the highest levels at Collegiate level and professionally the ‘periodization’ takes on a longer wider scope. Planning at the top level would encompass an entire year, being broken down into manageable periods based on the activity of the team through pre-season, first half season, mid-season break, second half season and off-season. The daily, weekly and monthly training intensity and loading will be planned, often on a very personal basis on the needs of the individual athlete. These small periods are often referenced as Macrocycle, Mesocycle & Microcycle.
Player/team development at the youth development levels can also be broken down into palatable segments, eleven weeks, with a typical player/team usually training 2-3-4 sessions per week. A season plan is a requirement of the fully prepared coach. Knowing where you want to be and knowing how you’re going to get there is essential. Season plans are subject to change, innovation and amendment, but should also be part of correct planning.
