By Alex Trukan
The ability to accelerate and be explosive is one of the key physical components in football that make a difference in the game. It is needed both in defence when recovering and pressurising as well as in attack when trying to beat a defender. This practice focuses on this conditioning element altogether with technical side of passing, receiving as well as tactical focus on ball possession. Rondos is one of the most popular practices in football that can be adapted in many ways to suit not only technical but also conditioning objectives as shown below.
Set up and directions
Set up four 8 x 8 yards squares, 15-20 yards apart from each other. Organise the players into two groups of six. Further divide the groups into four attackers and two defenders. Prepare sufficient supply of balls.
The practice starts with two separate attacking groups trying to keep possession (make 10 passes) in their squares. The defenders’ objective is to win the ball and dribble out of the square to get a point.
On the coach’s signal, the rotation of the players happens. The attacking players from each group rotate anti-clockwise. Whoever finishes with the ball, has to run with it to the next square. It is a competition between two teams, whoever gets to the new square first, gets a point. After that, the game continues straight away in the new squares.
Defenders, in turn, rotate clockwise. Defending players should be swapped with attacking players after a set period of time or after they score a point by dribbling out of the square.
Timing
Players should make a ‘rotation’ 4-6 times in 1-2 series. Rest between repetitions is 1 minute (playing possession 4v2), and between series – 4 minutes.
Variations
- 3v1/5v3 rondos
- Both attackers and defenders rotate clockwise/anti-clockwise
- Increase/decrease the distance between squares (15-40 yards)
By Alex Trukan, Development Coach, Nottingham Forest
@AlexTrukan
