Soccer Education Resource
www.cbcdutchtouch.com
Team Building
Team Building
through
Player Development
Soccer – by definition
• Soccer is a game played between 2 teams and
each team is trying to score more goals than
the other team.
• Soccer games are decided by goals.
Practice centers on creating and finishing
opportunities, or, on denying them.
• The entire soccer world revolves around one
team trying to put the ball in the net while the
other tries to stop them.
Team Building
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First – analyze the whole situation
Second – find out how it works (fits) together
Third – integrate all the parts into the whole
Then it becomes a continuous, daily process
Together Everyone Achieves More
• Style and tactics in accordance
• with the profile of the players,
• the history, tradition and identity of the club.
Analysis of the Technical Level
of the Group
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Quality / weaknesses of the group
Possibilities of / within the club
Infrastructure
Financial condition
Technical staff
RULES OFF THE FIELD
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Harmony -- get along with each other
Discipline -- respect rules, norms and behave accordingly
Clear objectives -- targets that are realistic, yet challenging
that create interest and motivation
Hierarchy within the group -- ‘pecking order’
Common enemy approach -- “ we against the world “
Importance of coaching -- flexible and credible
Interaction -- group feedback
Communication -- the basis for success or failure
Concentration -- define objectives and values, develop
confidence
• Morale of the group
TEAMWORK ON THE FIELD
• Choice of system -- according to the players available
• Coach defines the system -- based on coach’s
philosophy and concepts
• Training -- use game to teach the game
• Pros and cons of system
• System -- based on players’ qualities and club culture
• Establish and define responsibilities -- who does what
, where and when
• Potential of team
• Balance between attack and defense
TEAMWORK ON THE FIELD - 2
• Counter attack -- best attack, yields best results
• Good positioning -movement with and without the ball
• Who does what
• Zonal defending -- the ball is the target -move with the ball
• Buildup -- fast, efficient -- get to opponent’s goal fast
• Style of play -- based on individual ability,
• Star player must be able to decide the match result
• Performance measured by individual quality and
collective work
ATTACK
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Open, penetrate, support, mobility
Support -- help
Open -- flank play
Depth -- target
Penetrate -- get behind defense
Improvise -- do the unexpected, creativity
DEFEND
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Recovery -- get behind the ball
Cover -- help teammate
Compact -- block
Balance -- get numbers up and organize
Delay -- pressure -- take away time and
space
ATTACK VERSUS BLOCK DEFENSE
• Patience -- circulate the ball across the field,
looking for opening(s)
• Early deep ball to target player
• 1v1
• Wide play to flanks -- get around and behind
defenders on the flank
• Look for / create space, chance, goal
• First look – deep to goal
The Soccer Learning Process
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10-12 years to develop an established soccer player
Thousands of touches per training session
Demands of the game are changing faster than ever
The Journey of development takes:
time, patience, great understanding, and a plan
• Basic fundamentals remain the essence of the game
• Players must be flexible in playing roles and adaptable
to the constant changes within the game
• Speed of execution is the key factor
The Learning Process
• The Learning process depends largely on practice.
Soccer is best learned by playing, and the time children spend
playing the game is important for their soccer development.
• Children need to learn the game and understand it on their terms.
It must be meaningful to them. They must have involvement and
recognize what is going on and participate accordingly
• Learning up to around age 11 or 12 is mostly concrete learning, the
abstract learning starts to kick in around 11 or 12 for most children.
• The golden age of learning is considered between the ages
of 9 and 11.
Slanty Line Theory
• Developed from the traditional method of
eliminating children as the level of difficulty
increase.
• This becomes very counter-productive
• Slanty line theory allows children to
participate at their own level, where they feel
comfortable and secure.
• They now will seek out their own new
challenges
“ Soccer Brain “
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The ability to see the game in detail
A clear picture of all that is going on
Think and react quickly to the best option
Understand, anticipate and react to what may
suddenly happen during play
• The “soccer brain” will improve in training if
the player is made to think
• Develop insight during small-sided games
From Dependence to Independence
Questions vs Answers
• Coaches should ask more questions of the players in
regards to what is going on or wrong during play
• Coaches should provide fewer immediate answers
to the situations
• Players will now be required to think more and
become more involved in the learning process and
develop more insight into the game
Age Group Characteristics
• U 6 through U 18 represents a major part of the early
life cycle -- be sensitive to the age level and stage of
development
• Certain essential qualities and characteristics
dominate each level of development –
• Take time to get to know what your age can do –
physically, intellectually and emotionally
• Think of what that aged person might be doing in
school – relate soccer to their experiences whenever
possible
Ages and Stages of Development
• Up to age 8 -- fundamental stage – no real
frame of reference to the game – introductory
• Age 9 - 12 -- learning stage – capable of
significant development
• Age 13 – 16 -- transition stage -- physical and
emotional changes
• Age 17 on -- development / fulfillment
Stages of Development
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6 to 8 years old: Discovery
Easily distracted, short concentration span
They all want the ball – 3 v 3 becomes 1 v 5
Limited to kicking ball forward, dribbling and
shooting at goal
Every player needs constant ball contact
Create fun games with the ball for them
Must introduce the game of soccer to them
Size 3 ball and 4 v 4 in a modified area
Stages of Development -- 2
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8 to 10 years old: Development
More small-group oriented
Longer attention span
Ideal age to development fundamental soccer
skills. They learn by imitation
More awareness, purpose & aggressive
Can combine with 1 or 2 other players
Can handle light soccer pressure
Stages of Development -- 3
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10 to 12 years old: Creativity
Control own movements and consciously work
to improve their game
Continue with skill development
Add insight into the mix
Small-sided games for problem-solving
Motivation to learn and achieve is higher
Size 4 ball and up to 7 a side games
Stages of Development -- 4
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12 to 14 years old: Discipline
Growth spurts for some, but not for all
Awkward stage, coordination is a problem
More assertive, with their own opinions
Talent gap noticeable
Team concepts (attack, defend, transition)
Curious to know why (what’s the purpose)
Size 4 or 5 ball with 8 or 11 a side
Stages of Development -- 5
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14 to 16 years old: Competitive
Winning becomes more important than ever
Capable of playing very competitive soccer
Playing pressure increases dramatically
Play the game with more insight and intensity
Tactics and team play become main themes
Positional play becomes more important
Some players struggle to keep up
Age - Appropriate
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Just exactly what can a 6 year old do
What is he capable of doing
Motor skills
Learning capacity
Attention span
Interests – relate soccer to their interest
“ Star Wars ” -- “ Cowboys and Indians “
School vs Soccer Approach
• Ability
• Attitude
• Ambition
• Slanty line theory -everyone may not be at the same place, deal with
them where they are –
don’t set the bar so as to eliminate, but rather to
give everyone a fair chance
The Elements of Soccer
• First, you need a ball. Then teammates and opponents. A
field of some dimension (best if it is rectangular), boundaries
and some simplified rules . Add goals and you are now
playing soccer – from 1v1 up to 11v11.
• Removing any of these elements takes away from the total
soccer learning experience. Any of the elements can be
modified for a desired training effect -- “ dry swimming “
• As the number of elements increase, so does the degree of
difficulty. Every additional element added increases the
difficulty significantly
Simplify the Developmental Process
• If we were to simplify the developmental process to the
most basic elements, this would be the platform:
(always with a goal of some sort to attack and defend)
• 1) master the ball
(creating a base to play and to play against others)
• 2) playing together (with teammates and against
opponents - combining skills with insight)
• 3) playing within a system (team tactics, roles)
Levels of Play and Involvement
• Fundamental
• Intermediate
• Advanced (elite)
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Grassroots ……. Experience
Recreational ….. Fun
Competitive …… Ambition
Elite ………………. Talent, Performance
1 vs 1 through 8 vs 8
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1 vs 1 – it’s all on you
2 vs 2 – now with a teammate
3 vs 3 – first sign of shape (triangle)
4 vs 4 – new shape – diamond – width and depth
5 vs 5 – field players only, no keeper – add a player
to the center of the diamond
• 6 vs 6 – now include the keeper
• 7 vs 7 – introduce wingers
• 8 vs 8 – beginning of line play ( backs-midfieldforwards)
Playing to Goals
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Goals give direction and purpose
Goals represent the essence of the real game
Goals give an outcome
The real game is played between 2 goals with
the object of the game being for 1 team to score
more goals than the other team
• Develop the mentality of attacking and defending
a goal and the transitional moment of the ball
changing from 1 team to the other
• Goals bring the game and the activity to life
Natural Progression
• First, learn to play with the ball
• Second, learn how to play with teammates
• Third, learn how to play against opposition
• Fourth, learn how to play in various game
situations
4v 0
15 x 10 yd
4v 0
15 x 10 yd
4v 1
15 x 10 yd
4v2
15 x 10 yd
4v2+1
15 x 10
4v3
20 x 15 yd
4v3+1
20 x 15 yd
6v3+1
30 x 25 yd
6v4+2
30 x 25 yd
4v4+2+2K
30 x 25 yd
K
K
4v4+8Tw2K
35 x 20 yd
K
K
Why 4 v 4
• Smallest manifestation of real soccer
• All of the elements are present to experience real
soccer
• Players will get more touches on the ball
• Involved physically and mentally
• Quicker action sharpens concentration
• Constant action and always on or around the ball
Objectives
• To play real soccer
• To build up and score, defend and play in
transition as the ball exchanges
• Fewer players and more confined space –
more involvement
• Simple framework to learn the elements of
soccer
Elements of Soccer
• The minimum # of players needed for all the
principles of play
• Penetration – width – depth – support
• Free movement develops mobility
• Ball, goals, rectangular playing field,
boundary lines, teammates, opponents,
space, pressure, rules and direction of play
Shape
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1 player up top for penetration
2 players wide for width
1 player stays back for depth
In possession, make field big
Look to play deep, early
Loss of possession, make field small
A diamond shape
Coaching in 4 v 4
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Freeze the moment
Don’t over coach
Coach those that need coaching
Ask questions, avoid statements
Coach what is real
Stand where you can see
Bring the game to life
Coaching -- 2
• Think of 3 moments
• 1 -- give just enough directions to get
game going
• 2 -- what are the big mistakes –
can they solve the soccer problem
• 3 -- fine tune, introduce changes
the
Less talk, more activity
• Kids will remember:
what they hear ..….. the least (20%)
what they see & hear …. more
(50%)
what they do
…… the most (90%)
Spend as little time as possible telling them
Spend more time showing them
Spend the most time letting them do it
The Manchester United
4 v 4 Pilot Scheme
Source: “FA Insight”, Based upon study performed by the
Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the
Manchester Metropolitan University.
Quantitative Analysis*
# of
Passes
Scoring
Attempts
Goals
1v1
Encounte
r
Dribbling
Skills
2-Goal
Game
170
44
18
51
39
Line Ball
160
NA
37
56
58
GK Game
149
49
17
92
36
4-Goal
Game
106
62
28
52
45
8v8
108
20
5
28
16
*Numbers listed are “Mean” scores
Quantitative Summary
On Average 4v4 versus 8v8 had:
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135% more passes
260% more Scoring Attempts
500% more Goals Scored
225% more 1v1 Encounters
280% more Dribbling Skills (tricks)
Small – Sided Games
• “ In simplified, modified games, players learn to be
aware and to improvise, to concentrate and to
recognize the situation.
• Skills are important , but the value of skill is to be
able to use them efficiently in a fraction of a
second.
• Practices should be one quarter skill training and
three quarters applying those skills in endless
situations.”
--- Rinus Michels – Former Dutch National Team
Coach and the FIFA Coach of the Century
No Shortcuts
• The expectation of the coach must be
appropriate to the age and experience of his
players.
• The road to success has very few travelers
because the majority of them got lost along
the way looking for shortcuts.
• Playing soccer without thinking is like shooting
without aiming
The Best Team to Coach
is a Team of Orphans
A Team of Orphans
A team of orphans has:
• no parents to second-guess your decisions,
• to tell you why their child should play more
than everyone else,
• scream from the sidelines at officials and players.
• But most importantly, there would not be any
parents around to criticize the children for losing.
Soccer Education Resource
www.cbcdutchtouch.com