Develop Football Skill the Manchester United Way

Developing Football Skill 

By Rene Maulensteen

 
What should be the coaches aims for the session to develop football skill?

• Create football skill drills/games which revolve around technical challenges
• Cover all learning methods during the session
• The final aim of the session should be shaped and achieved by the technical challenges
• Structure the drills as much as possible but remove the structured coaching
• Avoid complexity
• Each challenges should be built on as templete for the full game scenario
• Perform the same skill on both feet
• The aim is mastery of technique in a problem solving setting- the more techniques a player is able to do and the more intelligently they can be applied the more effective they will be during performance
• Give the players time with the ball when ever possible

Deliberate practice within the context of the game 1

• Deliberate practice should not be focused on just one movement but should make use of variable pracitce to maximise results
• Football skill Drills/games should flow easily to keep high interest
• Use game realistic circuits which involve all of the following 1-Moving off the ball revolving around switching positions 2-Movement of the ball with patterns based on non switching positions 3- Continous movement 4-Contact on the ball using a variety of parts of the foot/other body parts. Preferably ending with a shot at goal each should have a few basic progressions.

Deliberate practice within the context of the game 2
 
Build on the pattern play above to create problems within the specific context of the game during a small sided games using 2v2 and then 4v4 games.

2v2 Football Skill

• Start from 2v2 toach the first player to the ball and the supporting player combined with the player on te ball and support player
• Use vairations of end zones, goals and nuetral players or wing/target players

4v4 Football Skill

• These should be built on the technique challenges of the previous 2v2
• Use 4 main formats:
• 4v4+GK 25x25 yard grid
• 4v4 two goals game 30x25 yard grid
• 4v4 four goals game 25x25 yard grid
• 4v4 end line/zone games 25x20 yard grid

Main coaching points during this part of the session:

1. Ball Control
2. 1v1 skills
3. Creative play
4. Passing and movement at high speed

What advantages will this give?
 
The main advantage is to give the players the dual benifit of deliberate practice and guided discovery. By repeating variations of techniques within problem solving settings players begin to think more effectively during performance. Using the above two formats the players can do this in the context of the principles of play while still getting high touches.

Internalising the coaching points
 
It is not enough for coaching points to be practiced they need to be internalised mentaly.
 
Use the Speak, Show and Do method.

Tell the player as simply as posibble what you will do, show via drawing a diagram then perform the finished move, skill, pattern ect.Covering all learning styles and using three layers of reinforcement of the coaching points to focus plyer mentaly. Deliberate practice with out understanding and motivation can cause deteriation of skill level both on a physical and mental level.

The main coaching areas for development

• Good positioning both attack and defending
• 1v1
• Fighting for second balls
• Movement off the ball both attacking/ defending
• The use of techniques and football skill to solve tactical problems
• Understanding of tactics
• Passing and possession
• High speed of play
• organisation of set plays

When creating problems for players to solve players should be asked how they would use techniques combined with right tactics to help them solve situations where the teams against them are capable of aspects of any of the above of their sub groups.

Six variables contributing to winning games

1. Winning 1v1 situations
2. High work rate
3. Team cohesion
4. Playing to set system of play or game plan
5. Winning mentality
6. Goals and saves

Six factors of effective performance

1. Athletic skills
2. High range of techniques mastered
3. Game intelligence
4. High speed of play under pressure

After considering the development of players for the game in order to get peak results the aim should be to take a players natural potential in as many of the above  10 areas as possible and enhance it as much as possible .....then keep them there for aslong as possible. Development should be judged by how much a player contributes with individual factors to the above team factors.