Women’s Euro 2017 Training Drills: Spain
Play like Spain – Set-pieces To step up their preparations for Euro 2017, Spain, for the first time participated in the Algarve Cup. The Algarve Cup was held from March 1st - 8th 2017 is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football....
Women’s Euro 2017 Training Drills: Sweden
Play like Sweden – Passing 1 – Unopposed Set-up 5 cones – set-up in a square and one cone in the middle of the square Multiple balls The aim of the session to create different types of movement to create space to make different types of combination play within the...
Women’s Euro 2017 Training Drills: Switzerland
Play Like Switzerland - Defending as a unit Coming off the back of a successful campaign in the Cyprus Cup after defeating South Korea 1-0 in the final with a great goal by Dickenmann in the 58th minute. Switzerland won on their first appearance in the Cyprus Cup,...
Nike Partner Club Event at St George’s Park
Nike Partner Club is a joint collaboration between Nike and The FA which is exclusively available in England to FA Charter Standard Community & Development Clubs. The goal is to raise standards in Grass Roots football, from investment in coaching accreditation...
3 Goal Finish
Part 1 Play a one two with the yellow player and finish towards goal. The player leaves the box and returns in to it attacking a cross from point 2. Same again however the cross comes in from point 3. Part 2 The white player has two touches to score a goal,...
Football Circuits
Part 1 The ball works its way around the circuit. Add more passing and receiving points to keep the players active if you have more players. I tend to let the players work the ball from start to finish however they choose. A little challenge I throw in is they cannot...
Compactness
Part 1 The four players in possession move the ball sideways trying to hit their two target players in front of them. The defending four are trying to prevent forward play by blocking passes, no tackling allowed however you can introduce this later. If a target player...
How well would Celtic do in the Premier League?
Season after season, year after year and trophy after trophy Celtic remain to be the most dominating football team in the Scottish Premiership. In fact the last time Celtic DIDN'T win the Scottish Premier League was the 2010–11 season. Of course, with Rangers'...
1v1s
Step 1 The coach roles out the ball into the arena. The whites try to score up the pitch. The yellows try to score down the pitch The ball is dead once the ball leaves the pitch. Step 2 The blue player passes the ball across the arena to the white player. The blue...
Forwards Showing In/Out
Forward Showing In Equipment: Set up the area as shown on the diagram making sure it suits the needs of your players. Rules: The whites pass the ball laterally. As the ball is moving the two defenders also move preventing the whites playing forward into goals. The...
How To Become A Football Referee
England has seen to be at the forefront of elite officiating, this was evident in 2010 as one of England’s top referees Howard Webb became the first referee to be the man in the middle for both the Champions League final and the World Cup final in the same year. The...
Over & Underloads
Overload Over Loads 1v0, 2v1,3v2 Set up your area as shown on the diagram. The coach plays in the ball for the white player to have a one touch finish. As soon as the white player strikes the ball he/she then plays another ball to the yellow team. This creates a 2v1...
Carousel
Process: Split all your players into 2 teams. Each team then divides their team into 3 teams and place each team at one of the three activities. 1v1s 2v2s 5v5 game The whites stay at the end of each practice whilst the yellows move round. Once the yellows have visited...
Attacking Corners
Set up: 11v11 using half a pitch. Allow free play which will motivate players. Every two minutes the team attacking the main goal with the 18 yard box take a corner. A nice little tip is to potentially not have your starting 11 all on the same team. For instance on...
Technique Under Pressure
1 - Nothing But Net: Players attempt to score a goal hitting the net first. 2 - Passing Accuracy: Players try to pass the ball so it stops within the square. 3 - Receiving: Players hit each board 5 times using a maximum of two touches each time. 4 - Off Ground:...
Quick Play In & Around The Box
Block off the pitch and just work in the final third. 3 teams and to challenge, they don’t have to be equal. Whites attack, yellows defend and blues are ready for the next phase. The yellows continue to defend until they regain possession and pass to the blues. The...
FA Coaching Badges Explained: How to Become a Football Coach
FA coaching badges are the way to go if you’re looking to become a qualified football coach. The FA provide a series of courses that deliver the guidance and knowledge to transition from an average football fan to a qualified football coach. In short, FA coaching...
Reduced Thinking Time
Be sure to have a good ball supply. Reduce the size of the grid throughout to challenge the players decision making. Play this for 2 minutes periods. 7 blues aim to retain possession. Limiting players to one or two touch really tests the brain. Give a point for x...
Intense Pressure
Part 1 All blues and whites are restricted to their zones. They yellow joker can go wherever they like. Try to limit the touches as in one or two for them. The blues and whites must play off one or three touch. One touch will be a challenge its self. If one touch is...
Effective Warm Up: A guide for footballers & coaches
Effective Warm Up – A guide for footballers & coaches A warm up is a vital part of football preparation. At the elite level of football, the warm up protocol continues to evolve. A few minutes of stretching and touches on the ball is no longer considered...
The FA launches ‘Player to Coach’ scheme
Towards the end of last year (2016), the FA offered to assist selected ex-players with their UEFA A and Pro Licenses as a path into managing and coaching. Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole among others were all been contacted by the FA but...
Rondos Part 2: Different Style Rondos
Adjust the area to meet your desired outcomes. 3 equal teams if possible, adjust if needed. Deploy the defending team in the centre circle. The diagram shows the blues 4v2 against the whites. The blues must complete 8 passes before passing to either of the yellows in...
Rondos Part 1
Deploy three players in the middle of the centre circle with the rest of the team/squad around the outside. Players on the outside play off one touch. The three players in the middle try to regain the ball. If successful they join the outside players. The player who...
Crossing and Finishing
The ball starts centrally. The players work the ball one side and then to the other. This can be done either directly or by linking. There are many combinations. Once the ball has been switched the three players involved in the process run to the box to finish for...
Blocking Crosses and Shots
Be sure to have a good ball supply. You can find our range of footballs here. The first ball is played out wide which creates a 1 v 1 situation. The yellow player stays in his zone and the blue player cannot cross the line. Progress to allowing complete freedom....
How to Become a Football Scout
How do you become a football scout? What are the steps needed to go from regular fan to professional scout? How many of us can answer these questions? In fact, how many people would even know where to begin researching to find out those answers? Our article aims...
Are China a clear and present danger to the Premier League?
To anyone who dismissed the Chinese Super League as second-rate and nowhere near good enough to affect football on a global scale…you’re not laughing now are you? It’s taken a little while for things to really take off in China but any club that can afford to spend...
The rise, fall and rise again of David Luiz
As David Luiz sent a 30-year pile driver into the Liverpool net, it emphasised his revitalisation back at Chelsea this season. The sharp collective intake of breath in West London when it was announced the fun-loving Brazilian would be returning was profound. Had...
The myth of loyalty in modern football
There has been a lot of talk about footballers moving for money, player power and if the lack of player loyalty is ruining football. But when it comes to player loyalty, who should they be loyal to? The owner? The manager? Team mates? The fans? The club? The contract?...
An in-depth look into player power
Dimitri Payet has recently secured his ‘want away’ move to Marseille, which will see West Ham United pocket £25 million. The process is usually simple, a club make a bid for the player, the selling club fight to secure the best possible transfer fee and the player...