Interesting piece from a disgruntled dad in The Guardian.
I'd like to think that we always put development before results at Wadhurst.
I was surprised to hear a coach at a recent away game exhorting his defenders to 'clear their lines' and 'get rid'.
His team beat our boys pretty convincingly but I think that sort of approach is too high a price for a win.
Thursday 10 February 2011
Thursday 13 January 2011
Notes from the FA Future game conference - December 2010 - Wembley
By Andrew Wheatley
This is the current view of English Football as described by various dignitaries within the top tier of the FA, notable Fabio Capello, Stuart Pearce, Sam Allardyce, John Peacock, Eric Harrison and Alistair Smith.
The FA highlighted that our national team struggles at senior level and believe this is due to the lack of depth of good technical players at 16 years old.
Big clubs therefore do not have the incentive to develop English players when technically superior players are available from abroad.
The problem starts early in the player’s career. Several speakers highlighted players need to be technically competent by the age of 11 so they are ready to move into academy coaching.
Moving further down the chain coaches working at grassroots level with players between ages 5-11 are critical to produce the future National team.
The emphasis for these grassroots coaches is to change the focus and content of the training so as to maximise the players’ development.
Say goodbye to the ‘win at all cost’ approach.
So how do we achieve this?
There are 3 key factors: ENVIRONMENT – PLAYERS - COACHES
The Environment –
If the environment and social interaction is good it naturally helps the players to be confident, enthusiastic and enjoy their football.
Coaches and clubs need to create a ‘secure positive learning environment.’
This would be an environment where players can:
• Have ownership of their football experience.
• Learn at their pace.
• Be free to try things out.
• Be free of pressure from coaches, parents or peers.
• Be safe.
• Have fun playing football at their level.
Many players drop out of football too early because of low motivation so if the environment is right it should make the players want to come back and stay in football.
The following formula shows how to manage the motivation of players.
Motivation = opportunity + expectancy x value
Opportunity – If players believe they have no chance to get in the team or improve their motivation drops.
Expectancy – how confident do the players perceive they will do and how well do the parents believe they will do?
Value – How important is this to the player/parent?
Often it is a case of managing the parents’ expectations that determine the motivation and happiness of the players.
The Players –
Players have to be TECHNICALLY COMPETENT, INNOVATIVE and have EXCEPTIONAL DECISION-MAKING SKILLS.
Many of these qualities are encompassed by their AWARENESS.
Awareness to get into space.
Awareness in possession to make an effective pass.
Encourage players to:
• Compete
• Show composure
• Have concentration throughout their training and matches.
• Be comfortable in possession.
• Have patience developing the play.
• Understand when it’s appropriate to penetrate the opposition.
Set players a realistic short term and long term goal to gauge their progress.
Try not to let the players focus on match results or goals scored.
Players develop physically and mentally at different rates and it’s about making each player have the best technical ability possible.
In theory the results should follow.
The Coaches –
It’s our role to make the players the best they can be.
We need to focus the training to be centred around the players.
Players are individuals and each one will require different input.
Analyse where the problems lie and deal with them accordingly.
Developing the players
There are two main views of professional managers.
Either coach the weaknesses in players to make them more rounded or coach the player’s strengths to make them the best they can be.
Develop players to be robust, mentally and physically strong.
Build progression and challenges to stretch the players. Take them to the edge of their comfort zone.
Praise for progress, don’t praise for perfection. This encourages players to grow and try harder and reduces the ego massaging of fixed target praise.
Developing ourselves
As Coaches we should try to improve by:
• Stop collecting sessions – principles of play precede practices.
• Stop copying others – find your own way.
• Avoiding command and control coaching.
• Not cutting corners – There’s no replacement for hours on the training ground.
• Developing yourself with purpose and a plan.
• Getting a mentor to help guide and reflect on your journey.
• Questioning the effectiveness and value of your sessions.
• Balancing experiences with formal learning.
• Applying what you’ve learnt in different contexts
Summary
We have a fabulous opportunity and the responsibility to apply this wisdom to the players, other coaches and everyone connected to football and guide the development of our national game to a healthier place.
It is a team game!
This is the current view of English Football as described by various dignitaries within the top tier of the FA, notable Fabio Capello, Stuart Pearce, Sam Allardyce, John Peacock, Eric Harrison and Alistair Smith.
The FA highlighted that our national team struggles at senior level and believe this is due to the lack of depth of good technical players at 16 years old.
Big clubs therefore do not have the incentive to develop English players when technically superior players are available from abroad.
The problem starts early in the player’s career. Several speakers highlighted players need to be technically competent by the age of 11 so they are ready to move into academy coaching.
Moving further down the chain coaches working at grassroots level with players between ages 5-11 are critical to produce the future National team.
The emphasis for these grassroots coaches is to change the focus and content of the training so as to maximise the players’ development.
Say goodbye to the ‘win at all cost’ approach.
So how do we achieve this?
There are 3 key factors: ENVIRONMENT – PLAYERS - COACHES
The Environment –
If the environment and social interaction is good it naturally helps the players to be confident, enthusiastic and enjoy their football.
Coaches and clubs need to create a ‘secure positive learning environment.’
This would be an environment where players can:
• Have ownership of their football experience.
• Learn at their pace.
• Be free to try things out.
• Be free of pressure from coaches, parents or peers.
• Be safe.
• Have fun playing football at their level.
Many players drop out of football too early because of low motivation so if the environment is right it should make the players want to come back and stay in football.
The following formula shows how to manage the motivation of players.
Motivation = opportunity + expectancy x value
Opportunity – If players believe they have no chance to get in the team or improve their motivation drops.
Expectancy – how confident do the players perceive they will do and how well do the parents believe they will do?
Value – How important is this to the player/parent?
Often it is a case of managing the parents’ expectations that determine the motivation and happiness of the players.
The Players –
Players have to be TECHNICALLY COMPETENT, INNOVATIVE and have EXCEPTIONAL DECISION-MAKING SKILLS.
Many of these qualities are encompassed by their AWARENESS.
Awareness to get into space.
Awareness in possession to make an effective pass.
Encourage players to:
• Compete
• Show composure
• Have concentration throughout their training and matches.
• Be comfortable in possession.
• Have patience developing the play.
• Understand when it’s appropriate to penetrate the opposition.
Set players a realistic short term and long term goal to gauge their progress.
Try not to let the players focus on match results or goals scored.
Players develop physically and mentally at different rates and it’s about making each player have the best technical ability possible.
In theory the results should follow.
The Coaches –
It’s our role to make the players the best they can be.
We need to focus the training to be centred around the players.
Players are individuals and each one will require different input.
Analyse where the problems lie and deal with them accordingly.
Developing the players
There are two main views of professional managers.
Either coach the weaknesses in players to make them more rounded or coach the player’s strengths to make them the best they can be.
Develop players to be robust, mentally and physically strong.
Build progression and challenges to stretch the players. Take them to the edge of their comfort zone.
Praise for progress, don’t praise for perfection. This encourages players to grow and try harder and reduces the ego massaging of fixed target praise.
Developing ourselves
As Coaches we should try to improve by:
• Stop collecting sessions – principles of play precede practices.
• Stop copying others – find your own way.
• Avoiding command and control coaching.
• Not cutting corners – There’s no replacement for hours on the training ground.
• Developing yourself with purpose and a plan.
• Getting a mentor to help guide and reflect on your journey.
• Questioning the effectiveness and value of your sessions.
• Balancing experiences with formal learning.
• Applying what you’ve learnt in different contexts
Summary
We have a fabulous opportunity and the responsibility to apply this wisdom to the players, other coaches and everyone connected to football and guide the development of our national game to a healthier place.
It is a team game!
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