Fast Soccer - think about it.

EDIT: Many links to previous articles in today's writing. Still more links in the linked articles. All are related yet each presents the general theme differently. Don't just blow the links off. Take a few minutes to read each. You will not regret that choice!

Have you ever see a coach have a player race a predetermined distance against a kicked soccer ball? This is a fairly well known demonstration to drive home the idea of allowing the ball to do the work whenever possible.  Simply put, the ball can be moved faster via passing than it can be by dribbling. The late great Johan Cruyff puts a slightly different take on it placing emphasis on the brain, or thinking the game.

Ballwatchingitis is a term I learned from Graham Ramsay. The idea is very much the same. If the focus is on the ball, the game becomes small and slow. If the players vision are on the game, it allows for the  pace of play to become much faster. Playing quickly is all about allowing the ball to do the work for you.  Universally recognized as one of the the games all-time greats Cruyff also stated Soccer is a game played with the brain! 

As you can see, I have written much on the idea of pace of play being more about brain power than physical speed. I believe the winner of of most games is the team that best thinks the game.  Many problems encountered in a match are self-inflicted by players upon their teams due to a lack of thought behind an action ... or inaction. Decision making is the key factor in many games. It is usually the difference maker between teams.  Therefore, practicing decision making skills should be a major emphasis in training, correct?

Failing to Prepare Properly is Preparing to Fail is another of my favorite quotes. Proper preparation is a key to increasing the pace of play. Properly preparing to play the ball is simply another way to emphasize using the brain to increase pace of play. This too can be practiced and trained for.

These ideas are all part of what we seek to present in our team camps, clinics and symposiums. I would suggest these do not only apply to players - coaches need to think the game as well.  We need to properly prepare training sessions so they bring about the results, the style of play, we envision for our team. Selecting the correct activities to bring out the desired play is a talent we must learn, develop and grow if we expect our players to continue their own progress in the process. It can be good for coaches to review their own process now and again.

Obviously, I have linked to many articles today.  I wished to emphasize the importance I place on today's topics.  After watching the US U23's struggle and ultimately fail to qualify for the Olympics yet again it is clear we must change our developmental model in this country. We must find a way to recognize the value of the brain in the game being greater than pure physical gifts.  Direct play kick and run soccer cannot be the main staple of play at the upper levels of the game, It simply cannot be and this has been proven time and again. We need to teach our players to THINK the GAME!

Increasing Speed of Thought

is how to increase

Speed of Play

  

Take Standard Training Exercises and Repurpose them.

I have been reviewing video from past NSCAA convention sessions looking for different ideas.  One thing I have noticed is many of the clinicians use generally accepted exercises or drills for their demonstrations. I have no problem with this. In fact, when addressing a coaching audience at a coaching clinic it can be good to utilize activities most might be familiar with to build a foundation from which you can teach to explore other options.

This morning I reviewed a session on Speed of Play and Speed of Thought presented by Ian Barker from the 2014 NSCAA convention.  Far be it for me to criticize an established talent like Ian Barker. He presented a solid session working through a progression of activities focusing on combinations and patterns to increase speed of play. In approximately 50 minutes there was marked improvement in the demonstration team.

Now, 50 minutes is a limited amount of time. It would not be realistic to expect every aspect of Pace of Play to be covered in the allotted time.  That said, the one thought that kept running through my mind while watching this session is "if all we ever do, is all we've ever done. All we'll ever be is what we've always been."  I had been using the same progression of activities with teams for well over a decade.  It wasn't until I modified the activities and more importantly the points of emphasis within the activities that my teams made real progress with pace of play.

As you watch the video look for opportunities to make some of the following coaching points or points of emphasis.

1) Know your next play before your first touch on the ball.

* This involves preparing to play the ball.
     Off the ball movement
     Properly positioning the body to receive the ball
     First touch being in the direction of your play or even being your play.

2)  Receive across the body whenever possible so the hips remain open to the field and you have options for play.

3)  Intentionally engage a defender as the ball carrier to create numbers up situations to exploit.

4) Efficiency and Economy of touches.

5) Ball movement is predicated on player movement.

*  Intentional movement to
     Create space for a teammate
     Into space created by a teammate
     To intentionally and purposefully move one or more defenders.

6) Know and utilize the Cues for Combination Passing

7)  Possession is not about moving the ball. Possession is about moving opponents so the ball may be moved more easily. We call it manipulating a defender or the defense.

8) Effective Communication.  Clear and concise.  Give a pass, Give information.  Be your teammates eyes when his are focused on the ball.

 9) If a teammate is under pressure move towards him to get in his vision and do so at appropriate angles for making / receiving a pass.

10) If a teammate is not under pressure clear the space around him so he make select a defender to engage OR better yet, clear the space around your teammate to intentionally isolate a defender to be engaged by positioning yourself to begin a combination passing sequence.

These are but 10 areas not (specifically) emphasized in the video presentation linked above.  It might be taken for granted that players already possess these tools in their tool belts, but in watching the video we see that is not necessarily so.  We often refer to items like the 10 listed above as the details of the process.  And it is important to remember that success is found in the smallest of details. 

Want to learn more?  Search this sight for any of the key phrases listed above OR if you want to see this in action, contact us a 567-204-6083 or tbrown@wcoil.com and make arrangements for us to come do a camp for you and your team.  Thanks for reading!