Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 134

It can feel as though there are a million different things to plan and manage in a training session, and incorporating the goalkeeper can be one of the easiest things to neglect. 

This week, James Mayley looks at what we need to think about when designing goalkeeper-specific practices.

He offers a really useful framework to help us when we are putting our sessions together. 

Elsewhere, we have some thoughts on how we can make sure we support our players as we get further into the festive period. 

We often assume that youngsters will be excited at this time of year but that isn't always the case and we should consider some of the challenges they may be facing, be it anxiety at home or feeling peer pressure. 

In terms of practices, we share one that should get your players combining to score, while Phil Neiland presents a three-part session, designed for older players, looking at the techniques, principles and tactics of defending as a unit to win the ball in wide areas.