What I love about the Rondo is that it is a huge learning experience for the players – they need to use technique and think about where to pass, they need to be competitive and concentrate 100 per cent.
It makes Rondos ideal for training, for warm-ups, for pre-season and to get players in the mood for working hard. They are directly related to the principles of play and link into systems of play – so 2v1 3v2 – and that works into practising formations at all age groups.
Check out my five ways to use Rondos:
Start by reading my 8 tips for Rondo success which explains about using Rondos and what your players can get out of them. It’s a great way to encourage players to recreate match-like situations and solve them themselves.
Key Rondo passes is a great way of making Rondos into a game with points for different passes and passes that split the defending pair. It will really get your players working hard to score points.
Now you need to play a Rondo. One of my favourites is Final pass Rondo which works on passing vision and is linked to creative play in and around the final third of the pitch. Easy to set up, it is great fun for your players as well as being a technical challenge.
I also like to use Full squad Rondo because it is different to the kind you would use for warming up. This Rondo gets players into scoring positions and gives a good work out in shooting and scoring goals. It’s a game for older age groups as it involves 18 players but it is a fantastic work-out during training.
For good fun Rondos, I turn the basic Rondo into a game where players are moving their Rondo from square to square trying to beat their opponents who are also moving in a Rondo. Moving the ball around the circle and also moving the circle around the area takes great concentration and technique but the added competition makes Rondo decisions a great game to play
Creating a way for your team to play is an important part of your season plan. I like my teams to play a fast passing game, and I am pleased that my players like this style of play MORE
Why is it that when your team has been cruising all game the last 10 minutes sees them lose shape, control and late goals? You can often be just a goal up and disaster strikes just when the final whistle is in sight. Pressure brings its own problems but there are things you can do to stop those late goals going in. MORE
Transitions are a big part of the youth game. A ‘switched on’ team that responds quickly to a change in possession will benefit enormously by taking their opponents by surprise. MORE
in Email newsletters, Set pieces
There are a lot of set pieces in a match no matter what level or age you are playing at. So you should make sure you practice at training and get your players to set up and take the important set pieces that could be the difference between success and failure. MORE
in Attacking, Email newsletters, Psychology
One of my players loves to score goals... in fact last season when he didn't score he often cried. I've worked with him all last season and at the start of this to make him realise that setting up a goal is just as good as scoring. I'm battling the professional game here because they hold up goalscorers above anyone else but I am also helped by an unusual influence! MORE
in Email newsletters, Shooting
How many times do you see great moves that demand a goal but end up going lamely out of play because no one finished off the move? How frustrating is that! A lot of effort on the training ground and by the players on match days goes into building an attack that creates a goal scoring chance... that is why it must be finished off. MORE
