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It is an exciting time of the year for young players when they all gather together again to catch up on what has been happening since the end of last season – and a chance to get back out on the pitch. Half your players’ minds will still be on the beach or perhaps some of your players are still on the beach having a late summer holiday. Getting the team back together can be a tricky business so you can make use of Soccer Coach Weekly’s Pre-season Guide to help you get the team ready for the first matches of the season .
Fortunately young players don’t require the same level of fitness building as older players (whose diets and generally less active lifestyles tend to catch up with them over the break) but there’s still lots of important work to do.
And the chances are you’re dealing with players moving up to a new format of the game this year, so while you worry about that, why not take some of the pressure off by following our 4-week pre-season plan.
And don’t worry there’s plenty of ball-work involved.
Here’s the first in our series of pre-season training sessions that will ensure your players are in the best possible shape for the season ahead.
Our plan helps you and your team shake off the cobwebs as we assemble a targeted, up-to-date schedule that’s as easy to coach as it is great fun to participate in.
The first session back after the summer break gives everyone the chance to link up, brush off the cobwebs and get back to soccer. But the second session is, in theory, where the hard work really begins.
So having eased yourself and your players back into the swing of things, now is really the time to extend thinking, develop ideas and deliver a programme that will see your team flourish.
Pre-season training is in full swing. You’ve recapped the basics of passing, possession and fitness, and there has been plenty of small-sided game-play thrown into the mix as well. But now you want to delve down into what your players are going to produce this coming season.
The start of the season is almost upon us, and over the last three weeks, you’ll have seen your players getting into the sort of physical and mental shape that is going to guide them through the long season ahead.
The final pre-season session is all about stepping up and brushing up. You’re looking for the final pieces of the jigsaw to fall into place with your players, as they put into practice everything they’ve learnt so far.
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
I cannot stress enough what a difference it makes if you get players to practice ball skills every week at training. I spend the first 10 minutes of every session letting the players have a ball each and practice ball skills like turning, step overs, feints, left and right dribbles – it is a fantastic way to start the session and encourage players to be more effective with the ball at their feet. MORE
in Email newsletters, Tips and advice
The early weeks of the new season can be difficult to manage... just ask Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United. All those expectations can come to nothing if the team fails to play to its full potential. Use my tips to help you get your team back to winning ways MORE
Every team has players who struggle with offsides - your team may not use the offside rule now but one day it is going to drive you all crazy, so here’s the lowdown on how to attack and defend using the offside rule. MORE
in Email newsletters, Midfield
Attacking midfielders have always been great to watch... especially when I have had the benefit of a great attacking midfielder in my own team. But even if I haven't been blessed with one I can create attacking midfielders that will run the game for me. MORE
in Attacking, Email newsletters
One of the stand out features of the Premier League and the Championship in England this season has been the relation of ball possession to the number of goals scored. There's something wrong with it. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
It can be so frustrating when you put so much effort into passing and moving and getting players into great situations to attack the opposition goal and they are let down by a poor first touch and they lose the ball. MORE
