Don’t just dig out your boot bag the day before training is due to start and polish your boots… there’s more to getting ready for the new season than that. Do you need to shed some holiday baggage or get your legs pumping again? Whatever your needs you can map out your pre-season fitness blueprint for you and your players.
Getting, and staying, fit for the first part of the new season is vital to a successful coaching strategy. If your players are not fit enough to play the way you want it will be a pointless beginning to your campaign. You need fun games, lots of touches and plenty of running around.
Start with Sprint to it, a running game that will have your players panting for breath but enjoying racing each other to get to the ball.
Another great session for individual work is the Agility Square. It’s a high tempo game that will wake up brains and give muscles a work out.
I also like to use sessions based purely on fitness work without a ball so that players can push themselves without having to think about moving the ball. The Fast footwork fitness test is one I use when preparing my teams for the tough season ahead. It doesn’t need a ball but has an element of competition that makes it fun for the players. I also find The Flower is a good option for individual fitness.
For a team work out I like to use games that work on fitness and also have a tactical element to them. Three ball pressure is a great session for getting players to press at high tempo, creating a game based on the tactic of winning the ball back wherever it is on the pitch.
And finally use 4-player pre-season support for a game that combines all the elements of individual and team play at a high tempo.
Increasing the sprinting speed of your team will have them reaching the ball faster than their opponents all over the field and can change the outcome of a match. MORE
Getting players back to fitness after a lazy summer is an important part of any pre-season checklist. This fun speed and agility exercise is great for developing quick footwork, acceleration and speed. MORE
This training session is designed to develop your players’ facility for intensive endurance. This could give you the advantage you need to win more matches. MORE
This is all about teamwork and teammates using the ball or stopping opponents from winning it. Press hard and the defenders will win the three balls in the fastest time MORE
Use this fast-paced training game to get two centre midfielders and a defensive midfielder moving quickly into positions to support each other, just like they would in a match. MORE
Your players have made it to week 4 with the first whistle of the new season not far away. But before it blows you've got one final week to get your players through so they are ready and focused for that first match of the season. MORE
Organising your team's defence is vital to having a successful season. So how do you go about getting your team to stop the opposition scoring goals?
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The basics have been taken care of with 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 on the pitch. MORE
The second week of pre-season is a lot more than just shaking off the cobwebs. Now it's the real thing! Some of your players may not be ready to move up the gears so it is up to you to motivate them using the activities and advice in the Soccer Coach Weekly Pre-season Guide. MORE
You don't have to be on a football pitch to start your pre-season – players and coaches alike can be a bit creative at the beach and set themselves some targets for the holidays. So put sunbathing on hold get yourself in shape for the coming season! MORE
Set pieces are a vital part of your match day experience... often they present your team with a good chance to score a goal, and they are the key link to restarting the game when the ball goes out of play. They deserve to be practised! MORE
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