I know that when I get my team back in training one of the first games we will play will be a series of Rondos. They are food and drink to my players and they cannot wait to get back to them.
This week I will start to prepare my players for the Rondo games by showing them a video clip in our next Zoom meeting. Rondos are really good for getting players back into passing and receiving. The challenge is also to keep the ball from the pressing players. My players will all be watching the video Rondos: Six player position games. All the games are for 7 players.
By getting them to watch the Rondos being played it will show them how to move and how to press in the different scenarios that will unfold when I show them the video. You can show your players too by putting the video onto a Zoom chat and talking it through with them.
Try the sessions below if you are playing non-contact games so cannot play the Rondos.
Non-contact passing for 5 players Passing sequences are fun ways to get your team used to linking play and using the ball with good direction and weight. You can see a sequence like this put to good use when coaching playing out from the back, counter-attacking and midfield play. It requires practice in technique and skill.
In the second session, if you want your team to have more creative options in the final third, use Non-contact support patterns to encourage players to support team-mates and improve first-touch and accurate passing.
A non-contact game that keeps players apart. If you want your team to have more creative options in the final third, use this session to encourage players to support team-mates and improve first-touch and accurate passing. MORE
This session fits in with the latest advice regarding returning to play. Passing sequences are fun ways to get your team used to linking play and using the ball with good direction and weight. MORE
In this podcast Dave Clarke talks to Bill Stara about educating coaches to get the best out of them and out of the kids they coach. He says: "Once kids understand you're primarily there for them to be successful they'll give you the world." MORE
I was asked this week "how do I coach the false 9?". The false 9 is very much back in fashion as we can see lots of teams have gone back to playing 4-3-3 where the attacking players can switch positions in the attacking third of the pitch. MORE
At last an end is in sight to the sitting at home and meeting my team on Zoom twice a week. But what can I do with my players? There are no guidelines yet so I am waiting to see how this will all pan out. I know what to expect from my players, they will just want to play a game, score goals, make saves, cheer with each other, shout at each other and just generally get back to a normal world of all things football. MORE
Everyone finds it exciting when a player goes through 1 on 1 against the goalkeeper... if it's your attacker you are on the edge thinking this is it a goal, but if your team is defending you are looking for your goalkeeper to smother the shot. Attackers should score but often they will not due to a number of reasons like taking too long to shoot, missing the target, hitting the keeper with a shot and even slipping over. MORE
When you hear mentor's talking about getting your coaching point across to get the best out of your players, one of the ways to ensure all your players are tuning into your coaching is to use small-sided games. In these games you get a much clearer picture of which players are picking up on the coaching points you have been making. MORE
I keep fit pretty much all year round due to being outside coaching most of the time. And with the enforced lay off in the UK due to the coronavirus pandemic I've been keeping myself fit in other ways. However, being fit and having muscles ready to play sport is on a different planet. MORE
It is not easy coaching in a pandemic. But one thing I know my players like doing is to give them a task to do which involves watching a match on TV. Say it's Charlie who plays left wingback ... he's a Chelsea fan so his task is to watch Ben Chilwell and give good things or bad things that happen when he is defending. The players love it! MORE
