Being a soccer coach means more than knowing how to execute a particular soccer skill, run a soccer drill, or set up a formation. The soccer coaching advice in this section highlights the important issues facing coaches and shows you how to approach them to become a better coach. These articles look at issues such as playing against sides that cheat, coping with problem players, getting a winning mentality and much more.
We had a meeting this week at my club, where we were discussing the changes we face in a few months time. My U10s team goes from 7v7 into 9v9 and that means we are facing offside decisions. So how does a coach go about preparing for that? MORE
As coaches we are all obsessed with keeping possession of the ball... of course we are the best teams all do it and if you've got the ball the opposition can't score. And there is just that other coach called Pep Guardiola who swears by it... MORE
Fast is a word I like to use when my teams are attacking. Do it with speed and watch the opposition shrink away from it. It makes life difficult for your opponents and helps your team to dominate when in possession of the ball. MORE
The season has suddenly taken off again after 4 months of Coronavirus lockdown. I've been coaching for 14 hours for the last two weeks in an attempt to get the players back into some kind of shape for playing matches. It has its benefits but also it has a downside. Two of my players picked up injuries, one an ankle injury and the other had what he called "tired legs". Find out how we got on... MORE
Players need to be able to create space to either play forward or switch play. It helps them to set up positive attacking options. Moving the ball quickly with both long and short passes gives teams the chance to create 1v1 situations or overloads which are key situations for exploiting the opposition. Knowing when to... MORE
I've watched every game that Leeds United have played under Marcelo Bielsa in the Premier League this season, and boy is it fast! It is a game played with fluidity right across the pitch at speed – crosses fly into the penalty area. And if you lose the ball to them they counter attack in an instant, a great tactic for youth teams. MORE
in Practice plans, Team Management
When trying to pressure opponents, it’s important that players don’t work alone as they will be outnumbered and simply played around. The key to regaining the ball quickly is for players to work together and hunt aggressively in small groups. MORE
An extract from Peter Prickett's latest book Soccer's Principles of Play. In this part of the book Peter explores positive and negative transition and counter attacking and counter pressing as principles of play MORE
It is important to coach supporting attacking players and wide players to make runs into the penalty area when teams are on the attack that defenders miss leaving them free to receive and score goals. MORE
in Email newsletters, Team Management
Rangers have won their 55th Scottish Premiership title and my congratulations go out to the Head Coach and mastermind of their win Michael Beale. I met Michael way back when he was a coach at the Chelsea Youth Academy in Cobham. We used to meet up and he’d give me sessions to use in Soccer Coach Weekly and that led to him writing a number of youth coaching books for Soccer Coach Weekly. 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
Out of possession teams can control the game by forcing play into areas of the pitch that are easier to control. With positional play opponents can be forced into areas that are less dangerous to the defending team MORE
in Attacking, Defending, Tactics
Transitions are a vital part of match play - players must react quickly to winning or losing the ball because in these instances games are won or lost. It is vital that as soon as the ball is won or lost teams react instantly. An attacking team that has lost the ball must work hard to immediately win it back and a team that has won the ball must attack at pace. MORE
This session helps teams turn defence into attack as quickly as possible, creating temporary overloads. MORE
Possession is key with players tactically keeping position in the midfield focal point of the pitch. Movement is key to keeping the ball and fast breaks will result. MORE
in Email newsletters, Fitness and Diet, Warm Ups
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
in Email newsletters, Set pieces
Perfect set pieces can be a thing of beauty... but they can also spell disaster. Think of how many times you see a free kick sail over the bar or a corner put your team from attacking to defending a counter attack. Dead ball situations are an individual skill from the player taking the set piece but also they encompass a whole team working to take advantage of the situation. MORE
When you play with two up front you need to get them to work together to hunt down the ball and communicate like twins MORE
in Email newsletters, Fitness and Diet
During lockdown or anytime you find you cannot get your team to training for a period of time you should make sure they are doing things to keep fit. They need things that they will find are fun and things that they will want to do because it is a competition. Without matches they are missing that competitive edge and that will add to their boredom when they cannot get out and play. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Blog
This week during lockdown we’ve set up a league at our club where boys in age groups challenge each other to beat the keepy uppy record – keeping the ball in the air with different parts of the body but mainly the foot. It helps to get them to try to do as many as possible because they want to win the league. MORE
in Email newsletters, Team Management
How you use your players in matches is a key part of your game model – and with many clubs in lockdown and training going online it is a great time to review your game time policy. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
Where I coach in the UK the youth game has been put on hold – we cannot train and we cannot play matches. How long that will last for is not entirely clear but it does mean that I am putting my coaching on hold. MORE
in Email newsletters, Tips and advice
At the United Soccer Coaches Digital Convention yesterday I was in the presentation by Dan Abrahams on performance of your team with well being in mind. He explored three environmental approaches and combines them to help you establish a healthy and safe coaching environment for players of all ages and levels. MORE
in Blog, Psychology
Having weeks without coaching is always annoying and makes me want to get out on the pitch more than ever. I’ve taken to going to the local rec near me with my son and my dog and working out some passing moves. MORE
