in Email newsletters, Team Management
Who is going to be substitute? It is a problem that affects every single coach or manager in the game at every level. How often do we see on our TV screens close ups of a Premier League player looking unhappy sitting on the bench with a whole studio of experts dumbfounded as to why he is on it. MORE
in Psychology, Team Management
Sport psychologist Dan Abrahams offers you six tips to help you and your players manage their anger… MORE
in Email newsletters, Team Management
Read the advice while you are preparing for your New Year's Eve party! Why not invite your players for a get together while they are still on school holidays so they can have a kickaround with the ball while you talk to the parents about your plans for the coming season. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
A couple of seasons ago I was asked to take over an Under 16s team that the club said were underachieving – they wanted the team to get more success than they were having. So I went along to watch them.... MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I have two players who recently came through our development squad who feel they are ready to join my team 6 months ahead of plan. It is a tricky decision as it adds to the pressure on match days when the number of subs would obviously increase. MORE
in Advanced Skills, Practice plans, Team Management
Instilling a winning mentality in your team can result in a positive outcome on your results. Doing this can help players win their 1v1 duels. The practices in this coaching plan encourage both good defending, attacking and concentration skills. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I really like the idea of the respect line that the English Football Association has recommended clubs use to keep parents and supporters at bay during youth matches. It is a line that gives parents a clear and visual guide as to where they should be standing when a match is being played. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I like to think I have educated the parents of my players so that they only shout encouraging things and respect the opposition players and parents. But sometimes they too shout things that are not helpful to the team on match days. MORE
in Blog, Team Management, Tips and advice
A massive change in the weather during the last month made me think of that old Boy Scout saying: be prepared! MORE
in Psychology, Team Management
I was in China last week and one thing I noticed was that everyone was on their mobile phone! It made me realize that sports clubs are one of the few remaining areas where kids get face to face contact and interaction with each other. MORE
in Email newsletters, Team Management
Just when I think I have seen it all another problem rears it’s ugly head on training night. I have worked with disruptive players every club I have coached at, from U7s right through to U18s but I got very frustrated this week with a new player who just wasn’t interested in training. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
It is often in the first few weeks of a season that coaches realise they have put their team into the right level of competition. MORE
in Blog, Team Management, Tips and advice
One of the toughest things about the start of any new season is all of the shenanigans that accompany it: the endless organisation and the paperwork that piles higher and higher if no one deals with it. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I’ve been out and about this pre-season watching teams getting back into the swing of the new season. The weather has been excellent and some of the work by coaches up and down the country is a testament to how committed everyone is, from mums and dads right up to the head coach. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I’ve lost count of the number of times last season that I saw the opposition had players on the bench for the whole match without getting them on the pitch at all. I hate to see this and my heart goes out to those unlucky benched souls who have been so keen all week to come along to a game and play in it, only to find that they “aren’t going to play this week”. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
There is always a big discussion about the development age of players and the difficulty for smaller players in their age groups. Smaller players are often the ones left sitting on the subs bench, not because they weren’t skilful enough but because the other kid was much bigger and so the coach preferred him. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
Turning up with a full squad when the opposition don't have enough players and what happens to a visiting coach when one of his players does something he hasn't planned on. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I won’t name names in this tale but it is something I would like you to hear about because it is one of my players who had to do everything for himself so he can get to play the sport he loves and I am very proud of him. MORE
in Pre-season, Team Management, Tips and advice
Even the most patient children have a limited attention span especially when they have just come back to training after the summer break. Here are four ways to help you combat that MORE
in Email newsletters, Team Management
There are a couple of ways you can improve on reading the opposition. The main one being to watch how they line up at kick off, work out what formation they are playing and that will give you a good idea of the way they are going to play. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
I am a great believer in positive play from the kick off, but have met resistance from the parents of players who are used to seeing a pass back into midfield scenario on the TV. MORE
in Blog, Team Management
It’s that awful time of year when clubs and players discover who is staying and who is leaving – and whether the team has enough players to keep going for the next season. MORE
in Team Management, Tips and advice
When the season comes to an end, a coach has more things to do than just say farewell to his players. Take note of my 25-point checklist before you break up for the close season MORE
in Email newsletters, Team Management
Promotion and relegation bring problems. How are you going to fare in a division above that contains teams that will give your youngsters a thrashing? On the other hand being relegated could mean going to a league in which your team wins every week. Here are my tips for surviving the end of season shake up MORE
