Ball Control and Footwork

These soccer drills will give your players “Mastery of the Ball”. It is your first duty as a coach to give your players the soccer skills to be effective players. Ball control is the key to that. It’s about being comfortable on the ball, instant control, able to change feet, and move the ball where you want.

Shake off and pass

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

This session is ideal for getting players to practise shaking off defenders in tight areas and creating room to execute the next technique – in this case a pass. MORE

Shake off the marker

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Players often get frustrated when closely marked as they do not have the luxury of time and space to perform their skills. This session shows your players how to shake off a marker and create space to receive a pass. This will give them time to execute their next skill, whether it is a pass, shot or dribble. MORE

Six of the best 1v1s

in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters

This is a great time of year to go through some 1v1s with your players... even though training has ended you can still get some of the players to turn up for an added value session working on the individual. MORE

Dribble and change direction

in Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups

This is a great warm-up to get your players ready for a match or training session. Running with the ball under control, changing direction and passing MORE

Technical development

in Ball Control and Footwork, Small Sided Games

Every young player in your team needs to feel comfortable to have the ball at his feet all the time - especially in tight areas of the pitch. The final part gives ownership of the session to the players. MORE

Right foot, left foot… why not both feet?

in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters

I'm not bragging when I tell you my Under 9 team scores lots of goals – they do but that's down to their hard work on the training pitch. And that is not to say they are all perfectly formed with a good shot on the player's favoured foot. My players use both feet... sometimes just to guide the ball into the net with their less favoured foot MORE

Go it alone

in Ball Control and Footwork, Soccer dribbling drills

If you want your players to beat defenders with style, run this session. Getting young players to dribble and beat their opponent in 1v1 situations is vital to getting behind the opposition defence and creating goalscoring chances. MORE

Shielding the ball

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Watch your players’ confidence soar when they realise they can keep control of the ball for longer by using their bodies as a shield to protect the ball. MORE

Showboating

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Players should be encouraged to express themselves in practice. This will improve their confidence in matches and they are more likely to try out some skills. You should inspire your players by asking them to play in the “showboating” role of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. MORE

Why you should coach ball skills

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

One man army

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Improve your players’ close control skills with these easy-to-set-up drills which place the emphasis on the individual. Each player can become a “one man army” if he can keep the ball away from opponents. MORE

First touch to stop losing the ball

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

Play fast combinations like Manchester City

in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters

In the Champions League Manchester City are explosive. When they play well it is as if they up their passing game so it is played quickly and the skill and technique are heightened. Want to play like them? Read on... MORE

Support patterns

in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork

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

Reception class

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Receiving the ball is more than just a case of simply controlling it when it reaches a player. He has to make sure the first touch is into space so it gives him time to make the next decision, whether that be a pass, shot or dribble. MORE

Blast from the pass

in Ball Control and Footwork, Passing

Fast passing games help teams to keep the ball when they play in matches. This unopposed game helps develop first touch, movement and accuracy. Great session to get teams passing the ball with speed. MORE

Create better dribblers

in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters, Soccer dribbling drills

Dribbling is the key to unlocking an opponents defence creating space to score goals either by crossing to a team mate or shooting themselves. Beating a man with a quick drop of the shoulder or with tight control is fantastic to watch not only with the top players but also with your own players – but the skill takes practice. MORE

Silky skills to hit the net

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Improving your players’ ability to use a skill, show disguise or combine quickly with a team mate in and around the penalty area can be crucial to the final result of a game. MORE

Skills win games – so let them make mistakes

in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters

It's the bit we all love to see over and over again. A great player gets nutmegged or left behind when the ball is swiftly moved from one foot to the other. Attacking excitement is built on this kind of play – but do you allow your players time to master the skill? MORE

The drag push drill

in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork

The ability to dominate opponents in 1v1s is a match-winning tool for players to bring to the team. It is something that can enhance every side, giving them their own Ronaldo or Messi. MORE

The drag push skill

in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork

This is a great skill to use anywhere players are involved in an attacking 1v1. MORE

The Gauntlet

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

These fun, competitive drills will help players develop their close control and dribbling, before “running The Gauntlet” at the end. MORE

Why bother with skills?

in Ball Control and Footwork, Blog

One thing I find useful about working indoors is the development of a player’s 1v1 skills. I had interesting conversation about the use of 1v1s this week and it caused me to stop and think about how and why I was coaching this skill. MORE

Simple rondo

in Ball Control and Footwork, Rondos

This is a great session to warm up your players through a high intensity possession-based skills practice, with players developing the technical aspects of their game that can be used in high-pressure match scenarios. MORE