Staying on the ball – Practice
Allow your players to develop confidence and technique in this three-part session. By HANNAH DUNCAN MORE
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.
Receiving loud and clear – Practice
This three-part practice develops players’ ability to receive the ball ready to shoot. By STEVE OAKES MORE
Staying in control – Practice
Challenge your players’ first touch with this variable and opposed session. By STUART BLAKE MORE
Staying in control – Small-Sided Game
in Ball Control and Footwork, Small Sided Games
Challenge your players’ first touch with this variable and opposed session. By STUART BLAKE MORE
Staying in control – Warm Up
in Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups
Challenge your players' first touch with this variable and opposed session. By STUART BLAKE MORE
When to dribble or pass
in Ball Control and Footwork, Passing
This foundation-phase game allows players to develop both passing and dribbling skills. By MARK SNELL MORE
The shield
in Advanced Skills, Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans
This session is crucial to develop a competitive edge in your players. Learning how to challenge for the ball and shield it from an opponent is a vital part of a player’s development as it has big relevance in real games. MORE
Coping with pressure
in Ball Control and Footwork, Core Skills, Practice plans
Players can find the game mentally tiring and it is important they retain their composure. This session will help them pass and receive the ball when the opposition puts them under intense pressure. MORE
Controlling balls in the air
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
I was talking to a coach this week about how to control balls in the air, especially when heading the ball in training is off the menu for most clubs. I imagine that there will be much more of a contest to win the ball with a volley once it has dropped from head height. So how do you coach controlling balls in the air? MORE
Turn and score
in Ball Control and Footwork, Shooting
When the route to goal is blocked players need to be able to turn into space and go a different way to find a route to goal. MORE
Skills corridor
This session aims to bring an individual skill into a game context. Skills usually happen as players run with the ball and meet an opponent. Getting players to use the skill unopposed is key to the session. MORE
Midfield build up and finish
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
At the weekend I witnessed one of the best goals in the Premier League this season. It came from midfield for Tottenham against fierce north London rivals Arsenal. An example of how individual skills in your midfield can create unexpected goals MORE
1v1 skills to beat the goalkeeper
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
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
Fast feet and shoot
in Ball Control and Footwork, Shooting
An individual session to get young players to unleash shots at goal when they are on the run. Good for coordination and balance with some ball control and of course shooting. MORE
Alligator rivers
in Ball Control and Footwork, Elite Soccer, Fun soccer games
This session helps players brush up on their passing, their runs off the ball, dribbling and close range finishing... oh and they have to avoid the alligators in the river. MORE
The art of the keepy uppy
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
Create better crossers
in Ball Control and Footwork, Crossing
Good crosses are a key weapon in any teams attacking armoury. Here players are encouraged to attack through wingers who cross the ball first time MORE
Creative play around the penalty area
in Ball Control and Footwork, Shooting
One of the options your attacking players have when they approach the penalty area, be it a winger, wingback or number 10, is to go it alone into the box to get past the defenders. MORE
The dribble: how and why we coach it
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
I was out walking on the local golf course where I live this week and in the distance I saw a child running from what seemed miles away at top speed. As the child got closer I realised that it was someone dribbling a ball. Of course on the fairways it was like being at Wembley on a well cared for football pitch! It was great to see a child enjoying dribbling a ball, chipping over the bunkers and swerving around the patches of heather that catch out an unwary golfer. MORE
Turn at training… or at home
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
Turning with the ball has always been a skill that draws names from the great players through the ages – think of the Cruff turn or Zidane spin turn. It used to make me wonder how players like Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane or Johan Cruyff could turn their opponents inside out, game after game – I now know it needs practice and from a young age. MORE
The one show
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
Use this game and it will develop the ability of your players to use dribbling skills to win one-on-one situations. Individual skills develop players so they can keep the ball when facing an opponent. MORE
Running with the ball
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
Train your players to run at opposition defenders with the ball, making it difficult for the defenders to either tackle or turn and chase. MORE
Penalty area decisions
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
This session is all about making decisions in the penalty area, communicating with a team-mate and using both feet to score. It gives all players an understanding of winning 1v1s in important areas and helps them to learn where to run to receive the ball in dangerous areas. MORE
How to coach 1v1s six ways
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
I came back from a game on Saturday feeling a bit low – my Under 10s who were unbeaten this season lost a game 5-1. We played well but as the game wore on the opposition began to win the important challenges especially the 1v1s. So they will be part of my training session tonight MORE
