
Clever disguise
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
Help your attackers to develop their dribbling skills and encourage them to fool defenders by disguising the direction they are going to take to shoot at goal. MORE
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
Help your attackers to develop their dribbling skills and encourage them to fool defenders by disguising the direction they are going to take to shoot at goal. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
Chipping the ball is a difficult skill but one that reaps benefits if players can do it. I like to get my players to chip the ball at practice into the hands of their goalkeeper or teammates so they know how to chip over congested areas of the pitch or chip an advancing goalkeeper to score a goal. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
That old joke about a player's second touch being a tackle to try to win the ball back is not always funny. Especially if it's your players losing the ball. Watching the Premier League over the last week it is clear that a player's first touch has never been more important with fast passing and receiving the key to the best teams I have watched. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Passing
Filipe Ragel the Under 19 head coach of Marcet Academy in Barcelona shares a video of his team working on possession, pressing and creating an product by passing into one of the goals. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Core Skills, Practice plans
In the previous Smart Sessions Core Skills, we looked at long passing. Today, we show you how to teach your players how to bring those long passes under control. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Midfield
This is all about keeping hold of the ball using an overload and a triangle midfield shape. Great for getting midfielders to think about their shape and where to move to receive the ball. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
The international break is coming up and all the national team managers are out and about. Whenever I see the Wales manager Ryan Giggs I always think of that magnificent dribble in the FA Cup to beat Arsenal. He was an outstanding dribbler. MORE
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
In this session players learn to be confident on the ball through triangles, a shape at the heart of football – in both attack and defence – which is comprised of three players. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
Last night I played 5v2 for half an hour with stops to show what it was I wanted the players to do when they were either trying to play the ball or working in pairs. Players make a lot of mistakes in games like this but mistakes are one of the best ways the players can learn and understand the game. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Core Skills, Practice plans
Players should be comfortable at dealing with balls at whatever height they arrive – and that means being able to control a ball that’s too high to control with feet or thighs or too low to head. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Small Sided Games
The session is all about time on the ball and players making decisions in attack and defence. Puts skills into game context MORE
in Attacking, Ball Control and Footwork
This session is designed to help coaches look at the decision-making of the players. Can they take on the defender 1v1? Or is the right decision to keep possession by passing to a team-mate? MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Return to play
If you are social distancing please observe your local rules. This session develops a high level of skill and movement. It is good for technique and uses both feet, working on dribbling, turning, changing direction plus advanced movements of the ball. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Return to play, Soccer drills and skills
Watch the touch and ability to use all parts of the feet in tight spaces on the pitch from creative players like Eden Hazard and get your players to develop their creative side MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Return to play
Please check out the latest sport and social distancing guidelines in your area, and follow the recommendations when planning training sessions. This session helps to create a passing team capable of playing up the pitch at speed. It is easy to set up and excellent for fast feet, with players not only having to think but look to see where the spare man is. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Core Skills, Practice plans
Having players comfortable in possession, as well as being quick and accurate passers, are key elements to a winning team. “3-2-1 control and pass” improves your players’ ability to control and pass the ball at different heights and speeds. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Core Skills, Practice plans
After being coached the basic skills of receiving and controlling the ball, players should be in the habit of using a positive first touch to move the ball into space. This creates more time for them to look up and see if a team mate is available before they make their next decision. Use this session to improve your players’ first touch and spatial awareness. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups
Get brains and muscles into gear with this quick warm-up for training. It works on movement, agility and vision. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups
Use this fast-paced training game to get two centre midfielders and a defensive midfielder moving quickly into positions to support each other, just like they would in a match. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Soccer dribbling drills
Watch the video. Dribbling players can create space for their team-mates by running at the defence– but do they pass or do they shoot? This game helps players with their decision-making. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Soccer dribbling drills
The session is about is all about awareness and decision making in a crowded area where two games are going on at once. Players are taken out of their comfort zones and must create space to dribble into the shooting zone. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Soccer dribbling drills
The 1v1 duel pitches two players in a tight situation where there can only be one winner. Who has got the determination and skill to claim the ball and dribble past their opponent to score a goal? MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Core Skills, Practice plans
Sharpen up your players’ close control and improve their touch when in possession of the ball with this session that will help their “dancing feet” dazzle opponents. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Fitness and Diet
Agility ladders are great ways to get youth players getting their feet ready for ball skills, warming up ankles helping prevent injuries. Also great to use when you're on your own... MORE