EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FOR GRASSROOTS SOCCER COACHES
This is a great skill for attacking the penalty area with defenders alongside or in front and a change of direction is needed. Think Eden Hazard at Chelsea. Watch the video and get your players to practise the skill using the session VITAL SKILLS – THE HOOK TURN
With practice this is a fairly easy skill and a very good one for young players to have. The difficulty is in coordinating the hook and the turn – a light flick makes for a faster turn.
The Hook Turn works really well when players are in the final third of the pitch attacking the penalty area, or when they are boxed in on the wing and want to change direction away from the sidelines.
When the player wants to shake off a defender he fakes to strike, then hooks the ball behind the standing leg to change direction and accelerates away. Note that this skill can be used when players are running towards the goal line or the sideline and need to turn to beat a player running alongside.
STEP 1 When a player has a defender running alongside, they keep their body between the defender and the ball.
STEP 2 Keeping a steady pace the player uses movement of the arm and firmly plants the standing leg alongside the ball.
STEP 3 The player makes a fake movement of the leg to give the impression they are going to shoot.
STEP 4 Pivoting on the standing leg the player hooks the ball behind the standing leg.
STEP 5 Shielding the ball from their opponent the player quickly changes direction, takes a touch of the ball and accelerates away.
Use this simple practice featured on the video to help your players master the art of the Hook Turn
> Players work in pairs with a ball between them.
> Facing each other they should be 10 yards apart, just like they are in the video.
> Using minimal pressure players run towards each other and the player with the ball tries the skill and they return to the end they started at.
>Swap roles after every three goes
Click here to try the HOOK TURN technique
The Hook Turn is part of Coerver Coaching’s ‘Make Your Move’ DVD
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