Young players can often get bored by fitness exercises, they just want to play.
So keep their interest high when they come to training by giving a game from Michael Beale’s 64 Small-Sided Soccer Games manual. The games are a great way of giving your players a good workout.
Try this one at your next session:
Two teams of four players, one goal, one keeper and a large number of balls.
Pairs of players take turns at attacking in a 2v2 situation and then immediately defending a 2v2 situation.
Play the game continuously for a set time period or until a set number of goals is scored.
This is a great session for getting attackers to be open to the pitch and it will help your striker learn when to shoot and when to tee up a team-mate MORE
If you want your players to outfox the opposition defence by creating goals, this game will provide plenty of opportunities to make clever passes and set up play around the goal area MORE
Youth players will often make a pass into the final third but do not support the pass by running into the penalty area. This session encourages movement to get into dangerous attacking positions. MORE
This game improves quick attacking and combination play. The attackers must break forward in order to use the extra player and create a chance to score. MORE
Running with the ball isn't just about going in one direction at one speed, players need to turn and accelerate, knock the ball into space and follow it, and pass on the run. MORE
This unopposed session gets attackers scoring with balls coming in from the wings. All players get balls played hard and low onto both feet as they attack at either end of the pitch. It includes build up play for a thorough attacking work out. MORE
