Straight from the Fulham Academy training ground, this warm-up will help develop your team’s ability to use both feet and to pass accurately.
Why use it
This is a great warm up to get your players passing the ball and working in sequences and passing patterns. Using a circle is a good way to get younger players passing with both feet and more advanced players linking and thinking ahead.
Set up
Use the centre circle of an adult pitch or create a circle 20 yards in diameter. We’ve used 10 players.
How to play
Players work in pairs with the working pair in the middle of the circle. Change pairs every 45 to 60 seconds. Play starts with a pass from a player on the outside – the pass combination is as shown in diagram 1, with the final pass being made for a new player from outside to restart the passing combinations.
Progress it by getting the player making the first pass to overlap the player to the left or right before starting a passing combination with the working pair. You can vary the passing pattern with the players in the middle of circle.
Technique
Things to look out for and correct are receiving skills and body shape; also get players to work on the weight and accuracy of their passing and to use both feet.