About This Blog

Football  is called the “beautiful game” because for many people it epitomises all that is enjoyable, and good about team sport.

At it’s core, Football is a very simple, dynamic invasive game. Both teams try and invade the oppositions territory and score more goals than the other team. It requires very little equipment and can be played pretty much anywhere and in any weather. Football encourages team work, camaraderie, a team spirit and work ethic. It can be played by all ages and sexes, by able bodied players and those with disabilities. Football crosses social and class boundaries and whilst it encourages individual skill and flair, the sum of the team is always stronger than any individual.

But, the biggest attraction of football and why it is played and watched all over the World, is because it is passionate, fun and exciting. It fulfils a fundamental need for so many people that they can’t get from any other walk of life. It provides inspiration, passion, excitement and stimulates the basic “cave man” primeval instinct that lies buried in the modern man.

I have been passionately involved in football all my life. From kicking the ball around with my Dad and brothers when I could barely walk, to making a living from it over the last 35 years. Firstly as  a professional player and laterly as a professional coach.

Whilst I am a big fan of professional football and have worked at high levels of the game, for me football is still a very simple game, the difference is the best players are better at doing the simple things so much better than other players.

The objective of this blog is to try and simplify the game of football. To provide a greater understanding of how, what and why top players and teams play as they do and to link that to fun games, practices and sessions that Grassroots coaches can relate to. I hope this will also provoke contributions, discussion and debate from all those who care about OUR game.

Using content from our football coaching website www.grassrootscoaching.com I will be able to provide links to graphics, videos  and 3D animations that will visually enable a better understanding of the content of this blog.

Except for flashes of individual brilliance by the very top players, football is generally a simple game of creating space as individuals and as a team when in possession of the ball and passing, dribbling, running with the ball down the pitch to create and take goal scoring opportunities.  The reverse is true of defending when not in possession of the ball. Make the pitch smaller, slow down or delay the oppositions progress and restrict and stop goal scoring opportunities.

The best way for young players is very simply to play football games. The more they play, the more they learn to love the game, to self learn, copy other players and practice the skills and techniques required to play football.

If coaches do nothing other than facilitate and safely organise lots of different small sided games for young players, to help the players understand the importance of creating space and making the pitch big as a team when in possession of the ball and to make the pitch small and compact when they lose possession, then this will massively help young players to enjoy football and develop and learn as players and to become better.

I hope this blog will also provide real and practical help that can also give coaches a greater understanding of how they can understand this “beautiful game” better and to provide visual coaching resources that can link this understanding to practical delivery in their coaching sessions. I hope that together we can simplify this game and take it back to the people.