27 May 2011

THE NEED FOR PROGRESSIONS AND CHALLENGES WHEN COACHING FOOTBALL – PART FIVE

This is the fifth part of the topic that I presented at the recent Football Coaching in Porto, Portugal. This involves progressions and challenges when coaching players.

In these examples, again taken from legacy.grassrootscoaching.com, the coach has organised a rotating close range shooting game. The objective is to provide the players with lots of opportunities to have realistic, match like scenarios to practice close range shooting and finishing opportunities.

Diamonds Progression 3 – Introduce defenders

THE PROGRESSION

Introduce a defender to create a 2 v 1 situation
Strikers to be aware of defender and create realistic shooting opportunities that by pass the defender, through movement and support for the player on the ball
After shot 2 strikers rotate with 2 fielders
Further progression – introduce two defenders

THE CHALLENGE

The winning team are the first to score 4 goals. If a defender wins the ball, one goal is deducted from the score

FINAL PROGRESSION / CHALLENGE – The players play a 4 v 4 game with goalkeepers on a small pitch. The small pitch promotes lots of shooting and finishing opportunities. Encourage the players to adopt a formation of say 2 – 1 – 1 or 2 – 2 and let the players play a game and see if they can use the skills they have learnt in the training session within a frame work of a real game to create and take finishing opportunities.