macmanson said:
Cheers LCBlue. I currently coach U14s (doing Futsal this winter here in Canada, we were champions in it at U13) and I was wondering if you could provide some insight into the types of training that you get at that age in the Leeds Academy.
I've been spending a good deal of time going over the principles of play with these boys which focuses on the concepts of 1st, 2nd and 3rd attackers or defenders depending on if you are in possession or not. They seem to struggle a little with the 3rd attacker concept and the idea of 3rd man runs, while the 1st attacker & 2nd attacker concepts (dribble into space, pass and move, combination play, etc) seems to be second nature to them.
It's often very hard to find quality players in these parts because the majority of coaches focus on formation training with the usual 442 kick and rush style play, so their technical ability is usually pretty shit and is probably the reason we as a country suck so bad. :) I've given up on trying to coach my lad through the local clubs for this reason and have him trying out for a local semi-pro club (Ottawa Fury) so that he can play with some lads at his skill level.
Hi mate.
The standard of coaching is excellent here at Leeds so I'll gladly fill you in; we always start up with a similar warm up, just a small possession game inside a small square marked out with cones, maybe a 3 on 1 possession game with the defender 'in the middle' with a bib. This shows that the ball has to be shifted quickly and on the floor (assuming that's the footballing way, it seems to be as you described it) with the player on the ball with 2 options to pass to. This shows the importance of providing quick angles so that the ball can be moved quicker and less likely to lose possession.
Then we have a 'dynamic stretching' period where we simply wander around the area loosening up, stretching anything that benefits us, hamstrings, quads, calves, back muscles, groins you name it.
Standard session beginning is the above which takes up maybe 20/30 mins. (2 hour training session). Then we'd move into a larger scale possession game with perhaps 5 vs 5 in the middle of a marked out area with a player on each side of the rectangle who is the target man, who you can play bounce passes off etc. The goal usually in that game is to work your way from one side to another as many times as possible, obviously of course, without giving the ball away. One player on either side of the rectangle being 'floaters', mutual players who can give the ball to either team depending on who is in possession of the ball.
NOTE: The above is usually played in say a 20m by 15m area.
Which, with drinks breaks, stopping the play, adding hints or ways to improve the play. E.g - making the play sharper, getting on the half turn, receiving the ball on the back foot and playing, 2 touch, double checking the shoulder before playing and the likes, general coaching tips will take perhaps 30/40 minutes.
That's usually extended onto a bigger pitch with goals at either end with the players at the end of the rectangle joining in the play (note also they would alternate the people on the outside, obviously but forgot to mention, haha). When my age group were younger as soon as the goals were introduced all the nice triangles and passages of play we had done before went out the window and our only goal became to score as quickly as we could, at 100 miles an hour. This doesn't happen anymore which is good, hopefully the same will happen with your lot.
After that a match at the end of the session (usually lasting only 20 mins or so) happens. The coach should pick teams randomly so as not to leave anybody feeling down-hearted.
Good luck for your boy, hope he go's far.
