Technical Training focuses on improving members of the team technically by improving each player’s;
• First touch (ball control), how to receive the ball using different parts of their body depending on the situation.
• Ball Skills, ‘Fast Feet’,’ Freestyle’ and juggling to help in developing self-confidence on the ball.
• Passing, to feet and into space using both the inside and the outside parts of the foot, a crucial element of the game that is often overlooked.
• Dribbling, to create opportunities in the attacking third of the field. Learning how to maneuver your body and the ball to get past a defender.
• Shooting & Striking the ball, focusing on the kicking technique such as the correct stance, angle of kicking foot, planting of the non-kicking foot, the follow through, position of the head and the rotation of the hips.
• Heading, both defensive and attacking headers using the correct part of the forehead and the technique of how to create more power or cushion the ball to control.
Tactical Training will focus on utilizing the team’s technical skills in game situations. Topics will be chosen from the UEFA coaching manual such as;
• “Improving compactness in defence” making your team more difficult to break down and conceding less goals.
• “Development of play from the defending third” encouraging youth players to be comfortable on the ball in any area of the field and dictating the control of the possession during games.
• “Developing counter attacks from the defending third” allowing the team to break quickly and catch teams on the back foot.
• “Improving finishing from crosses” which once in the final third it is important to develop plays where you can create goal-scoring opportunities.
(Fig 1 “Improving finishing from crosses”)
The benefits of ‘tactical sessions’ are that players should then understand their role in any of the plays performed during practice and be able to carry them out during games. Should an error occur during a game then people can be accountable and corrections can be applied to ensure that the team does not experience it again. Continuous practice creates a mental template for the players allowing them to recover what they’ve worked on during training and apply it under the pressure of a game environment.
Fitness Training is an important component of our team training, as today’s game requires all soccer players to be at their peak athletically in order to achieve their maximum playing potential. During our fitness training the focus is on improving the following key components;
• Anaerobic endurance is the ability to produce high intensity work, such as sprinting for longer periods of time without the intake of oxygen.
• Power endurance is important for improving explosive movements in a game such as sprinting or jumping.
• Acceleration is key to react or get to the ball before your opponent.
• Aerobic development helps improve a player’s stamina permitting them to last the full duration of the game without fatigue affecting their performance.
• S.A.Q (Speed, Agility & Quickness) is a common component of all our training as it helps to develop a player’s quickness and maneuverability on and off the ball. This training goes hand in hand with our ‘fast feet’ and ‘freestyle’ aspects of our technical training.
• Coordination is a crucial factor in attributing to a player’s skill level, as without good coordination a player’s skill potential will be limited.
(Fig 2 . Brazilian National Team using the S.A.Q training methods.)