LWYSATraining Program

Book 8

Technical CoachingClinic

Written by Jimmy Gabriel

Lake Washington Youth Soccer AssociationCopyright 2004 by LWYSA

Table of Contents

Introduction..............................................1Passing.......................................................4Dribbling..................................................11Control.....................................................19Shooting...................................................23Crossing...................................................26Heading ...................................................29Tackling...................................................33Summing up ...........................................36

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Technical Coaching Clinic

IntroductionI have played and coached soccer since Iwas four years old. The playing, in thebeginning, was done on the streets and thecoaching was a form of self-teaching using aball, a wall and an extremely fertileimagination. I don’t know what I enjoyedthe most, the game playing with somefriends or the imagining when I was alone.All of it helped me to prepare both mentallyand physically to play the game at thehighest standards available in my time. Thequality of technique that I managed togroove was as near perfection as I could getand was a huge help in my climb to the topof the soccer ladder. However the kids todaydon’t appear to have the enthusiasm forindividual training as the kids of my past didprobably because they have more choices ofthings to do than we did so it appears thatteaching must be done in the time allottedfor team training. With this in mind I amwriting this booklet to show the coacheshow they can take a technique from thebasic technical description, all the waythrough a variety of drills and games, eachone more advanced than the next, to a gamespecifically conditioned for that particulartechnique.The coach would have the option ofselecting the drills and games that wouldbest suit the players according to their ageand technical prowess and use them in eitherone training session or combine them overtwo sessions. The coach should be carefulnot to advance these sessions to a degree of

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difficulty that might confuse the players orto bore them with simple grooving drillswhen they are clearly capable of attemptingmore difficult drills and games.Technical description demoThe list of drills and games start with thetechnical description which should be doneclearly and precisely giving the player achance to see and understand the breakdown of the technique and how the playerputs it all together to make a play.Grooving drillTwo players taking turns to serve andreceive the ball normally form the groovingdrill team however a lone player can use aball and a wall to execute the drill.Moving drillThis drill adds movement in any directionand can incorporate ‘give and go’ passes orany other sort of pass combinations thathighlight the movement of ball and player.Coordinated moving drillThe coordinated movement drill is anexercise that needs precise movement suchas a short-short-long drill. The intent of thedrill is to encourage players to think whilethey perform the technique. Combining thethought of decision making and the artistryof the technique is an extremely importantpart of any player’s soccer education.Drill with limited oppositionAt some time the player must show theability to beat an opponent by controlling,dribbling, passing or shooting the ball or byregaining possession through tackling,stripping or intercepting the ball.To encourage confident play this type ofdrill should start with a minimal amount ofdefenders opposing the attacking team.

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Later, by increasing the number ofdefenders, the coach also increases theamount of pressure on the attacking team.Conditioned GameA conditioned game should always end thesession because it gives the players a chanceto use the technique in the game. It is in thegame that everything has to come togetherfor the players and conditioned games aregreat because they allow the players to learnin realistic circumstances.

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PassingDemonstrating the passing technique allowsthe coach to explain the technique in smallrecognizable pieces. By combining thesepieces in a step-by-step manner the coachshows the players how to execute thetechnique correctly. By asking the players toapproach their soccer ball, then stoppingthem just before they make contact with theball, the coach and players can decide iftheir position over the ball is good or needssome adjustments.Inside of foot passProfessional players use this type of passmore than any other. The reason for this isthe high percentage of successful plays thispass produces once the player knows how toexecute it correctly.DemoThe standing foot is planted alongside theball with the knee bent to absorb bodyweight.The kicking foot is taken back as if toexecute an instep kick.On the way down the foot is opened and theankle is locked allowing the kicker to strikethe ball with the inside of the foot.The foot should hit through the middle orequator line of the ball.The follow-through helps the player toimpart power into the pass.The pass should zip off the foot towards thetarget and roll as it nears the target.Grooving DrillPlayers stand 10yds apart with a ballbetween them. One player with the ball hitsthe inside of foot pass to the partner. Thepartner collects the ball and serves a return

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pass using the same method. The exercisecontinues until the coach calls a halt

Movement DrillThree players and a ball are needed.The coach marks off an area 5yds square.Each player occupies a corner of the arealeaving one corner free.The player with the ball should have twooptions to pass the ball square.One of the receiving players must move toprovide that option.

Coordinated MovementThis drill needs three players and a ball.The players line up some 20yds apart withtwo players and a ball at one end and aplayer without a ball at the other.The player with the ball delivers a pass tothe isolated teammate then moves quickly tothe middle.The pass is returned to the middle player.That player returns the pass to the player atthe end and sprints forward to exchangepositions.The player with the ball starts the process allover again by passing the ball to the playerat the other end.

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Limited OppositionThe coach sets up some cones some 20ydssquare and has four attackers with one balland two defenders positioned inside.The attackers attempt to keep possession ofthe ball by playing it square to each other orthrough the middle between the twodefenders.The defenders change places with two of theforwards every 2 minutes or so.

Conditioned GameThe coach picks two evenly matched teams.Each team has a goalkeeper, a goal todefend and a goal to attack.The restrictions are that each player isallowed to touch the ball once or twice onlywhen receiving the ball.The team that scores the most goals wins.

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Instep passBecause of the length this type of pass canbe hit, the instep pass is used mainly tochange the point of attack from back to frontor from one side of the field to the other.The value of the pass is that it can quicklytransfer the ball from the opponents’strongest defensive area to their weakestdefensive area.DemoThe ball is approached from an angle toallow the kicker to use the hip swing.The plant foot should be placed about a footor more to the side of the ball so that theplant leg can bend to absorb the body weightwithout jamming the kicking foot.The kicker jumps the last stride into theballot enhance the power of the kick.The foot strikes ball at 45% angle to theground with the ankle locked.The follow through is used to impart morepower to the kick.Other C/P sIf the kicker holds back on the followthrough he/she will impart backspin on theball causing it to drop softly to the receiver.To get height on the ball the kickers footmust strike the ball under the equator line.To keep the ball low the kicker must havethe knee over the ball when striking it.Grooving DrillTwo players with one ball between them arepositioned some 30yds apart.The object of the exercise is to pass the ballto each other using the instep of the foot.

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To ensure accuracy the players should passthe ball through a target gate in front of thereceiver to score a point.

Movement DrillThree players and a ball are required for thisdrill with two players positioned some 40ydsapart and one positioned in the middle.The player in the middle takes a short passand drives the ball long to the player on theopposite side before sprinting towards thereceiver for a short return pass.

Coordinated Movement DrillThe requirement for this drill is three playersand a ball with the end players two at oneend and one at the other some 40yds apart.One of the two end players passes long tothe single end player then sprints forwardfor a short return pass.The middle player returns the short pass andmoves to that end.The player receiving the short return passplays a long pass to the teammate at theother end and sprints forward to receive andreturn a short pass.

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Limited OppositionMatch the players into three teams and markout three areas of square field spaceconnected together as shown in the diagram.Two teams position themselves in the outersquares and the defending team stays in thecentral square.The ball is given to a team in the outsidesquare and two defending players areallowed into that square to try to winpossession by touching the ball.The possessing team can score a point bypassing the ball five times then hitting a longpass to the team in the other outside space.The three defending players in the centersquare attempt to intercept the long pass.If a pass is intercepted or touched by eitherthe two defenders or one of the three centraldefenders then the defending and attackingteams change places.The team with the most goals at the end ofthe game wins.

Conditioned GameThe conditioned game to promote long tomedium range instep passing would be a oneor two touch game on a wide field.

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The width would allow the players theopportunity to switch the point of attackwith long cross-field passes.

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DribblingWhether to dribble pass or shoot is one ofthe tactical decisions a player has to make,often before the ball arrives. If playersconsistently choose the right time to dribblethey become very important players on theteam. If they consistently choose the wrongtime to dribble they will become liabilitiesto the team and will probably sit on thebench for long periods of game time. It istherefore in the best interest of all youthplayers to study the habits of professionalplayers who know that dribbling is almostalways a means to an end and not the endproduct. Being a good dribbler meansknowing when to dribble and moreimportantly what type of dribbling skill touse in a given situation. Learning the manyvarieties of dribbling moves means nothingif players don’t also learn when and whereto use each move to their best advantage.There are three main tactical ways todribble, the first being to attack the opposingdefenders by dribbling forward aggressively,the second to attempt to escape the attentionof the defender by dribbling sideways andthe third to execute a full blown retreat bydribbling in a backwards direction. Thesideways movement can result in eitherforward advancement or backward retreatand therefore forms a transition mode indribbling technique.

Forward dribbling

Speed dribblingRunning in a straight line for some 30ydskeeping the ball under control.

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C/PsHead should be raised at different times tosee playmaking opportunities.Also the dribbler should run at speed whilecontrolling the ball by using the outside ofthe foot and protect the ball by placing thebody between the ball and a defender.

WeavingRunning fast in and out of conesOutside and inside comboLearning to weave with the ball whilemoving towards a player [Body positionkeeps changing to provide player theopportunity to explode in one direction orthe other].C/PsTouching the ball lightly on either side untilarriving at explosion point.Making a powerful angled thrust forwardwith the attacking move.

Speed movesChanging pace and direction in explosivebursts using step-over, head fake, touch in-touch out and drag back moves.Two players with a ball each drive at eachother then make their move before theycollideThis practice move is performed severaltimes using different moves

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Drag backPut the sole of the foot on top of the ball anddrag the ball backwards, then continue themove by using the inside of the same foot topush the ball forward at a forty-five degreeangle to the standing footC/PsThe whole move should be done in acontinuous way even though it’s acombination of two different movesStep overThe player moves forward with the ball andprepares to move the ball forward at fortyfive degree angle using the outside of onefoot. Instead of hitting the ball the foot ismoved over the ball and planted on that sideof the ball. The other foot is pulled behindthe ball until it is positioned on the otherside of the ball. With both feet positioned onone side of the ball the dribbler can use theoutside of the back foot to explode forwardat a forty-five degree angle to complete themoveC/PsAll aspects of this move must be done in anexplosive and convincing fashion to causethe defender to buy in on the fake move inorder to utilize the space that the moveopened upShoulder DipThe dribbling player moves forward at speedtowards the defender. The dribbler dips theleft shoulder and pulls the ball in the same

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direction with the inside of the foot beforemoving that foot to the opposite side of theball and using the outside of the foot tomove explosively past the defender into theopen space.C/PsThe success of the move depends on thedribbler convincing the defender that heintends to take the ball to the left. The quickchange from inside to outside of the foot andthe resultant burst forward will allow thedribbler to go past the defender before hecan recover.The Drag behind the heelThe player on the ball prepares to hit thecross or shot by swinging the instep of thefoot down towards the ball. However thestanding foot is planted to the side and infront of the ball giving the dribbler theoption of hitting the cross or dragging theball behind the heel of the standing foot.C/PsThe move will almost always fool thedefender coming in to block the originalcross and provide the dribbler a chance tocontinue the run towards goal or to cross theball with the other foot.Live oppositionThe dribbler now moves against a livedefensive opponent.Dribbler moves directly at opponent atspeed.Move is made a couple of yards before thedefender can make contact with the ball.Move is performed quickly and cleanlyusing an explosive burst of energy.

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Conditioned GameGame to end zones [wide field]The team in possession of the ball attempt todribble it into the end zone to score.Game strategy requires the team inpossession of the ball to change the point ofattack to any unmarked wide player whodribbles the ball quickly into the end zone.

Sideways dribbling

Lateral movementThe forward dribble of the attacker has beenstopped without the loss of the ball.The attacker must now produce some side-to-side moves with the ball in an attempt toshake off the defender creating space tocontinue to move forward or to play aforward pass.Head and body-fakesWhen a dribbler gets stopped the naturalinstinct is to combine head fakes, body fakesand fast foot movement dribbles in anattempt to wrong foot the opposingdefender.C/P sThe dribbler must look for any openingcaused by his movement and take advantageof the space that has been opened up by

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passing forward to a teammate or bydribbling explosively through the gap.

Backward dribbling

Turning and ShieldingThese types of dribbling moves areperformed when the direct attacking thrusthas been slowed down or stopped. If thedribbler cannot create some type of forwardspace by using sideways moves then thedecision should be to abort the forwardmovement and by using turning or shieldingtechniques, exit the area without losingcontrol of the ball.TurnsAll turns involve a change of body and ballpositioning to allow the player to move inthe opposite direction. Shuttle runs are agreat way to practice the various types ofturns because a normal shuttle run couldinvolve up to six turns. Those turns must allbe performed in an explosive manner to gainthe maximum benefit from the practice.

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Inside of foot turnBoth feet are placed on one side of the ballwith the turning foot placed a short distanceahead of the ball and the outside of that footclosest to the ball. The player pivots on theturning foot towards the ball using the insideof the other foot to gather the ball.C/P sThe move needs to be executed quickly andcleanly and the turn must be a tight one tostop the defender from poking the ball loose.Outside of foot turnBoth feet are placed on the same side of theball with the inside of the turning footclosest to and ahead of the ball. The playerpivots towards the ball using the outside ofthe other foot to gather the ball.C/P sOnce again the turn must be a tight one andthe move must be cleanly and quicklyexecuted.The sole of the foot turnThe dribbler stops the ball by putting thesole of his/her foot on top of the ball to stopit rolling. The player then jumps forwardspinning the body around to face theopposite direction. The player then movesaway with the ball.C/P sThe turning player must keep the weight onthe grounded foot not the foot that stops theball. This allows the player the power tojump and spin quickly.

ShieldingIn performing this technique the player usesbody width to protect the ball from anopponent. The body should be positionedsideways between the defender and the ball

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to protect the ball from the attention of thedefender.C/P sExtend the arm slightly to feel the defenderand record his/her position.Moving to shield and turnIf the defender attacks on one side or theother the dribbler must be aware of thatattacking move.C/P sOnce the dribbler knows which side thedefender is pressing he/she can spin away inthe opposite direction.Players paired in twos with a ballThe player on the ball attempts to shield theball from an opponent by keeping his/herbody between the defender and the ball

Small field with three open gatesThe attacking players must dribble the ballthrough one of the gates to score a pointwhile the defenders try to force the dribbleraway from the gates. Sooner or later theattacker must protect the ball by shielding itThe game is also a good for turns, headfakes and other dribbling moves.

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ControlLearning to control the ball is a lifetimeendeavor for most players. I’ve alwaysthought that this technique is the mostimportant one if players are to provideconsistency to their game. If we take awaythe ability to control the ball the gamedegenerates into a huge scramble with theball bouncing about all over the place andplayers lunging after it. If there is no controlby the players it looks like the ball becomesthe controller and the players are left tochase after the ball. Controlling the ball isthe most important technique because itallows the players to take charge of the paceand rhythm of the game.There are two main types of controllingmethods, the first being cushion control andthe second being wedge control. Theprofessional players tend to prefer the wedgecontrol to snare bouncing balls because itallows them to control and maneuver theball at the same time. However when thepass is on the ground those players can alsocushion control and maneuver the ball usingthe same move to do both. Young playersneed to practice control techniques as soonas they can and it would be preferable forthem to learn using a small type of ball [forexample a tennis ball] and any availablewall that will not be damaged by the ballbouncing against it. The size of the ballmakers the exercise more difficult andcontrolling the larger soccer ball easier.DemoInside of foot, outside of foot and top of footcushion and wedge technique

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CushionTaking the bounce out of the ball byretracting the foot on contact with the ball.Lob serveMove into line with the ball and advancethe top of the foot to make contact with it.Withdraw foot on contact to kill the bounce.Low ball serveMove into line with the ball using the insideof the foot to initiate the contact. Withdrawthe foot allowing enough contact tomaneuver the ball to one side by controllingthe bounce.WedgeTaking the bounce out of the ball bytrapping it.Lob serveGet in line with the ball and as it arrives trapit as starts to bounce. By using the inside oroutside of the foot to smother the bounce theplayer can use part of that bounce energy tomaneuver the ball to either side.

Other Controls

Chest controlThis type of ball control can be done ineither the cushion or wedge style.To cushion the ball the player mustwithdraw the chest as the ball arrives.To wedge the ball the player must bendforward at the waist using the chest tocontrol any bouncing ball by knocking itback down to the ground.Thigh controlTo control the ball using the thigh the playermust advance the thigh towards the droppingball and withdraw it at contact.

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Head controlThe player withdraws the head on contactwith the ball allowing it to drop directly tothe ground.Grooving drillPlayer and partner serve the ball to eachother

Movement drill 1Three players, one at either end and one inthe middle.The receiver controls, gathers and turns withthe ball before passing to a teammate at theother end.The middle player works for 5 to 10 turnsbefore changing places with an outsideplayer.

Movement drill 2Using the same three-player format, whenthe ball is passed to the player in the middlethe third player has the choice of advancingto threaten the controller forcing him/her toplay the ball back to the server.The third player can also choose to stayallowing the controlling player to controland turn before passing.

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Coaching pointThe receiving player must become aware ofthe third players movement which calls foran early look before receiving the ball.Drill with opponentsFour players form a square and another twoplayers position themselves in the center ofthe square as defenders.A third player enters the square as anattacker to assist with the ball possession.The outside players must touch the ball twotimes when receiving it, one to control andone to pass.

GameTwo teams defending a goal at each endmust play the ball at least twice when theyreceive it.They can touch the ball more than twice ifthey wish but they must use the first touch tocontrol the ball

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ShootingOf all the techniques shooting is the one thatbrings the most excitement to the playermainly because it leads to goal scoring.Although there are many ways to scoregoals, in this session we concentrate on threeof the main types of shots that consistentlyachieve success. Before the striker hitseither of these shots the ball should bemoved to a 45% angle from the shooter toallow the shooter to bring the hip movementinto the swing. This move can confuse thekeeper because it presents the shooter withoptions as this set up position allows theshooter to choose any one of the three shotsdescribed below without changing the backswing or the main part of the down swing.Ball driven to far post area

The shot that is driven crisply to the far postarea of the goal is a difficult one for thekeeper to save especially if it is accurate andif the shot is hit before the keeper can set upa stance in order to dive. This shot needs tobe hit as low as possible to make it moredifficult for the keeper to save it.C/P sTo hit the ball cleanly this shot requires ashort back swing a move that allows theclean hit and usually catches the keepermoving out when the ball is shot making anydive to the side more difficult.Shot placed to near post areaThis shot takes the shorter route to goal andis usually more successful when the ball ishit with either the inside of the foot becauseit can be hit more accurately with that partof the foot. By using the inside of the footthe shooter can also bend the ball around thekeepers position and inside the near post.

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C/P sIf the position of the ball does not allow theshooter the chance to hit the ball with theinside of the foot then the shooter can usethe toe of the foot to prod the ball into thenear side of the goal.Chip to far post areaThis type of shot becomes necessary whenthe shooter allows the keeper to advance to aset position making the other two shot typesdifficult to score with. The shooter gets lifton the ball by flattening out the kicking footon the downswing enabling causing the ballto lift over the keeper’s position and dropsoftly into the goal.C/P sThe shooter can fool the keeper by settingup to drive the ball across the keeper to thefar post then flatten out the kicking foot andchip the ball over the keepers dive.DemoDemonstrate the shot types for practice.Grooving drillHave two players practice the shot by hittingthe ball to each other from a shootingdistance.

Movement drillHave the players practice the shot bymoving in on goal in a dribble, or bycollecting a pass, before shooting.

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Drill with limited oppositionPlay two attackers against one defender inan attack on goal giving the attackers theopportunity to dribble and shoot or to pass toa supporting teammate for a shot.

GameOn a small field with a goal at either endtwo teams of four or six players plus agoalkeeper play against each otherThe players get credited for two goals if theyscore a goal on the shot they’ve beenpracticing

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CrossingPerfecting the art of crossing the ball is avery effective way of setting up goal scoringopportunities. Since the early years of soccerplaying the two main ways of assisting ongoals has been penetration passes down themiddle of the field and crosses from wingareas. In recent surveys taken from WorldCup and European Cup games the crossingassists have overtaken the penetration passesas a main source for goal scoring set ups.With this in mind coaches need to providetheir players with crossing and finishingpractices in equal numbers to the shootingpractices. Crossing and finishing drills areeasy to set up. The coach selects two playersfor each wing to take turns crossing the ballinto the penalty are allowing the attackersopportunities to score goals. There are manydifferent types of crosses but the three basicones are the chip to the back post, the cutback chip to the central area of the penaltybox and the ball driven hard across the goalarea.Chip to far postThe chip to the far post demands enoughheight on the ball to miss out the goalkeeperand all the defenders swarming around thecentral goal area. This allows any free playeron the far post a golden opportunity to score.C/P sFlatten out the kicking foot so that the crossgains height immediately it leaves the foot.Hold back on the follow through to impartbackspin to the ball making it easier for thereceiver to head the cross accurately.Cut back chip to central areaWhen a player dribbles the ball to the endline inside of a crowded penalty area a chip

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cross aimed back outside the six yard boxshould give a forward a chance to score.C/P sThe player crossing the ball should try toconvince the defending players that theintention is to cross the ball directly acrossthe goalmouth then cut the ball back outsidethe six-yard box. The crossing foot isflattened out and contact is made with thefront part of the ball to execute the cut back.Driven ball across the goalThe crosser, two yards short of the end line,drives the ball low and hard across the goalhoping that a supporting forward canredirect the ball into the opponents’ goal.C/P sThe cross should be aimed at the spacebetween the goalkeeper and the back linedefenders and struck firmly.DemoDemo the type of cross to practice.Grooving drillTwo players standing some 30yds apartpractice crossing the ball to each other.

Movement drillThe players dribble the ball down the wingor work a give and go pass down the wingbefore crossing the ball into the penalty areafor one of three attacking teammates toconvert on goal.

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Drill with limited oppositionA winger and two supporting forwardsattack a goal defended by a goalkeeper andan outfield defenderThe crosser attempts to hit the type of crossbeing practiced with enough accuracy togive one of the attacking players anopportunity to beat the defender to the balland score

GameTwo teams of four or more outfield players,two attackers and two defenders aresupported by a goalkeeper and two wingerspositioned on the outside of each wingA goal can only be scored directly from across or from the knockdown from a cross

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HeadingAs a player I derived the greatest thrill fromleaping up in a crowded penalty area andwinning the challenge to either head the ballinto the opponents goal or when in adefensive role to head the ball powerfullyinto the air and out of the danger area. Thethrills provided did not come without somepain from accidental head collisions andsome uncontrolled falls but the thrillsoutmatched any downside and some of mygreatest memories as a soccer player arecarved out of aerial duals. I learned how tohead a ball when I was a young boy byheading a tennis ball back and forwardagainst a wall and by playing a game ofheading and goalkeeping against anothersoccer friend. The ball and wall drill broughttouch and timing to my heading while thegame to goal taught me to generate powerwhen propelling the ball towards goal. Intime I learned to pass the ball with my head,to head the ball in a defensive fashion andultimately to head the ball towards goal inall manner of ways. To be able to pass thisheading information on to up and comingsoccer players is just as thrilling for me nowas taking off from the ground to leapfearlessly into a challenge and win the battleto head the ball was in my playing days.Technical descriptionDefensive headers require the player to hitthe ball as high and as far as possible inorder to give the defenders time to re-organizeThe player gets height on the ball byheading it below the equator line of the ballThe player gets distance on the header byusing the combined forward thrust of the

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neck, shoulders, torso and legs to power thehead through the ballGrooving drillTwo players some 10yds apart with oneplayer serves the ball to the other bythrowing underhand to the partner’s headThe receiving player heads the ball in the airso that it drops down into the server’s handsAs the player heading the ball becomesmore comfortable the server can step backfive yards so the headers become longerC/P sThe player heading the ball hits the ball withthe forehead just below the equator line ofthe ball so that the ball lobs back to theserver. The player heading the ball mustkeep eyes open until the head makes contactwith the ball and should also head throughthe ball to propel it forward.

Jumping and heading drillThis drill needs three players and a ball.The receiving player is positioned behindthe middle player while a server throws theball over the head of the middle player forthe receiver to head back towards the server.This drill can be used for attacking ordefending heading practice.

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AttackingThe attacking header can be a power headerusing the whole of the forehead to makecontact with the ball or it can be a redirectedheader from a cross that only requires atouch from the corner of the forehead.C/P sIn general these types of headers require thehead to contact the ball on or below theequator line of the ball. In many cases thehead will only have to glance the ball toredirect it towards the goal.

Limited opposition drillTwo wing players cross the ball in turn fromthe right then left wing areas.One central player serves the ball wide andboth central players coordinate their runsinto the penalty area to meet the cross.The only opponent is the goalkeeper who isfree to collect crosses in the six-yard box.

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Conditioned gameA medium sized field with a full sized goalat either end.Two teams play a game of throw head catchattempting to head the ball into theopponents’ goal for a score.

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TacklingAll players should know how to tackle forthe ball by staying on their feet. Too manycoaches are encouraging players to slidetackle their opponents and that method ofwinning the ball can cause these players andtheir opponents’ serious harm mainlybecause the player sliding in cannot stophalf-way through the slide and has thereforelost control. The first thing we must teach ishow to approach an opponent withoutcharging, then how to tackle while stayingon our feet and finally how to steal the ball.When players know how to recover the ballthrough individual defending methods theyhave taken a giant leap forward.Control/restraint positioningThis positioning calls for the defendingplayer to close down the attacker with theball. The defender should close down usinga quick approach but must put the brakes onsome two to three yards from the attacker toensure that the attacker does not push theball beyond the defender and run onto it.When the defender has closed down theattacker he/she must adopt thecontrol/restraint position. This positionrequires the defender to position the bodysideways to the attacker and advance onefoot towards the ball with the body weighton the back foot. This position will allow thedefender to sprint backwards quickly if thedribbler attempts to advance the ball beyondhim/her.C/P sThe defender can choose to direct thedribbler to the defenders strong foot or thedribbler’s weak foot.

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Block tackleThis tackle is made using the inside of thefoot with the weight bearing foot bent at theknee to absorb the body weight. The powerof the tackle depends on how low the tacklercan go and how cleanly the foot hits theequator line of the ball.C/P sOne way a tackler can gain advantage is toroll the tackling foot upwards once bothplayers have established ball contact. Thiscauses the strait tackler to help to spin theball to the ball roller’s advantage.Grooving drillTwo players step into the ball to perform thetackle technique.

Coordinated movement drillThree players position one on each end andone in the middle.The middle and end player tackle for the balland the end player rolls it and follows on tobecome the middle player.The player then dribbles the ball to the otherend to perform a similar tackle.The end player rolls the ball over the middleplayers foot and the drill continues.

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Limited opposition drillOne player has the ball and anotherapproaches and puts on a control/restraintposition.The player with the ball moves forward andthe defender swivels back keeping thedribbler in view.After a couple of hip swivels the defender isallowed to attempt to win the ball.

Conditioned gameThe field has two end zones as goal targetsand a halfway line.Two teams each have a designated sweeperwho must stay in the defensive area.The other players are paired with anopponent.Outfield players can only tackle their mark.The sweepers can tackle any opposingplayer entering their defending area.

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Summing upThis is as far as I want to go with thesetechnical drills and games. Although thereare many more techniques such as puttingtopspin or sidespin on a cross, shot or pass Ifeel that the degree of difficulty involvedwould be more appropriate when coachingadvanced players. This type of training bookis written to assist players to advance theirtechnical playing skills to a point that willallow them to make the basic plays so thattheir early decision making will be simpleinstead of complicated. The harder a playerpractices the basic techniques the easier it isfor that player, not only to read the game,but to turn that read into a successful play.At times soccer looks like an extremelycomplicated game especially whendefenders put pressure on the attackers but aclear mind that makes a sensible decisionfollowed by a timely and accuratelyexecuted play will completely unravel anycomplications. However technicalexcellence cannot be gained by participatingin team practices only, there must be timespent in practicing your technique on a dailybasis even if it only entails a player, a balland a wall. That was the basis for mytechnical skills and they took me a longway.

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