Download - United 4 v 4
‘The country’s highest ranking youth development system scheme
for aspiring male footballers’
Source : www.premierleague.com
‘Schemes are designed to
develop the best available
talented youngsters to
enable them to reach their
full potential’
Source www.premierleague.com
The Premier League’s ideal
was to provide a stress free environment in which the young
players could learn.
Unfortunately it soon
became apparent that this
ideal was forgotten whenever
Manchester United played other academies.
Winning became the main priority for all our opponents.
Our young players were exposed to this environment every week.
Our young players were experiencing the same style of matches every week.
These matches did not allow them to develop and practice new things.
‘ It’s not about winning matches,
it’s about how we win the matches, that is what is important’
Source: Jim Ryan
Director of Football
Manchester United F.C
We as an academy took the decision that whilst the players needed to understand
the need to win matches, the results would become secondary to
performances.
How where we to implement this new philosophy ?
Our young teams had to play‘The Manchester United way’
Source: Sir Alex FergusonManager Manchester United F.C.
QUESTION?
Do you base your coaching on a syllabus ?
OR
Do you react to the performance Of your team?
The culture in youth football is to react to situations and move on to the next.
Academy youth football is about development; not results.
Reacting to performances should be left until results are important i.e. professional
teams.
These thoughts were collated
during a series of meetings with
one specific aim.
This aim was to create a syllabus
for the whole academy.
It was decided to break the academy
players down into specific
age bands.
Under 8 – Under 11
Under 12 – Under 14
Under 15 – Under 16
The coaches at these specific
age groups created that
part of the syllabus
using their expertise
at that age group.
The coaches at each age groupdeveloped a syllabus to include the
following contents:
Technical TacticalPhysicalSocial
HOW WERE WE TO IMPLEMENTTHE SYLLABUS?
The consensus of opinion was that the academy should become a
Place of learning.
Therefore the academy should be based on the education system used
Successfully
In England for numerous years.
We decided that in order to
create the best learning environment that
blocks of work would be introduced
THE RATIONALE
A math tutor for example, would not have the class learning algebra one lesson,
percentages the next lesson and
fractions the next.
He would work to a block of work.
It was decided that the syllabus for the younger players would be based solely
upon small sided games.
As such the club developed a pilot
4 v 4 programme.
RATIONALE
Games programme is adaptable and can cater for up to 68 players plus
goalkeepers if available.
Players divided into teams of 4 and play on a rotational basis in 4 different
games.
RATIONALE
If a team has more than 4 players the subs will come on during the game on a
rotational basis.
Each game will last for 8 minutes.
No scores.
No referees required.
RATIONALE
Each boy will play a minimum of 6 games to optimise playing time.
2 minute break between games.
Coaches there to monitor and supervise.
Minimum coaching / Gentle encouragement
This pilot programme was presented to the F.A. Premier League on April 9th
2002 and was duly sanctioned but only if agreed to by other clubs.
Unfortunately other clubs were not keen on the idea and initially we were limited to the number of games we could play.
First game versus Blackpool F.C.
July 17th, 2002
Each age group at the academy could contain up to 20 players.
This would result in 11 players playing in the game and up to 9 players not
playing or having limited playing time.
Given that the best way to learn
Is to be involved and playing the game,
players were missing valuable learning time every week.
Time that they could not afford to miss!
AIMS OF THE 4 V 4 SCHEME.
‘Games based on 4 v 4 whilst using various simple conditions to create
optimal learning and playing environment where players have
maximum ball content’
SOURCE : MANCHESTER UNITED 4 V 4 BOOKLET
GOALKEEPERS GAME
Area 35m x 25m
Junior goals 2m x 6m
4 v 4 with 2 goalkeepers
Normal throw ins and corner kicks
If no goalkeepers available players will alternately be the goalkeeper
TWO GOAL GAME
Area 30 m x 25m
4 v 4 with poles as goals
Corners taken
No goalkeepers
Ball dribbled back into play
FOUR GOAL GAME
Area 25m x 25m
4 v 4 game with 8 markers as four small goals
No goalkeepers
Ball dribbles back into play
4v4 Line Game
25x20 5v5 GK Game
35x25
4v4 Two Goal Game
30x25
4v4 Four Goal Game
25x25
4v4 Line Game
25x20
5v5 GK Game
35x25
4v4 Two Goal Game
30x25
4v4 Four Goal Game
25x25
All Eight Games Can Fit Onto One Full Size Field
Obviously the impact of this programme
Could not be gauged immediately.
We would have to be patient and wait to see if we had made the correct
decision.
5 YEARS LATER.
The young players that first experienced the 4 v 4 scheme are now playing for the clubs under 13 academy team.
Was the scheme a success?
The club is extremely pleased with
the development of these players
and the impact that the 4 v 4 scheme has had upon their development.
We found that initially the pressure of playing academy football was removed almost
instantly.
The players played with a new found freedom and enjoyment.
Players had far more possession of the football and so had more chances to
develop their techniques.
Players were encouraged to express themselves far more, without the fear of
making mistakes.
Fitness levels of players improved.
Decision making of the players improved.
This format was introduced to the training sessions as well as the games
programme.
As the season progressed more and more teams bought into the idea and so
games became more frequent.
A similar programme has now been introduced by the football association
And the format is now used in the football association coach education
programme.
The following thoughts were developed by the coaches responsible for the
under 15 – under 16 age groups.
We decided that our blocks of work would be in the following order.
Defending
Counter attacking
Possession
Finishing
You might debate that defending before possession is in the wrong order but that is for you as coaches to decide.
We decided that in order to play football effectively you needed to be in
possession of the ball.
Sounds simple.
How Did We Win The Ball Back?
Both as a team and also as individuals?
Did the players know?
More importantly did they understand?
How Did We Use the Ball When We Regained Possession?
Did we see the chance to break?
Did we dominate the 2 v 1 situation?
Did we sometimes leave ourselves vulnerable through poor decision
making?
If we did not break…
Were we comfortable in possession?
Could we keep the ball for a purpose?
Were we patient?
We now had to use existing or develop new coaching sessions that enabled the
players to develop their skills and understanding in these situations.