recieving the ball is a great 4 corner model pratice

physically learning to sheild the ball, using your whole body, staying on the ball

socially being challenged 1v1, challenges on decsiions how long ro stay on the ball or a quick round the corner psychologicaly

learning when and where to go, practising and trying to see what works

technically being able to progreess with or without opposition, 1v1 or in SSG's or on game day

fine tuning the skills required to move, communicate vocally and using hand signals

as a coach my challenges are giving them the confidence to ask or show for the ball

remembering the individual targets within pratices

getting them to think what theyre next move is once they have recieved the ball

why did they make that choice

how can your body shape effect the game when recieving the ball

can you play forward

how many touches

how many people around you.

but opens up many technical options like 

can you drop a

a wall pass

a round the corner

a one touch finish

can you bend your run can you slide

the list of options are endless

cheers lee

Nice long list there, thanks Lee! 

Hey Lee Cooper, thanks again for your responses. We posed your point / question, about getting players to think what their next move is once they have received the ball, to our early years specialist, Pete Sturgess. He has recorded his answer for you below:



Would love to know your thoughts on this. 

Thanks

this is great to recieve a message  from the messiah :) thankyou

im actually in my first year as lead coach with u 16/s (grassroots)

I have inherited a team from the previous manager that in general had the same 11 playing week in week out,

so my philosophy that i sent out to  all parents in pre season was that i will give ALL players that experience to start in an aim to improve all players within that team even if its just the slightest thing.

We all want to win, but how we play as a team and individually is more important than the result.

so far no ones left and they all seem to support it.

As pete said i am reiterating the importance of passing the ball with purpose, and thinking about where and how you could recieve it back, with the one point of not standing in the shadows when asking for it..

but the hardest thing for me at the moment is choosing the right time to intervene in pratices, individually or as a team.

are there any plans for live masterclasses again, ive sent numerous emails to local clubs at  higher coaching standards than myself  to see if i can come and observe training sessions to learn, but have been met with nothing. Im no spring chicken but i want to get better to help to improve my youngsters, and keep the enjoyment levels to what they are now

also do St Georges park do masterclasses for YDP grassroots teams as i think that would be a great experience for my lads

thanks once again

all the best lee

Lee, thanks for engaging with our coach support platforms and to help you further here is some more advice about when you might intervene:

One thing that players are aggravated by is when a coach keep stopping the practice. Obviously we want to help the players so offering advice and guidance is a good thing but there might be some steps to think about beforehand. If you want to work on a particular aspect of your team's development or the development of a particular individual it starts with your session design and the planning you put into it.

Think carefully about the game or session so that the way you have put the game together with the rules/conditions /area size and numbers playing, pose game problems for the players to solve. If you do this then you can intervene less because to be successful in the game the players have to overcome the problems you have set. Also, think carefully about who is on each team so that you can attempt to create individual challenges as well as team challenges by who you have placed in opposition to each other.

If the game is right then you can observe more and intervene less (the game poses the problems). In observing look for things that the players do. Are those things a one off. If it is you may not intervene as it is just a one off. Then look for trends in what players do/don't do. This should flag up some danger signals for you and so if you spot these things then you can choose to observe further or offer some help and advice. What you don't want to let happen are the formation or continuation of bad habits. These are difficult to change and will need some intervention.

In summary: when watching the carefully crafted game you are using:

• is what just happened a one off?
• Is it a trend?
• Is it a habit

Looking at the behaviours of players in this way may help you decide when to intervene and when not to. You will also have a wide variety of ways to intervene. Do you stop the whole practice? Do you tweak the rules or conditions of the game or do you have a quiet word during a natural break. Try to decide which is the most appropriate way to help your players and ensure that this is a way that still promotes playing, learning and most importantly, having fun.

I hope this helps. Pete

I think its important to remember if we coach and priorities awareness and what next after receiving the ball this will impact their confidence with control timing and confidence , young players prior to receiving and when ball is in transition to them ,they have multiple thoughts being processed , which foot ,flight ,speed , etc . its very unlikely they are considering what next ,what angle ,whos behind me at a very young age .

today we are pushing towards more skillful players of which i am 100% in on this . but we also need to considered within their syllabus receiving skills ,so the over arching challenge for them is to receive confidently with different variations of flight of ball ,speed , get in line to receive ,or receive while moving / to run with the ball we need to receive first  ? pete brings up a great point in regards to receiving unless they are allowed time and repetition to practice this skill they will not start scanning or lifting head /eyes to understand what is next , 

pete so a question for you if possible . 

some coaches I speak to around the subject of running with the ball protecting and so fourth . there seems to be a bit of confusion around the message , they seem to think that is all they are supposed to coach their players , I'm aware this is not correct , but can you clarify on here for other coaches ,that there are other priorities that the children need .

regards

baz 

thanks both Pete and Barry nice to hear from you Barry

Barry, i have never coached in the foundation phase as of yet, most probably next season unless my lads want to continue to u17's.

but when i do this will obviously have  the importance of using every part of the foot to touch the ball. This  will be in my basic learning skills for me.

What im trying to do his give them the freedom to try the bent  pass with the outside of the foot or the back heel or flick.

its just judging my interventions to ask the questions why did you make that choice.

im also learning not to just say well done when that pass works but maybe to ask what they saw in outcomes to make that pass," was that player on the back shoulder of the opposition"? " has he got the pace on the player"? but as important the player recieving, what did they say or do to get that ball, was it just great vision from the player with the ball, or great visual or vocal communication from the reciever

but remembering that i dont have to intervene to fix it all in one pratice session

cheers both

hope your well and enjoying being back at football

lee