Xbox Coaching

Xbox Coaching

It had been about two years since I was directly involved with a youth team in the UK. In that time I had completed many hours working within schools, but there was no team that I could call my own. After spending a lot of time in Canada, working with a wide range of ages and abilities, there are some similarities, but I believe I had forgotten about the state of youth football in this country.

This was my first game in charge of my new U11 girls team that play seven-a-side football on a Sunday morning. Walking across the venue, one was surrounded by many intense games. Young boys playing small sided games, lots of pitches, lots of parents, and lots of excitement. The FA is doing a lot to increase standards and participation, and it is evident here. The small sided game has really taken off, and that is the right thing. Less players means more touches per player, and a smaller pitch means that you learn far more about attack and defence, and all other roles and responsibilities within the game.

The parents there had given up their Sunday mornings. The groundsmen had supplied many good pitches to play on. Volunteers had given up their free time to sell food and drink to parents. The setup was brilliant, and there are lots of people out there doing very good things for the state of the game in our country. The parents were enthusiastic, passionate and interested. What more can you ask for?

The learning of these players is greatly being hampered by the environment in which they play. I’m not talking about green grass and blue skies, but instead the ability to play without fear, to make their own decisions, and to learn from their mistakes, and this is where I have seen what I call Xbox coaching.

Whenever a player on the opposing team got the ball, before they figured out what to do next, they were being bombarded by barked orders. PASS! TURN! SHOOT! GET RID OF IT! I’m not questioning the validity of the instructions, they often seemed to be the right decision to make, but the problem was that the players weren’t making these decisions for themselves. Now this is not beneficial to their learning and development as a player.

I do not profess to be an expert on development, but I do know that young players need to learn for themselves. If they are constantly being told what to do when in these situations, they will never learn how to deal with it themselves. They will not be able to adjust to the spontaneity that is a real live situation. A player is faced with so much sensory input, taking in audio, visual and kinaesthetic information. Where are the opponents? Where are my teammates? How is the ball moving? How far am I from goal? What direction is everyone moving? The more a player is in this situation, the quicker they can process all this information. Quicker thinking makes for far better players.

Now if a player is having all their decisions made for them by a coach or parent, they are not engaging their brains. All I have ever said is that the most important thing for football is having a brain, but if your brain is not being engaged, you are not becoming a better player. Becoming a better player is the main priority of youth football. A coach that tells their players what to do throughout every incident in the match may as well be playing Subbuteo or be using puppets.

When coaching a young team, one has to make adjustments. You cannot tell your players what to do. It’s not that they’ll disobey, it’s because they will listen. There’s nothing wrong with a manager or parent being passionate and really into the game, but ultimately it is not their game. The game is for the players to win or lose, the game is not for the parents to win or lose. It’s the kids that should be taking credit for the good decisions that they make, and it is the kids that should be given the help and support to improve on the bad decisions that they make.

Ultimately, as the games get more tense, the parents become louder, and there is a notable anxiety in their voice. When taking to someone, if you sound worried, it passes the panic on to the receiver. This is very much the case with young developing players. “You sound worried, is there something to worry about? Oh no!” This becomes unnecessary pressure or your young developing bunch. The advice from parents becomes particularly frantic when they believe a mistake is imminent. They don’t want their kid to be the idiot that makes the mistake and loses the game for the team. It is in these situations that you often hear shouts of “Kick it out!” or “Get rid of it!” What does this teach players? It teaches them to panic, it teaches them to take the easy option, and ultimately it says don’t try and do anything complicated, you’re not good enough.

Do we want our kids to grow up with that mind-set? Do we want them conceding throw-ins and corners all over the place, rather than learning to turn, dribble, shield and pass? If they do make a mistake and the opposition score, that is your opportunity to affect the learning, once they realise the consequences. From here, with careful coaching advice, they’ll be able to learn what to do in future. Now they know how and why, and they are better players for it.

Now I’m going to talk about the biggest sin of all. This is when a parent’s shouting overrules or conflicts with the instructions from the coach. When it comes to things like positioning, don’t go telling your kid to push up, stay back, get wider etc. It might be that the manager has told them to be there. It might be that they are making the correct decisions in the eyes of the coach and within the overall vision of how the team should play. Think of it this way; if your child is in the wrong position, the coach will correct it. Don’t think that it’s your job.

At times, as well as conflicting my instructions, parents have also shouted over me. Whilst I might be trying to explain to a player that she should run away from the ball at an angle to create more space for herself, some idiot has to pipe up with GET RID OF IT!!!! Helpful, thank you. I know I bang on about it a lot, but what do shouts like get rid of it and kick it out actually mean? What is “it”? Where is “out”? What are you actually telling them to do?

I’m sure if these offenders knew what damage they were doing, they would stop and change their ways. It all comes from education. I know not to do these things because I have learnt otherwise through all sorts of courses. Some parents and coaches don’t have the time, money or even knowledge that the opportunities exist. It is all for the benefit of our youngsters and the future of our game in this country. We can’t carry on like this. Should I just hope for them to shut up and suddenly realise what they are doing? No. As a coach, it is my responsibility to thank the parents for their support, but limit it to encouragement. As for other coaches, if I made any suggestions, I’d get a smack in the mouth. Most dads that are coaching are far older than me, they’ve been doing it for years, they give up their time on a Sunday morning, I’ve got a lot of nerve, and I don’t even know I’ve been born. See the problem?

When working with youth players, remember that they need to learn for themselves. They need to experience failure and success. They don’t want to be shouted at, and no one likes being told what to do. I’ve told my players enough times in training to spread out wide when our keeper has the ball. I don’t need to tell them to do that during a game. What happens if they don’t do it during the match? SPREAD OUT! No. In fact, I ask the question “Where do we need to be when our keeper has the ball?” or “Where can you go if you want to receive the ball?” It puts it into context, it doesn’t make them feel they are doing anything wrong, and it gets them to solve their own problems.

When the players are on the pitch, chasing the ball and battling for space, they see a lot of different things to what we see on the side. What spectators think might be the best option, the players may see something completely different. Don’t coach the game from your narrow view. Don’t make the decisions for your players. Don’t blame or criticise. Encourage and make adjustments. If you’re going to tell every single player what to do in every single situation, you may as well have a controller in your hand and be playing FIFA on the Xbox.

Back In The Championship

Saturday's game against Bristol City was my first Rovers game of the season. After being away for so long, I came home sooner than anticipated on the Friday, which meant I was off to the game on Saturday. Being a Southerner it is hard to see my beloved Rovers too often, but when they come down this end of the country, I drop everything to be there. I had nothing to drop, so off I went.

I had never been to Bristol City before. The last time Rovers were down in this league I was a lot younger, so we only went to Ewood or grounds we had been to before. Perhaps I was a tad spoilt by the Premier League, because although Ashton Gate would not be classed as a hole, it was most uncomfortable.

First off, we didn't take many fans. No surprise there. We do well just to have a fan at every game. We could sit anywhere, and since we arrived very early, we decided to sit in the second row, just behind the goal. It had a delightful view. We were mere yards from the players. What did strike us as concerning was that there were no backs for the seats. We were in effect, sat on a bench. Everyone had their own individual bum-grooved piece of plastic to plonk down their bottom, but if someone were to make an astute quip about David Dunn's fitness, you better be careful, because one could literally fall of their chair with laughter.

Funnily enough, the seats still folded up when you got off them.

To my ever growing concern, I noticed that the advertising hoardings were lacking in recognisable brand names. Instead of multi-national organisations offering intangible produtcs and expensive luxuries, working class fellows from the local area were attempting to draw attention to their menial services, such as building and plumbing. How quaint.

One of the best views in the ground was in the fourth row. It was completely obstructed by a large red pillar. When did these come back into football? Was the pillar charged admission?

Before I took my seat, I made a visit to the washroom. With an hour until kick-off, there was time within my schedule to drop some friends off at the pool. I had the choice of not one, but TWO cubicles, both of which were out of paper. To discover this, one had to enter the cubicle itself, which felt more akin to a phonebox than to a thunderbox. As the door opened, it went in towards the porcelain, missing it by a centimetre. This meant that to leave, one would have to climb over the toilet. Within our £25 fee, we did not know that it included an obstacle course.

Upon exiting the washroom, I noted that the laminated piece of A4 paper above the sink stated that during the game, running water can and will become scarce, due to the large demands placed upon the water supply. They had kindly provided some alcohol based hand wash just next to the soap, that assured the reader it would do just as good a job at cleansing one's hands as soap and water. That's easy for you to say, you're just a sign.

The staff and the stewards made it appear to be a very humourless place. To buy food, you had to go through more security checks than US customs. They have a glass window separating the patrons from the clerks, much like in a bank. There was however, no microphone. I would lean down and put my head through the gap to ensure that the lady behind the counter could hear my order. She had a very thick Bristol accent and appeared to be delightful as she said "So you want no lettuce or nuffin?" when my father requested that there be no salad in his cheeseburger, stating clearly he wished for just the cheese and the burger. In his buoyant manner, ready for the game, he mimicked her accent and said "Nah, no lettuce or nuffin". She appeared to have not recognised this jibe, and proceeded to prepare our food. We continued making fun of her later as we enjoyed our rock hard, salad-less and cheese-less cheeseburger.

I must admit that I was a little disappointed with my fellow Rovers fans. After around twenty minutes of abuse and songs from the Bristol City fans, the best retort we could compose was to sing "Have you ever won the Premier League?". Good job guys. Let's point out to this group of fans that we used to be great, highlighting our embarrassing and depressing fall from grace into this lower league. That will certainly shut them up.

The game itself though has to be the most entertaining I have ever seen. It had good goals, and lots of goals. The lack of standards within the ground meant that we were able to experience pitch-side as if we really were on the pitch. It was exciting, fast paced, and Bristol City didn't seem to care that we have a lot of international players in our squad. Nuno Gomes was kicked just about every time he got the ball, as I would instruct my players to do if they had someone of his calibre and glorious past playing for them.

Twice late on we thought we had won the game. As Ruben Rochina's goal hit the back of the net, there were a flurry of fans that made their way straight to the divide between us and the home fans. One of whom was so happy, he decided to loosen his trousers and expose his bottom to the City fans. His red rosey cheeks were symbolic of the stress that game put us through.

Attempting to top his predecessor, another young man was so elated when Jordan Rhodes put in the fifth and final goal, he took off his shirt, grabbed his stomach, and wobbled it at the Bristol fans. It was the tribal dance of the fat pastey white man.

All three Bristol City goals were Steve Kean's fault. It's only fair to blame him. He was playing awfully. If I was manager, I would have substituted Steve Kean right away.

This game put Rovers top of the league, going five games unbeaten in the Championship. We have a better and more in depth squad than we did last season when we were in the Premier League. An even more encouraging sign is that we have more than one goalscorer. Last season there was a huge dependence upon the Yak. Now we have many players who are capable of scoring goals, so if one of them is having a bad game, there are others who can step up.

It's encouraging, but it's a long season in the Championship, especially for Premier League snobs.

Why It Has Not Worked Out In Singapore

Why it has not worked out in Singapore.

The job was described to me as an initial three months on probation in Singapore, before a review, and then paid employment, basically working as regional manager in a country within South East Asia. Not only would I be coaching male and female players of all ages, but I would be coaching the coaches and devising standardised session plans for all of the coaches here. I was told I would need to invent a curriculum for the prestigious academy setup they have here. This is all challenging and exciting stuff.

I would also have a chance to write content for coaching courses, deliver and present these courses, and work alongside the FA tutors when they came out to deliver FA Level One and Level Two. The name Keith Boanas is one that means a lot to coaches in the UK, as he is highly respected and well regarded within the industry. I went to one of his workshops last year, and he was great. Keith’s name is plastered all over the website, and the boss in Singapore talked about him a lot. I couldn’t wait to start working with this guy. Trevor Brooking is also supposed to be involved somehow.

The chances for development and growth as a coach seem too good to pass up. Coaching regularly, different ages and abilities, working with Keith Boanas, and also writing and delivering an academy curriculum and coaching courses? Wow! This sounds too good to be true.

Another pull of the job was the travelling to exotic locations. I had only ever heard good things about Singapore, and its proximity to other countries means island hopping is a must. I will DEFINITELY get the chance to work in Malaysia, and I will DEFINITELY get the chance to work in Indonesia. If all goes well and I stay until April, then I could be sent off to Australia. I have wanted to go to Australia for years! I’m going to work really hard to ensure that this becomes a reality.

ASSian Soccer. As funny as that mistake is, the template was lifted straight from my missing World Soccer magazine. This was originally 'Global Soccer' but then changed to Assian.

One drawback was that before leaving for Canada, I had interviewed and been accepted to coach at Aldershot Town Ladies FC. The opportunity there was great, working with a decent team and good players, and being around good coaches. I declined about a month ago when I decided Singapore was the place to be. I wanted to work with Aldershot Development Centre as well, so now I am working with good standard adults and good standard kids. This would mean I could achieve my aim of UEFA B License certification, and being handed the FA Youth Award. Both fantastic qualifications that it would be brilliant for someone my age to have.

I asked if there would be a possibility for one of the many FA tutors, possibly even Keith Boanas, to assess me while in Singapore. Of course. They come here all the time. Just book a session with one, and they will have you assessed right here in Singapore. Excellent. Passing both those courses, and working abroad at the same time? Nothing will stop me achieving that!

My First Aid needs renewing, but that’s easy to arrange in Singapore. I’m sure due to the company’s links with the Singapore FA and Singapore Premier League teams, arranging this will be no problem whatsoever.

This sounds amazing, and I don’t mind doing it for free for three months, especially as everything is taken care of. The apartment won’t quite be luxury, but I will have my own room. Food will be provided, and transport will be paid for. Not bad. I only need money for going out, but who needs to go out when I will have access to a pool and a gym? There’s non-stop football on TV, and I’ll also be playing football regularly! These three months are going to fly by!

On top of that, I’m going to be regularly writing for the website, and there’s even the possibility of becoming a radio commentator in Malaysia. English Soccer School are the BEST coaching company in Singapore. They have links to professional teams here, and advise the Singapore Football Association on decisions regarding youth development. And they want me to come out, live in paradise, and become an integral part of it? I should have left Canada sooner!

There will be a good coach from Japan coming to stay with us for a while, as well as a coach from Deportivo La Coruna, who will deliver a few courses. I will get the chance to work with them, and even help deliver this course. And then Ted Dale (one of my former assessors), the man who once had England and Chelsea captain John Terry as a young player, will be coming out to stay. Think of the minds! Think of the learning opportunities! Think of the stories!

They stole this from our academy website!

Before the job starts, I’m being asked to come up with ideas for courses, as well as make football related homework for kids. It sounds like fun. People in Singapore are very education oriented, and the parents want the kids to learn more than just how to kick a ball. I went away and put considerable time and effort into this. I think it’s a bit odd I’m being asked to do this while I’m still working for Challenger, but then I need to impress my new boss to make sure I can do my best throughout this fantastic opportunity.

Regular contact on Skype is keeping me keen. I can’t wait to get out there and get stuck in to Singapore. Now I’m being asked if I can come out earlier, but I politely inform the boss my contract with Challenger doesn't finish until the end of August. I can’t rearrange my fight to Singapore with British Airways without costing lots of money. Plus I wanted to see family and friends. But there’s a session with an adult team, and they really want me. It’s a shame I can’t get there earlier and get started with them.

I had to cut the hellos and goodbyes short with family, friends, Adam and the cat. I was home Monday and off again Friday. But my family and friends could easily come visit me in Singapore. If there’s room in the apartment, they can come stay for free. The flight was delayed by an hour or so, trouble with the plane’s electrics at Heathrow. I hope that doesn’t reflect badly on me. I don’t want to keep my new boss waiting.

A long sleep on the plane and some good movies, and before you know it, I can see lots of ships and islands out the window. Here I am, finally, in South East Asia. It’s new, magical and mystical. And it’s all for me. I arrive at the airport, and after saying I have arrived, I receive a text saying ’10 mins late’. He’s going to be ten minutes late? Not bad. Perhaps he had checked out my flight time and saw the hour delay, so set off an hour later. Then I receive another text, this time saying twenty minutes. He must be a really busy and important guy, or the traffic is bad.

Around forty five minutes later, the boss arrives. He thought I was at Terminal 3 rather than Terminal 1, showing that he hadn’t actually looked up my flight details, and that he was just very late. He told me on Skype that he doesn’t tolerate lateness, but we all say things we don’t mean. Let’s go to Burger King, actually no, let’s not. Let’s just get a taxi back instead. No car? No worries. I’ve met plenty of nice people that don’t drive. Whilst waiting for a taxi, much like a lawyer chasing an ambulance, he handed a business card to a mother who was with her two sons. Smooth.

Thinking back to an earlier conversation on Skype, I might have to share my room with another coach for a while, then it will be mine. He is leaving soon, so no big deal. In the taxi I was told that my room in fact has two coaches in there. I’m trying to figure out if there will be room for me in my own room. I’m allowed to put my stuff in there, and we can roll a mattress out on the floor for me for the first week. I told them that I snore really loud and that I would be a burden on the others. I’ll just sleep on the sofa. I spent every subsequent night on that sofa.

We arrive at the apartment. No sign of the pool or gym yet, but they must be close. Oh, by the way, he has a doctor from Pakistan staying in one of the rooms for free, because he is a nice guy, and this doctor had no money and no friends. Is that my room? Could that have been my room? The most interaction I had with this doctor was saying good morning at around half six when he used to get up every morning and walk past the sofa, to go into the bathroom and violently hack his lungs up for twenty minutes. You think a doctor might know a bit more about bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.

The apartment itself was on the 8^th floor. Not that I am an expert like on CSI, but the bars on the doors and windows did alarm me a bit. Who is he trying to keep out? More like who is he trying to keep in? A warm welcome to a new place is always full of… stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Footballs, bibs, cones, pumps, t-shirts. I’m living in a Challenger rental car. It’s only temporary. The storage place across town… across town? We store our equipment across town? Doesn’t that mean getting up at five, travelling a long way, then hauling lots of crap to a session before hauling it all back again, via a connecting series of buses, trains and taxis? I’m not here to strategically plan a supply raid.

Forget this. I just want to get settled in. Don’t leave the lights on, and you can only have air conditioning on at night. It must be turned off at eight in the morning, or else it costs too much. He’s running a business. It’s only natural to be concerned about money. How about my induction? Where is the grand tour of Sembawang? Well, this is the mall, and he takes me out to the food court to have what everybody knows is my favourite, Chinese food. All the while, he is telling me that he hopes they can live up to my expectations. My expectations? Like I’m some incredible coach that they are lucky to have. I was half expecting him to go under the table for me like Michelle did for Jim in American Pie. At least I feel valued.

All the other coaches, by the way, are incoherent degenerate morons that have been plucked straight from the council estate. They’ve been crying out for someone like me to come in and really shape things up. Why would you hire these idiots in the first place? Not my place to judge a company hiring policy. It’s my job to make these guys better coaches.

That men’s team I was told about that wanted me out earlier had decided they didn’t want us to work with them anymore. Because I couldn’t get out there earlier, the boss had to send the other two coaches to do what was my session. They messed it up big time. Now they didn’t want us back. Of course this wouldn’t have happened  if I had come out earlier though. That was my chance of completing the UEFA B gone for the time being.

I met the two other coaches that were staying with me very briefly on the first night there. They’re in my room, and they’re both incompetent morons (as I was told by my boss). How is that supposed to shape my first impression of them? They seemed okay, but I was still suspicious. Some thick people are clever at hiding it. We were going to have a meeting, but that never happened. Time to make friends with the sofa.

It’s time for a shower. I’ve been travelling for ages, it’s hot and sticky, and I probably smell really bad. The shower was the bathroom. The toilet and sink were not separated from the shower by doors or windows. One has to shower really close in the corner, and hope to not spray the towels. By the way, this is taking ages to warm up. Twenty minutes of fiddling with the tap and putting my hand under the water, I then realised that despite the optimistic red and blue colouring on the faucet, hot water was only a myth. Well, time for bonerkill.

Waking up, I thought what do I know about Singapore? What do I know about Sembawang? How about my boss or the other coaches? Are there any rules to the apartment? Is there anything I shouldn’t do in public that might cause offence or get me arrested? They say Singapore is a FINE city. I spent most of the first forty eight hours on that sofa, waiting for someone to do something with me, show me where to go, tell me what’s cool in Singapore.

On the Sunday morning, the boss asked me out to watch some of the locals play a game of football at the beautiful astroturf that was just outside our building. What a great chance to experience the weather, see the facilities and get an idea of the skill level that I will be working with. Not long before leaving, the other two coaches tell me that they are going out into the city and invite me to come. I would love to go explore and see things, but I’m going to be watching the matches down here with the boss. I couldn’t ask these guys to wait for me, so I told them to go without me. The boss and I walked down there, meeting a parrot along the way. All in all, we watched about ten minutes of football, then he handed out some business cards, and we went back inside. When we got in, the other guys had gone, and I was left alone in the apartment, on my second day, for about six hours. Fun fun fun.

We had no Level Three coaches. We were all Level One or Two.

All Sunday night I couldn’t sleep. Jet lag, idleness, and trying to adjust from a fourteen hour shift from Canada, as well as the comfy sofa, probably all contributing to this. Eventually around nine or ten the next morning, I managed to get a couple of hours. Maybe it will be alright once I get into my routine of work and play. A structure to life should do the trick, though it will take a couple of days. Now I’m off to go do my first session, and I had to meet the boss somewhere in the city. This is my first time out venturing in Singapore alone and I have no real idea what I’m doing, but I’m a big boy that has travelled the world, I’m more than capable.

I still have no real idea about the session, how it is going to run, what exactly I need to do, but I’m good enough to adapt and to make it on the spot, so that doesn’t faze me. Though I must admit that I was a little concerned about the lack of organisation. I meet the boss in town and we are travelling together. If I had known we had so far to go and so much time on the journey, I would have brought a means of entertainment along with me to keep my mind stimulated. Now along the many bus and train journeys to our destination, I’m beginning to feel a bit of a rumble in my stomach. Not good. Un cool. It’s my first day. I spent the session on the toilet, and when I wasn’t unloading my guts, I was waiting in the cool and the shade near the toilet. What a great start. After a couple of squirts in the thunderbox I was beginning to feel a lot better, but I needed food, water and Imodium.

To his credit, the boss did seem very concerned. We had three other coaches there, so me not taking part was no big deal. On the way back, he suddenly decided that he had to go to a meeting. We discussed the options about getting me home from a part of the city that I had never seen before, and I told him I could figure it out okay. I wanted to explore downtown, and I could smell a Wendy’s. Sitting there eating my Baconator, I decided that I really liked Singapore. It’s warm, clean, friendly, and I am a giant among the native population. Who wouldn’t enjoy that? I looked around the shops and got a feel for the place. I found the House of Condom, and decided that there are more condoms in the front window that a man can use in his whole life.

That night after getting in, one of the other coaches I was staying with invited me to go workout. There was a play area gym set nearby. The only good thing was the bar from which one could execute chin-ups. It was there that he asked me what I thought so far and if I was enjoying it. I told him that it appeared to be okay, though I had a few concerns about the unorganisation, the constant changing of minds, how we are sometimes left to fend four ourselves, that I didn’t believe some of the promises were going to be kept, and that I had no induction whatsoever. He told me he wasn’t enjoying it, wanted to go home, and had arranged his flight for the following weekend. The boss had promised him a few things that clearly weren’t going to happen, and that they had had one or two fall outs. Did I mention that you weren’t supposed to fraternise with the other coaches? The boss doesn’t like it. News to me!

Now it’s Tuesday, and I have hardly slept at all gain. Today I’m going to be working with a coach that I have been told is a complete moron, is an idiot, and need spoon feeding for his coaching. I need to write sessions for this guy to deliver because he is such a doughnut. I had to meet him in town at a train station. No idea what he looks like, no number to contact. Fortunately he is waiting for me as I get off the train. He can recognise me in my uniform. We’re walking out and we bump into two of the coaches from yesterday. One is from Liverpool and one is from Wales. They were both leaving very soon and were enjoying their last few days on the island. They ask me what I think, and I say that I am enjoying it, and then we say our goodbyes.

The trip to this session was far longer than the one yesterday as we are going from the complete North to the complete South of Singapore. Buses, trains, and even a marathon eventually get us to our destination, but not after stopping past the office where we meet the two ladies who do our registration, kit orders, and handle the money. Apparently I need to learn how to fill out registration forms properly because everyone else around is an idiot. I don’t really want to do any admin work – I’m a coach. I don’t want to ever work in an office. I don’t mind ticking names off a sheet as they show up, but I suppose it is only ten minutes. I can handle that.

A picture of Keith signing an autograph.

We were there for about an hour and a half before eventually leaving and moving on to our session. Our destination was an accommodation that was exquisite. The people who lived there were all significantly richer than thou. The place was lovely. The pitch itself was a small five a side pitch on a bumpy patch of grass in between two houses. Not what I was expecting.

I watched this guy coach and even joined in a bit. I’ve got to say that he is one of the best coaches I have seen that works with such young kids. Usually coaches struggle with toddlers and those up to around six years old, but this guy was able to talk to them, communicate effectively, had great use of the whistle, played fun games that were also good for learning, and did it all with a big smile on his face. In what way does this guy need help?

After a couple of hours coaching (plus the ninety minute meeting and the hour travelling), I’m starting to run out of Oreos and water. I assumed we were only going to be a couple of hours. He told me that we still had ages to go. Oh. Thanks Boss. Don’t tell me stuff. That’s cool. I just put it down to experience and said that I won’t make the same mistake next week.

Halfway through our long trek back across the country, we meet the two coaches from earlier. I got the feeling that they deliberately intercepted us on our journey. They seemed like they had a purpose and invited us back to their condo where they were staying, paid for by the company. I was a bit hungry so only wanted to stay a short while. The four of us walked to their apartment complex and my jaw hit the ground. Security, lights, palm trees, beautiful swimming pool. It looked like the kind of place you see in brochures, yet they were complaining about it. I couldn’t understand why. I was told that I may be moved there from the boss, and now I wanted it so badly. They didn’t take us to their apartment, but instead to another pool on the roof. It was secluded and relaxing, and just amazing.

These two coaches talked with the two of us for hours, and what they told me confirmed even more of my suspicions. They told us that they spend all their time up here on the roof by the pool because it is so bad inside their apartment. How? Look at this place. Well, they share a room. Not so bad though, until you find that it has about three or four bedrooms. Each one has several people or a family living in it. One of them even has a baby in there. They’re packed in like sardines with people they don’t know, and with whom they don’t share a language. Can you imagine what that will be like?

As for the coaching side of things, they told me that they were made the same promises, they were painted the same happy picture about how brilliant working for this company will be. None of what they were told came true, and that they are never coming back. They asked me about my experience and qualifications, and when I told them, one of them said, his exact words “You’ve got a degree and you’re on your B License, get the fuck out of here. You’re only going to go backwards”. He explained that he is a level two coach, and that the sessions we will be teaching will hardly even be level one sessions. The kids are not very good, not their fault, but they do not need coaches that are as good as us.

We all came to Singapore to become better coaches. We thought we would be learning from Keith Boanas, we thought we would be teaching a good standard of player, we thought we would design sessions, write coaching courses, and deliver them with FA tutors. We thought we would improve as coaches, and become a big player in a great company. They told me to get out as quick as I can.

One thing I found rather interesting was that out of those two coaches, one of them was being paid $500 per month. The rest of us were on probation. I had a lot to think about, and I was very hungry. I ended up in a McDonald’s considering my options. I was now fairly certain that I was going to leave early and not stay the three months. I had thought about staying for a month, about going to Australia, and maybe trying to complete a coaching course while there. Since I’m over this side of the world, why not try to make the most of it?

Sitting there, chewing on my double quarter pounder, two of the other coaches came in. It was now fairly late, but still busy. I continued from my conversation on Monday night with one of the coaches, and the new Japanese coach was listening intently. Where had I been? I was honest, and told them everything the other two coaches told me. The Japanese coach couldn’t believe it. He told us that he was paying $1000 per month to live in the apartment and learn about coaching. He was going to learn from us and gain the company’s own version of a Level One coaching certificate. He was in fact sleeping on the sofa adjacent to mine, and watching Level Two coaches execute basic sessions. He had been thoroughly duped into coming to Singapore. Talking to these guys, I lost all motivation and desire to stay working for this company. I had to leave as soon as possible.

So now the operation began. I’m supposed to be here for three months, working for free and living in crap. Cold showers, no food, travelling hours per day by public transport to get to sessions. There was clearly no chance of me finishing my qualifications like I had been promised. I wasn’t going to get to work with the men’s team like I was told, there were no links with the Singapore FA, and there were no links with any professional teams. The prestigious academy programme was not working with advanced kids, but in fact a moneymaking scheme. The other coaches were leaving, so I was going to be on my own a lot more. I would very soon run out of money, and not be able to do the wonderful excursions that I planned to do. I felt lied to and cheated. I felt like an idiot.

I returned to the apartment and immediately looked up hotels, flights, and anything else I could think of. Should I stay for a week or so and make the most out of my first ever trip to Asia? I couldn’t afford it, and if I stayed any longer, it would be harder to find a job when I returned home. I got in contact with my parents via Skype and Facebook, and we got planning. I booked a hotel, and now just needed to somehow pack my stuff and leave.

Stolen straight from the Coerver coaching DVD - Make Your Move.

I told one of the coaches I was staying with that I was off, but I didn’t want the other two to know. The more people that know, the more likely it might slip. The less people know, the more convincing the lie. But how was I going to escape? I needed to pack three months worth of clothes, shoes and football boots, and get out unnoticed. I didn’t sleep at all that night, thinking over and over again about how I could leave.

The boss quite often goes out for food, but then that might only be ten minutes, and what about the awkward situation of when he bumps into me as I’m leaving with my bags packed? Maybe I should be honest and tell him I’m not enjoying it and need to leave. Perhaps I could lie and say that there has been a family tragedy, but then I’m not a convincing liar.

Due to lack of sleep and food, added to the hot and humid climate, I looked like a mess. I looked ill. Given a few hours of sleep and a meal, I would have been fine again. This appeared to work to my advantage as the boss was starting to think that I wasn’t very well. I decided to play on this. Maybe I could tell him that I’m too ill to go to today’s session and then sneak out while he is gone. That might be an awkward conversation to have, but then I am not under contract. I am here voluntarily. I can leave when I want. At the request of the boss, I went to lie down on one of the beds. This was my first bed in Singapore. The coaches who didn’t know were concerned, but through a series of whispers, I explained to them that I was leaving. I had a hotel booked for the night, and a plane for the next day. Excellent. They were thrilled. I told them just to go along with it. They didn’t know I was leaving, and as far as they were concerned, I just looked a bit ill.

Wiel Coerver got all of his great ideas from English Soccer School.

There were still around three or four hours left until the session. What was I going to do until then? The boss talked about the academy programme, and told me his plan for my session. I was brought in to take control of this academy, but I don’t care anymore. Let’s spend a whole hour teaching them a basic skill. That’s money well spent. I’m thinking of having kids as soon as possible, just to be able to send them to this academy and hand my money over.

It’s now close to two o’clock. I had managed to sleep for a couple hours, but I needed to keep up the illusion. I laid in bed in a pathetic position, doing my best to look like a rotting carcass. If the boss comes in to check on me, at least it will look authentic. In fact, he left. He went out twenty minutes early with another coach because they had to pick up equipment on the way. Really? He didn’t want to check to see if I was okay? I didn’t care. I was off. I packed my bags in record time. What would happen if he had forgotten something and had to come back quick for it? “I’m just rearranging my stuff, I think it looks better like this”.

I left the apartment with the remaining coach. We said our goodbyes, and I wished him luck for his remaining week. I told him that he didn’t know anything, and I had opted to stay behind because I was too ill to go to the session. Dragging my big heavy bags, I attempted to walk to the train station. I got less than one hundred yards and realised that I wasn’t quite sure where I was going. It was boiling hot and I had two heavy bags with me. Waiting in the shade and calling a taxi seemed like the best idea. I had the hotel numbers, four taxi numbers, a train route planned, and even parts I had to walk with a step by step guide. My plan was bulletproof.

As typical in Singapore, you have to make several phone calls to finally get through to a taxi. Booking it and waiting for it felt like an eternity. It probably wasn’t that long, but it represented freedom. Finally it came, and I could have kissed the driver. The trip by taxi was fairly efficient, but I was dreading the cost. To my surprise, it was very cheap. I got to the hotel, went to my room, and that was it. I was free.

This is the summary of the web of lies, deceit and manipulation that has been thrown over myself and other coaches.

Coaches are told that they are on an initial unpaid three month probation period. They are told that if they impress, the contract thereon will be lucrative. This is to have coaches working for free, and with such a great incentive, they will work to a high standard.

The boss wants to give up the coaching and focus on just the business side of things. This will mean that he gets more coaches in, and does less work, yet takes all the money.

Pictures of Keith Boanas and Trevor Brooking are used to make the company seem much more official. Trevor Brooking has nothing to do with it, and Keith Boanas comes to Singapore once a year for a week.

We are not given a work visa for the following reasons: it will cost the company money, he will have to pay us, he will have to insure us, he won’t be able to move us around to other countries as and when he wants, and more importantly, we will have someone to complain to within the government that we are being exploited.

The courses that the company runs are worth as much as the paper they are printed on. Even so, we would get to execute only one per year, nowhere near as many as the impression we were given. And nowhere near as important as he made out.

The coaches are told that the other coaches are incompetent idiots, and that the company is very lucky to have you here. “We hope that we can live up to your expectations” to make us feel big and important. The boss regularly slagged off and insulted coaches behind their backs. He also told the coaches not to mingle or socialise. Why was this? So that we wouldn’t talk to each other and find out the false promises and lies that we had been told each other. We were kept separate.

Just a pure load of crap.

The apartment was going to be fairly good, with a pool and a gym. Mine wasn’t like that. It was full of equipment, we couldn’t leave the lights on, and the air conditioning couldn’t be on past eight in the morning. It was hot and humid all the time. I didn’t have a bed to sleep on, and there was one bathroom between five of us. The shower was cold. There was no food for us to eat. The condo was apparently crowded. What happens is the coaches stay in these places for free, living with each other and the boss. It costs nothing for us to live in the place that the boss is already paying for. He is also renting rooms out, making money off his apartments, meaning that they are overcrowded places to stay. There were nine people in three rooms, including a crying baby. Could you imagine living there? Now know that the other people staying there who aren’t coaches are actually paying the boss for the privilege. He is making money off of them. He probably loses no money on these places as he is renting the rooms out.

Whatever we asked for, we were told we were going to get. That was just a way of getting us out there. He would lie and make whatever promise he could. If we had any concerns or reservations, he would lie and say that it was all going to be fine.

The kids in the sessions have to buy kit. Why? It’s more money.

The standard of kids was awful. Not their fault, but we were told we would be coaching kids of a competitive standard. The Academy was a farce, and was just setup to exploit parents and make money.

We were told there were links with professional teams, and that the company advised the Singapore FA on matters. None of this was true. If you were to go to the Singapore Football Association, you would not encounter anyone who had heard of the company.

If you're there for long enough, the boss makes you run errands, such as picking up equipment and getting food. Why? We're not being paid to do that. We're not being paid at all.

On the weekends, when doing the morning sessions, you would have to leave at five in the morning, and get on a series of buses, trains and taxis. This was because the company had no car, and because most of the equipment was stored at a place the other side of the city. They weren’t paying me enough to get up early and go through all that.

I don’t mind working for free if I am living in a great place, gaining tons of experience, and becoming a better coach. I don’t mind doing a crap job and living in a hole if I am getting paid a lot. I do mind flying to the other side of the world, being promised a dream job, taking lots of injections and paying for a flight, and then finding out it is all a lie. Since packing my bags and leaving, the boss has not tried to make contact with me once. For all he knows, I could be dead down a back alley somewhere. Instead, he has listed the job again on the website we all applied through. I will make it my mission to ensure that no one is again lied to like we are. We don’t want another poor coach going through what we have. We don’t want our former boss to make another cent off the sweat and hard work off exploited coaches, stealing the money from the pockets of rich and gullible parents. And I will let Keith Boanas know that his face is all over it. I wouldn’t want to be associated in any way with this business.

The only picture I took inside the apartment, because the rest of it was so bad.

More Effective Coaching: Shooting

More Effective Coaching: Shooting

Too often we see shooting sessions done badly. Line drills are often utilised, being seen as the only resort. How can we give everyone a turn when we only have one goal? You may only have limited goals or balls, but that doesn’t mean you should also miss out on the realism, the game intensity, and any form of challenging aspect that will groom your players into improvement.

Line drills should be illegal. Not every coach is fortunate enough to have done the new FA Youth Award, but that doesn’t mean we can’t share our knowledge. The old fashioned shooting drill goes along the lines of having one player in goal, and the rest lined up behind a cone, shooting one at a time. Sometimes the coach may lay the ball off, sometimes there may be a defender, sometimes you may have to compete for the ball before shooting, but how much do you really learn?

Can your players score in an open goal, unopposed from fifteen yards? Even our grandmothers can. How often does that happen in a game? It’s very rare, so let’s practice the situations that occur far more regularly. How about repetitions? If you’ve got to wait for ten other players to have their shot, collect the ball, wait for the keeper to get up and be ready, how many attempts on goal will you have over ten minutes of practice? Three maybe? Most players need at least three shots just to warm up.

What would make it more realistic? Defenders being in the way and closing you down, the ball coming to you from different angles and different speeds, receiving the ball with different parts of your body, receiving the ball in different areas of the field, having your options greatly closed down (rather than the whole goal to aim for, you may only have one corner), and even having players to pass to when the shot is not on (do we want to teach our players to shoot when it is not actually a shooting opportunity)? So now we’re affecting their decision making, changing variables, and creating obstacles. Much like a real game, you now have so much to think about, it isn’t just a case of looking at the goal and kicking the ball.

“But Will, I’m working with younger players, we’re looking more at technique at the moment rather than decision making, I need to do something simple”. Does that mean that a line drill is your only option? Of course not. Remember that line drills are illegal. How many goals do you have available? Can you split your players into smaller groups? If you don’t have goals, can you get them to set goals up with cones, bibs, bags, parents etc. Groups of two or three, with a ball and a goal per group would be ideal. This makes the session far more effective, meaning that each player experiences more repetitions.

Here I’m going to share some of the best, and my most favourite shooting drills, explaining how they are effective, and what situation they are best used with. I will also compare them with FA tutor marking guides, demonstrating just how good they are. 

Use activities that support the principles of play.	The game encourages build up play, having the attacker move around to create space to receive a pass. The players will look to play forward where possible, but must keep possession when the shot or pass to the forward is not available.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	The attackers, if not receiving the ball, must now move to create space and create angles to shoot. If the attacker is not in a position to receive the ball, can one of the midfielders step up and take the shot? In the drills, the shooter must think about what shot to use, and what to do with their first touch, taking into consideration the speed, positioning and angle of the defender’s approach.
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	In the game, all players should be given a turn in midfield and attack. In the drills, all players will have plenty of opportunities to experiment and practice, as they are given free range to make their own decisions.
Interesting and fun.	Everybody loves shooting, and the players will care more about putting goals past their teammates than anything else.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	The shooter will have the most intense workout throughout the drills, and will be shooting only 33% of the time.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	During the drills, the less able and developed players will be grouped together. Now the kid with the rocket shot does not have to hold back when firing at the space cadet in goal.
Effective and realistic organisation.	Effective in that working in threes gives everyone lots of turn. Rather than one ball between twelve or fifteen, there is one ball between three. Rather than waiting in line, the non-shooting players are now practicing their goalkeeping and defending (much better than standing there and picking their nose).
Additional Notes	I would most likely add a goalkeeper at both ends during the final game. Once the attacker has beaten the defender, scoring in the open goal is not much of a challenge.

Use activities that support the principles of play.	It encourages players to go direct go goal, and also to turn and attempt to go another direction when their route is blocked
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	The players have to make up their mind which direction to go when being opposed. Will they shoot from distance and risk missing the goal, or take the ball nearer and risk being out of balls by the time they return? When it comes to the game at the end, are they going to be more attacking or defensive?
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	Each player has a ball and will have plenty of attempts, experiencing a lot of trial and error throughout the exercise. From this they will learn different techniques, and which the best strategy to use is.
Interesting and fun.	Being first to the ball, possibly not having another go if they don’t hurry, trying to score more goals than their teammates, what kid wouldn’t love it?
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	Players are allowed to go at their own pace. They can go slower if they like, but may not score many goals. During the game, the time they are on the field will be intense, and they will have plenty of rest after each turn.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	The coach calls the numbers, and can pair stronger players with each other. If one player is destroying another in head to heads, the coach can pass the ball into play nearer to the weaker player. During the drills, with a ball each, the slower players will not hold back the faster players.
Effective and realistic organisation.	Plenty of repetitions, meaning plenty of practice. The 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 situations that will be created during the game will provide realistic game intensity.
Additional Notes	Personally I would not use the end game for too long. If the coach calls numbers 1 and 2, what are numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6 doing? Not playing football. It’s a fun game, but is much more for younger players. They will love it. Perhaps in the drill, put in a shooting line, where the players cannot shoot once they have crossed the line. This will dissuade them from dribbling all the way into an empty net.

 

Use activities that support the principles of play.	The game encourages players to shoot as soon as an opportunity arises. It was Wayne Gretsky who said “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. As long as players aren’t trying to turn and shoot through crowds of players, a shoot on sight mentality is not a bad philosophy. For one, it can take opponents by surprise. The drills encourage players to keep possession until a shooting opportunity arises. Because they are not under pressure to release the ball, they can pass until the defenders have been pulled out of position. From there, they can aim for the corners, as the side goals have the incentive of scoring more points.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	All players have the responsibility to defend. They are all expected to shoot, but must also do all they can to block shots. This dissuades players from switching off once the shot has been taken. Responsibility also has to be taken when one player has the shot. If they don’t score, they are relieving possession, so they have to decide whether it is best to shoot or pass the ball to a teammate in a better position.
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	During the first drill, all players have balls, and all players have the opportunity to shoot and to practice. From the progression, they will experience risk and reward. Should I have passed to someone else? Even though it looks difficult, can I score from here?
Interesting and fun.	The chance to score against your friends, and also to stop them from scoring, is a huge incentive to any player. The points system for the middle and wide goals makes the players aim for the corners, with the reward of more points.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	None of the drills, nor the game are overly strenuous.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	If during the game, only the same players are shooting, the strongest and weakest players can be conditioned. The strongest can be asked to shoot with their weaker foot, and for the weakest, the team must pass to them before they can shoot, or even introduce a safe zone, which anyone can enter, and from there they cannot be challenged.
Effective and realistic organisation.	In the first two drills, the goals are very wide, but it will encourage players to aim wide, consider their options, and think and look for the best shooting opportunities. Lots of repetitions are to be had throughout, with the interference from opposing players creating the realism of a crowded penalty box.
Additional Notes	When in groups of more than twelve, try to set up two small games side by side. The idea is that in these small games, more players get more turns. If this turns into a big game, then the weaker players will hide, which is what we are trying to avoid. When not shooting, the other players are looking at how to defend, and working out how to aid their teammates by creating space or passing the ball effectively.

Use activities that support the principles of play.	The game encourages players to be first to the ball, and for the team to score more goals than their opposition. When defenders and goalkeepers are added, a lot more in game situations are created.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	Every player must try to score a goal. Missing will hurt the fortunes of your team. Players must be alert and ready to go, or else their lack of concentration will negatively affect others. During the drills, the players must decide which type of shot to use, and what method is best or the most effective at beating the goalkeeper.
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	Working in pairs or in threes will be mean lots and lots of repetitions, providing lots of opportunities to practice and develop. The players can experiment with the different techniques when trying to beat the goalkeeper.
Interesting and fun.	Keeping score, shooting past your friends in goal, and the race to be first to the ball will keep your players heavily engaged.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	The race to the ball will be intense, and players will have the chance to rest in between turns.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	Group the weakest players together, and the strongest players together. Ensure that during the game, equal paced and equal skilled players are opposite numbers.
Effective and realistic organisation.	The drills will provide a lot of repetitions, specifically great for teaching and encouraging different techniques. The game throws up many 1v1 situations, creating a game intensity.
Additional Notes	I would not suggest doing this game with more than eight, maybe ten players. What are the other players doing while their number is not being called out. They’re certainly not practicing their shooting, effectively making this a line drill, and we want to avoid those. It’s good fun, and forces a lot of competition, but more players means a longer wait between turns. If there is a big group, and you want to play this game, set up two smaller fields side by side, and have another coach or parent administer the other game.

Use activities that support the principles of play.	The game sees players both attacking and defending. They must also be quick to react and quick to think, and never let their concentration drop. The players with the ball have to search for opportunities to score, which could include running with the ball or dribbling.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	If the players are struggling to knock the cones over, they will have to think and find the reason why. Are they kicking the ball too hard? Are they kicking from too far away? Are they running too fast with the ball? Are they using an inappropriate part of the foot? During the game, the decision making comes from searching for a goal to go and attack.
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	All players within this session will receive plenty of chances to shoot. There is a very high amount of repetitions to be experienced throughout.
Interesting and fun.	The cranes and bulldozers theme adds to what is a fantastically entertaining drill, though more aimed at younger players.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	This can be quite intense, but rests will be gained in between turns, when the cones have to be put back up or tidied.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	The stronger players will be encouraged to knock over the cones with their weaker foot. For the game, players will be paired according to ability.
Effective and realistic organisation.	The idea of knocking over all the cones creates repetition of shooting techniques. While making a game out of it, the cranes picking the cones back up, means that all players effectively have a ballboy following them. Time is not spent wasted on tidying the area because to do so is now part of the competition.
Additional Notes	Make sure that you have a lot of tall cones. This is aimed at younger kids. The older they are, the less time you need to spend on technique, and the more time you need to spend on decision making.

Use activities that support the principles of play.	Play forward where possible, by shooting when the chance is available. Keep possession when the chance does not present itself, and use passing and movement to create scoring opportunities.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	Players must take responsibility when shooting. Every time you shoot you risk losing possession for the team. Do you have a strong chance of scoring by taking the shot? Players will have to consider their options before unleashing. If you lose the ball, being part of the attack and the defence, it is also your responsibility to win the ball back. A common problem in this game is that the goalhanger sometimes blocks the shots too often. Players must figure out that they need to create space to be able to shoot effectively, and that a good pass or set saves time by not having to control an awkward pass.
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	The drills allow for all the players to attempt plenty of shots. Whilst not shooting, the players will be able to experiment by going in goal. It may be something they do not experience very often. During the game, all players should rotate, giving everyone a chance to be the goalhanger.
Interesting and fun.	In the game you are encouraging players to shoot from distance. You can see top of the range top corner goals in this game, inspiring the other players to try their hardest to also achieve this feat.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	The drills are not too strenuous, and the game is not too intense, as the team in possession usually greatly outnumbers their immediate opponents.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	Encourage the better players to shoot with their weaker foot or to try different techniques. Better still, why not make a points system? One point if the goalhanger scores, two if you score from your own half, four if you score with your weaker foot, and five if you curve, swerve, or volley the ball. The weaker players will try to score normally, and will be rewarded for doing so. The better players will wish to score more points, and so will try the techniques and skills they can’t quite do yet.
Effective and realistic organisation.	The halves should be about fifteen to twenty yards, from goal to half. This means players are now shooting from ‘edge of the box’ distance. Everyone on the pitch is in shooting distance at all times. Because of the overload in each half, the attacking team will create a lot of opportunities to shoot, giving each player plenty of repetitions.
Additional Notes	The game in this session is by far my favourite shooting practice. As a player I enjoy it very much, getting plenty of opportunities to shoot. As a coach, it serves many intervention opportunities, and many opportunities to dive in and coach the topic. Plus, the player in me always comes out when coaching, as I love to do shooting demonstrations.

Use activities that support the principles of play.	The competition in both these games can become incredibly intense. With a time limit, or with the need to win to carry on playing, it creates real game intensity. In the practice on the left, the players will look to shoot on sight, and it is sure to create lots of rebounds. In the drill on the right, the players will firstly look to see if they can chip their opponents. This will mean both teams now play long and wide, defending deep, and attacking as a unity. When a team cannot shoot, or is under pressure, they will look to play the ball wide to keep possession.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	In the drill on the left, players will have to come up with a strategy. When defending, do you try to keep possession, or just kick everything that moves? When attacking, what is your plan? If you keep possession too much, you may never shoot. If you always shoot, you will waste your time by going to retrieve too many missed shots. On the right, are you going to defend high or deep? Do you press the ball and win it high and nearer the goal? Should you try to shoot at every opportunity because there is no keeper?
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	In both drills, all players are involved. Even when not attacking, they are either goalkeeping, defending, or looking at ways to create goalscoring opportunities. Particularly on the right practice, the players will attempt every technique under the sun, and will be very creative and inventive on their ways to score goals.
Interesting and fun.	The competition is intense. All players will want to win, and all players will have their chance in the spotlight. Everyone is involved at all times, so they are always engaged. The great goals and the wonderful attempts that you will witness will keep everyone entertained for hours.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	During the practice on the right, the 3v3 will be very intense, and the time on the side spent as wall passers will be very much appreciated by worn out players.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	Make sure that all teams are equal, containing the same number of attackers and defenders, and strong and weak players. In both games, the team in possession is always the majority in the overload, meaning that the weaker players will always have lots of options to pass to. If it really comes to a point where it is needed, then a safe zone can be shoved in, where a player is allowed to take the ball, and be unopposed for three seconds.
Effective and realistic organisation.	In both games, you are always within shooting distance. This means that time is spent on shooting, and there is not too much unwarranted build-up play. Only a couple of passes will be needed before a team can carve out a chance to score. Due to the overload, every player should have plenty of chances to shoot. And like a real game, no two scoring opportunities will be the same.
Additional Notes	Two fantastic practices. The one on the left is an FA Youth Module practice, and all my players have thoroughly enjoyed it. The one on the right comes from my time spent watching sessions at Aldershot Town, watching the younger groups. The players loved it so much, the coach actually scrapped the plans for the rest of the session, and for next week too. What’s great about both drills is that everyone is involved and no one is stood round. They are all involved, they are all engaged, they can all receive the ball at any time, and they all have an incentive. The incentive for the defenders on the left drill to work hard is to stop the other teams from scoring, so that when it is their turn to attack, they can score more points than their opponents and win the game. The incentive for the outside players/wall passers on the right practice is that if they help create goals, the two teams playing will leave the field quicker, meaning that they can get on and play sooner.

Use activities that support the principles of play.	The simple objective is to get the ball down quick and play, try to score as quick as possible, and take the opponents by surprise.
Encourage responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.	Players will have to take responsibility when deciding to go alone, or to assist their teammate. The pair shooting don’t have time to discuss and debate who should retrieve a ball, and so each time, one player must take it upon them to go and get a ball. Sometimes the player with the ball may be isolated from their teammate. How would they get out of that situation? When in and around the penalty area, we are looking for players with that touch of magic. The players on the outside will also be able to take responsibility by calling the attacker to receive a pass when it is obvious that they don’t see it.
Develop opportunities for all players to experiment and practice.	Everyone gets a turn to shoot and create scoring opportunities. Each attacking pair has twelve attempts in each round. While not attacking and trying to score goals, players will have to defend, go in goal, or to help assist the attacking players into scoring goals. They will take on roles and responsibilities that they don’t often have.
Interesting and fun.	Being one of four teams, only having a set number of attempts, beating your teammates, and scoring some great goals, will be a lot of fun.
Appropriate work to rest ratio.	The three wall passers will play very low intensity, and will therefore get a lot of rest. Don’t forget time spent collecting the balls between each go.
How to effectively manage the difference in the group.	Make sure that no pairs are stacked. Perhaps give each pair a player to designate as a secret weapon. Whilst keeping score from your limit of twelve balls, choose the weaker player as the secret weapon. Now if the weaker player scores, it counts as two goals, rather than one.
Effective and realistic organisation.	The ball comes in at different angles and speeds, much like entry into the box during a game. The defenders will defend frantically as if their lives depend on it because it is a competition. The defenders will want to keep the score low, making it easier for them to beat when it is their turn. With more balls, you never have to spend ages retrieving them. That can all be done together at the end of each turn. Due to the relative size of the area, there will be lots of shooting opportunities.
Additional Notes	I saw this done on a UEFA B course, and I have coached and played it since. It is a lot of fun. All players are involved, and therefore everyone has an incentive, as they are greatly affecting the competition. Encourage the players to be greatly creative when trying to score. In a game, if you waited too long to shoot, the defence would call, and reinforcements would be on their way.

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Some of these drills are better than others, and they are aimed at different players. You will have read them and thought that some may be too complex, or too easy for your group. Take from this what you will, and if it helps even just a tiny bit, then that is a success. I hate to look at other coaching sessions and see kids stood there doing nothing. That’s time spent not playing football, and time spent not improving their skills. How can we use them? What can we have them doing while they are not shooting? Is it better for them to learn their passing, defending, or goalkeeping? Or to stand there scratching their arse?

And remember that it is not just “head over the ball, use your laces, kick through the ball” that is important, but off the ball movement, the set pass, and the ability to create the shooting opportunity. You can teach anyone to shoot properly, but can you teach them to shoot at appropriate times, and with a defender closing them down?

In order to create game intensity, it is important to give all players an incentive. When doing something along the lines of Attack v Defence, what do the Defence do? Win the ball from the Attack, stop, then give it back to them? That sounds like wicked fun. Try really hard, only to give it back to them so they can have another go. After one or two turns, the intensity will drop. Can the Defence score a goal once they win the ball? Can the Defence’s performance or score affect their score for when they attack? Will winning the ball mean that they now become the attacking team? By giving them a target to achieve, or something to win, they will play at a much higher intensity.

And remember kids, line drills are illegal.