Soccer Coaches Only Edition:
USA Gold Cup, Player Development Review: Outside Defenders:
Dear Coach,
We need your thoughts here. Without interference / comments / blogs / interviews / tv commentary / from the Soccer Pundits who have not coached a young US player.
As a longtime youth coach who has studied techniques, tactics, training methods and grew up in the USA playing at all levels, underneath the US National Team level, here are my thoughts by position...(This week is defenders only.) Please help with your thoughts in order that we fix our player deficiencies.
GK: Tim Howard was not superman but is one of the worlds best so I really have no issues as I feel our US GK's are some of the best in the world.
Defenders: A very poor display of defending in this game. Our guys were no match in 1v1 situations with the Mexican attackers. Of course this group of Mexican attackers are world class so we must keep that in mind. Going 2-0 up and giving up 4 goals makes me wonder about the tactics employed. Seemed Mexico's goals came when our numbers were down in the midfield and back. But why were our numbers down and why so many Mexico counterattacks allowed when we had a 2-0 lead?
Our outside backs seemed weak. Cherundalow was great and his seasoning in Germany shows big! But why was he pulled so early? It seemed he could have played on.
There was not enough quality service and attacking runs from the other outside backs which is what our boys need in order to hold possession. When our midfield creativity and or skill is not world class then we better have support coming form the back. Also, our runs from the rear cause our opponents strikers to chase or pass players on which creates more stress on our opponent. So, having confident, skillful and dangerous outside defenders is key.
Serving / Crossing with accuracy, pace and a vicious bend is also a deficiency with the US Player. We must spend more time with our young ones on this skill! How many crosses are served in a game? How many teams rely on crosses as a significant part of their attack. Answer: All Teams at all Levels! So why do we spend so little time on this vital skill?
Are we developing these players at the youth level? Are we allowing our kids to attack freely from rear positions to develop those creative combinations with midfielders and strikers? Are they encouraged to attack in 1v1 situations on the flank? Are we using fun, dribbling and crossing exercises in our training of our young players?
Am I crazy or on to something! Talk to me Coach, lets get er done at the youth level!
- Posted by Jimmy, using BlogPress from my iPhone
6/28/11
6/13/11
Good To Great
How many times have you heard a player or coach say or imply or, you have thought to yourself: "I want to be great and will do whatever it takes to reach Greatness?".
I myself, wanted to be a Pro and trained rigidly from 15 years of age until my dream came true 7 years later. Along the way a few friends came out to follow my routine and chase
my dream. After a few of my daily training sessions they disappeared. It was too hard and they were not willing to pay the price or to sacrifice.
Do you know someone who wins it over and over? Well congratulate them because they have worked their but off to get there.
How about you? Money can't buy it, everybody wants it, few are tough enough to go get it. But boy o boy is it worth it.
Have you won it? Am I right?
I myself, wanted to be a Pro and trained rigidly from 15 years of age until my dream came true 7 years later. Along the way a few friends came out to follow my routine and chase
my dream. After a few of my daily training sessions they disappeared. It was too hard and they were not willing to pay the price or to sacrifice.
Do you know someone who wins it over and over? Well congratulate them because they have worked their but off to get there.
How about you? Money can't buy it, everybody wants it, few are tough enough to go get it. But boy o boy is it worth it.
Have you won it? Am I right?
5/29/11
Barcelona 2011, The Best of All Time?
I and you have watched great soccer teams for the last 30 years. A few months ago, for the first time ever, I began wondering if this Barcelona Team was the best club team ever to play on a soccer pitch.
Their amazing ability to hold possession and break down opponents, in all areas of the pitch, has been amazing. The greatest club teams in the world have packed it back defensively and tried every method possible to stop the Barcelona possession and attack, to no avail. Game after game they dismantle their opponent and with beauty and class.
Unbelievable and amazing. Do you agree? Or, can you name a better team!
Their amazing ability to hold possession and break down opponents, in all areas of the pitch, has been amazing. The greatest club teams in the world have packed it back defensively and tried every method possible to stop the Barcelona possession and attack, to no avail. Game after game they dismantle their opponent and with beauty and class.
Unbelievable and amazing. Do you agree? Or, can you name a better team!
5/28/11
Essential Soccer Equipment
OK, so I am in the soccer business. Fortunately I am still a soccer coach and player as that helps my product design and business creativity. I get to experience first hand, with eyes wide open, good designs, bad designs etc. Lucky me, if I feel a soccer equipment need, I can create it and test it. (And so can you. Which I will address in a future blog.)
Fortunately I have been a soccer freak since I was about 12 and have been infatuated by soccer products and soccer fields and soccer goals and balls and etc. etc. ever since then.
It has not hurt that I have traveled the world from an early age and experienced all of these things with eyes wide open and adrenaline flowing with each experience.
Little did I know I would get into the soccer equipment business. Designing and manufacturing product at the ripe old age of 40+ But, with 35 years playing soccer and a good 20+ years coaching all levels within the great sport I certainly have some soccer equipment opinions and experiences.
So, what are the most important soccer tools?
Balls of course, soccer goals of course. Then player bib's in my opinion. Bibs may even come before goals as you can make a soccer goal with a player bib if necessary. Then comes the fun stuff. Soccer training equipment that can give you an edge.
I am biased but firmly believe in the use of training mannequins. How about you? What do you think is the most important piece of soccer equipment outside of soccer balls, soccer goals and soccer bibs?
Soccer Wall Training Mannequins can and should be used in all phases of team and individual soccer training from warm up to cool down. I am a big believer and if you don't believe me believe Manchester United, Barcelona, the DFB (German National Team.), just to name a few.
It's cutting edge training and many are still slow getting on board. But that's OK with me because I am enjoying the advantage this training tool gives with my players and teams.
What do you think? Agree? Disagree?
JE
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Fortunately I have been a soccer freak since I was about 12 and have been infatuated by soccer products and soccer fields and soccer goals and balls and etc. etc. ever since then.
It has not hurt that I have traveled the world from an early age and experienced all of these things with eyes wide open and adrenaline flowing with each experience.
Little did I know I would get into the soccer equipment business. Designing and manufacturing product at the ripe old age of 40+ But, with 35 years playing soccer and a good 20+ years coaching all levels within the great sport I certainly have some soccer equipment opinions and experiences.
So, what are the most important soccer tools?
Balls of course, soccer goals of course. Then player bib's in my opinion. Bibs may even come before goals as you can make a soccer goal with a player bib if necessary. Then comes the fun stuff. Soccer training equipment that can give you an edge.
I am biased but firmly believe in the use of training mannequins. How about you? What do you think is the most important piece of soccer equipment outside of soccer balls, soccer goals and soccer bibs?
Soccer Wall Training Mannequins can and should be used in all phases of team and individual soccer training from warm up to cool down. I am a big believer and if you don't believe me believe Manchester United, Barcelona, the DFB (German National Team.), just to name a few.
It's cutting edge training and many are still slow getting on board. But that's OK with me because I am enjoying the advantage this training tool gives with my players and teams.
What do you think? Agree? Disagree?
JE
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
12/17/10
There R No Tactics Without Technique
Do you know what famous Coach said that? Well, quite an accurate statement.
So, are we working on player techniques? (Also known as skill.) No, not enough. We are confused. It is a shame, as working on skill is so easy. Your biggest challenge is to keep your skill training from getting boring.
We are getting there, as pockets of soccer coaches and soccer organizations and clubs have the right idea and want to do the right thing. (Develop player skill from a young age.).
Who are the best players in the world? Who are the most skilled players in the world? Brazilians, Argentinians, Spaniards to name a few. What do these kids have in common? Time on the streets playing soccer. No formal structure, but complete, pressure free, freedom to play. Add in a lot of playing and a culture that makes the game bigger than life and you have a great environment for development. It's easy to implement without adults. Throw in adults and coaches and we can stunt the kids growth.
Until they reach a certain age, where proper tactical and technical detail keeps these talents sharp and productive in organized play.
So. what are we to do? Let's make sure they get to play a lot and the freedom to try things while playing. Maybe even lopsiding the play to encourage more attacking play, success and skill.
Good Luck!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
So, are we working on player techniques? (Also known as skill.) No, not enough. We are confused. It is a shame, as working on skill is so easy. Your biggest challenge is to keep your skill training from getting boring.
We are getting there, as pockets of soccer coaches and soccer organizations and clubs have the right idea and want to do the right thing. (Develop player skill from a young age.).
Who are the best players in the world? Who are the most skilled players in the world? Brazilians, Argentinians, Spaniards to name a few. What do these kids have in common? Time on the streets playing soccer. No formal structure, but complete, pressure free, freedom to play. Add in a lot of playing and a culture that makes the game bigger than life and you have a great environment for development. It's easy to implement without adults. Throw in adults and coaches and we can stunt the kids growth.
Until they reach a certain age, where proper tactical and technical detail keeps these talents sharp and productive in organized play.
So. what are we to do? Let's make sure they get to play a lot and the freedom to try things while playing. Maybe even lopsiding the play to encourage more attacking play, success and skill.
Good Luck!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Why do we love soccer?
As I sit here enjoying Christmas with my family and in-laws I cannot help but write this blog. When I was 6 my best friend's grandma had this great idea. Soccer! Let's sign the kids up! Well, with great support and a positive attitude from my coach I loved it. That with my travels to my mothers native land of Germany made me a fanatic. And here I am today 44 years later still in the game. Wow. What an adventure. Stick with it friends it gets better in time.
It started off as a player, then moved to coaching and now I am all of the above and also in the business of creating useful products for coaches and players.
It's a simple game but it's not easy. What? Does that make sense? It's not brain surgery but if you don't master the fundamental concepts you cannot have success. Wow! That's why the game is so intriguing and unpredictable.
Merry Christmas to all my soccer friends, peers and mentors. Here's to 2011.
JE
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It started off as a player, then moved to coaching and now I am all of the above and also in the business of creating useful products for coaches and players.
It's a simple game but it's not easy. What? Does that make sense? It's not brain surgery but if you don't master the fundamental concepts you cannot have success. Wow! That's why the game is so intriguing and unpredictable.
Merry Christmas to all my soccer friends, peers and mentors. Here's to 2011.
JE
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
6/14/10
The Art of Attacking
Defensive schemes are easy to teach, however, attacking schemes, attacking tactics, attacking skills are more complex for players, teams and coaches. But why? Lets take a look.
1) Attacking Play Requires Skill
2) Attacking Play Requires Creativity, Elusiveness, Risk, Confidence
3) Attacking Play Requires Speed (Tactical Speed, Technical Speed and Physical Speed)
4) Attacking Play Requires a Higher Level of Tactical Understanding (Creating Space, Combining With Teammates, Timing of Runs, Knowing When To Serve, Dribble, Pass or Shoot)
1) Attacking Play Requires Skill
2) Attacking Play Requires Creativity, Elusiveness, Risk, Confidence
3) Attacking Play Requires Speed (Tactical Speed, Technical Speed and Physical Speed)
4) Attacking Play Requires a Higher Level of Tactical Understanding (Creating Space, Combining With Teammates, Timing of Runs, Knowing When To Serve, Dribble, Pass or Shoot)
3/30/10
Modern Day Defending
Defensive marking has changed! It used to be easy, just follow your man. But it has changed, now you must consider the space and the man. It's zone defending which combines man marking and space marking creating a tighter defense. Lets take a closer look:
2/22/10
Is Crossing A Dying Art?
Paul Gardner and Soccer America make some interesting observations regarding the Art of Crossing. Do your players cross well? Do you feel crossing is a dying art?
2/20/10
Start with a Team Meeting
Communication is the key to maximizing your team's success. Always start your season with a quality team meeting. Bad coaching and bad playing is inevitable but can be overcome with quality and heart felt communication, starting the first day of the new pre-season. Introduce the team, the season, the opportunity, the challenge. Paint a pretty and powerful picture of the season's potential.
Team Shape
Seems simple enough but I cannot say how often I notice bad team shape and slow or no reaction from the coach. I notice a team defending in its attacking shape. That seems to be the bigger issue. However a team attacking with its defensive shape is also noticed.
5/13/09
Pressure vs. No Pressure
As coaches we have been trained to get pressure on the ball. We often see a defensive player attacking their opponent (who has possession of the ball) without any other consideration. Sometimes we call for pressure because it has been drilled into us. But, at times, staying connected to your team is more important than pressure on the ball.
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