CORE SKILL: RUNNING WITH THE BALL TOTAL SESSIONS = 3/12 SPECIFIC ASPECT: Run into space to commit defenders

KEY PRINCIPLE: Combination Play PLAYER TASKS:

Try to run at space between defenders

Position yourself ahead of the ball where you can receive the ball past a defender If a defender doesn’t close you down, continue to run forwards

If a defender closes you down, get close to him before passing to a team-mate and continuing your run

CORE SKILL: 1v1 TOTAL SESSIONS = 3/12

SPECIFIC ASPECT: Losing a defender to the side of you KEY PRINCIPLE: Individual Skill

PLAYER TASKS:

When you’re close to the sideline and a defender is running next to you, find a way to create space to run inside, cross the ball or pass to a team-mate

Fake to accelerate with the ball, but instead stop and cut inside behind the defender Start to slow down and/or fake to stop, but then accelerate and cut inside (or cross) ahead of the defender

Each core skill has three sessions in this cycle in which the stated Specific Aspect is worked on. For example, every time ‘First Touch’ appears on the program in this cycle the theme is always ‘Moving the ball into space to facilitate a pass to a team- mate’, and the training exercises will be similar or even identical. The idea is to make gradual increases in challenge (‘step up’) to develop the players. It may also be the case that a ‘step down’ is required because the players are struggling to succeed.

185 The main benefit of outlining the Specific Aspect is once again to ensure relevance to the Team Model: we are preparing players for a specific type of football, so delivering ‘general’ and random football training sessions will not be as effective. Additional benefits:

 Running with the Ball could potentially be presented in a boring way (‘all we’re doing is running up and down with the ball’) but as seen above, the process outlined above makes the coach think of the purpose: ‘running with the ball to achieve what?’

 Striking the Ball (especially Passing) and First Touch are developed in every training session whether or not they are specifically being worked on. Players are always receiving and passing the ball. Therefore, when these two Core Skills are being worked on, there is an opportunity to choose a very specific focus.

New cycle, new focus

The next cycle is planned with a different (or adjusted) Specific Aspect for each core skill.

Actual planning will depend on a whole range of variables including:

 Age of players

 Ability of players

 Recent progress of players

After a completed cycle: one week off is recommended (if possible) and you should strive for a minimum of six full cycles per year.

The Model guides every coach in their work

Working from the model gives a clear sense of direction and, in the Skill Acquisition Phase, ensures that important aspects of the fundamental philosophy and vision are not neglected for long periods.

We can look back at the fundamental statements and Key Principles of our model, recognizing that the same words and phrases are apparent from top to bottom, and that is why we can now structure our work in the Skill Acquisition Phase logically and with a sharp focus.

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The ‘Obsession with Possession’

FFA stresses the need for ‘effective possession’ and the Team Model includes as Key Principles ‘structured build-up’ and ‘controlled possession’ However, possession in football is often misinterpreted and it may lead many coaches to work exclusively on ‘passing the ball’ and ‘keeping the ball’. Players may end up being well-equipped to keep possession of the ball, but will probably not be as effective in creating

goalscoring opportunities. More worryingly, if we are only taught to pass the ball we will never develop the ability to take on and beat opponents using individual

creativity. Remind yourself of the lack of ‘special, match-winning players’ in Australia, and how much we need them in order to challenge the world’s best. It would be feasible, therefore, in some cycles for ‘individual skill’ to be the overarching Key Principle for two out of every four sessions.

The Plan is a guide

As mentioned earlier, planning is essential to avoid training becoming ineffective or, worse, descending into chaos.

There is a structured approach and a series of logical, progressive steps.

However, the coach and Technical Director need to regularly assess the players’ progress and then decide whether the training plan must be adjusted.

Assessing Performance in matches

The key points are:

 Focus your observation on how successfully the players are implementing what has recently been taught at training. The Specific Aspects of the Four Core Skills that have been worked on in the Cycle should be a major factor in observation, especially towards the end of the Cycle

 Winning is the purpose of football and it is an important part of player development; however, the Youth Coach must remember that their role is not to get their team to win the Championship, but to develop individual players who will be successful within the Playing Style when they reach the Performance Phase (winning titles is an incidental bonus!) So, on Match Day the youth coach avoids emotional behavior with constant reaction to every incident in the game; rather than shout instructions, they observes what the players do and listens to their communication. This will help them gain an accurate indication of the players’ progress and the success of their training program.

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Setting Annual Performance Targets

To assist in the process of progress assessment, annual performance targets should be written and used as a yardstick.

These should not be complicated, but should centre on the development of the Four Core Skills. The players should be assessed in terms of their progress towards functioning as a player in 11v11 Team Football, according to the Model and Playing Style.

Fitness Training

You will have noted there is no mention in the planning process outlined above of ‘fitness training’, ‘conditioning’ or ‘gym sessions’.

This is intentional. FFA’s holistic philosophy applies to all aspects of football, and we do not believe in isolated fitness training just as we do not believe in isolated technique training.

The best way to get fit to play football is to practice playing football. Football Training is conditioning for football.

We have adopted the Football Conditioning Model of world-renowned expert Raymond Verheijen, in which football-specific exercises are used to develop football fitness. Since our approach is to introduce Football Conditioning in the Performance Phase (after the growth spurt), it is not necessary to explain this model here.

Players in the Skill Acquisition Phase should train exclusively with the ball.