I've got pages and pages of stuff compiled from all sorts of places with a lot of that coming from coaches that I follow on social media (Twitter's my preference).
Aussie Rules has always taken from other sports so to fully understand coaching tactically and socially, coaches from other sports have plenty to offer for local coaches like us.
Adding to that there aren't a lot of footy coach generous with their ideas and turning that into content that's not part of a $400 package that not everyone can afford and often, isn't real ground breaking itself.
David Garcia is a UEFA Licensed Coach and Coach Educator so is obviously soccer-based with his content but there is plenty of it that transfers to our own game.
The notes below are taken from numerous articles and posts from David and he's definitely worth a follow and a deep dive into his content, as will the other coaches I feature in this series over the coming week or 2.
There's even some training activities and a step-by-step process of how he saw and taught them at the bottom that WILL definitely help you when we go back to training in the next few weeks.
I've underlined what I think are the best points.
POSITIONAL PLAY
When initially teaching positional play, you need to meet coaches and players where they are...You need to build self-regulating players that can think for themselves, don’t give them the answers but guide them towards them and don’t instruct...Teach position based on all other game variables (opponent, teammates, your/ball location goals etc) which can be predetermined as its dependent on what’s happening on the ground...The player is in control of their position and coaches must observe their natural inclinations...Positioning cannot be predetermined/imposed because it depends on the game...Alter your methods to take those 2 things into account...Over time develop a way of working that is not positional play but instead observing/guiding players’ natural tendencies, preferably amplifying their most effective natural positioning tendencies, and when that doesn’t work, adapt their ineffective natural positioning tendencies
INDIVIUAL DEVELOPMENT
Games boil down to small sided versions of the game, namely micro 2v2’s...Coaches need to recreate these moments with players...The best way to succeed in 2v2’s is to create indecision for the defender that the offense can exploit that can give them more space/time...At an individual level, players must develop game understanding in order to create indecision which comes from consistent exposure to game-like situations...The coach can speed this along by directing attention towards important factors...The starting point is understanding you have a direct player (a pair) and you want to separate a pair to create an outnumber, the beginning of indecision
DRIBBLING (HOLDING THE BALL IN OUR CASE EITHER STATIONARY OR ON THE MOVE)
Is about leaving multiple escapes open for as long as possible, creating massive indecision for the defender and when the defender does decide, you go the other way
TEMPO
Must fluctuate in accordance with the creation/exploitation of spaces...Fast = Exploit...Slow Down = Create Conditions
BUILD UPS
You build up from the defensive half where you’ll usually have a number advantage but that only holds if you use the correct angles and distances...On the other hand the lesser players you need to build up with then the more you can have to attack with...A well organised attack leads to tactical advantages when you are closer to goal...It’s easier to score when receiving facing goals then when you receive with your back to goals (set shot v general play) but prior to that you must play through the opposing lines...The first line of pressure will usually have fewer numbers...Positional play uses game references to positionally create advantages...Decisions are entirely based on references (ball/space/oppo/teammates) so they must be present in training...Playing good football is based on the oppo’s movement and then you make a decision...If you can draw 2 players to you as the ball carrier, then you must have a close teammate who is now open and the ball has to get to them anyway-how...The start of a successful build up is this 1st step – invite the pressure – and a high press is an ally, not an enemy and you want them to jump out of position so your teammates can act on their disorganisation...You pass so they’ll jump and when they jump, then space is created behind them
EXECUTE 2v1's
Ball carrier engages the next defender...Off-ball players separate to provide passing options behind the direct defender who’s engaged on the ball carrier...Pace of pass needs to be appropriate to let the ball run and continue forward progress
POSITIONAL PLAY
Football is movement so to manipulate space/time we must be able to describe motion via position to moment to direction to speed...Better position = better moment = better direction = better speed...Young players lack better positioning and that affects the quality of everything else
LINE/CONE DRILLS
Players lose the ability to think/create
GOLD CHOICES
Easy choices are for average player's but the best can see/execute the gold choices...Gold choices break the game open...A forward pass that advances the ball past the line that is pressing the gold standard...These players invite teammates to make runs forward and forces the opposition to leave gaps...Needs to be coupled with positional play as you can’t pass to no one and can ten ball carrier and teammates both choose the gold standard at the same time...Can you create an overload and then utilise it
BUILD UPS
You’ll most likely have an outnumber advantage in your defensive half but you also need to get the correct distances and angles to be able to utilise it and then the less of these players you use the better as they can progress up field and continue to give you the potential outnumber advantage...Address the objective at each line via slices of the game such as the 1st def line in a kick out zone so say 5v3 then you can bring more players into play as it builds...All decisions are made based on game references x ball, space, oppo, teammates...Positional play is in the smallest details of re/positioning...Use the opponent’s movement to help make your decision as they’ll always be giving something but you have to find it...Draw the oppo so they create space by vacating it
SESSION DESIGN
ID a Game Situation...Determine Team Intention...Define Player Actions...Select Constraints...Design Training Activity...Reflect/Adapt
LANGUAGE
Establish a common agreement of fundamental football language in your environment...Most debates come from differing definitions...Imprecise language can hinder the observation/analysis of player performance...Develop a richer vocab for describing football actions, describing in terms of action x position, moment, direction, speed such as try to provide a passing option when as deep as possible in the direction of the opposing goal while still being in line with your teammate...Use intentions as a framework for shaping player behavior (game model)...Is your language leading a player towards a specific how (1 way to behave) or what (many ways to behave) such as when you're on the ball, attract as many direct opposition player as you can before you release the ball...Labels in a game/training activity can influence player behaviour such as calling a goal a "passing goal" that can encourage players to focus on accurate passing over shooting...Consider how words can be interpreted if taken literally such as heels on the touchline v separate from your mark as much as you need to be able to receive the ball with more space...Adopt new terminology as new ideas emerge
GUIDED DISCOVERY
ID a game scenario your team struggles with...Design a training activity that replicates it...Observe closely to their behaviour/interactions...Ask questions to guide their understanding...Help players connect their actions to the desired outcome
ANCHORING
A crucial moment has just happened in the game so how you as coach ensures this fleeting moment translates into a lasting lesson...Is designed to enhance player recall of specific game moments by intentionally marking them for later reflection...ID a key moment, anchor the moment (I want you to remember that), later reflection...By highlighting it you’ve told them that it is important so they must pay attention
COACHES v PLAYERS
Coaches x design training activities that replicate games, emphasise spatial awareness/understanding that player positioning impacts the team and game, instill guiding principles to promote coordinated action/self-regulation allowing for agency within a cohesive framework…Players x developing an intuitive understanding of how to create/exploit space, make decisions based on the context of the game and not just individual skill, recognise that their actions impact their team’s ability to achieve game objectives
RELATIONISM
A self-regulating player is someone who can think for themselves and who can solve game problems through their communication with the game environment, their decision making and how they interact with the game...To develop them, guide, don’t instruct...Meet them where they are via observing their natural inclinations...Relationism is a desire for self-regulating players...Self-regulated players can take their game insight to any club/team and adapt...Relationism is the desire to see self-regulated players...What Is to Reality + What Should Be to Ideal + How Do We Move Reality to Ideal to Methods
SELF AWARE COACH
Means having an honest understanding of your own behaviours, beliefs, biases and how they influence your interactions with players...ID/manage biases + understand the impact of your communication + create a positive/supportive environment + develop a growth mindset...Film yourself coaching, solicit feedback, journaling, mindfulness practices
CREATIVITY
Passion is a great force which unleashes creativity...There is no innovation/creativity without failure...Without change there is no innovation/creativity/incentive for improvement...There is no fountain of youth, it is your mind/talents/creativity you bring to your life and lives of people you love...Creativity is youth...Create unpredictable situations in training to allow for self-discovery/problem solving
MAKE LEARNING STICK
Players stop listening when you start repeating yourself so how can you ensure learning without saying a word...You give cues at training/during games but they don’t but experience needs to come before reflection so if they haven’t felt the mistake before, if they haven’t succumb to game-pressure then the instruction has nowhere to land...They aren’t defying you, they just haven’t had the moment that makes your insight theirs and you’re giving the reference before the experience...Create the experience 1st and let the prob emerge naturally then give it language that helps it stick...You want your feedback to receive facing forward then use a tight rondo/small sided game with pressure from behind and the reward is a clean forward exit and after the pattern emerges ask did you feel the different when you opened up instead of receiving flat?...To get your midfielders to scan before receiving set up a directional game where turning into pressure causes an instant to then ask what didn't you see and why did that moment break down?...You don’t need better speeches, you need better environments...When players feel it, they’re ready to hear it and then they’re also ready to own it
POSITIONING
A correct position doesn’t exist because it will always be in relation to a specific game situation and they’re ever-changing…Relational = the way in which 2 or more concepts are connected such as teammates, opposition, ball and goals…In any given situation on the ball you have connections with the opposition, your teammates and the (line to) goal…Players move themselves in relation to where the opposition is, where they can receive and then pass onto another teammate with the result being constant positional play which is highly relational…Positional play isn’t just about static positions but the constant adjustment of positions…All these relations is the information that players should un/consciously take into consideration and the only way for them to be able to do this is by training with all these elements in place…Training unopposed gets rid of all the game connections which is the information players use to reposition themselves
3 x 2v1 TRAINING ACTIVITY
Defending team defends for 90secs...How does the 2v1 get the defender out of position to transition the ball?...How does the 2nd 2v1 position to receive and transition?...Do they position to receive and go forward?...Can they draw the defender and then pass?...Do they pass before committing the defender?...Can the defender defend both offensive players at once?
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT TRAINING ACTIVITY
The training activity was a 2v2 to recreate a build up moment with each player having a starting position and starts with D1 kicking to A1...15x20m...The training activity was designed for the attacking players to have multiple options on the ball that would facilitate their success (#1)...What was happening though was that A2 would drop very deep to support A1 (#2)...They would receive and both A1/2 were easily defended and even pushed away from their goals (#3)...After a while an A1 said to their A2 "don’t move from the gap until you have to" which was the space between the D1/2 players which would naturally occur because D1 would press A1 (#4)...A2 would stay in that gap, A1 would split D1/2 and pass to an open A2 who can then receive, turn and score, which they did 3 times in a row before the D1/2 adjusted how they were defending...A1’s instruction provided direction of where to position, the moment they must reposition themselves and also shows that position isn’t static...This all comes about from the peer framework x personalise to players’ needs, engaging to keep them wanting more, emotional so they learn to feel the game and reflective so each time they walk away w/ insight...When you deliver training environments that check every box in the peer framework, then players will learn through experiences...The defensive team are trying to trap them on other side so they can score while the offense is trying to exploit the opposite side so if they turn the ball over they can recover before a shot on goal
BUILD UP TRAINING ACTIVITY
The game of football is all about the space you take up in relation to the ball, why you take it up and you can’t forget this when planning practice...Game starts with 10 passing to 4 then all in...Black/attackers aim to dribble into end zone or score in goal...If white regain possession then they score in their goal at the bottom...15x24m
Initially the attacking team got stuck along the sideline or in the corner with the defending team doing a good job of closing down passing options while pressing the ball carrier...both attacking supporting players would congest the ball carrier making it impossible to play past the press
The first correction was #2 who’d just gravitate towards the ball carrier but they should be getting to space to drag a defender out and/or be able to receive...By 2 staying where they are then the def/11 has to decide who to try and cover
Even after this is it was still a struggle for the attacking team and it was due to when 4 decided to pass...Too early would make it easy for 11 to intercept or get to 2 as they received/pressing trap
Took 4 aside and said forget the outcome, look where their 11 is and dribble towards them and when they step, you release to 2 – directing their attention to a potential solution but they still needed to read, recognise and execute...The very next rep, 4 dribbled towards 11, fast enough to avoid pressure from 9 but in control enough to release when necessary...11 instantly froze – indecision – step or stay
4 released when 2 was entirely free from 11 because they had engaged them...4 dribbles into end zone and scores repeatedly...Then the defending team had to adapt and they did, and then cat and mouse ensued...This is how players become intelligent thinkers – read/recognise/execute – but they’ll get stuck so then your job as coach is to provide as much direction as necessary (not all!)...This is only possible when training activities are representative of the game
