Rationale
 2010/2011 – U9 Blue Division Champions
 2011/2012 - a disappointing season
 The change from 7v7 to 9v9
 50% of players new to the squad
 Manage behaviour
 Create a team ethos
Parents meeting
 Set out the plan
 Manage expectations
 Marching on together agreement
 Parent roles
Marching on together agreement
U11 Blues – Expectations of players and parents
B
R
e my best: I will always try my hardest and play football "the right way". My parents will be their best too - they will
support and encourage me constructively. They won’t just support me, they will support all my team mates as well.
espect: I will respect the referee. I will never talk back to the referee...or dispute his/her decision...or "cheek" them in any
way. They will make mistakes...just as I will make mistakes...I understand that and will play to the whistle, respond
politely and promptly to their instructions (even if I think they are wrong!). My parents will show this respect too.
I will respect my opponents. I want to win,...but I will not do so by cheating...or by upsetting opponents. I will play with
commitment, passion and determination but I will always play fairly. If there is trouble, I will walk away from it. If I feel
my opponents are not respecting me, I will not let them get under my skin, I’m a Raiders Blue I respond only by playing my
best football.
C
ommitment: I will attend training routinely. Of course, I'll be absent occasionally through illness or because of family
commitments...but, if I don't train regularly with my colleagues, I can't consider myself a committed part of the team. I
will arrive promptly for training and matches.
F
riendship: I will respect my team-mates. We go to a number of different schools...we have different
backgrounds...different friends. However, when we're playing football together, there are no cliques or divisions – my team
mates are my friends and comrades. I will take pleasure in their success as much as my own...when they make a mistake I
will not "blame", but I will "console" and "encourage".
C
oaching is for coaches: I will always Iisten to my managers and answer to only my managers. Much as I love my
parents' support, I find it confusing to have 3 or 4 different sets of instructions being fired at me from the touch-line.
Please let me listen out only for what my managers have to say. "Mum/Dad...if you've got a suggestion, please pass it on to
Lee/Pete...and, if they want to implement it, they will!”
I have read and to agree to the expectations above, and understand that I may be substituted, without warning, if I do not meet them.
Player signature.......................................................................................Date.................. ...............
Manager signature..................................................................................Date...................... ............
The plan
 Matchday plan
 Training plan
 Homework
Matchday
U11 BLUES – MATCH WARM UP & TRAINING SESSIONS
This information is for parents, but we would be grateful if you could share, and go through, it with your
player as well.
Pre-match warm up.
The purpose of the warm-up is simply that – to warm up! There shouldn’t be any surprises or trying out new
things (that’s what training is for); the idea is to have a familiar routine that provides a platform to prepare
for, and focus on, the forthcoming game.
•Players should arrive at least 30 minutes before kick-off.
•Players should put any jackets, drinks*, etc in the ‘red square’, before commencing warm-up.
•If early, players should find a ball and practice simple passing in pairs/triangles.
Time
Activity
Notes
0-5 mins
Muscle warm-ups
5-15 mins
15-20 mins
(a) Pass, move and possession
for outfield players.
(b) Goalkeeper.
Shooting/shot stopping
Pete (Please stress to your
players the importance of doing
this activity properly and
sensibly).
Lee
20-30 mins
Team talk and tactics
Pete
Lee/Pete
Lee (Players to sit, or stand if it’s
wet, next to a cone).
Training
Time
Activity
Notes
0-20 mins
Pete (Warm up will be based on either one of
the position profile* sheets that we will
produce, or something we have asked the boys
to practice or even research).
Lee
30-60 mins
Warm up – this will consist of theory,
demonstration and practical warm-up mainly
with the ball, usually consisting of 2-3 brief
drills.
Post match analysis. We will take the boys
through the areas for development (and what
they did well) from the previous competitive
match. These aspects will be the main
(although not only) focus in the stop-and-start
game.
Stop-and-start game
60-80 mins
‘Free’ game
Lee
80-85 mins
Tidy up balls, bibs, cones, etc.
Boys
85-90 mins
De-brief and next match/Set ‘homework’**
Lee/Pete
90-120 mins
Optional running
Pete (Although this will be steady for the first
couple of weeks, this is not just running round
the pitch, and will soon build into road and hill
running. To take part boys should bring their
trainers/running shoes. They can put their
boots in my car until we return).
21-30 mins
Lee
*Position profile sheets help the players get to understand all the positions in the team, this is not only useful for when players play “out of
position”, but to develop a playing style and system where everyone knows what is expected of them and each other and moreover, to hopefully
develop different skills. There will probably be only 6-7 of these sheets, so please try and go through each one with your player, even if (or
perhaps especially if) the playing position is not one they usually play in.
**= this will never be too onerous, just something like watch a brief film clip online, or look out for something on Match of the Day, etc.
Homework
Position profile (1) – Full backs
Main responsibilities:

Guard the area from the left or right third of the penalty box to the touchline.

Along with the centre back, keep a whole defensive shape/line, and communicate constantly with each other and the goalkeeper.

Provide an outlet for the centre back to pass to, and for the goalkeeper both at goal kicks and to throw to, where appropriate.

Launch attacks by supplying the midfield with short, accurate passes.

Provide an outlet for the midfield to pass back and sideways to if necessary.
Key thing to remember: LOOK BOTH WAYS!
As a full back you should try and hold your position as long as possible, don’t just watch and follow the ball, always look sideways and behind you for
opposition players coming into the danger area.
How can the rest of the team support the full back position?

Because the goalkeeper and centre half have central positions on the pitch, they should help direct the full backs when they are in possession, and be
prepared to call for and receive passes from them when no other options are available.

We encourage all our players to play their football, but we don’t want to ‘overplay’ it at the back. To keep possession it is vital that midfielders show
and call for the ball and create angles for the defence to pass to.

Defence is the job of the whole team, not just the back line - forwards and midfielders need to track and press the opposition. A defensive tip for the
whole team – NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE BALL either when going for a tackle, block, or when play has stopped (especially opposition free
kicks, corners, goal kicks and throw-ins).
Special skills for full backs (and everyone else!).
As a full back you are likely to come up against fast and skilful players. The trick is to get close, but not too close. Be careful not
to dive in - try and hold the player up and show them the space on the outside of the pitch (touchline) not the inside. You do this
by jockeying and facing them sideways on. Once they go for the space you should have the opportunity to go for a slide tackle.
Another really effective defensive skill when the ball is up in the air and is going past you is the overhead kick.
“Il Capitano” - One of the true masters of these skills was Paolo Maldini
Past master: Go to YouTube and search for Paolo Maldini compilation (you will find lots of them – it’s the 7:51 version). The clip
starts with some footage of Paolo as a youngster, but soon launches into some truly inspiring stuff, as well as tackles and
overheads look out for the way Maldini uses skill to feign opponents and launch attacks, which is always through a short, simple
pass.
The new Franco Baresi?
Learning theory
Modelling
Learning styles
Development
Constructivism
- people create their
own meaning from a
series of events
What does this help?
 Not a quick win
 Communication
 Team building
 Confidence
 Self analysis and peer assessment
 Autonomy – they are deciding, not the
managers
 Decision making
 Evaluating – highest order learning (Bloom’s
Taxonomy)
and this is
what the
players
think!
ANY
QUESTIONS /
OR
COMMENTS??