Thetownend.com

Well, it seems when you think you can coach, and then your wife needles you to volunteer for your sons football team, you somehow end up running a team of 12/13 year olds.  On the whole, they are a few years behind the UK, and I think some of them are probably there to get them out of their parents hair, but they are all very willing.

In an attempt to at least do a half decent job, I immersed myself in all sorts of coaching manuals.

BUT - they cannot defend for toffee.  Keep getting beat straight down the middle by through balls and straight runs.  Plus they do that bunching thing young school kids are prone to do.

Anyone got any decent tips on how to coach young kids how to defend as a team?

By the way - their last season they lost every game, so even my two losses in a row is not quite sacking material, yet.  Won't be long though, bloody inexperienced Brit thinking they knew better, what were the Board thinking.

Are you Jody Morris?

Jody Morris would tower over these lads.

zonal marking - works all the time ( or bribe the fuckers with burgers)

Only answer is to blame the man who recruited the players & sign a 28 year old 6ft 6 African player whose Passport says he’s only 10.

Play 4-4-1, use the extra player to man mark the opposition's main striker.  It'll help stop the striker, but keep a simple 'two banks of four' for your players to get used to.

You could try getting one CB to play deeper to deal with balls over the top, allowing the other CB to attack the ball or run with the player. The full backs will need to tuck in a bit to accommodate this.

Not going to recommend your patented 2-3-5 Donkey?

For the getting beaten through the middle thing, I'd repeatedly run a drill where you ping balls from the offensive half into the defenders, no opponents to begin with, and coach them on how to get the ball under control and distributed out wide. Then add on-rushing attackers (who set off when the coach plays the big through ball) to simulate some pressure, then work to having an attacker or two among the defenders, at first only at walking pace then progressing to full pressure.

For adding width in posession, mark the two touchlines with lines of cones spanning the whole length of the pitch, about 1m/2m from the line (depending on the size of your pitch) and only attacking full-backs and/or wingers are allowed in it - no defensive opposition yet. Start the play out from a goal kick to the CBs, who then pass wide and let the full backs/wingers work it up the wing. Wingers/full backs must stay in the coned areas and the idea is to build the habit of playing it out wide, and for the wide players to stay wide with a final ball into the box for the attackers (uncontested at first, then with static/low opposition (shadowing but not tackling), then defending the crosses fully).

Also I would identify one of your confident mobile lads capable of playing in defence (ideally centre) and work with him on dropping in and marshalling the back line.  If you have somebody telling the backline to move up as a unit, but then he drops back in a few yards on GK's, free kicks and any long balls, it should mean that he should pick up on most runners, and also allow him to deal with the first ball or striker and give the rest of the defence time to recover and assist.

When I was running Nythe FC for a few years we had a similar issue at the back.  The first thing I did was identify the most mobile player capable of organising and being vocal, this happened to be the number 10 who was the captain.  When I asked him to do me a favour and play at the back for a few games just to get some confidence and organisation into the backline, he happily obliged (although he preferred playing futher forward).  The look the team gave me when i did it was funny to see, like I was mad.  Also got some grief from the parents on the sidelines.

That season, he ended up playing there all season.  We finished runners up and won the cup, at the point I took them over, this team were the whipping boys.  The lad I moved back there was POTS and ended up playing at the back or DM for most of his future playing days, and played at Wilts/Helenic level i think.

It's a wonderful formation.  :toocool:

Thank you for the suggestions.

Last Thursday I went back to basics, assuming that most of these kids have not actually had any basic skills training (which some most certainly haven't).  Had them walking a ball between attackers in front of a back line and getting the backline to have a single player engage then the rest cover and become more narrow to the ball.  I will use a few of the above (not the 2-3-5 unfortunately) - I do have one of the newer kids who is half decent on the ball, has some size (none of them can head a ball) and tackle.  I'll ear mark him to play as the "free" defender and try and get him to talk to the others (another issue - nobody talks, unless it's to moan at the ref).

He doesn't even need to talk as much, just direct them out when you clear (usually to around the halfway line) and then be prepared to drop off 5-10 yards everytime the ball comes back.  As long as he can look along the line and shout OUT, that will be enough to start off with :D

it's a work in progress - I've been having to walk them up on the sideline myself most of the time!

Update for you all, as I am sure many of you were riveted to see if I got the sack before Sandro, we had out 3rd game this past weekend (fortunately at the same time as the Barrow game!).

Now, the first two games were a 5 and 7 goal drubbing respectively.

We switched to a 5-3-2 and the lad identified above was moved to play Sweeper (old skool) for the minutes he was on the pitch (have to rotate everyone).

We also have one small kid who is Tazmanian Devil - technique is under development but he does love nipping at ankles/shins/testicles - anything he can kick really.  Had him and my son rotate the holding midfield role with a briefing to run themselves into the ground creating mayhem.

We lost!  BUT, only 2-1, conceding the winner with 2 minutes to go from a 50/50 Penalty decision (handball from a ball that bounced up).

I know, it's a results game, but the kids were actually very pleased with themselves.  We had two really good practice sessions in the week, working on a lot of the basics and defending skills.

Tough game away this weekend (some of the teams we play have paid for coaches!), but then 2 or 3 games after that against teams not too dissimilar to ours.  Maybe we get that elusive win.

progress.

that's what it's about, development.

and winning. Rob out!

I coach our local U8s and absolutely love it. Great seeing you develop kids with their ball skills but also the social side where some of the boys confidence rockets from just being involved. Also I’m a tactical genius 😎

Good work Rob, always happy to pop out to Alpharetta if you need support :D

That's very harsh! I don't know many refs or coaches that would award that against a child.

My lad is 7 this week, does anyone know of any local football groups/clubs in Swindon (preferrably East Swindon area)? Thanks

Robins FC train at New College on a Friday night

Been stateside too long, if you’re referring to training as practice

Cheers, I’ll look into that 👍🏻

Have you spoken to Pies?

no, not yet. good shout, cheers.

6 and a half years!  Fuck me.

I constantly have to say two words, with the kids looking utterly confused at times:

Bibs = Pinnies
Pitch = Field
Cross = Serve (although I think I've won that one, they seem to understand the first word)

I'm a little worried for this weekend.  After the Euphoria of a nearly win, they were all over the place last night in Training (!), like herding cats.  No focus whatsoever.  First time I've really had to shout at them.  Channeling a bit of inner Morris.

You need to eat more Burgers and Donuts and go all Steve Evans...

Just don't channel your inner Paolo!

Have you got one of those big Gatorade bucket things rob?

No - but my wife did a go a bit nuts and we have loads of cones, bibs, balls etc.  They supply you anything you need, but she couldn't wait around for it!

I swore in front of them - which made some jaws drop and other snigger.  They don't really hear people swear much - most of them are in Catholic schools or have church going parents.

Funnily enough the same thing happens in the workplace.

Was in Chicago. Boss (also rob) was sticking nose in during an intense debugging session and one of our lot loudly said "just fuck off Rob!"*. Never seen such quick loss of eye contact and slamming of office doors!

* he knew how it was meant.
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Anyway, disappointing to hear you won't be getting a Gator' shower at the end of the season

The season goes from disaster to disaster, not least the lack of a win still!  Performances are better, and maybe tonight we get one as we play one of the local teams (we seem to get the leftovers after some other nearby locations take the kids who take it seriously).

Anyway, a fair chunk of training sessions have been cancelled as the pitch is on a flood plain.  Last night, after two days of no rain, it is good to go.  All sessions cancelled due to an active shooter escaping the police in Atlanta.

I know!

Our Corporate HQ got locked down becasue of that active shooter as well - that is the part of living in the US that I don't miss.

Not only did my shocking record get overlooked when being offered the chance to take on the Under 16's (my son moved up an age group), but they asked if I could stick with the Under 14's as well.  Turns out I am not the worst coach either - one of the new mums asked if I thought we'd score a goal this season, seems her sons team didn't even manage that in their games (it's only 10 games - Spring season and then Autumn, they die if they play in Summer).

English accent and insistence it is called football. Can't go wrong

Funny you should say that, another parent did indeed call out that they were very happy to have me as coach because I was English so must know what I was talking about.

Swindon Town Head Coach in about 5 years then?

U18’s Town 4-1 up currently against Oxford. Kanu hat trick