Awareness One Touch Theme Developmental Training: Incorporating Movement Off the Ball

This article is the intro to Wayne’s eBook 16: Soccer Awareness “One Touch” Training Developing its Relationship with Movement Off the Ball. This 103 page eBook explores one touch training and movement off the ball and includes 90 pages of drills that you can do with your team. Get the full book.

One Touch Training: Teaches the player WHEN to play one touch; and when NOT to play one touch. We are teaching players to have a ONE TOUCH MENTALITY. A One touch mentality teaches players to recognize the best options; and therefore make the best DECISIONS; BEFORE and in ADVANCE of receiving the ball.                                            

Movement OFF the ball: This mentality conditions the mind of players OFF the ball to position and move to help the player who is receiving the ball. This means we want players to always; at every moment; THINK:  “I only have One touch”; therefore this will force players to always do what I call the “LOOK and THINK” before they receive the ball to see several options and pick out their best option, which may actually be to DRIBBLE!!

When you use these training sessions consistently you will see the development of that relationship between having a ONE TOUCH mentality and Movement OFF the ball.
So in a nutshell:

• LOOK (before receiving the ball);

• MOVE (find space off the ball based on positioning of teammates and opponents):

• THINK (what is my best option?):

• EXECUTE (the Decision; or the SKILL Factor).

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Introduction:

Players are generally all very good at playing using many touches; that is; dribbles, turns and running with the ball, that is more technical training / playing.  

But often not so good at one touch quick thinking and quick decision making training, that is more skill training / playing.

Hence why we must increasingly do this training with them.

For the ONE TOUCH AWARENESS training game with three teams that I want everyone to do each training session for 10 minutes; to ensure we improve the players quick thinking and decision making, as well as their awareness of how to get free OFF THE BALL, here are some more ideas with the same theme so you do not have to do the same game every training session.

This will also ensure the players do not get bored with the repetition of it all.

Really try to have the players play one touch but depending on their developmental level perhaps start with two touches for them to gain early success and to increase their confidence.

But, As Soon As You Can; Play One Touch Only

Please ensure you do this every session as it is imperative we work on this theme with them.

Coaches choose which session they use each training session please, there are many choices to go at for you.

Shown below are many variations of the theme but the simplest theme to use is focusing on:

“ONE TOUCH PASSING AND MOVING OFF THE BALL”

Many may struggle with this but in time and with patience and practice you will be amazed how much improvement comes in quick decision making using this game. As each player only has one touch to pass the ball this should improve players movement off the ball to support due to this as they know the player receiving needs immediate help and as many options as possible. The two aspects of play go hand in hand, one touch play and movement off the ball.

Players in 90 minutes touch the ball themselves, depending on their position, perhaps 3 to 6 minutes, so what do they do in the other 84 to 87 minutes? 

They must understand how best to move OFF THE BALL in that time span to help their teammates. 

Hence why the focus and teaching of Movement OFF the ball is so vital and important in the greater scheme of things in the game.

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Related:

eBook 16: Soccer Awareness “One Touch” Training: Developing its Relationship with Movement Off the Ball

Continuums of Development Evaluation Form

Soccer Awareness: Basic Principles of Development (One Touch Play)

Combination Plays

The following is an excerpt from Soccer Awareness eBook 5: Attacking Combination Plays.

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(6) Passes to (8) who has come off at an angle to receive, and gets the pass back. (9) Checks and receives a pass from (6).

(9) Then turns and moves infield with the ball and plays an angled pass to (10).

Coaching Points:

1. Communication.
2. Receiving the pass “side – on”.
3. Timing and angle of the run from (10).
4. Timing and pace of the pass from (9). Try to pass with the outside of the front foot for deception.

During any of these progressions you can include defenders if you feel it is more realistic, you can have them defending passively to begin just “getting in the way”.

Sometimes players can make their movements easier if there is a defender as a reference point.

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A Short and Simple Explanation on How to Defend

Get more like this in Soccer Awareness eBook 19: The Principles of Defending for U8 to U14.

This book takes you through simple individual beginnings to more complex unit and team ideas on defending. We address all the important facets of defending such as pressure on the ball and how to tackle or delay, immediate supporting positions, covering positions beyond the support player, the importance of recovery runs to get back goal side of the ball (which many players don't like or want to do), the need for players to track back individual opponents so they do not overload areas against us; and ultimately how we must develop compactness as a team. 

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Attacking to Defensive Team Shape

Attacking: Based on the 5 corridors width-wise we want all 5 corridors to have players in them.

Based length–wise we want a maximum of 2 of 3 zones filled; with the exception of the keeper.

Defending: Based on the 5 corridors width-wise we want a maximum of 3 corridors filled with players preferably 2.5 if possible.

Based length-wise we want a maximum of 2 of 3 zones filled preferably the whole team is condensed into 1.5 zones or at most half a field.

Dividing the field into fifths widthwise and thirds lengthwise: The Offensive Set Up

Playing in 5 Corridors widthwise to help define the positioning of players. Also playing in 3 thirds from goal to goal lengthwise (lets call these ZONES FOR CLARITY). Here we have a good balance with players positioning at angles to each other. Must get the team into 2 thirds only, except for the keeper, both offensively and defensively.

Shadow Play: The Defensive Set Up

Play without opponents and show our basic attacking shape then offer alternatives for pressing as a group and have them do it as fast as possible. Use different color cones to represent where we lost the ball then organize the team around this defensive starting point having the players decide where they think they should be and why.

Can extend this back to the middle third also

We lose it wide in the middle third; purple cone; try to press them inside still to where our strength is with numbers. Wing full backs have to be brave and stay in midfield but condense in. (3) delays, shows inside to (10), the rest condense. (10) cuts off passing lane forward as does (11) inside or back.. It will NEVER be this picture perfect but all the same it shows what we should strive for. Pivot (6) is the key for cover.

Playing a Pressing game comes from the back

If we want to play a pressing game then we must have the back four as high as possible (essentially a back 3 now) and then the responsibility of the front players is to press asap when we lose it to stop a counter attack. Same in midfield where we now have our wing fullbacks positioned.

Pressing in attacking third condensing to 3 corridors

Condensing the spaces close to the ball. (11) forces (A) inside to the support and blocks the pass to (I). (3) is already up there and so is the next pressing player. Don’t worry about (D) and (G) and (4) already has covered the space should (A) be able to play the ball long. Defending just inside our own half.

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Soccer Awareness Model of Team Development

My model is implemented at professional Academy level. I believe in developing teams to reflect the most up to date and successful Professional European models of Soccer development. 

The FIVE Phases of Play at the 8 v 8

We employ the 3-3-1 system of play. Using it from U6 to U10 with all our teams; we endeavor to teach a particular style of play that is popular, fun to play and successful and which teaches the players all the best aspects of soccer development.

This is how we develop our individual players and at the same time we are encouraging and helping players on how to use their imagination in 1 v 1 dribbling situations in the attacking thirds of the field. We want to develop technically great passers AND dribblers.

Remember the Art of great coaching includes changing the team shape / plan / style; based on the game situation; so prepare your teams with this in mind.
 
                                Please Click on this Link to Download this Information.

Why Do We Teach What We Teach?

The Younger Ones: Developing TECHNIQUE; dribbles, turns, running with the ball; beating players in 1 v 1 confrontations; Individual Development is the Key.

9 Years and Older: Then next to develop their MIND AND THINKING and turn this into DECISION MAKING:

THIS IS THE SKILL FACTOR:

Soccer-awareness “One Touch” training developing its relationship with “movement off the ball” 

My personal views on the game are that there are two themes that are THE most important themes for players to learn to be good at and they actually COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER, One touch play developing the MIND; and Movement OFF the ball.

To see what we are attempting to do here watch Barcelona and how they play the Tiki-Taka:

It is LOOK AND THINK; then pass and move; one touch plays to create a mindful of options.

Xavi Hernandez of Barcelona and Spain (World Champions)

When you arrive at Barca the first thing they teach is:
THINK
THINK
THINK
Lift your head, move; see; THINK
Education is the key.
Think, think, think. Quickly
Lift your head up, move, see think. Look before you get the ball…Pum Pum Pum one touch.

Some need 2 or 3, that’s too many.

Messi, Piquet, me, Iniesta, 1 touch… Fast.

In fact our youth coach, Rexach, used to demand: a mig toc: Half a touch [Symbol] Think quickly, look for spaces…
Space / Space / Space…It’s so hard.  I think, the defenders here, so play it there.
I see the space and pass, that’s what I do.

Awareness one touch theme developmental training incorporating movement off the ball

Let’s establish First:

One Touch Training: Teaches the player WHEN to play one touch; and when NOT to play one touch.

It’s NOT all about One Touch at all; so kill that thought now.

One touch mentality teaches players to recognize the best options; and therefore make the best DECISIONS; BEFORE and in ADVANCE of receiving the ball.

We are teaching players to have a ONE TOUCH MENTALITY.

This means we want players to ALWAYS; AT EVERY MOMENT THINK:

“I only have One touch”; therefore this will force players to always do “THE LOOK” (Xavi calls it THINK, which means the same, we now call it “LOOK and THINK”) before they receive the ball to see several options and pick out their best option, which may be actually to DRIBBLE!!

Better still, if a player can do “THE LOOK AND THINK” two or three times as play is developing as they see they could receive the ball; then any changes in positioning of players that occur; as the ball is travelling; can be compensated for to make the next decision even more accurate.

“One touch passing and moving off the ball”

Many may struggle with this but in time and with patience and practice you will be amazed how much improvement comes in quick decision making using this game.

As each player only has one touch to pass the ball this should improve players movement off the ball to support due to this as they know the player receiving needs immediate help and as many options as possible. The two aspects of play go hand in hand, one touch play and movement off the ball.

Players in 90 minutes touch the ball themselves, depending on their position, perhaps 3 to 6 minutes, so what do they do in the other 84 to 87 minutes?
They must understand how best to move OFF THE BALL in that time span to help their teammates.  Hence why the focus and teaching of Movement OFF the Ball is so vital and important in the greater scheme of things in the game Ultimate aim to teach players:

TO MONITOR PROGRESS, WE NEED PLAYERS TO “THINK and LOOK before they receive the ball”.

Assessing options with much movement of the head and eyes, in front, side to side and behind them BEFORE the ball comes.

As the ball is moving all players should have looked several times around to assess their options so if they receive the ball they are ready.

This is a CONTINUOUS PROCESS that should happen every moment of the game.
So the ball is coming from the right, the player about to receive it should already have looked behind them to see if they can SWITCH THE PLAY to the left as this is a main theme of this exercise PLUS to do so means they are moving to the opposite goal to score, so they get an instant reward for changing the point of the attack with a goal…

A ONE Touch game particularly develops this ability.

ASSESSING

A method to assess this is for the coach to call out every time the player receiving looks and thinks before receiving and doesn’t look before receiving.

So Look and think before receiving (it could be a few times not just once depending on how close the ball is to being with them) is a YES.

Not looking and thinking before Receiving is a NO.

Know that even if they don’t look and think and they get the NO shout; they many STILL be successful with the pass or movement, they saw one option only which was in front of them for example, so that’s good, but perhaps they missed the penetrating pass behind them because they didn’t look around to see it first.

Also even with the YES shout they may give the ball away still, maybe they made the right decision (i.e. they saw the BEST most effective pass or movement), but their execution (technique) of it was wrong.

But this is good; they saw the best option, their decision making is good.

The point is we want them to have the ability to see ALL options, in front, to either side, and behind them BEFORE they receive the ball, so they have a much bigger chance to be success and can pick the best option at that moment.

Watch Xavi; Iniesta and Buschetts of Barcelona; Ozil and Carzola of Arsenal; Mata of Chelsea; Silva and Toure of Manchester City; Pirlo of Juventus; Rooney and Carrick of Manchester United.  Watch them closely, watch their heads and eyes as the ball is moving around them, they are always assessing their NEXT possible options; they are always THINKING AND LOOKING; constantly looking around and away from the ball to be ready when it comes.

The result of this is they are play-makers; they rarely get caught in possession of the ball, or give possession away because they already have a picture in their heads of what comes next.

This game teaches all that and MORE.

All players in all positions should have the ability to do what I have described above.

Finally, what the THINK and LOOK does also is help the players to see where opponents are in advance of receiving the ball; and ALSO help them realize when the time is right to KEEP possession of the ball themselves as that is the best option at that moment.

In Conclusion:

We can’t emulate Barcelona at the level they are of course, but what we can do is try to develop our teams to play a passing and possession style of play similar to them; that is attractive to the eye and effective on the field of play. We all want to win; we should though want to win the RIGHT WAY; and that is the SURF WAY.

 Thanks for your time; Regards, Wayne Harrison

Intrinsic Motivation

According to Wayne Harrison it is Intrinsic Motivation.  Harrison believes that great coaching can develop a player’s soccer IQ and decision making but that the essential “raw material” must come from within the player. Great players come in all shapes, sizes and talents and to be really successful on the field Harrison says “Youth soccer players must play to their strengths.”

What makes a soccer player successful?

Developing players is a passion and helping youth soccer players be successful is close to my heart as a coach. I believe intrinsic motivation along with great coaching to help awareness training and decision-making are needed to be a successful player. What else is critical for success? It is a player’s raw material and their inner need to be triumphant that is critical. When these are all combined and a player plays to their strengths – that is when success happens on the soccer field.

The most important tip I can share is simple. Success is not earned by practice alone, it is generated through intelligent hard work and an inner desire to be successful.

For real successful player development, the quality of coaching is massively important – Coaches have to teach good habits to players; this include players focusing and playing to their strengths.

If all the proper coaching is in place, then it is up to the players to have that intrinsic motivational desire to succeed, to battle in adversity.

Ability is important, desire and self-motivation is vital.

Players must do it for themselves.

Every player has a soccer-dream and some players pursue their dreams and expect to achieve them through renewed hard work and dedication.

Obstacles are seen as a challenge and each setback as a call for more effort to improve and overcome these problems. This type of player is intrinsically self-motivated as their desire to succeed comes from within themselves.

However, many players, often technically and physically good enough to succeed, fall by the wayside due to a lack of mental strength or confidence to fulfill their dreams. Other players fail because they lack the willingness to put out the effort to success; to spend the necessary time on the pitch or in the gym.

Generally, it is easier for coaches to work with highly motivated players – add in a positive environment with the ability to concentrate as well as good technical, tactical and physical coaching – and successful player development can begin.

It is the psychological mental strength ingredient of player development that is so essential; it is absolutely vital and necessary.

For players who are under motivated (call it lack of mental strength), the coach needs to motivate and convince these athletes to believe they can succeed and inspire them to work hard – often hard work will lead to success.

Regardless of if the coach can inspire dedication in a player, the inner desire to succeed has to come from within the player. No matter what a coach says or does to encourage it a player’s drive, it must come from within.

Compare two players who have equal ability; the difference between the good player and the great player often is the intrinsic motivation to succeed which that player brings to his or her game.

Many good players do not become great players JUST because of this, they have all the qualities needed to be a top player but don’t have that self motivating desire to succeed, to push themselves to the next level when the pressure is on; to be able to “relax” when the pressure is on.

Imagine you are looking at these two players in slow motion.

Look around the fields every day at training; you will see each of these players. The intrinsically motivated just get on with the job in hand, they work their butts off, they listen and they learn; they soak up every ounce of information offered and want more besides.

Then you have equally skilled players lacking in intrinsic motivation; they drift through training, their work rate is inconsistent, one minute you get a spark of light, and then you think, great they are getting it at last; then the light goes out again and you are again disappointed in them; and more importantly disappointed “for” them as what could be might never happen.

They are the type less likely to work to win the ball back especially when they have lost it themselves, and then also when a team mate

has lost it. They don’t chase back to help their teammates, in other words they often train / play lazy. It’s not hard to identify.

I watch and I see these players on the soccer field every day.

It sometimes breaks my heart to see such quality wasted due to a lack of internal desire.

What can coaches do to encourage intrinsic desire?

Not much I am afraid, let’s face facts.

If you know how to totally change the internal makeup of a player and give him or her that desire they don’t have naturally then let me know; as I never stop wanting to improve myself as a coach but I don’t have the answer for that.

We can encourage, we can say positive things, and we can reinforce good work with praise hoping we can make a difference; but ultimately this extrinsic motivation by us, by friends, by parents is not enough if the intrinsic motivation is not in place.

Are those players lacking in self-motivation poor players? No, it is just painful as a coach to see talents not reaching their potential and being helpless to significantly impact the situation

Successful youth soccer players are highly motivated to do well. Teams that win consistently have a never-die mentality and do not give up psychologically when they are losing. When players and teams fail because players do not have the inner drive to triumph, the blame game can erupt.

This is where parents and peers and even players themselves cloud judgments; wanting to blame the coach, the team, and other players in the team or even the club. Often this is because they do not wanting to admit or understand the source of the problem; the not really motivated player.

Some parents (not all by any means but usually the underachieving player’s parents) just think “It can’t be my child’s fault?!”

Sometimes addressing the issue can be motivating to a player who can then harness his or her inner desire to succeed and being to take advantage of his training and ability.

Honestly, over the many years coaching at every youth level, if only more parents would stop looking to place blame elsewhere and instead hold their children accountable for their own actions, life would be better for all. What some people don’t seem to realize is that it is very good for their children to be accountable – this helps them grow up and be responsible people in all walks of life not just soccer.

My daughter was a good player but didn’t work hard enough, consequently did not do as well as she could have.

She did not make the top team in my club for 5 years; of which I was the DOC (so, yes, I had the power to make it happen if I chose.)

I didn’t blame the coach or the team, I waited until she earned it herself and she did, eventually; but it had to come from within her. Did this frustrate m?  Damn right, yes, but it was up to her to work it out.

A scenario too often seen; our team is losing 2-0; some players give up mentally, if not physically; others roll their sleeves up and fight; we need the fighters and the confident players who want to make a difference. It is interesting how it is not always the best technically gifted players who achieve success in the end.

Is that the coach’s fault some players give up and accept defeat?

You hear it said on soccer fields across the globe, “RUN THROUGH THE PAIN BARRIER.” This doesn’t mean run till you hurt, it means don’t give up, don’t let your immediate opponent beat you, don’t let him or her dominate you on the field, try even harder than you think you can; and you may be surprised how much better you will become.

Do the same in training, don’t JUST go through the motions, I see this FAR too much, ah, its only training is the attitude, well you PLAY GAMES AS YOU TRAIN. You should TRAIN AS YOU PLAY GAMES.

We have to identify at an early age those with the key ingredient of intrinsic motivation in their makeup as they are the ones with the best chance of success in the long term.

And of course, if they have natural ability then even better and they have a magnificent chance to succeed.

Look at professional soccer over the world, not every player is amazingly skilled, but they are all definitely there because they are all intrinsically motivated and want to succeed badly. This makes me wonder, is life too easy now for our youth of today to go the extra mile needed?

Which asks the question; which is more important; great skill or great desire to succeed?

I think we need both to a certain extent but I also think desire and self motivation can make up for many failings in a player.

Great skill can include having the ability to recognize what you are good at as a player and what you are not good at as a player; and then from this information play to your strengths, disguise the weaknesses; highlight the strengths.

I can name many players who were and still are incredibly successful without having great natural ability, just that desire to succeed and be the best they could be; Gary Neville of Manchester United and England, Puyol of Barcelona and Spain; Frank Lampard of Chelsea and England.

Here is a great example; Alan Ball was a World Cup Winner for England at 21.  At 15 years of age he was told he was too small to succeed but he proved them all wrong.

I had the privilege to play alongside Alan Ball in his later years and he said he wasn’t good at all things in soccer (we called it football then), his left foot wasn’t the best, he wasn’t the greatest tackler, he didn’t hit great long passes, but he knew what he was good at and he made sure he was the best at that and his added intrinsic desire made him what he was.

This was a World Cup Winner; one of only 11 people in the whole World at that time, saying he wasn’t the best at some things as a player. Amazing really.

For the record, he was great at one touch play (the best), at short and fast accurate passing and keeping possession of the ball; at pressing opponent players to make mistakes, at “thinking” the game quicker

than everyone else; at movement off the ball (fitness as well as understanding) and he played to those strengths ALL the time.

NO fancy flicks giving the ball away cheaply that drives me to distraction as a coach; no sloppiness of execution and laziness of technique, no trying of things he wasn’t good at that he knew were likely not to succeed (but it might look good to the watching public if it worked which too many players do). Alan Ball never gave up when the going got tough.  And, unlike many youth players today he never opted for more glamorous moves when less glamourous ones would work better.

What makes a player succeed? Just a pure passion; a self-belief and a desire to succeed; and playing to ones strengths. (Of course, great coaching helps….)

Now think of those players with that natural ability AND that intrinsic desire. Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney; Xavi; Scholes; Naymar, the names roll off the tongue.

They are few and far between so what about the rest?

You do not have to be a technical genius as a player to succeed.

A scenario: The other team is better than us technically, so what can we do to counter that — to overcome it? Each individual player is needed to have that desire to beat that team; all 11 are needed to give 100% and more. If even one or two are not; then you will not win the battle.

Areas needed for the chance of success:

1. “Raw” potential / ability initially is desired;
2. A MASSIVE internal desire / motivation to succeed which includes developing self belief; confidence and a WILL TO WIN when the time is right
3. Great coaching by educated and qualified coaches teaching players from the earliest of ages with a continuity and consistency of a structured training program as the players advance through the age groups; and focusing on the vital areas of development for players as they change with age.
4. Practice and more practice because practice under the right coaching creates good habits; that leads to successful decision making; that ultimately leads to the end product, the great player.

I honestly don’t think you can develop the great player consistently without all these keys attributes in place.

Wayne Harrison Fact File:

Wayne Harrison is a former professional player who has a wealth of knowledge of the game both as a professional player and coach. A former Academy Director and professional player at Blackpool F.C. in the English Championship league, and Youth Director Al Ain Football Club in the UAE; he now writes and presents at coaching symposiums worldwide. Harrison holds a UEFA ‘A’ License, the NSCAA Premier Diploma as well as a bachelor’s degree in applied physiology and sports psychology. Harrison has published numerous books on player development and coaching.”

How Do You Define Soccer Intelligence?

I call it Soccer Awareness

1. This is the “thinking” part of the game. The game starts in the head of the player and we as coaches must guide the players to think more quickly and with better accuracy in decision making.

Therefore soccer intelligence is based around players being able to identify their options BEFORE they receive the ball; and pick out the best option of hopefully several available to advance it; and maintain possession of it in the next phase of play.

2. Another VITAL part of developing soccer intelligence in a player is the “Coaching Methodology” a coach uses.

You will never know how much a player understands until you ask them.                               

How often does your coach ask the players questions in training, how often do they ask the players to “decide themselves” where would be a better position to stand, what would be a better pass to make, where would it be best to dribble, where would it be best to play one touch; and then have the player SHOW the coach through their own movement and decision making?                                                                                    

How many times do you see a coach tell the player to do this, do that, go here; go there?

The player does it but doesn’t necessarily understand it; they did it because the coach told them to.

So with this current and prevalent style of coaching how does the player learn soccer intelligence for themselves when they are being told what to do all the time and not allowed to think for themselves? EXACTLY, they DON’T.

So from this my directive would be from the earliest age possible the coach should engage the players in conversation about the game, get their opinion, the coach doesn’t ram their opinion down the players throats, after a minute are the players listening anyway?

Half time team talk, have the players run it, yes even at U8. Ask them questions don’t tell them everything that happened unless they clearly do not understand for themselves and need the help.

In time you will see they are thinking for themselves; identifying situations that happened in the first half that they did well, that can improve on.                                     

Of course the coach must offer advice also, but mix it up so everyone has a chance to add constructive information.

From this you would find the players begin to talk more on the field of play which is a serious problem in youth soccer in the USA where players play and hardly say anything.

They should ALL be communicating on the field which means less need for the coach to offer direction, and therefore offer direction sparingly when they really need it.

So start this process as early as possible.                                                                    

I recently watched a team practice and hardly heard a player speak on the field. They wait until the coach tells them what to do, this is wrong but has developed because they have not been taught / guided correctly to think for themselves; from U8 and onwards and allowed / encouraged to develop their “own” soccer intelligence. 

We can fix this at U8 and every year beyond if the coaching methodology of “question and answer” and “guided discovery” is used as opposed to the traditional “COMMAND” style that is out of date; though can still be used when needed; but sparingly rather than as the norm.

Why is it Important?

Without soccer intelligence a player cannot assess situations quickly enough    through thinking and movement and therefore cannot maintain possession of the ball especially in pressure situations that occur every second on the field of play.

How Does Soccer Intelligence give players and teams a winning advantage? 

Players assessing the game more quickly cerebrally than then opponents can play faster and think faster and make better decisions through identifying the best options as early as possible than opponents; and hence be one step ahead of them.

In player development is soccer intelligence the most important? Where does it fit in with tactical and technical development?

I would say it is the key to being a great soccer player. It is the SKILL FACTOR in player development, the when, where, how and why of technical development in terms of decision making. I will explain more and in greater detail below.

At what age should soccer intelligence training start?

It depends on the player. Some can start at 7 years old some might not be able to grasp it until 10 years old. Generally speaking the earlier the better; introducing very simple decision making training at 7 or 8 years.                                            

Development of technique with closed skill training is the most important at these ages, repetition of the same things without too much thought; so they are capable of making successful dribbles and turns and passes without pressure and then introducing decision making to see if the players know where, where, how and why to make that pass, that dribble that turn and so on with pressure included.

How young is too young and why?

As I said it depends on the player.

How do you train soccer intelligence?

By systematically training the players with an awareness training model.                          

For example creating situations in training where the player MUST look around before they receive the ball, and so setting “conditions of training” to ensure this happens.

Simply put it goes like this and in this order:

1. Observe where the ball is coming from
2. Observe how it is coming? In the air; on the ground; and position accordingly
3. Know where “teammates” are before receiving the ball
4. Know where “opponents” are before receiving the ball
5. Know where the “space” is to play into before receiving the ball
6. Decide what to do with the ball before the ball arrives (one touch pass, two touch, dribble, run with it etc)
7. Observe “where” the ball is to be moved to (where is the free space for example)
8. Decide “when” the ball has to be moved (quickly due to pressure or keep it as you have time)
9. Decide how the ball needs to be moved (one touch pass, two touch, dribble, run with it etc)
10. Decide why that is the best option (compare all options with the teams tactical objectives in mind and pick the best one)

All this must be processed in the players mind BEFORE they get the ball.

I have created a “Continuums of Development Model” to identify what a player needs to do to develop soccer intelligence / awareness and it identifies all the component parts needed for a player to receive the ball and be successful in maintaining possession of it.

Therefore based on this above the Continuum looks like this:

All below done and worked out before receiving the ball:

• Look / Observe: what are my options?
• Body position: Open stance
• Feet preparation: not flat footed; but fleet of foot
• Communication: with your own eyes, vocally or from teammates

All done below after receiving the ball:

• Technique: the first touch; could be a controlling touch so 2 touches or more; or a one touch execution
• Skill: the when, where; how and why of the technique; the decision making process
• Mobility: Movement off the ball by the player and preparing for the next phase of play
• Transition: we lose possession we immediately tune into a defending mentality from an attacking mentality

To add, many players have the first part (the most important part), the look / observe assessment of options after e) and before f) when it should be at a) and be the first thing they do.

They don’t assess their options until they have received the ball and often this is too late and they lose possession.

Therefore the Look / Observe; if done before receiving the ball; actually may give them more “time” and offer three or four yards of space “in their head” or tell them they need to move it one touch because there is quick pressure on them.

How can parents help?

By learning more about the game, reading coaching books; by watching the top teams in the world on TV with their children, by going to live games with them when able. Even passing back and forth helping their kids develop their first touch or if they want throwing it to them as the first touch is a vital part of the players makeup.

I believe parent education of the game is vitally important to help them understand it more and they then can further understand even just the fundamentals of what we as the coaches / teachers are trying to develop with their children.

It might result in more questions for coaches to answer but coaches who know what they are doing will not or should not be afraid of that.

Is anyone really doing this today?

Good question, ask the coaches wherever your child plays to describe it; then you will know.

Please name a few professional players from clubs around the world who you think display soccer intelligence on the field today

Every professional player has soccer intelligence to a high level otherwise they could not play at the pace of the game today and be successful.

That said Paul Scholes of Manchester United has been the best in England, a great one touch player and interestingly enough whilst he hardly ever loses possession of the ball at the vast pace of the game today, he himself is not particularly quick of limb; but rather quick of MIND and has identified the game 3 moves ahead even before he gets the ball. He only needs half a touch he thinks so quickly J

Xavi; Buschets, Iniesta and Messi of Barcelona all completely different players who bring different qualities to soccer intelligence

Now there is another chapter for the future to explain all that!!

In essence, but not limited to: Buschets the set up player; one touch (especially good at awareness, possibly the best one touch player in the world), Xavi the link man, one and two touch, Iniesta the feeder player with quick passing and dribbling and Messi the finisher with EVERYTHING A PLAYER COULD EVER WISH FOR.

What is "Soccer Awareness"?

The “Soccer Awareness” idea originated from what I felt were the most important things to teach players.

I looked beyond the technical process as that is easy to implement and wanted to get INSIDE the head of the player.

Thus the “Thinking Process” of a player became my focus, developing ways to teach an awareness of space, time, and movement, but significantly BEFORE the player received the ball.

I drew from my own experience as a player knowing if I had more of this great ability I would have been a far better professional player than I was.

Now, as the game gets much faster, players MUST think, move, pass, position, and transition much more quickly and have the ultimate ability to make much faster and more accurate decisions than before.

Soccer Awareness training does this and more, and it also develops SELF THINKING players who are not coach driven; but coach guided, and within this they are allowed to make mistakes without criticism; but rather; encouraged to learn from them.

Therefore Soccer Awareness training is a very positive experience for all players, they are empowered to self determine on the field, they are encouraged to offer their own opinions even from 7 years old.

They are always only “guided”; not told; to decide for themselves, when, where; how and why they do things on the field, what I call the SKILL FACTOR of technical development.

This produces; in time, much more Soccer Intelligent; self confident and successful players than all other coaching styles combined.

To be successful and produce the best players you can; the coach and player have to have a two way relationship; that in time is led more by the player than the coach, which perhaps is a rather new concept to the game of today in the USA.

Wayne Harrison

Book Review - Soccer Awareness: Developing the Thinking Player

This is a review from Amazon on the book: Soccer Awareness: Developing the Thinking Player

As a long time coach (not of soccer though), I took to the task of coaching my daughter’s travel soccer team. It’s not difficult to find drills for dribbling and passing and small sided games and such. What is difficult is getting the kids to look around and play the game. These drills provide dribbling and passing practice, but also awareness training.

This book details drills that get the kids heads up and checking out the game. I think you could run practices the entire year with stuff from this book and little more. Before long, the kids start to “get it” if you will. They start to think a play ahead of the game and are looking around for options. Players start to make runs to get the ball from a teammate. Before this I had a kid with the ball and the rest were watching the game.

One simple idea was having kids call out who they plan to pass to before they receive the ball in a pass and move drill. So simple yet so genious. Works great to get the kids heads up and looking around. All the drills are geared toward kids looking around the field.

Winning and Development for Youth Soccer Players

I have been teaching a certain way of development for 15 years and more; as I am sure many of you out there have too, and low and behold the English FA now decide it is all about SSG”s and development not winning.

At EPSC I would not allow top teams to develop until U12 because then it was about WINNING. No one liked it at the time but it proved successful when they got older, look at all the good teams that were created. I took it down to U11 because too many did not get what I was doing nor more importantly WHY I was doing it.

But worse still here in CA they play 11 v 11 at U11, madness. So we would lose to the super U9 teams of other clubs but in the long run I will put my record against anyone because when we got to the good, better, best situation with players we were very competitive.

Plus some players who would have been left behind if I let them choose the best players at U9 blossomed due to this later. I wonder if they get that here in CA?

England is 15 years too late but better late than never, now what will the USA do? One win against Scotland doesn’t mean the revolution has started.