Why Futsal is so important to the long term development of soccer players

"In Futsal you need to think quick and play quick so it's easier for you when you move to normal football (outdoor soccer)."  This quote comes from arguably the greatest player of all time, Pele.  As a 3 time World Cup winner, scorer of over 1,000 competitive goals in his career, someone who transcended the sport and is known as 'The King' in his native country of Brazil (read this story to see exactly how revered he is), it is safe to assume he knows what he is talking about.  But what is Futsal and what exactly makes it so important for the long term development of young players?

Futsal was first introduced in the 1930's in Uruguay.  With the national team fresh from winning the inaugural World Cup, Juan Carlos Ceriani, wanted to use this popularity of the sport in his homeland to create an indoor version to be played on Basketball Courts in local YMCA's.  He took the basic elements of Soccer, and derived from other sports - Basketball (5 players), Water Polo (GK rules) and Handball (Goal size).  

The sport, known as Futbol de Salon spread across South America and became immensely popular in Brazil, taking on the name Futebol de Salao (translation: lounge football).  Brazil used it to keep players in shape all year long, as weather has no impact on the ability to play.  Using a size 2 ball with limited bounce, players were able to work their footskills, tricks, flicks and flair - hallmarks of the great Brazilian sides since then.

Eventually FIFA would come calling, wanting control over the sport and with their ability to market it world wide, developed the term Futsal and introduced the Futsal World Cup.  Increasing the size of the ball to a size 4 (for television audiences to see), this is the indoor sport we have now.

When discussing the long term development that Futsal can have for young players of the outdoor game, the mos obvious is the amount of touches a player will receive on the ball.  Smaller numbers on the field allows players to receive the ball more often and as such, find themselves in situations similar to what they would in the outdoor game, with far more repetition of the skills required to succeed in these situations.  Manchester United ran a trial program of their U9 players  playing 4 v 4 instead of 8 v 8 and recorded the technical statistics from the games in comparison to the larger sided variety.  

As you can see, players had more opportunities to pass, score, use 1 v 1 skills and be faced with 1 v 1 encounters.  Although this was an outdoor version of the small sided game, comparisons with Futsal should be made.  It is widely considered that between the ages of 8-12, players increase their technical skills the most, due to how their bodies grow in teenage years.  Being able to paint the pictures of scenarios developing when on the ball on a smaller field with less traffic on the field of play can only be a positive for players still improving their confidence on the ball.  The smaller field helps to eliminate the need to "kick the ball" as a lack of space gives the ball limited places in which it can go.

These skills and comfort in them are vital for a players development and transition to the larger sided game.  Players have less opportunities to receive the ball (on average, players will have 90 touches per game), highlighting the need to make those touches be as clean and as crisp as possible.  Increased repetition, especially in a game situation, will help eliminate mistakes on the occasions players receive the ball.

In Futsal, players are heavily encouraged to use 2 parts of their foot that are either neglected or frowned upon in the outfield game - the sole and (collective gasp) the toe.  The game encourages passing, dribbling, turning and receiving with the sole of the foot.  When it comes to the outdoor game, most coaches I have seen in the US (and I have been guilty of this too), talk about receiving with the inside of the foot, sometimes the outside.  While these are certainly effective parts of the foot to use, the sole has it's uses in particular  situations, such as playing with your back to goal and being tightly marked, or, in the case of this goal by Lionel Messi, wrong-footing a Goal Keeper to allow for a easier finish.

 

Use of the toe brings with it more controversy.  Discouraging kids from using their toe to kick a ball at younger ages is understandable.  Most perform an old fashioned "toe punt", swinging their leg back as far as possible in order to generate power with no sense of aim or purpose.  This is obviously not a benefit for developing the player and it is something that will be found out the older the players get.  A toe poke however, is a skill that is vital when it comes to the 11 v 11 game, especially for players in goal scoring situations.  Disguising the finish when 1 v 1 with the goalkeeper by bending the lower part of the leg from the knee as opposed to the hip and poking the ball past them is a type of finish that is commonly used in the pro game.  As mentioned in this video, there are times where the ball is bouncing around the penalty area and a player may have to stick a toe on the ball to send it towards the goal.

The use of these parts of the foot is highlighted and exaggerated even more in Futsal, with players encouraged to use them in practice sessions and games.  For young players, becoming more comfortable using these extra parts of their foot will greatly assist their ball manipulation skills, especially when in tight areas of the field. 

Spatial awareness is a key attribute for elite level players.  Due to the smaller field and the fact that there is an out of bounds line (as opposed to the Major Indoor Soccer League which used rebound boards around the outside of the court) players have to work harder to make themselves available.  Players cannot switch off and transitions are aplenty. Coaches may even set their Futsal formation to mirror that of a midfield 11 v 11 formation, giving players the opportunity to work on movements and spatial awareness in a microscopic area of the larger field.  Not to mention the limited space really working on a players close control through the worry of losing the ball.

Futsal is a game that is growing a lot of attention worldwide.  Close control, quick thinking and sharp movement are all elements that can be transferred into the larger sided game and a great tool for any aspiring elite player.

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Parents - for better or worse

One of the common themes from soccer coaches is that parents do more harm than good when it comes to the long term development of their child.  This is not just limited to the youth game.  A  former pro manager I spoke to who once had an ex-school friend of mine playing for him in the English Premier League a few seasons back said that, though he was a good lad, his biggest problem was his Dad.  But do parents get a raw deal?  Are coaches using parent behavior as a get out clause for their own lack of ability and performance?  Or are coaches within their rights to voice their displeasure towards parents, despite the fact that parents often fork out over a $1000 a year for their kids to play the sport?

It must be taken into account, that with the pay to play model in the US, parents are consumers.  They spend their money and as a result, they have the right to voice their concerns to coaches when they disagree with something.  After all, they want what is best for their child and at the same time, they want to see their child play, improve and enjoy playing soccer.  This is totally reasonable and a coach that takes winning as a priority over these things should be spoken to and be made aware that is unacceptable.  I myself had an experience playing for a team (I was only there for 8 games towards the end of a season) where I received a total of 8 minutes playing time, spread over 2 games.  The other 6 games saw me stay on the sideline (1 of which I was asked to run the line - the game hadn't even kicked off and I knew I wasn't going to play).  As a 14 year old who just wanted to play soccer, this was no fun at all, and the costs to play in the UK were, and still are, far less than that in the US.

It must also been taken into account that soccer parents have become far more educated in the game in modern times.  Games are readily available on the TV from all nations, the MLS continues to grow,  the internet allows for numerous pieces of information to be consumed and days where a coach could turn up with an accent and blag his way to run a team are no longer present.  Parents have valid opinions on how the game should be played and, as with most sports, want their opinions heard.

Saying that, is the information the parents are yelling from the sidelines the right thing to do?  Only last week, I heard the shout of "kick the ball!!!"  to an academy age player while the game was in play.  My initial thought was one of "it's soccer...what else is she going to do?!"    There is also the case of information being given to players that might contradict wit what the coach is asking of the players.  A friend of mine had asked his Full Back to give the opposition winger space as he was getting beat for speed time and again by sticking tightly to him.  The shout from the parents side "PRESS!!!"  My friends response to that parent, in his own terms, was not particularly polite.

The best youth coaches are 'teachers' of the game, similar to how teachers at school are 'teachers' of particular subjects.  It is our job to teach the fundamentals of the game, and increase the difficulty as the season progresses.  This means that mistakes are going to happen as kids are improving their understanding of what to do.  Would a parent stand at the back of the classroom in math, shouting "Add!  Add!!  Take it away!!!  NO, NO, NO, MULTIPLY!!!!!!!"?  The answer is probably not (of course, I can't talk for everyone).  Kids would get flustered and be unable to think straight, most probably getting the answer wrong.

Yet, despite this, when it comes to game days at a soccer game, some feel the need to do this exact thing, but in a soccer context.  When a young player receives the ball, they have to think where the defenders are, where their team mates are, where the space is, how close they are to goal and make a decision on what they want to do with the ball in less than a second.  Couple that with potential noise from the team mates, parents and the coach, and that is an awful lot of information to process in a short space of time.  Decision-making and quick thinking is what stands the elite players out from the rest, and the reason for this is that they have been given the opportunity from an early age to make these decisions, whether right or wrong.

I go back to a game I watched where I was standing in between 2 parents, 1 quiet and 1 who wouldn't stop talking to his son.  The boy of the loud parent lost the ball every time it came to him,  the boy of the quiet parent had the freedom to play the game, scored numerous goals (in fact, the only time his Dad said anything was when he over celebrated a goal, telling him to calm down) and within weeks was playing for a professional club's academy in the UK.  Since then, the last I heard, he had graduated to an academy of a Championship club and played for England at schoolboy level.    During that game, you could see the nervousness of the kid with the mouthy parent every time the ball came near him.  Tense players rarely make good players.

Most parents see development as one thing - winning.  This is true in a lot of countries, but especially in the US as the culture permits to going out and taking what you want.  Success is celebrated in this country (as opposed to the UK where successful people are often criticized) and that is a great thing.  But should success be judged on only short term results?  In soccer, this can be especially damaging.  Kids are competitive players.  In the Academy program , where results and league tables are not kept, players will come off and know the 'score' of the game.  However, from an adult point of view, if we want to develop high level players long term, it is important that we do not see this as the be all and end all.  Youth games, especially U13 and below, are often won and lost by speed, size and strength, regardless of whether the players can kick the ball properly or not.  While a nice short term feeling to do so, as though players get older, game intelligence will take over and speed easily negated by teams who know how to do so.  Focusing on the win is doing said players who have raw athletic ability a disservice, as eventually, they will be found out.

Sadly, from a parent perspective, this expectation of winning games can lead them to acting a little too aggressively at times.  Once again, this is not aimed at every parent.  This video is a great example however.  After a 9 year old makes a mistake, kicking it away from his own keeper and out for a corner (not a bad thing.  Maybe the keeper didn't call for the ball), one parent decides to scream "What were you thinking!!!"  What makes it worse, is it wasn't her son.  The poor boy's reaction straight away says it all.

As mentioned before, would this be acceptable in everyday life?  If a kid was to drop a grocery bag and an adult, not related to the boy, shouted at him "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!" would this be tolerated?  I doubt it.  Yet during a game of soccer, for some reason, this adult saw it as reasonably normal behavior.

A coach I once worked with, had decided to switch his team around in terms of playing positions and playing time when leading a game 4-0.  The game remained the same.  He later received an e-mail from a parent asking why he did this and his response was that the game was already won and it was a good opportunity to switch players around and let them learn something different.  The parent was not happy with this, stating that in the US you are taught to "crush" the opposition, he did not agree with the coaches decision and that he would not be educating his daughter that way! 

For those players who have aspirations to play Elite level, whether on a national league stage, college or professional, winning a U11 league is not going to play a part in their tryout.  How they think, how they  move, how they control the ball certainly will.  For those that do have that ability, winning a U11 league is not going to play a huge role in their development towards becoming an adult.  Reactions like the one in the video above, or here, very well may do and one would think, not for the better.

It should be said that  most parents are not like this.  They are supportive of their children, allow them to make their own decisions on the field of play and offer encouragement after a difficult performance.  As mentioned in a previous blog, the support they provide on game days in terms of numbers is fantastic and offers kids a great tool in their development for performing in front of watching eyes, whether that be any kind of sport or presentations that they make in later life for their chosen line of work.  However, it is vital that as adults, we do not take wins and losses personally, we do not try and live our sporting dreams through our children and that we act in a way that towards  the players that we too would want to be treated, allowing them to learn the fundamentals, learn the aspects of the game and give them the best opportunities possible for success.

After all, that is what every parent wants.

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USDA v ECNL - will the girls game improve?

Earlier this year, US Soccer announced that they were introducing the US Soccer Development Academy (USDA) model to girls soccer, with the idea that it would mirror the way the program works for boys in developing elite players.  Similar to the recent changes to the heading rule, age groups changes and sizes of teams, this has created a lot of controversy, namely what will happen in the shape of the current elite program for girls in the US, the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).  Is the program really necessary considering the USWNT are the reigning world champions and the current no.1 ranked team in the world?

As 3 times World Cup champions and 4 time Olympic champions, it is a fair assumption to make that the development of female soccer players in the US is something that has excelled over an extended period of time, arguably ahead of anywhere else in the world.  Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Hope Solo (for soccer related reasons at least) and Mia Hamm are all well known names across the country.  We have also seen the rise of Mallory Pugh into the USWNT, while plying her trade at ECNL level and having a huge impact.

According to US Soccer, the reason for the Development Academy program is that they "want to provide a player centered program that is focused on the development of the individual without bias, distractions, self-interests and financial gains that compromise the optimal everyday environment. We also believe this is needed so we continue to set the standard for world-class players." 

The first sentence of the statement is where the real positive for this transition is obvious - a player centered environment without bias, self-interest and financial gains.  The ECNL was formed by a number of DoC's of  'Elite' clubs.  With this, regardless of the integrity of each individual involved, comes a conflict of interests.  Youth soccer in the US is a very political place, from rec to the elite level, whether it be coaches heavy loading their rec teams to win a 'championship' or board members refusing to give their players opportunities to play elsewhere.  It is perfectly feasible to surmise that those running the program have their own clubs interests at heart when it comes to decisions.  One ECNL coach shared as much with me, stating that it what something he was concerned about, despite being a big fan of the league.

Being run by the national governing body, the USDA will have no such concerns.  Their interests, you would like to think, will be what is best for the players in terms of getting them to USWNT level.  In this sense the program change can only be a positive for players hoping to reach the highest levels of the game in the US, with all being afforded the same opportunities to progress.  It should also be noted that the USSF consulted with the ECNL, detailing that they believed they could improve standards better without them.  No specific reason was given, but you have to think the conflict of interests played a huge role.

Development wise, clubs will be required to have coaches who licensed to at least USSF B level.  Though not in place yet, US Soccer will aim to push towards this in the future.  Though most ECNL clubs will have coaches at this level, it is not a requirement for coaches, as it is the clubs decision who they hire for which teams.  It can be argued that a B license doesn't mean a coach can effectively communicate with 12 year old girls, but it does guarantee a level of standards that the ECNL currently does not.  

It is hard to predict the long term benefits to the changes.  So far, 74 clubs have agreed to be a part of the inaugural season, leaving the ECNL, including NC based teams CSA and CASL.  Where as ECNL can have individual team registering and taking part, the USDA requires the whole club participation, meaning a more filtered pathway for elite players.  This could have a huge impact on smaller clubs, who are already struggling to keep players after the age group changes.  One would surmise that it will ensure the USWNT and college programs have a more specific scouting range as the best players gravitate towards the bigger clubs.  Only time will tell.

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How do we develop Elite players (Part 3)?

Part 1

Part 2

Since the turn of the century, soccer has truly become a global game.  With improvements in technology, marketing tactics and the drive of FIFA to make it the world's game, most of the truly Elite players (Ronaldo, Messi, Iniesta, Zlatan) are known in every country throughout the world.  The US is no exception to this, with young players often adorning the jerseys of these well known stars...yet, subjectively of course, it seems the US is still to develop that truly Elite player who transcends the game, especially on the men's side of things.  The Women's game has had more success in this field, Carli Lloyd showing just how good she is in her World Cup Final performance (all the more impressive considering 86 million people worldwide watched the game) and Alex Morgan being a face and name that most soccer fans recognize.

Having coached here for 12 years, I have always maintained that depending on certain factors, the US could dominate the men's game.  The amount of pure athletes in this country is ridiculous.  Only last year I was coaching a U14 boys team and at least 5 of the players were at eye level with me (I'm 6'0) and in much better shape physically.  Coupled with the combination of ancestry in the US (everyone is part something or other) and it seems these elite athletes are gaining the best physical traits from the land of their grand parents/great grand parents.  Despite this, the men's national team doesn't seem to be competing at the level it needs internationally.  Is this a cultural thing?  Is this due to the coaching?  Or is there a problem with the system?

The US Soccer Development Pathway looks something like this

Although the Pro game is fairly direct - start at one level and work your way up - the youth level seems to have no consistency or clear pathway at all.  AYSO want to keep their players, US Youth Soccer want to keep theirs, High School train 57 Hours a week and play games (it's not 57 hours, but it is 5 days.  Even pro teams don't do this) and from the outside, there seems to be no clear step up.  Is ODP better than Academy level?  Which national championship holds the most weight when college coaches are scouting players?  Too many questions for parents to find answers to.

Compare this to the English Girls and German models

Very simple, very structured.  Start with your club team, if you are good enough, you will get  a chance with a pro academy.  If you shine there, an opportunity to play for your national team age group will arise etc.

With this being the case, how do parents know which is the right route to take?  Looking at the rosters for the UNC Men's and Women's teams, the make up of both rosters comes mostly from those who have played US Developmental Academy (Boys) and Elite Clubs National League (Girls) - aka the Academy route.

Academies were introduced to make sure the "Elite" youth players were receiving year round training in soccer, rather than being taken away to do other sports or compete for their High School.  Based on the European model, where each pro club has it's own academy to develop players and eventually bring them through into the 1st team, in terms of making sure truly Elite players are competing against the best the country has to offer, it can certainly be argued that it is a success.  Mallory Pugh is evidence of this, making her debut for the National Team while still playing for her ECNL club.

Where the US differs from the European model however, is funding.  In Europe, academies are part funded by the club and part funded by the national association.  Players receive uniform, training, travel, facilities and all other extras at no cost.  This allows players of all social status the opportunity to excel and progress.  In the US, academies are awarded "US Developmental Academy" status by the USSF after meeting certain criteria.  They are however, provided minimal or no funding from the governing body.  Therefore, costs have to be covered elsewhere - generally the parents, who in some cases, could be spending over $2,500 a year for their kids to play soccer, not taking into account additional tournament fees and travel costs, which in itself could total a further $2,000 when traveling to high level tournaments at Disney or in Las Vegas.  Though scholarships and financial aid is available at these academies, whether or not players are being selected due to their ability or due to their financial status is up for debate.

The US also has the issue of a number of other sports on offer to young athletes.  Football, Basketball, Baseball and Ice Hockey all have rich histories in the US.  In the early years, it can be argued that this is good for the Elite Players' athletic development.  Ajax Amsterdam, talked about previously, have their young soccer players taking part in other disciplines such as Judo (to help with balance), Track (endurance and running technique) and Basketball (movement, rebounds, positioning).  At the age of 13 however, this stops and players place their focus firmly on soccer.  In the Netherlands this is far more feasible, as outside of Darts, there isn't really another sport where Elite players have consistently emerged.  In the US however, this is a different story.

If multiple sports have a positive impact on a young players athletic development, from teenage years (where it is widely thought a decision can be made on whether or not a player can take their game to a higher level) it will have a negative effect.  Non-soccer related injuries can occur, time dedicated to becoming a better player technically is limited, travel here, there and everywhere becomes an issue and increasing costs to parents. On top of this, children are more likely to make a decision on which sports their future lies in.  From a female standpoint, this seems like an obvious choice.  The US  women's team are well known around the nation, offering role models for young girls to aspire to.  On the men's side however, one would imagine that Carson Wentz or LeBron James are far more realistic sporting idols than Clint Dempsey or Jozy Altidore.  Not to mention that the Superbowl is a worldwide event, compared to the MLS Cup which I'm sure most around the US do not know when it is taking place.

The US also faces the challenge of the amount of time players spend away from the training ground where they are working on their skills.  Zinedine Zidane, arguably the world's greatest soccer player between 1998-2006, didn't sign for an Academy until he was 14.  Though he played club soccer, it was widely reported that a lot of his immense ball mastery came from playing street soccer with his friends, away from the watchful eye of parents and coaches, where he was free to express himself and try new things.  Growing up, it was a sight on most English streets to see a bunch of kids playing games such as headers and volleys, Wembley, 2 v 2, slam and making up their own scrimmages using the famed "Jumpers for Goalposts" with scores of 23-21.  While this image has changed in England also in recent years, it is more glaring in the US, where it seems players rely on training and training only, being under constant observation from adults and unable to make mistakes and attempt tricks and skills that the likes of Messi and Neymar display on a regular basis in the pro game.

If the US are to ever create a truly Elite men's player, more must be done to encourage play away from training.  Players must be allowed the chance to develop these natural instincts that there athletic capabilities are no doubt capable of.  Compared the the majority of US Sports, soccer is a player's game as opposed to a coaches game, where quick thinking and creative play are to be encouraged.  Despite the fantastic things in place at club level (facilities, twice a week sessions, enthusiastic boards and volunteers) the correct coaching environment needs to be provided to help to bring more creativity out of players in games.  If I was to see a player attempt the Rainbow Flick in a game, such as Jay Jay Okocha v Arsenal a few years ago, whether it worked or not, I would be thrilled, but this isn't something I will be teaching my players to do...it has to come from them.

Looking at a former PUK Elite player who is now playing ECNL and taking part  in USWNT U13 training, this environment was certainly encouraged by both the coach and her parents, allowing her to use inventive bits of play (variety of finishing, chipping the goalkeeper when 1 on 1, experimenting with different types of passing, taking players with fakes in 1 v 1's) in her game.  it didn't always come off, but she was confident enough to attempt these more than once and the proof is the pudding regarding her progression over the past 2 years.  If more young players are given this environment, one has to believe that the talented young players will stick to soccer when the time comes, with the ownership that comes with being able to make their own decisions on the field.

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How do we develop Elite soccer players (Part 2)?

Read Part 1 here

Developing Elite players is a skill when it comes to coaching.  There is more to it than simply throwing down a bunch of soccer balls, putting on a session and determining that one player is better than the rest.  Technical, Tactical, Physical, Psychological and Social aspects all come into play.  In recent years, it seems that no one has done a better job of this than the nation represented by the reigning World Cup champions, and women's World Cup 4th place team, Germany.

To give you a brief understanding of the history behind the current German Development philosophy, back in 1990, West Germany (the Berlin Wall had been knocked down but the Football Federations were still separate entities) were crowned World Champions, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final.  At Euro 96, they were crowned European Champions.  Roll forward 4 years to Euro 2000, and they finished bottom of their group, with 2 defeats and a draw to show for themselves.  An investigation went in to why the performance was so bad, why the players were not able to replicate the same form and levels as the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and current USMNT head coach (and USSF Technical Director) Jurgen Klinsmann.  The investigation brought together the DFB (German abbreviation for German Football Association), the Bundesliga (Germany's equivalent of the Premier League ) and the professional clubs.

One of the key aspects that the DFB introduced was the Talent Development Program in 2002, which consisted of 390 development centers designed to work with young players on technical skill - passing, receiving, finishing, ball manipulation - and tactical understanding - decision making, positioning, awareness.  Similar to the Premier UK Elite Developmental Program, the Talent Development Program allowed players from Academies as well as Local Travel Clubs to attend.  By combining the 2 groups, this meant that local players were allowed to receive high level training, as well as work alongside those who were playing at a higher level to help improve their speed of play, speed of thought and understanding of the game, with the opportunity to progress to a higher level team if they were able to improve to the desired level.  Academy level players were able to receive a different view point a compared to their clubs "play the (insert club here) way" and, no doubt, develop their leadership skills by working with less able players (as mentioned in part 1, personality plays a big part  in being an Elite soccer player).

What made this program all the more impressive and worthwhile was that the 2 teams that competed in the 2013 Champions League final (Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - both German) had a combined 26 players on their rosters who came through the Talent Development Program.  As far as additional training being a benefit goes, that takes some beating!

Similar to the Spanish and the Dutch, the DFB believe that technical skills are the cornerstone for all players.  Size and speed cannot compensate for this at Elite Level.  Robin Dutt, Sporting Director of the DFB stated that size was important for defensive players, but they still need to be able to play with the ball at their feet, citing German International Mats Hummels as a prime example.  If a player cannot control a ball under pressure, strike a ball cleanly, manipulate a ball to keep it from the opposition and pass a ball accurately and with the correct weight, they will have a ceiling on how far they can go in the game.  Similar to American Football, fast strong players are important, but how effective can a Running Back be if he has butter fingers?!

The German system sees competitive soccer introduced at U12, very different from the British model and something that we seem to have agreement with in the US.  Players need to learn that some games are there to be won, and learning the will to win is a key component in Premier UK's philosophy, but as Dutt says, it is not the main priority between U8-U14, "the main thing is to do good training."  One of the challenges we face in the US is the competitive nature of not just the players, but the adults as well (coaches and parents).  With limited time at practice (on average, 2 sessions a week), having the patience to focus on the long term development of each player as opposed to looking at the short term gains of winning a game is difficult.  As a result, technical development is often overlooked for tactical performance.  Sadly, certain tactics cannot be applied without good technique.  Asking a team to switch the field is all well and good, but if a player cannot play a cross field pass, the success of this is unlikely.  Technical training centers allow for these skills to be developed, without the pressure of the "need" to win.

Similarly with the Germans in 2000, it seems that after every international tournament, the English Football Association (FA) go through their very own investigation as to why the National team struggles.  Rather than looking at things long term, the here and now seems of most concern.  Of course the mentality of the nation doesn't help, seemingly happy to criticize the National team at the drop of a hat.  The last tournament, Euro 2016, was no exception.  For years supporters have said they wanted new blood in the team instead of the same players who had let us down previously.  With England having one of the youngest squads in the competition, we once again struggled, with certain fans citing a "lack of experience".  You can't please everyone.

The FA's Director of Elite Development, Dan Ashworth, has recently introduced an "English DNA" model, designed to incorporate the characteristics that each England player and team should have going forward.  First and foremost, the long term aim of the England DNA is to create winning senior teams, with the performance of the development teams being the main aim.  Though this should be the focus of every coach working with young players, learning the will to win is surely an important mentality for players to have.  The Academy system in England currently does not have competitive league play until U18, which, looking at the Spanish and German models (the last 2 World Cup winners) is too late.  Some clubs have taken it upon themselves to enter their Academy teams into tournaments to allow players to feel that pressure to win games, learn about managing games and develop that will to win, but with how the game schedule runs, this is hard to do on a consistent basis.

As with most nations, the FA have declared that players need to be technically proficient, capable of receiving, turning, traveling with the ball, passing over varied distances, finishing and heading, withe the aim of developing these skills at a young age.  Looking at these well known soccer countries, it has to be taken as a given that technical development is of paramount importance when developing Elite players.  If players cannot control the ball, the team cannot possess the ball effectively.  If they cannot combine passes with one another, they will struggle to break down opponents.  If they cannot use 1 v 1 moves and turns, panic ensues and the ball will be lost. 

There is little doubt, looking at some of the most successful soccer nations in history in terms of the players they have produced and how they are producing players now, that technique is the foundation.  Tactical decision-making is not far behind as well as creating strong psychological aspects of each player. 

Next week will look at the US Development model, South American influence and the role that adults, both parents and coaches, have in the development of Elite soccer players.

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How do we develop Elite Soccer players (Part 1)?

With the launch of the Premier UK Elite Developmental Program, a lot of work has gone into creating an environment where Elite players can flourish, improve, challenge each other and, as was the case with our 97/98 boys, progress to college or the pro game.  Developing Elite players is no way an easy task however, and with a number of countries offering differing opinions, producing their own blueprint for the Elite player, it begs the question of what exactly a young soccer player with aspirations to reach the top will need to demonstrate and work on throughout the age groups.

When it comes to youth development, it is commonly regarded that AFC Ajax Amsterdam are the Godfathers of bringing through Elite players.  Their Academy, aptly named "De Toekomst" (The Future) costs, roughly, $30 million a year to operate.  This includes coaching costs, analysis equipment, uniforms for their players (game day and practice), coaching equipment (balls, pinnies, mannequins, cones etc), not to mention the running costs of 5 grass fields, 5 turf fields, indoor dome and turfed athletic area to work on players running technique.   As you can see in the photo below from a trip there in 2014 (and yes, it was as cold as it looks!), it's an impressive sight

Ajax, 4 times winners of the European Cup/Champions League, have produced such Elite players over the years as Dennis Bergkamp, Wesley Sneijder, Marco van Basten and their very own Godfather, Johan Cryuff.  It was Cryuff's ideas that helped implement the academy that not so long ago, made it the envy of World Soccer.

When developing their Elite players to play in the first team, Ajax use the acronym TIPS - Technique, Intelligence/Insight, Personality and Speed - for traits they want their players to eventually bring into their first team.  This is the Ajax way and if players do not have these attributes at the level they require, they are let go and told to find a new Academy.  During my visit there, I was fortunate enough to watch the U17's play against Roda JC  (another pro club academy, but not quite at the level).  These were players who were now competing for a pro contract.  After the game we were asked to give our thoughts on who we think should be offered a contract.  The No.4, Center Back, came up.  Everyone in the class agreed that he was a yes.  The instructor, whose name I can't remember, told us that he was debatable at that time.  His TIP was where it needed to be (great on the ball, intelligent enough to read the game, captain of the team so a strong personality) but his speed was a concern.  The reason was due to him not growing upwards anymore, but outwards.  With this being the case, they were concerned about his hips growing wider, affecting his mobility.  Thus, he would not be able to change direction quickly enough.

It's fair to say that in order to be an Elite player, physical proportions and capabilities come into play.  We certainly agree with this SAQ makes up a big part of our training, especially in warm ups.  Do particular exercises work better than others?  Well, at Ajax, speed training for U8-11 players involves 30 minutes of tag games!  No one said it always has to be serious...

Another interesting insight that came at the end of that game was Ajax's winger, the no. 7.  I personally never seen a player move so fast, both acceleration and at full speed (and I've had the fortune to watch the likes of Messi and Ronaldo live) while taking a player on.  He was frightening and I couldn't imagine any left back being happy to face him.  Afterwards, we all agreed, he was a definite for a contract.  Once again, we were told otherwise.  He went "missing" for a large chunk of the game when it was 0-0, 1-0.  As soon as Ajax had a 3 goal lead, he was wowing the crowd again.  As our instructor said, anyone can play when the game is over, but what are they doing when it is closely contested?  How are they impacting the game then?  Can they come back from adversity if the game is not going their way?

In a similar situation, I went to see a former player of mine, who is attending the Elite Development Program and has previously played for PUK Elite a few weeks ago.  Her team were dominant, with 2 players scoring a hat trick (including the player in question).  The difference being, our EDP player scored her goals when it was 0-0, 1-0 and 2-0.  The opposition, although over-matched, were still working hard to keep the score close, meaning space was limited, challenges wee firmer and clear cut opportunities were harder to come by.  The other player scored her hat trick when the game was already over (I think it finished 9-0) and the opposition had give up caring.  For coaches looking at players to step up a level, whether ECNL, College, Pro or National Team, these things will get noticed.  Character, especially in the face of adversity, is a key element when developing the Elite player - and it is probably no better highlighted than Man Utd's Champions League Final victory in 1999.

Cryuff's influence stretches further than Amsterdam however.  After playing and coaching FC Barcelona, Cryuff introduced a similar blue print with the clubs Academy, La Cantera (The Quarry).  Here, players mains concerns are "to control the ball very well, to have the ability to run with the ball and to think very quickly and execute their passes very well," according to FC Barcelona's senior youth coordinator, Albert Capellas.  Players are also worked on to be tactically aware, not only in terms of team shape but decision making on the ball, as to fit in with the philosophy of the club.  Size of the player is seen as secondary compared to a players ability of the ball, as players can be taught how to use their body to protect it, regardless of how big their opponent is.  In fact, the team that won the Champions League Final in 2011, had 8 players in the starting XI that had graduated from La Cantera, with an average height of less than 6 foot throughout the team.  Barca ran out 3-1 winners and had 68% of the ball throughout the game.  So much for small size being a disadvantage!

The ability to pass and move is a key element in all Elite players.  Accuracy, first touch, the ability to play 1 and 2 touch to catch the opposition off guard and the speed of thought to do this is vital for players to step up to the next level.  Passing activities are a regular staple of the Elite Development Program, often including 2 or more balls so that players have little time to think, encouraging them to think and react fast to the situation.  Though mistakes are inevitable, constant repetition is the key to making this a habit in game days.  Though some teams will like a tall, fast player who can have the ball stuck over the top in front of them to run onto, this becomes negated if a team decide to sit back.  One of my former teams did this against one of the top 3 ranked teams in the state last Fall.  the opposition had relied on using speed up front to combat high pressing teams.  During that game they created ONE clear cut opportunity.  Needless to say, we ran out 2-0 winners and it should have been more.

One outstanding element that needs discussing is the 10,000 hours theory.  The theory, devised by Dr. Anders Ericsson, is that in order for someone to become a master at anything, it takes 10,000 hours worth of practice.  Even at high level academies, where players will train on average 6 hours a week - meaning a total of 2,496 hours between the ages 8-16 - this is hard to achieve.   While the theory is open to criticism - and some have - the study that he ran to prove it true showed that those who practiced more turned out as higher level performers.

With this being the case, AFC Ajax revealed that their players are assigned homework tasks to make sure they are getting the required hours away from structured practice, as well as having the facilities at  De Toekomst open to Academy players, who can attend when they wish to play pick up, a key element  in developing their own creative imaginations in the game without the pressure of coaches and parents observing their every move.

Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo is well known to have worked as hard as anyone away from team practice (and still does), to the point that when he was at the Sporting Lisbon academy as a youth player, they had to lock him in his room at night so that he wouldn't sneak off to the gym and put extra sessions in.

I heard a story of a PUK Elite player who was that disappointed by her performance in a tournament earlier this year, that the minute she got home, she put her cleats back on and practiced in the yard for 90 minutes, through no pressure from her parents, but due to her own desire.  It later turned out this was the case, win, lose or draw.  She is now at US National Team Training for her age group.

Additional practice is key in allowing young players the opportunity to progress in the game.  Through additional training sessions, homework and personal practice, players can reach achieve this very high target, providing the desire is there.  We as coaches can import  our passion for the game onto the  children, but it is ultimately up to them to do the work, a great life lesson in all walks of life. With this in mind, desire links into the personality aspect of becoming an Elite player.

Next week we will look at how nations such as Germany, Italy and England develop their elite players, their thoughts on what players need and how this ties in with the thoughts of Premier UK.

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What do the Heading guidelines mean for the future of US Soccer?

The USSF have recently passed a rule that all heading of the ball will be banned from practices at U12 level and below.  Should a player deliberately head a ball in a game, an indirect free kick will be given to the opposition.  This has caused a rather large debate among the soccer community.  Is this is case of overprotective to players?  Should lighter balls be used?  Will players completely forego heading as they get older?  It certainly makes for a fascinating discussion.

Interestingly, the player with the most international caps for the US Women's National Team, Abby Wambach, scored 77 of her 184 international goals with her head.  Likewise, the number 1 draft pick in the inaugural MLS season, Brian McBride, was often known to go where angels fear to tread and was well known for his combative nature in the air, as displayed by this relegation saving goal for Fulham (4:30).  Heading certainly has played a big role in the successes of recent US Soccer history.

That is not to say it is without it's dangers.  Jeff Astle, a legendary center forward  for West Bromwich Albion, passed away in 2002 at the age of 59.  Astle is a cult hero at WBA, due to the amount of goals he scored for the club and his stereotypical target man approach of winning as many headers as he could.  Astle's death was as a result of chronic traumatic encephalopath (CTE), which doctors related to multiple concussions being obtained through heading the ball.  The doctor studying Astle's brain said that he thought it belonged to an 89 year old man.

The evolution of soccer balls has helped reduce the possibilities of this occurring.  In Astle's time, the ball was a lot heavier, soaking up water rather than deflecting it adding the weight.  Heading the ball must have felt like taking a punch from Anthony Joshua.  In recent years, balls have become lighter, have less panels on them and take in no water at all.  Derby Star have gone one step further and designed a ball especially for youth players, weighing as little as 290 grams.  On a study visit to the Ajax academy, I got to hold one of these balls and it felt like I was holding a feather.  Ajax had determined that all teams up to U11 would use these balls for practice and games, to not only improve the technique and skill behind lofted passes, but also to reduce the risks associated with heading.  One coaching employee said that they have to teach heading from U8, as it is part of the game.

So why have the US put these rules in place?  One word - lawsuits.  In 2014 a litigation was filed against US Soccer, US Youth Soccer, American Youth Soccer Organization, US Club Soccer and the California Youth Soccer Organization.  A resolution was agreed in 2015 which has led these rules to being put in place.  Though the ruling is a recommendation only, most states have heeded the warning and decided to implement these rules as mandatory.

The research and studies that have been put in place state that children up until the age of 14 have heads that are too big for their bodies and as such, the neck muscles are not fully developed to cope with the stress of heading the ball.  It has also been shown in a study published by the JAMA Pedriatics journal that most concussions among children aged 14-18 who play soccer are caused by heading the ball.  The data that is being provided certainly points to the benefits of limiting heading practice at specific age groups.  Repeated blows to the head are not good for anyone, especially children whose brains are still developing.

However, is a ban of heading in all games really necessary?  Unfortunately, the data on how many headers take place in U12 games and below is not available.  But think back to all the U10/11/12 games you have watched over the years.  How many headers can you recall seeing?  In my own experience, I can probably count less than 10 in the last 5 years.  The context of the situation should certainly be taken into account.  I once coached against a team that had a number of older, bigger girls in their team and played for corners.  Those corners would be aimed at the back post for one of their taller players to win the header and score.  This is certainly a coach taking a win at all costs mentality over the safety of the individuals involved.  This rule would also require the coach to focus on other ways to break the opposition down, such as using clever combination play, 1 v 1 skills and movement off the ball, which can only add to the development of the players.

At the same time, if a ball is coming towards a player and the best way of dealing with it is with their head, what are they supposed to do, duck?!  Teaching that habit at an early age cannot be good for the long term development of the player.  When they are allowed to head during games, balls will be traveling at a faster speed and poor technique can lead to whiplash, as well as concussions.

This ruling is only in place in the US.  The English FA, as mentioned in the Guardian, said they would continue their research into concussions and head injuries, even starting a campaign to raise awareness, but would not be changing the rules regarding heading the ball.

Despite the research, there is no real way of telling what impact the rule with have on US Soccer as a whole.  On one hand, the data suggests that kids will be less likely to suffer from concussions as a result of heading the ball, which can only be a good thing.  But as players progress to college & professional level, only time will tell if this will have a long lasting improvement or not on the performance of both the MLS and the National Teams.