Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: How To Avoid Bias, Tactics of Barca's New Coach & More

As new trends replace existing ones people tend to be blinded by all that is new, discarding lessons that previous successes had taught them.  For decades, Liverpool were successful thanks to a group of coaches who balanced each other out.  Many tried to uncover the secrets of the fabled boot room and a lot of theories emerged.   One aspect that was never looked into with much interest was their practise of noting down everything from scouting reports to training sessions to what worked in different situations.  This manual enabled them to have a factual record of why certain decisions were taken and is a practise that every coach today should be looking to copy.  Here’s why.

How teams can adopt the 3-3-1-3 formation.

After what has been, by their standards, a pretty disappointing season Barcelona have appointed Ernesto Valverde as their coach.  Valverde achieved exceptional results at Athletic Bilbao – a club with rich traditions, high expectations but pretty unique restrictions on recruitment – and being a former Barca player who played under Cruyff he was always the most obvious choice for the role.  Here is a brief introduction to Valverde’s attributes as a coach and his tactical dogma.

44 Awesome Drills That Make Your Body Faster and Your Mind Sharper.

TEAM TALK
“Even in times when we didn’t win, or when we couldn’t achieve a stabilisation in our performances, we kept pushing and insisting on the same concepts and guidelines. That meant that we didn’t change in order to win and, more importantly, we didn’t change our way of thinking because we were not winning. If you’re convinced of something, you must go for it.”

Oscar Washington Tabarez – El Maestro – Uruguay National Team coach; World Cup semi-finalist in 2010 & 2011 Copa America winner.

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Dark Side of Youth Football, Kinkladze's Impact on English Football & More

The success of clubs like Ajax, Monaco, Atalanta and Southampton who have all exceeded expectations with teams built around players coming through their youth systems does not seem to be rubbing off with most clubs (especially English ones) opting to buy their way to honours.  What is particularly sad about such behaviour is that young players are not finding a way through, having their hopes dashed after years of hard work.   This article looks at that dark side of the game.

One of the hardest tasks facing any coach is that of teaching players how to react during games where not everything is cleanly laid out like a training session.  AZ Alkmaar have developed their own way of handing this issue which makes for very interesting reading for any coach.

Michael Cox – or ZonalMarking as he is known - was one of the early football writing stars of Twitter through his tactical analysis of games and whilst many have followed in his path, his remains the freshest voice of all.  He is now publishing his first book on football tactics (The Mixer) from which this is an extract.  It deals with Georgi Kinkladze and how his arrival starting forcing English clubs to look at different tactical solutions.

This is the kind of article that makes Jonathan Wilson such a standout among current football writers: a piece about how  Antonio Conte adopted an idea that is fifty years old to build his Chelsea team into champions.  Brilliant stuff.

TEAMTALK
“Leadership must be likeable, affable, cordial, and above all emotional.  The fashion of authoritarian leadership is gone.  Football is about life.  You can't be angry all day. ” 

Vicente del Bosque – winner of Champions League, Intercontinental Cup, the European Championship and the World Cup

PSST…
If you want to read something a bit different, last week I wrote about this on Andrea Fortunato.  A talented young left-back who was threatening to displace the great Paolo Maldini in the Italian national team only for tragedy to stop him from fulfilling his destiny.

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Atalanta, How United Won Europa League & More

Mattia Caldara: remember the name because in a few years he will be considered as one of Europe’s finest defenders.  Caldara was one of the standout players in an Atalanta side filled with young players that managed to gain an unexpected qualification to the Europa League.  It is one of the greatest stories of the season but, more significantly, it is a great success story of a club that focuses its energy on developing players the right way.

It might not have earned them many plaudits or praise but Manchester United put in a performance that allowed them to win the Europa League.  Here’s an analysis of how they actually did that.

“The most important thing a dad can give a girl is the feeling that she is special.  Not his “princess” based on her looks or being somehow better than anyone else, and not because she gets high marks or gold medals for sport, but because she is his daughter, and he loves her just for that.”   Some general insight to being a good parent which works very well for those with kids and in sports.  Thanks to reader Stephen Murray for pointing me to this article and remarking: "He shows up.  He keeps his promises.  He is strong, not in the sense of muscular strength, but being true to his word, reliable, and there." isn't that a coaching role model?

Coach David Selini has put together a tactical guide to man-to-man marking that is as detailed as anything I’ve seen on the internet.  An excellent read for the uninitiated but also loads to learn for those who are familiar with the ideas thanks to his use of practical examples.

TEAMTALK
“The ball is round, the game lasts ninety minutes, and everything else is just theory.” Sepp Herberger, German football player and manager of the 1954 World Cup winners

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Sevilla, Football Drills & More

KICK OFF
This has been a magical season for Lincoln City.  Not only did they reach the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup but they won the Football Conference National League, hitting ninety nine points and marking their return to League Two in style.  The main architects of those successes were the management team made up of brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley.  Kevin Graham had the opportunity to spend a day with them them as they went about their coaching duties.  These were his observations.

Football drills: the full triangle method.

Whilst Sevilla have tended to be the ones spoken about when it comes to small Spanish clubs who have made the most of what resources have been available, Athletic Bilbao’s achievements also deserves to be studied.  This article, analysing their methods, makes amends.

Talking of Athletic Bilbao, this interview with their young goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga – who at 22 years of age is already a first team regular – offers a number of fascinating insights on how his career has developed.  Thanks to the Blueprint for Football reader who pointed me in the direction of this interview.

TEAM TALK
“You can lose a game, but what you cannot lose is the dignity earned by playing good football” – Cesar Luis Menotti, World Cup Winning Coach with Argentina in 1978.

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Chelsea's 4-3-3, All Blacks & More

KICK OFF
Although Chelsea mathematically won the title on Friday it has been evident for quite some time that they were going to win it and Tottenham’s late surge merely helped keep up pretenses.  It is a remarkable achievement for two main reasons: Chelsea were largely written off in transition last summer and their season has a very clear inflection point early in the season when two heavy defeat forced Antonio Conte to change his tactical approach.

In honour of Chelsea’s success, two articles that are particularly relevant: one an analysis of their 4-3-3 system and the other a look at what drives Conte, the architect of their success.

How to think like an All Black: no dickheads allowed.  Quite.

Something of a deep tactical dive: the three midfielders in Massimiliano Allegri’s three midfield system

TEAM TALK
“Every single day I wake up and commit to myself to becoming a better player.” Mia Hamm (Two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women's World Cup winner and scorer of 159 international goals)

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Italian managers, Athletic Bilbao's pressing & more

It looks as if, for the second year running, the English Premier League will be won by a team coached by an Italian manager.  In Germany too, Carlo Ancelotti has done what he does best and win the league title.  He would probably have led Bayern Munich further in the Champions League had they not been hindered by a number of questionable refereeing decisions.  Even so, that same Champions League could still be won by an Italian manager in the form of Juventus’s Massimiliano Allegri.  The point of all this is that Italian managers are among the world’s best.  How come?  This article helps answer that question.

How to balance a developmental environment with a desire to win?

It has been an abysmal year for Middlesborough as the team never really looked good enough to keep its place in the Premier League.  One of the few exceptions is the young central defender Ben Gibson who, regardless of what happens to his team is likely to move to a bigger club next summer.  Gibson is another in the long list of players who has come through the club’s academy that, this year, will also be losing Dave Parnaby the man whose vision help mould it into one of the country’s best.

Video analysis of Athletic Bilbao pressing system in opposition half vs Barcelona

TEAM TALK
"Football is like maths, two plus two makes four. If you reckon two plus two makes five, you lose." – Otto Rehhagel, European Championship winning coach with Greece.

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Newcastle, Competitive Anxiety & More

It was good to see Newcastle win promotion back to the Premier League both because of their fans but, I have to admit, also largely because of Rafa Benitez.  It has been quite a season for them in what is a tough and extremely long league where fitness is as important as talent.  So it was interesting to get a glimpse of how they had managed to keep the fitness levels high throughout the season.

There is often a lot of talk about statistics but rarely really solid examples on how those stats can be used in real life.  This is an exception, a look at how statistics can help determine the fingerprint of a football coach and what kind of influence they really have on a team.  Fascinating use of statistics.

Are Your Players Suffering From Competitive Anxiety?  Quite the question.

Often, the biggest test for a young player is that period when they find themselves on the bench after a period during which they were playing.  There you see what they are made of and, going by this interview, Marcus Rashford, had the perfect reaction by using that time to learn from those around him and improve.

TEAM TALK
“The playmakers need to read the game and need to be on the same page as the defenders and the forwards” – Guus Hiddink, Dutch managerial legend

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Goalkeepers, Preventing Injury & More

Goalkeepers are different.  So wrote the great Brian Glanville and it is difficult to fault him for, in a game where those who score get all the glory, goalkeepers devote themselves to doing the opposite of that.  The mentality of goalkeepers has long intrigued me which is why I try to speak to those involved in this role as often as possible.  Justin Bryant is one such person.  Having played professionally in England he has now returned to his native America where he coaches the role.  In this in-depth interview he spoke about dealing with anxiety, what frustrates him about commentators and how the role of goalkeepers will evolve.

This is something that perhaps isn’t considered often enough: how to prevent injury in youth sports.

Michael Calvin is one of my favourite football writers and, given the awards that he has won, it seems that I am not the only one who shares this opinion.  His previous books on scouting (The Nowhere Men) and management (Living On The Volcano) have delivered equal measures of insight and empathy.  His latest book on youth football looks like it will be just as good especially if this extract is anything to go by.

A drill that coaches players on how to close down space.

TEAM TALK
“Ball possession is fundamental: if you keep hold of the ball for ninety minutes you make certain that your opponent won’t score a goal” – Nils Liedholm, one of the most successful managers in Italian football history

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Resilience, 3 At The Back & More

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LET’S START
Resilience – the characteristic to see out any challenges or difficulties that might arise – is being increasingly recognised as an extremely important element for anyone who wants to achieve something in his life.  Too often people are willing to sacrifice if things are going their way but, as soon as they have some bad results, all that changes.  The good thing is that such an attitude can be change if only we know how to build resilience.

On a similar wavelength is this piece on whether football is ignoring the mental demands of the game raises interesting points.  Personally I don’t think that is the case but it is always interesting to read different arguments.

A defensive system with three at the back seems to be making something of a comeback yet whilst coaches might appreciate this tactic, players take a bit longer to convince.  This article is particularly interesting because not only does it explain the benefits of the tactic but also how players can be convinced to accept it.

Winning is good: don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  What is bad is wanting to win at all costs, irrespective of player developments, ethics and anything else.

AND FINALLY
"It's not about how much you practice. It's about how much your mind is present when you're practicing." - Kobe Bryant

Best Football Coaching Links Of The Week: The Danish Blueprint, Periodization & More

Denmark is not necessarily a country that is associated with sports and it was quite surprising as I read this piece to learn that at the last Olympics they claimed fifteen medals.  Even more interesting, however, was learning that they had done this by working on a model that does not necessarily put sporting achievement ahead of the human being.

Focus seems to be a key word for football commentators who often chastise the lack of it whenever a mistake is made.  Yet what is it really?  And how can coaches help their players be better at it?  This article by sports psychologist Dan Abrahams does just that.

Something on football periodization.

As modern technology infiltrates more deeply into football, different people will start coming up with new ways of using it to gain advantage.  One of the most obvious is that it will allow coaches to get richer data about each individual in their squad and, as a result, adjust each players' training so that they are in peak form. 

AND FINALLY…

“An amateur practises until he can do a thing right, a professional until he can’t do it wrong.” - Various

Best Football Coaching Links of the Week: Marginal Gains, Marcelo Bielsa & More

One of the most significant lessons for any coach is that there is no end point in their journey; that they need to keep learning and evolving as they go on.  So it was particularly pleasing to recently have the opportunity to talk to Ben Trinder.  I had interviewed Ben three years back but since then he has continued to examine his coaching beliefs and modifying them so that they better reflect his increasing knowledge.

This is not strictly about coaching but I found it to be an interesting read on the growth of women’s football and how clubs are waking up to this fact.

I have to admit that I am a big believer in the idea of marginal gains, the concept made popular by British Cycling that focuses on the practise of looking at different ways to bring about improvement regardless of how small that improvement is.  Bring together enough of these small gains and you will develop a big enough lead on your competition.  It is such a simple concept and yet so obviously true that I’m constantly blown away by its genius.  Yet it is always healthy to listen to arguments that criticise even your most preciously held beliefs and this article does just that.  I won’t say that I think much differently now but there are a number of valid points nevertheless.

If you haven’t read James Kerr’s brilliant book Legacy analysing the culture of All Blacks’ rugby, you should as it is brilliant.  In the meantime, however, this image gives you the highlights.

AND FINALLY…
"I dream of a team where an outsider comes to watch us and can't understand the roles of the players." - Marcelo Bielsa

Best Coaching Links of the Week: 3 at the Back, Free Coaching Book & More

There are countless stories of people who have loads of talent but when it comes to showing their ability in a real life situation, fail.  The pressure gets too much for them and they are unable to show what they can do.  It is why a guide like this explaining how not to get too caught up thinking about your situation is so important.

It was interesting to see Gareth Southgate experiment with three defenders at the back during England’s game against Germany.  It is a formation that goes in and out of style although there are some, like in this case, who are willing to argue that it can be the formation of the future.

The FA tend to have some very good coaching articles on their website and this on how to organise a 1 v 1 session is among them

Italian football coach Luca Bertolini has prepared a PDF guide with 50 coaching sessions that deal with technical exercises, Individual and team tactics exercises and Small Sided Games.  This guide can download for free and can be found here.

AND FINALLY
“I don't believe much in luck. I believe more in work, in convincing, in stubbornness and in capacity.” - Diego Simeone

Best Coaching Links Of The Week: Neuroathletics, Fear of Shame & More

Neuroathletics is difficult to define but essentially it is the practise of training your brain and linking it with your athletic prowess.  It is also hard to prove just how valuable it is as a practise, regardless of the success stories that are relayed as being wholly the result of neuroathletics.  Still it is important to know about it and understand what it is because even if one does not wholly accept it there are undoubtedly certain elements that are worth further study.

“Fear of shame is a waste and a trap”

Recently within the coaching community there was something of an uproar after Fulham FC put out an advert asking children to come for trials to join their academy with the call being open even to children as young as five.  It sparked a big debate that focused on club’s ability to truly judge players that young.  If you’re uncertain what the fuss was all about or would like to read an article that digs deep into the issue, then this is it.

Another in the ‘learn from other sports’ category this time by reading up a bit about the legendary swimming coach Jack Bauerle.

PARTING WORDS
“The first task is to get to know the players really well-watching them as individuals in training and in match play-to see what is good in their natural game. Then, and only then, can we begin to outline the general tactics.” – Helenio Herrera [Legendary Inter FC manager, tactical innovator & father of catenaccio]

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Best of Coaching Links Last Week: Economics in Football, Half Spaces, Maurizio Sarri & More

Economics might seem to be an unlikely place to look for reasons why clubs invest money in their youth academy and then proceed to ignore practically player that comes through.  Yet a developing branch of economics - behavioural economics - that looks at why people make certain decisions has plenty of theories that provide explanations.  Being aware of them might help clubs be more rational in their decision making.

An article on why collaboration, rather than competition, should be the rule among coaches.

As everyday talk about football becomes increasingly more technical then the need to dig a little deeper to learn about some of the newer terminology also increases.  Half spaces is one such term and this is a good explanation of what that is all about.

Maurizio Sarri has emerged as one of the most interesting coaches in European football, capable of developing an attacking side that even managed to overcome the loss of a striker of the calibre of Gonzalo Higuain.  His systems and ideas are discussed in this video.

AND FINALLY…
"Football is the most important of the less important things in the world." - Carlo Ancelotti

Best of Coaching Links This Week: Tempo, Throw-Ins & More

Philosophy has become something of a buzzword in football over recent years and no manger worth his salt can afford not to have one.  That, however, is the easy part: it gets tricky when you have to instill your philosophy in your players when you only have a very limited number of days during which you can train your players.

Any team that can dictate the pace of the game has a huge advantage over their opponent because they can then determine what gets to be done on the pitch.  But what is tempo and how does it work?  Here's an in-depth analysis.

Every aspect of the game gets analysed these days as teams go out in search of that element which can give them an advantage over the rest.  So it should be.  This focus on all aspects now includes the throw in.

There's always a lot to learn away from football and this interview with Mike Krzyzewski who among other things coached the US to three gold medals in basketball is filled with delightful insight.

AND FINALLY…
“Cups are not won by individuals, but by men in a team who put their club before personal prestige." - Jock Stein.

Best of Coaching Links This Week: Crosses, Learning from Experience, Impressive Huddersfield & more

One of the most interesting ways to learn, I find, is to talk to people.  It might seem to be an imposition but you'd be surprised to find how often people are more than willing to dedicate their time if they see that you are genuinely interested.  And, more often than not, you'll find that what they tell you stick effortlessly in your memory.  It is why I enjoy doing interviews for Blueprint for Football so much.  The most recent of those interview, with experienced Spanish coach Ismael Díaz Galán who has guided a number of clubs in Spain (including Malaga who he led to promotion) as well as elsewhere around the world, was no exception as he spoke frankly about what it takes to be a manager.  Read, enjoy and learn.

I have to admit that the first time that I saw Huddersfield play was when they met Manchester City in the FA Cup but was suitably impressed by how the team functioned as a unit despite the absence of any remarkable talents.  It is an impression that happens to be backed up by statistics.

As football changes so too does what is held to be important.  Wingers, especially those who did their best work as close to the touchline as possible, used to be a vital element in each team but today are considered out-dated.  The same, to an extent, believed about crosses in the box who are considered outdated in an era where ball possession is king.  Yet that isn't the case.

One of the most pleasing (yet surprisingly under-reported) stories of this season has been Atalanta's rise.  Last week they achieved an extremely impressive win in Naples.  Here's how they did it, tactically.

AND FINALLY…

“It is an art in itself to compose a starting team, finding the balance between creative players and those with destructive powers, and between defence, construction and attack – never forgetting the quality of the opposition and the specific pressures of each match.” - Rinus Michels

Best of Coaching Links This Week: Leaving Your Comfort Zone, Tattoos to Monitor Performance & More

There are a lot of people – in football as in life – who opt to allow others dictate what they’re doing.  They might not realise it but without consciously intending to they let their own original thoughts be over-ruled by what is expected of them.  Inspired by Mark Manson’s book and using Arrigo Sacchi as a model, this piece looks at how coaches allow others to interfere and why they shouldn’t do so.

Michael Beale, one of the most respected young coaches in England has taken the unusual step of moving to Brazil where he will be an assistant coach at Sao Paolo.  It is in many ways a brave yet easy decision to make because, regardless of how it goes, the experience that he accrues will allow him to grow.  In this interview he talks about that decision and provides his views on youth development.

Although as a club Fulham has faced a lot of difficulties lately, it’s big saving grace has been an academy that has produced an incredible amount of talent.   It is one of the big success stories lower down the English league structure (Nottingham Forest and MK Dons being another two) that are well worth examining.

I found this piece on the advancements being made by electronics in the form of wearable tattoos extremely interesting, especially if you think about the options that it opens up for football.

AND FINALLY…
“One night, I went to a bar; I was with a woman. We talked all night. We laughed, we flirted, I paid for several drinks of hers. At around 5 am, a guy came in, grabbed her by the arm and took her to the bathroom. He made love to her and she left with him. That doesn’t matter, because I had most of the possession on that night.” - Jorge Sampaoli

Best of Coaching Links This Week: Development of Speed, Imitating Tom Brady & more

A fascinating piece – more so because it links to research data - on the development of speed in football.

Coaching is a meritocracy, not an aristocracy concludes this article that looks into reasons why former players struggle to make it into coaching.  An interesting and fair look at the debate.

I am not a fan of American football yet I too can appreciate that Tom Brady is a fantastic sportsperson from whom a lot can be learned.  This article confirms it.

To round off this issue, something on muscle recovery techniques for football players.

AND FINALLY…
“Possession means nothing when the opponent takes its chances” – Franz Beckenbauer


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Best of Coaching Links This Week: Participation Trophies, 8 vs 8 Ideas & More

For many, participation trophies are seen as a symbol of declining standards that are putting wrong beliefs into the minds of children about what it takes to succeed in life.  Is that the case, however? Not really.

Whenever some young player does well, there instantly appear predictions about his development.  In truth, it is simply not possible to do so.

How to set up teams at 8 vs 8.

Clubs are constantly looking to sign the most promising of players and, in their determination to do so, are fighting over children at increasingly younger ages.  It is a sad, albeit not unexpected, race to the bottom where everyone (or most) realise that it is wrong but keep on doing so.  It is also the subject of this article that delves into the issue in quite some depth.  Thought provoking

AND FINALLY…
“Best players don’t always make up the best team” – Marcello Lippi

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Best of Coaching Links This Week: Growth Mindset, Futsal, Paul McGuinness on Academy Failings & More

There is always something of temptation to replicate coaching sessions between different groups.  Yet such sessions could end up having a negative impact.

Richard Branson is one of those rare entrepreneurs who you find yourselves somewhat automatically admiring not because of what they achieve but how they do it.  His blog is often thought provoking but this piece on the growth mindset was particularly compelling.

In a week when a lot of Premier League clubs used the FA Cup to give their young players an opportunity - some being more successful than others - this interview with former Manchester United youth team coach Paul McGuinness on what a player needs to make the jump between the reserve and first team sides proved to be particularly insightful.

I had missed this when it first came out but the idea that futsal should be utilised during the winter months to help increase the technical skills of players is one worth considering.

AND FINALLY…
"Football needs its roots, it needs its connection with the supporters. But those in charge seem to think they can do without them." Graham Taylor

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