Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: corners, free-kicks, goal kicks, how to play in rain, tactics, windy conditions
It was pretty horrible playing in the wind this weekend and you have to think about your tactics because goalkicks, long through balls and clearances will all be affected depending on whether you are playing into the wind or not.
I have a load of tips for playing into the wind on my Better Soccer Coaching website.
Whether your players are kicking into the wind, or with the wind, follow these tips to keep youngsters’ shots, passes and goal kicks accurate.
Playing into the wind tips
Tell your players to keep it tight — short passing skills are needed into the wind. Any long balls will be held up by the wind and you will soon find you’re up against a fast breakaway attack.
In training drills practise holding the ball up — get your players to play balls into the attacker with his back to goal, creating opportunities for your midfielders to run with the ball.
At goalkicks, tell your goalkeeper to play out to the sides — a long kick down the middle would be suicide.
Playing with the wind tips
Tell your players to resist the temptation to blast long balls into the opposition half — your forwards will soon get tired of the ball going straight out of play.
But do let your goalkeeper unleash some long balls – get your forwards to cause chaos with the bouncing goalkicks by heading them towards goal.
Tell your forwards to test your opponents’ goalkeeper with high accurate shots.
Watch the highlights of this 2002 World cup qualifier between the Faroe Islands and Luxembourg. Wet and windy conditions provide some great moments!
And watch this tornado during a youth match
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management | Tags: goalkeeper warm-ups, goalkeeping drills, Houston Dynamo, Mike Toshack, windy tactics
It was raining this weekend, it was muddy it was windy. Who in their right mind would be a goakeeper on days like this?
I always like to warm my goalkeeper up so they are ready when the match starts, on days like this weekend it is more than vital to do so. And you want to warm up the use of their feet because in these conditions it is the footwork that will often be the deciding factor when the ball is played in with the rain, wind and mud making handling treacherous.
I use this warm up all the time in the winter – and often during good weather as well! It’s so easy to set up and you can get a couple of dads to help out while you take the rest of the boy for other warm ups.
It’s one I got from Mike Toshack the goalkeeper coach for the Houston Dynamo. All you need is a goal and two cones with a couple of dads and balls.
Set it up like this:
Put two cones 5 yards in front of a goal in the centre, 4 yards apart creating three ‘goals’
You need a goalkeeper and two players or helpers
First helper passes to goalkeeper in the middle goal, who must pass firmly back with their right foot.
The goalkeeper then moves to the ‘goal’ on their right to save a shot from the second helper.
The goalkeeper then moves back to the centre goal to play a pass with their fet and sd so on. After 5 shots to the right the goalkeeper must then move to the goal area on their left.
You want to see the goalkeeper moving quickly between the goals.
Keep their hands and head steady.
Be on their toes ready to react to the ball.
Watch this clip of Mike Toshack the goalkeeper coach for the Houston Dynamo putting his players through the drill.
