Welcome Coach,
If you coach soccer (football), anywhere in the world, Soccer Coaching Blog is for you.
Here at Better Soccer Coaching we’re committed to providing excellent quality training plans, coaching manuals and DVDs that are truly relevant and helpful to coaches.
Through this blog, we’ll listen to what you have to say about your coaching issues, we’ll join in the debate, and we’ll come up with solutions.
This is a blog for everyone involved in soccer coaching, and all the issues you face have a place here. Our writers will be contributing something new each week, and I’d like to extend an open invitation for you to join in with your comments.
Whether it’s individual or team skills, coach development, refereeing, player behaviour, discipline, the role of parents, team management and selection, talent spotting or fitness, Soccer Coaching Blog aims to cover it all.
Your feedback and contributions are important and valuable for coaches all over the world, as this blog allows knowledge to be shared among coaches in scores of countries.
I’d like to introduce the team of soccer coaching bloggers who will be contributing to these pages over the coming months.
Mike Beale. Mike is Youth Development Officer at Chelsea Football Club. He is an accomplished writer on soccer coaching,having published many titles including two for Better Soccer Coaching – with more to come. He was a professional with English Premier League club Charlton Athletic and FC Twente of the Eredivisie in the Netherlands before gaining the top-rated UEFA A Licence for coaching.
Dave Clarke. Dave has coached Surrey youth teams for 11 years from under 4s to under 12s, building extensive first-hand experience of coaching in the kinds of situations that other junior coaches face. As a Better Soccer Coaching editor he combines his passion for the game with professional journalistic skills to create clear, easy-to-understand coaching advice in bite-sized nuggets. With thousands of man hours on his coaching clock, he always has a solution for tricky coaching situations.
Me, Andrew Griffiths
I’m the managing director of Better Soccer Coaching, responsible for our strategy and direction. We’re committed to continually improving our coaching tools and aids to give you exactly what works best. I love soccer though I’ve never played at a high level. I have two young sons who play regularly.
Please get involved, comment on this blog and give us your feedback. I promise to do our best to make this the most informative and compelling soccer coaching blog on the web.
If you havn’t already, you may wish to sign up for our Better Soccer Coaching weekly newsletter. As a member, I guarantee you will receive a truly valuable soccer coaching tip every week. Best of all it’s free!
With best wishes
Yours in soccer
Andrew Griffiths
Managing Director
35 Comments so far
Leave a comment
I love to coach, and have a passion for teaching proper skills, technique and insight. I have not taken many courses about coaching, but have done much reading on the topic. I have a pretty good wining percentage in my coaching career, but I want to get much better and want to take the needed certifications and licenses that are now being required to continue to coach in most clubs. I have asked and have been granted the authority to take the USSF “C” level course in the USA. I truly enjoy your insight and teachings, and would love to see your organization address the issue of what it takes to prepare and study to be successful in making it through the diferent levels of licensing in the United States.
Thank you.
P. S.
Comment by Victor March 11, 2008 @ 12:55 pmI really enjoyed the “What Makes A Great Coach” entry. I think I would add that knowledge first, then fun, all the others will fall in place after that.
Hi there,
I really love coaching also but in the beginning when we were playing in DIVII, everyone (meaning parents) were happy and satisfied with the team and coach, but now that we made it to DIVI, which is very competitive and teams have been together for more than 2 years together, the parents are angry and would like to change me being the coach. What can I do as a coach to improve players confidence and to have the parents see my coaching style because we are the B team (more developmental team/coach) per say so that players are able to get ready to try-out and have enough skills for the A team. What can I do to build players and parents confidence back?
Thank you
Comment by Umilta February 23, 2010 @ 9:03 pmThanks for getting in touch. There is a real lack of clarity on these issues and we’ll deal with it in an article soon. Thanks too for the kind words. Good luck to you and your teams.
Better Soccer Coaching Team
Comment by soccercoachblog March 11, 2008 @ 4:41 pmMy son is playing on a really good team called Sparta United. They practice drills and stuff but I would like to know what I can do to help him with using both of his legs when he plays. He is a lefty and has a strong left leg but his right is kind of weak. What are some things I can do to strenghten his right leg
Comment by Gabe August 14, 2008 @ 12:58 pmIn fitness, 1/lifting some weight etc focus on the left to make it stronger. 2/First balcontact is left and deliver reght. 3/Drive a ball reght reght to left left-4/Lift the ball op with right and deliver inside foot left. … these are all kind of skills you can do to improve the left. Reg.Dirk O
Comment by Dirk May 20, 2009 @ 9:49 amI think Mike beale should definitely take a look at Brandon David in Virginia. He is a 17 year old phenom! He is worth the trip from London and i could provide room and board…
Comment by Ray David February 17, 2009 @ 2:45 pmHi not sure if this is the right place for this but I manage/coach girls under 13 team at the moment I am trying to get the girls to get the ball down and pass to each other the problem is we are coming across teams that seem to just lump the ball as far as poss and we are getting beat every week how can I prove to the Girls parents even myself if this is the right way forward
Comment by mark March 29, 2009 @ 5:25 pmEd Writes:
Sign up for my Better Soccer Coaching Newsletter or my Soccer Coach Weekly publication which will help you deal with teams that hit the long ball and show you how to deal with parents…
Love the blog guys. I’m currently getting more involved in managing my sons under 12′s team; the current manager and me are good friends so keen to help out. Its been an interesting season so far and compared to other managers in the league it seems like we let them have more fun and not so much of an serious edge to it all. Keep up the good writing!
Comment by juwel April 7, 2009 @ 4:51 pmu13 girls, weve been playing a 4-4-3. We are having problems finishing as most teams are playing a deep defender sweeper. What adjustments should I make to the forward line if any. Almost all through balls are being cleared or won by the deep defender. Should we be moving the center forward as high as possible and widening the outside forwards? Any advice please.
Comment by dp May 19, 2009 @ 4:53 amBy 4-4-3, do you mean that you’re using a 3-4-3 set? I’ll assume that you are. A backline w/a sweeper is almost always a type of man-to-man defense (What the British call “man-marking.); so whatever works for man-to-man “busting” will usually work at breaking down a backline w/a sweeper, i.e. swapping positions, scissors/X-runs, etc.
Comment by Roy O'The Rovers June 5, 2009 @ 10:19 pmI wouldn’t try moving one or both of your forwards out wide because your offensive width should be provided by your wide mids/wings in a 3-4-3. If you have the right players, maybe try dropping one of them deeper into more of a Sheringham-type role behind two out-and-out strikers. This might help because an opposing sweeper can often be pulled forward and out of position by the right trequarista #10.
Also, make the most of your corners and free kicks close to your opponent’s goal area, and drill these situations during practice. Sweepers are much less effective when everything is pushed back towards their own defensive area. They can’t just sit back there and intercept everything like they can during open play.
I hope that helps, you asked for ANY advice!!
Great website guys. Nice to read lots of different countries football teams contributing to your blog! Are you guys on twitter?
Comment by Sports Monkey May 19, 2009 @ 12:35 pmThanks and Yes you can follow Dave Clarke Editor of Soccer Coach Weekly and Better Soccer Coaching on twitter
http://twitter.com/soccercoach2
Comment by admin May 19, 2009 @ 1:11 pmI am a soccer coach presently with RedBull Ghana socer academy Ghana West Africa. I love this web and I wish to be part of this so that I can have more knowledge in football coaching.which I think will help me to get to greater heights in my career.
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Comment by ROLAND EWAS June 18, 2009 @ 1:44 pmGood evening. Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
I am from Zambia and also am speaking English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: “Child in the cards.”
Regards
Pablo.
Comment by Pablo September 6, 2009 @ 6:55 pmI think this blog will help all the coaches all around the world. I will really appreciate the effort done by the blog owner.
Comment by Soccer Uniforms October 3, 2009 @ 10:13 amExcellent blog. Yahoo! h9f5tRaG
Comment by cesar November 10, 2009 @ 11:36 pmA great website for the amateur coach, who is also busy working for himself,supplying much needed drills.
Comment by Michael Brennan December 8, 2009 @ 4:12 pmJames Raymond…
Are you doing anything professional with your writings? You Should. Thanks….
Trackback by James Raymond January 5, 2010 @ 3:38 pmjust found you guys through another forum that isnt posted on much at all, nice to see some regular postings I need all the help I can get with my U7s and U8s, im currently looking for an U8s manager to take them into U9s for next season as I cant manage both teams with U9s playing every week in matches.U9 manager needed for 20010/11 season south somerset uk
Comment by Simon Fryer February 26, 2010 @ 11:26 pmHi! Were can I get the training plan that you mentioned?
Comment by Alvan Grace April 1, 2010 @ 12:58 amHi Alvin
Join up to http://www.bettersoccercoaching.com or email me at david2clarke@live.co.uk
Comment by soccercoachblog April 2, 2010 @ 10:28 pmiam impressed with you guys are doing,i wat to know how to get train to be a pro coach.iam from nigeria.
Comment by mac June 7, 2010 @ 12:37 pmI joined your free newsletter and I’m glad I did. Thank you so much for caring for inexperienced coaches like me. I’m always looking for new and fun Youth Soccer Drills to improve my players skills. Thanks.
Comment by Rachel Young June 8, 2010 @ 1:36 pmthe most exciting site i’ve ever come accross is what I raelly want to be as a soccer coach
Comment by ebrima jatta September 10, 2010 @ 12:50 amHi, I am a novice u9/10/11/12 coach. all age ranges on my rec team. I have kids who have never played before and kids who are very competetive. First game was today. Personality clash with my asst coach. Nothing unusual I’m sure. My question is do I get them assigned to permanent posistions now. (by observing and looking for strengths) or mix it up every game, focusing on experience over winning. We are rec. I do want to be competetive so they stand a chance at travel try outs, but I am in the “mix it up” school of thought,(mainly because of the inexperienced kids), My asst is in the “stricktly positions” assigned school of thought. I’m trying to get her to find the gray area and find compromise. But she gives me the “she’s been coaching for four” years speach. I respect that I really do. I may be a novice, but I’m trying to get them to enjoy the game and figure things out for themselves.
Comment by AllyToby September 11, 2010 @ 11:36 pmAny advice?
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Pingback by Change of Address: 25 Great Blogs for Soccer Moms and Dads October 31, 2010 @ 1:07 pmthis blog is a great idea. I’m always on the look out for improved coaching ideas as its important to keep the kids guessing on what i will be coaching next.
Comment by football coaching drills December 7, 2010 @ 10:54 amI totally concur with the above comment, the internet is with a doubt growing into the most essential medium of communication across the globe and its due to sites like this that ideas are spreading so rapidly.
Comment by Andrew Joseph February 12, 2011 @ 5:36 amI have a question about when and if a coach should participate in scrimmages and small side games with his players.
Comment by Erich Valckenaere February 18, 2011 @ 10:48 pmThis blog have it’s on great idea.I love this web and I wish to be part of this so that I can have more knowledge in football coaching. Hope that sooner, countries football teams contributing to your blog! I think this blog will help all the coaches all around the world. Thanks.
Comment by Performance Coach June 3, 2011 @ 5:40 pmNice set up here. I am UEFA C Badge. I live in florida, coaching varsity high school.
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Comment by pitchofdreams November 15, 2011 @ 4:28 pmHello! I’ve been following your web site for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep up the great job!
Comment by ninja bike May 19, 2012 @ 4:23 pmWhat to do? I coach a group of U10 boys and most of them have been together now for 2 years and they still don’t get it. A few of them try real hard and concentrate when it skill drill time. The others look at me with a blank stair and say “I can’t do that”. I encourage them to try and that repetition well make them better. At least after 2 years you would think they’d get better. Some of them are there because mom signed them up and others just want to put pinnies on and play a game. Last night I tried to get them to play in space and give each other room yet they kept chasing the ball around like 4 year olds and practice ended with name calling and arguments. I feel bad for the boys that are there to improve their game.
Comment by Chris June 6, 2012 @ 3:48 pmIts Great to join, want to train young football kids to make them a player..
Comment by Ramesh K Mukundan January 12, 2013 @ 9:26 am