18 | 19


"So you have to adapt the session accordingly with the messages incorporated in the practice, so you don’t stop the session as much. It’s more of a training session than a coaching session. In development it can be different, sometimes technical improvement is more important than physical intensity."


Holland speaks enthusiastically about letting lessons ‘run’ in order to achieve a flow to practice. Key coaching points are made before and after the practice ensuring interventions are minimal.


"Organisation is also part of letting it ‘run’. The more pitches and equipment you have available the more it can help the session to be dynamic. I believe the players enjoy this process."


Speaking in issue 9 of The Boot Room, Holland’s former Chelsea colleague and current Real Madrid first team coach Paul Clement described part of the approach to working with elite players as a “negotiation” calling for a “something for us and something for them” approach to designing practice.


Holland agrees, but also points to the reality of limited training pitch time during the season as an equally significant guiding factor to the content of his work.


"With any session the more the players are enjoying their work the more you will get out of them. It is important to try to find creative ways of delivering repetitive practice to stimulate the players interest, particularly when you have little time before games to prepare and need to get key tactical messages over to them during short duration sessions to prevent fatigue."


In August last year Holland joined Gareth Southgate to work with the England U21 squad on a part-time basis. It has proved a fruitful relationship with the pair presiding over seven wins and a draw from eight qualification matches.


Holland has enjoyed his link with the National set up and refutes some of the criticism about England failing to produce forward-thinking modern coaches.


"I can think of several English coaches that have a certain level of experience and knowledge who are also creative and capable of being equally as good if not superior than their European counterparts. Many of them are now involved with the national set up in some capacity."


Holland who began coaching at 21 after injury brought his professional playing career to an end, would certainly fit his own description and recently shared his own pathway to aspiring coaches on the new FA Professional Coaches Award Course.


Creating more opportunities for expertise and knowledge to be shared is something he believes can only strengthen English coaching in the future.


"We have good coaches in this country, now we have to create opportunities to share ideas and experience. I remember 20 years ago watching Dave Sexton and Don Howe deliver sessions, it was inspirational. We should create those situations more often. It can only be a positive."


"I can think of several English coaches that are at a certain level of experience, know-how and are astute and advanced with their football thinking"


In addition to his Chelsea coaching duties, Holland also assists Gareth Southgate with the England U21 squad


In five years at Chelsea, Holland has worked for five different managers citing his ability to adapt as a key skill of the modern first-team coach


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92