The Boot Room


Issue 10 August 2014


What are you looking for when you observe the players?


In terms of programme design, you’re looking to identify the individual strengths of a player. If you’ve worked with the players for a number of years by the U13 age-group not only should their technical toolbox be outstanding but you should also have a really good idea of a player’s strengths. For example, you may be able to see that one of your players has the potential to be an excellent dribbler rather than a passer.


Your aim is to then develop a practice syllabus which allows the individual to maintain and improve the identified strengths rather than trying to work on the weaker parts of their game which could result in making them average at everything (average dribbler/ average passer).


Of course, all players are still exposed to all aspects of the game but their focus will start to shift towards the type of player they have the potential to become.


What sort of strengths do you identify and look to improve?


The strengths will be specific and unique to the individual and we should celebrate difference rather than try to eliminate it. I would identify up to three strengths for each player, for example: dribbling, finishing skills and clever combinations. You may then also identify up to three additional skills which contribute to enhance the three strengths such as: more deceptive ball manipulation skills (to support dribbling), shooting through ‘crowds’ (finishing) and 'round the corners' (combinations).


Games must be seen as an extension of training and not a special or different event that is detached from the players’ individual programmes


Are player strengths identified with a playing position in mind?


If you take a positional specific, rather than a player specific approach, there’s the danger that the programme you develop for an individual will not be holistic and won’t be based on the things that the player actually needs. One of the additional skills you set for a player may not be linked to the technical or physical corner at all; it may focus on behaviour or punctuality. These things aren’t linked to being a full-back or a number 10, instead the challenge is linked to the individual player's needs across all four corners during that period. It is an approach encouraged on The FA Advanced Youth Award and through the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan.


When would you start to move players towards certain areas of the pitch?


I think you’ve got to be careful saying a player is locked in to only being a defensive midfielder or being a wide player, for example. When you are looking at player strengths it’s more important to consider how they link into multiple playing positions. If the club's playing philosophy is quite free and the players are going to rotate positions a lot in free play the players are going to end up in different areas of the pitch anyway. So at U13 I’d look at playing them in various positions within two units, rather than in any one specific position, whilst being mindful that if a player is more attack minded you may eliminate the back unit from their programme at this stage.


Would you ever work on anything other than a player’s strengths?


You may want to build in some compulsory aspects for every player to continue to work on like ball manipulation, receiving and passing and support play as well as social and psychological skills like dealing with mistakes, for example. In most cases, physical development can be incorporated into the practice design rather than being an isolated activity.


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