Month: April 2012

Categories
Irish Grassroots Football

I don’t get it!!

Went to see an u11s DDSL premier game today.

We play 9v9 in Ireland and on the basis of that game this morning, which was a so called top team versus a mid table team, we definitely should not be playing 9V9 at u11s. 7V7 or even 8v8 is a more appropriate game for these kids.

One team had most of the possession and at times tried to play ball, but due to the numbers and size of the pitch it was almost impossible to string more then 4 passes together before it broke down. The other team, never once played from the back and the centre half took all the goal kicks, which were hit route one.

If these kids were playing on a smaller pitch with less players then they would have not choice but to play from the back and they would get plenty more touches of the ball. (Also we could adopt the rules so that they had to play out for the back)

The Argument

This argument has being going on way to long now and its about time the SFAI got the finger out and started restructering the game so that it is age appropriate. The FAI really should be demanding change to coincide with Europe.

I think its time we set-up a group not a committee for adopting changes to the game. Youth Soccer Ireland or something like that.

Let me know your thoughts?

Categories
World Football

Pep leaves way for Tito

Pep Guardiola leaves FCB at the end of the season with 13 trophies in 4 years. Don’t believe there is a manager that has achieved so much in such a short space of time. A truly remarkable feat for any person and particularly to do it with the little coaching/managing experience at the top level.

“I want to thank Pep with all my heart for the huge amount he has contributed to my career, both professionally and personally,” Messi said in a statement on his Facebook page. 

https://www.facebook.com/Lionel.Messi.0010

The 24-year-old added that he had preferred not to attend Guardiola’s farewell news conference as he was feeling too emotional.

What next for Pep?

Possibly the Spanish national job, although I think its a bit soon for that. I’m thinking more on the lines that he will take for from Sir Alex at United or go to Italy possibly AC or Inter…

The world will wait for one of the greatest managers of our time to return and show his class again.Guardiola hinted he would be taking a break from the game but a host of suitors will be queuing up to persuade him to return.

Even the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea are among the clubs to have been linked with the sharp-suited Catalan while national team jobs with England and Qatar (He is not motivated by money) have been mentioned in other media reports.

Reaction to his impending departure poured in from across world football….

“I would have loved him, even going through a disappointing year, to stay and come back and insist on this philosophy at the club because that would be interesting as well,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, once linked with Barca given his love of the ‘beautiful game’, told a news conference.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli told reporters that he hoped Guardiola brought “his fantastic idea of football” to Serie A, where he played for Brescia and AS Roma.

President Sandro Rosell

introduced the conference by saying: “We have called you today to announce that Pep Guardiola will not continue in charge of the team next season.

“Thank you, Pep, for all the happiness you have brought us and for bringing a model of football that can never be questioned. The thanks from everybody at Barcelona will be eternal for the best manager in the history of the club.”

Rosell hailed Guardiola’s contribution and backed Vilanova to continue Barca’s success.

“Pep always takes the best decision for this club,” Rosell said. “It was his decision and it’s a personal one and an understandable one. We hope to follow the inheritance that Pep leaves us with the best we can. He has made us proud.

“Now we can confirm that Tito Vilanova will be our new coach. This was a decision taken by Andoni Zubizarreta and it has been ratified today by our executive committee.

“Tito and Andoni will now work on next season’s planning and I am sure they will do a good job.”

Barca have successfully promoted several players from the B team during the Guardiola reign, and sporting director Zubizarreta said the appointment of Vilanova was a continuation of that approach.

“Tito represents the philosophy of the club,” Zubizarreta said. “We’ve always said that if the team needs players, we look at home first. Who do we have here at home? Tito.”

Guardiola on Tito

Guardiola believes Vilanova will prove a successful appointment.

“I think the club has taken the best decision possible,” Guardiola said. “He is more than capable. The players know him. He will make few changes. He will give the club and these players something that I thought I could no longer give.

“I could have continued but it is not what Barca would have deserved.

Guardiola said:

“I would like you to understand that this is not an easy decision for me, but I would like to explain my reasons for this decision,” he said. “I have always wanted short-term contracts. Four years is an eternity as Barca coach.

“In the month of October I announced to the president and to the sporting director that I thought my spell was coming to an end. The main reason I have taken this decision is because four years is many years.

“I have given everything and I have nothing left and need to recharge my batteries. The demands have been great and I have not been able to rest much. I have to recover and the only way I can do that is by distancing myself. Otherwise, we would have ended up damaging each other.

“I know that I’m leaving the best place to work in. I am very satisfied with the result we have achieved. I have had the great privilege of coaching fantastic players. I want to thank them.”

 

We wish him well and look forward to his return in the near future….Thank you for 4 amazing years of outstanding football!

Quotes: ES & ESPN

Categories
Irish Grassroots Football

The Coach Diary is teaming up with Inside Soccer.

I’m teaming up with Inside Soccer, the greatest coaching tool for coaches and managers on the planet!

 

MORE NEWS TO FOLLOW…..

Categories
Development

Benefits of Small Sided Games on Youth Players is Consequential

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced major changes to the game of football (soccer) today that has sent shock waves through all the major leagues and national federations.  Effective immediately the following changes will be made to all FIFA sanctioned matches:

•The height of the goal is now going to be 10 feet high and the 30 feet wide
•Regulation pitch dimensions will now be at a minimum of 165 yards by 124 yards
•The penalty box will be 23 yards instead of 18 yards
•All penalty kicks will now be taken from roughly 16 yards away

FIFA President Sepp Blatter would not comment on the changes. However, a high-ranking FIFA official stated off the record, “Adults expect young kids to play soccer on a large pitch to make it look like real soccer. What we have done is simply expand the pitch dimensions, so that adults can enjoy the same competitive experience.”

Clearly, an excellent player like Lionel Messi could not withstand the pressures of such a big field for 90 minutes. Goalkeepers like Iker Casillas or Petr Čech would hold their head in sorrow, as they would no longer be able to keep a clean sheet.

Read the full article here http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2012/02/14/benefits-of-small-sided-games-on-youth-players-is-consequential/

By: IMSoccer News

 

Categories
Irish Grassroots Football

Its time to make the change and keep with the Small Sided Game until at least u12s

Its absolutely ridiculous that in 2012 and we are still taking about kids aged 11/12 years playing 11v11 football on adult pitches. What is wrong with these committees and/or boards of mainly old men, that they can’t see that this is clearly not what kids want.

Why do they continue to go against nature and push kids into the 11v11 game some 2 years before they are prepared and ready to do so. Why? We know that all the studies go against this process! 

What do kids love about football?

Well, they love to PLAY, they love to SCORE and they love to get plenty TOUCHES of the ball. Playing 11v11 at u12s is preventing this from happening, even the 9v9 games has its downfall but it is 100% better then playing 11v11 on adult pitches, where kids get an average of 11 touches per hourly game.

Drop down to any park on a Saturday or Sunday and witness for yourself; few keepers are taking the kick outs due to the mentality of getting the ball forward (stick the big centre half on them to pump it up the field) and the pressure to win. You will also find that most players rarely get a chance to touch the ball, spending most of their time  idle on the far side of the pitch.

11v11 Game is for adults NOT KIDS

The 11v11 game comes with adult rules and adult demands and many kids just aren’t ready for the step-up so why are we pushing KIDS to become adults even before they have experienced what its like to be a kid?

Well, I’ll tell you why?

The reason is because most league committees are made up of adults and not kids, if the league committees were run by the kids imagine how much fun kids soccer in Ireland and across the world would be…..!!!

Unfortunately kids will never really have that say but we, ‘the coaches’ can speak on their behalf . Soccer committees in Ireland will continue to be run by adults with adult interests in mind. Most committees have a combined age of well over 250 years, that’s about 239 years out of touch with a child age 11.

“We have to keep pushing for better conditions for the kids and age related games that only have kids interests at heart”.

When was the last time they asked the kids what they want? 

I truly hope the committees of all the leagues in Ireland take the steps to improve the game with the kids interest in mind and extending the small sided game into u12s would be a welcome change for season 2012/2013.

PS. keep size 4 ball into u13s also! I say u12s but really we should be looking at u14s until we play 11v11.

Great post by Nick Levett http://youthfootballdevelopment.blogspot.com/

 

Categories
The Coach Diary

Swedish Talent Coach Doesnt Believe in Elite Selection Process

I wrote about this before and I don’t understand the benefit of elite football, with so many late bloomers going onto become professional footballer and the kids who showed so much promise at a younger age fading away into the distance. In anyone team there are only ever 2-3 stand out players so why pick the best and forget about the rest. I recently took up the option of training a u11s team who are 3 division behind the so called Elite or Premier league. With them my intention is to to prove that with the correct coaching any team can make it to the premier if that is the aim.

Anyhow the kids just want to play, of course they want to win but that will come from them and not my will to win. I will install a winning attitude and mentality with humility and most importantly they will learn how to lose. The manager and I are singing from the same hymn sheet, we are all about player development whilst trying to play a football not longball!!

Mark O’Sullivan is footblogball a UEFA B coach living in Sweden. 

He recently posted an Article about Elite selection process….

Recently Swedish national newspaper: http://www.dn.se/sport/fotboll/talangutvecklaren-tror-inte-pa-tidig-elitsatning

“It is impossible to predict who will become an elite footballer” says Thomas Westerberg who has written the highly recommended book “Talangutveckling eller Spelarutveckling”(Talent development or Player development). Players such as Henrik Larsson, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Johan Mjällby were never selected for the Swedish Football Associations elite youth training camps for 15 year olds. They werent even selected for their district representation team.

Elite Selection is not good

“The elite selection process is not a good  indicator as to who can become a fulltime professional footballer”says Westerberg. One reason being the influence of both physical and mental development.” Far too often talent is mixed up with early physical development, kids that develop earlier naturally perform better than those who develop later. This is all of little consequence and meaning in relation to who will be performing best as an adult.

Today Westerberg

is the development officer at Swedish  Premier League club IFK Norköpping where he works against the early elite selection process. Westerbergs aim is to create a safe and positive enviroment that will stimulate many to play football, focus on performance instead of results and let players develop at their own pace.

” I believe that everyone can find their own football path. It is important that the young player realises that it is never over or too late. Players develop at different tempos and they should never be stressed” says Thomas Westerberg.

This article was taken from footblogball