Position Specific Training for the Individual Player. UEFA A & MSc Performance Coaching ( University of Stirling)

Joined November 2009
1,786 Photos and videos
Great observations by Pochettino. Young players need to be encouraged to fall in love with the ball. We don’t need clubs selling U3 programs to parents. Instead, teach them how to introduce their children to mastering a football @tomsan106
Pochettino: Many methods are copied. They set up soccer schools in the US & tell kids: ‘Pass the ball from here to there, go back and shoot when you get there.’ That’s not soccer. When we learn, when we relate to the game, it’s with absolute freedom 👇🏼 english.elpais.com/sports/20…
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Great work Kevin 👏I have always been of the opinion that technical skills is the foundation for all players and that developing consistency in technical execution cannot be fast tracked. Contact time for me is the key in developing skill and a love of the game.
Last week, I said technical coaching is dying. The response was bigger than I expected, so thank you for that. Today, the framework. The actual map. I've worked with players aged 1 to 70 across 15 years, and the same pattern keeps showing up. Players who are technically limited cannot survive in the game. By survive in the game, I do not mean they cannot be a professional. I mean that technical limitations hurt a player more than tactical ones, no matter what level they end up finding themselves at. So, why are they technically limited? Well, for me, there are four technical windows for players. Concentrating on the wrong thing during these windows is a waste of the window. The four windows. U9. Foundational and functional. Touch, balance, coordination and a relationship with the ball. The "the ball your friend" stage. If we do help players to fall in love with the ball and messing around with the ball at this stage, we have f***ed it completely. U12. Skill acquisition. The golden window of development. Maybe not backed by statistics or research, but this is it for me. If players cannot use multiple surface of both feet, cannot manipulate the ball under pressure, and cannot escape pressure, then the limitations will really start to show. These two windows are developing the player windows, and not developing the team ones. U16. The hardest window. Bodies change and limbs grow at different rates. The mentality of players starts to change. The technique you thought was bedded in starts to wobble, and technique may need to be re-coached, and it will certainly need to be refined. This is where most "drop-offs" actually happen. U17 to adult. Refinement under mental and physical load. Technique under fatigue becomes more important. For example, in the 80th minute, with the score against you, how does a players technique hold up? The two most common mistakes I see. One. Coaching the wrong window for the age in front of you. Tactical chalk talks at U10. Cone ball mastery at U15. Each window has a job. Doing the next window's job too early or repeating the previous one too long both waste time. Two. Assuming a quality "stays" once it's coached. It doesn't. Example - First touch at U9 may have to be slightly re-coached at U13 when the body changes. Nothing is bedded in until it survives the next physical change. Lesson 3 next Saturday breaks down U9. The window where most parents and many coaches can do real damage by trying to coach U12 stuff to a 7-year-old.
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Ian McClurg - Play Pro retweeted
So proud of Folarin Balogun … two goals in the opening game of the World Cup. I’ve been working with Flo for several years now. I know how much this means to him. If this guy has been putting everything into this moment… This is what Elite level Striker play looks like!
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A full understanding of centre-back behaviour 🎯 The seven pictured players share an elite ability to progress the ball through the opposition structure, but the defensive contexts in which they operate vary considerably. SkillCorner's Game Intelligence data captures that complexity by combining rich on and off-ball insights for precise profiling of player style and performance. Learn how that can be applied in practice across our two-part series 👉 Analysing Centre-Backs' Defensive Behaviour: skillcorner.com/articles/gam… 👉 Centre-Backs Playing Out From the Back: skillcorner.com/articles/gam…
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Well said Saul. In North America I see coaches focus on building teams versus developing individual players. His many youth players in North America 🇨🇦🇺🇸 have individual learning plans to follow so that the focus is on improving individual performance levels ?
The reality is that most sessions in youth football are group and possession-focused. It’s what many coaches are taught, and it’s what we see on most conventional coaching courses. But as coaches, we have to ask ourselves: Are we really developing individuals… or are we just developing teams? Just because players are active and sessions look busy doesn’t automatically mean learning is taking place. Players need opportunities to develop the skills they will use in the game: receiving, retaining, releasing, dominating 1v1, and solving problems on the ball. Perhaps we need to place more emphasis on skill-based development built around the needs of the individual, not just how the team performs at the weekend. After all, better players usually make better teams.
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Ian McClurg - Play Pro retweeted
Cruyff’s revolutionary ideas can be distilled into five core principles that continue to provide the non-negotiable framework for the world's most successful elite teams. These are the 'First Principles' of modern football. Space Over Opposition: In the Cruyffian worldview, the primary objective is never to beat an opponent through isolated individual brilliance alone, but to ruthlessly control and manipulate the geometry of the pitch. Space is the game's ultimate currency. By stretching the play horizontally and vertically, a team forces the opposition to cover more ground, inevitably creating the structural cracks that lead to goal-scoring opportunities. You don't play against the opponent; you play against the space they leaves behind. Possession as Defensive Strategy: We often categorise possession as an attacking metric, but for Cruyff, it was the most sophisticated form of defensive management. Keeping the ball is the most effective way to mitigate risk. If your team dictates the circulation of the ball, you deny the opponent the oxygen they need to create. Control of possession is, quite literally, control of the match's narrative and tempo. It is a proactive shield that prevents the need for desperate, reactive defending. Structure Enables Freedom: A common misconception is that a strict tactical structure stifles creativity. Cruyff argued the exact opposite: clear, disciplined organisation is the very thing that allows players to express themselves effectively. When a player knows exactly where their teammates are positioned and understands the collective patterns of the team, they are freed from the burden of hesitation. This structural safety net provides the platform for high-speed, intuitive flair to flourish without collapsing into chaos. Intelligence Over Physicality: While the modern game has become increasingly athletic, the ultimate competitive advantage remains the speed of the human brain. Decision-making is the final frontier of performance. Players who possess the elite cognitive ability to scan, anticipate, and read the game will always outperform those who rely solely on raw physical output. As a coach, your goal is to develop "thinkers" who can solve the pitch's problems faster than the opponent can pose them. Collective Over Individual: Finally, the team must function as a single, highly connected system where the success of the individual is entirely dependent on the performance of the collective. No one player is greater than the system. When eleven players move in harmony, they become a formidable force that is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts. Individual genius is merely the spark; the collective structure is the engine. These five ideas are now deeply embedded in the DNA of elite football. They influence how the best academies train, how the most successful managers prepare, and how the game's future stars are identified. Cruyff didn't just give us a style of play; he gave us the permanent intellectual code for footballing excellence. Footer text: Coaching Lessons – Inspired by Johan Cruyff – Ray Power
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Great work Kevin. In my opinion we need to provide our players with more opportunities to enjoy the worlds greatest game like this.
New cheatsheet Recreating the streets! What do we think?
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Ian McClurg - Play Pro retweeted
Technical coaching is dying. I've spoken about this many times. It's being replaced by tactical coaching at every age group. You see it everywhere. U10s being taught shape and how. U12s being walked through a high press. U13s sitting in chalk talks about overloads in wide areas. I get why it's happening. Tactical content is easier to talk about and make videos about on YouTube. It feels sophisticated. But will these players still be playing at 16? Not sure. So over the next 8 Saturdays, I'm going to share the technical qualities I believe each player needs at each age and stage of their development. This week is the opener, and probably the least controversial week. P.S. If you want a head start, the full Player Development Framework is taught inside FCA.... or jump on our calls on Sundays :)
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Ian McClurg - Play Pro retweeted
⚽ Trabajo individual 🏃 Físico-técnico 🧠 Decisión ⚡ Intensidad 🎯 Mejora personal Entrena el detalle 🔝 👉 toplidercoach.com/
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⚽️ An Integral Approach To The Position Specific Training ⚽️ Get your copy now👇 payhip.com/b/Ll9PC @TheS_Resource @SessionShareNet @CoachingFamily @JustcoachMD @CoachRobPorter @cutinside
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Ian McClurg - Play Pro retweeted
Full agenda and confirmed speakers are now live. A full day of practical sessions on scouting, recruitment strategy, data and player profiling — all delivered virtually on Zoom. Tuesday 9 June • 09:30–16:30 UK
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Talent is overrated. The players who progress understand the standards required and consistently work hard. After 25 years coaching players from grassroots to professional football, I've created a FREE guide on Individual Player Development. 📖 shorturl.at/2biir
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Ian McClurg - Play Pro retweeted
What a season. 🙌 Aston Villa. Brighton. Chicago Fire. Hong Kong Football Association. The Premier League Academy Coaches Conference at Old Trafford, to name a few! It’s been an incredible privilege to deliver this masterclass to some of the best coaching teams in world football this season. And now — for the first time — this presentation is available to you. Developing The Game Changer is the complete individual development masterclass. The same content delivered to Premier League academies and federations around the world — now available to every coach at £39. ✅ Full masterclass recording ✅ 91-slide presentation deck ✅ My actual Individual Development Plan “An outstanding experience that had a clear and lasting impact on the staff.” — Ryan Maye, Head of Coaching, Aston Villa Academy First 50 coaches at £39. Then £49. Comment GAMECHANGER below and I’ll send you the details now. 👇
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Feb 6
The collection includes a 1 hour class to guide you on how to coach the individual within these practices.
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Arsene Wenger after the game: We reached the final and gave everything we had, but I cannot help feeling that the game was influenced by more than just the football. There were decisions that went against Arsenal at crucial moments, and from where I stand, two penalty incidents deserved much closer attention, especially the challenge on Saka in the second half. I am proud of this team. They showed courage, quality, character and the fighting spirit that Arsenal supporters expect. When you lose a Champions League final, it is painful. When key moments leave you with questions, the disappointment is even greater. Congratulations to PSG on winning the trophy. But I believe Arsenal deserved the opportunity to compete on equal terms until the very end. To the players: keep your heads high. Great teams are built through moments like this. Use the pain, learn from it, and come back stronger. COYG ❤️ #PSGARS #UCLFinal
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May 27

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Mikel Arteta - Viva La Vida

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Well deserved and a testament what clubs can achieve when you select the right manager back then ignore the noise ! Delighted for Mikel @m8arteta - fully deserved. The club @Arsenal are now well positioned to push on for more success 👏#gooners
Mikel Arteta wins LMA Premier League Manager of the Year. Arteta finished top of a very strong field ahead of nominees Keith Andrews, Michael Carrick, Pep Guardiola, Andoni Iraola and Regis Le Bris. (One guest had an Unai Emery mask). #LMAawards #AFC
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