www.elitesoccercoaching.

net november 2012

In partnership with

Soccer
Coaching practices from the world’s
leading managers and coaches

steve
WEST BROMWICH ALBION

clarke
Penalty box
session »» Crossing
Movement
Exclusive om top » Finishing
Training practicesafrers
professional man g

PRESTON NORTH END PLYMOUTH ARGYLE BURTON ALBION RANGERS EXETER CITY

GRAHAM CARL GARY TOMMY KEVIN

WESTLEY FLETCHER ROWETT WILSON NICHOLSON
Defending set No 10 attacking Switching 4-2-3-1 Free-kick
plays movement play alternatives routines
interview With Wigan Athletic
extra-time: manager Roberto Martinez
 In partnership with

Elite Soccer is published by:

issue 28/november 2012: FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Originaltrainingblueprints fromBritish football’s 4

Green Star Media Ltd
Meadow View, Tannery Lane top names STEVE
Guildford, Surrey,
GU5 0AB, UK CLARKE
WEST BROMWICH
Tel: +44 (0) 1483 892 894 ALBION
Fax: +44 (0) 1483 894 148
Email:
Penalty
elitesoccer@greenstarmedia.net box
Publisher:
Welcome to the November issue of Elite session
Kevin Barrow Soccer.
Editor:
James Evans
We’re back with six more original and
absorbing sessions that we hope will inspire your team to great
6
Contributing Editor:
things as winter draws closer. And as usual, our expert spread of GRAHAM
Matthew Amos, LMA
Design: coaches brings knowledge from every part of the British game. WESTLEY
PRESTON NORTH END
Jimmy Egerton To kick off, and from the Barclays Premier League, West
Illustrator:
Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke presents for us a
Defending
Richard Palmer
penalty box practice that examines crossing, finishing and set plays
Customer Services:
Duncan Heard movement; all done at pace. Clarke is a firm advocate of this
Marketing Manager:
Paul Mortimer
session, and its benefits have been seen this season with his side
having already clocked up home league wins over Liverpool,
8
Operations Director:
Everton, Reading and QPR. CARL FLETCHER
Toby Curthoys PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Moving into the npower Football League, and from League
Managing Director:
Andrew Griffiths One, deep-thinking Stevenage manager Graham Westley has
Attacking
Photos: Action Images
produced a session that looks at defending set plays - keeping movement for
Publishedinpartnershipwith: players alert and organised in limiting the threat from opposition your no.10
attacks.
On into npower League Two, and Plymouth Argyle manager
League Managers Carl Fletcher examines the movement of the traditional no.10, 10
Association while Burton Albion boss Gary Rowett introduces a practice GARY ROWETT
St George’s Park that reviews how to quickly and effectively switch play, with BURTON ALBION
National Football Centre
Newborough Road
devastating effect. Switching
Needwood
Burton upon Trent DE12 9PD
From Scotland, Rangers reserve team coach Tommy Wilson play
focuses in on the mechanics of the 4-2-3-1 formation, while
Tel: +44 (0)1926 831 556
new Exeter City Under-18s manager Kevin Nicholson offers a
Email: lma@lmasecure.com
President:
fantastic blueprint for free-kick routines. 11
Roy Hodgson As usual, we hope these excellent soccer practices will offer new
Chairman: paths to success for your team, and we look forward to seeing you TOMMY
Howard Wilkinson WILSON
again next month. RANGERS
Chief Executive:
Richard Bevan Best regards, 4-2-3-1
This publication is protected
alternatives
by national and international

13
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individuals or organisations
found to be infringing our rights,
and will make that action public.
KEVIN
Elite Soccer members who
have purchased this report may
Elite Soccer is a monthly publication NICHOLSON
EXETER CITY
circulate electronic or hard
copies to members of their own for professional, semi-professional Free-kick
club or school, provided this is
done without commercial gain. and aspiring soccer coaches and is routines
However, no part or whole of
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duncanh@greenstarmedia.net manager Roberto Martinez
or call on +44 (0) 1483 892 894 17 B OOKED
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2 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 In partnership with

management matters

MANAGER OF THE MONTH AWARDS

In the Barclays In the npower In npower And in npower

Premier
League,
Everton
manager David Moyes
scooped the September
Manager of the Month award
after his side hit 10 league
goals during the month. They
recorded wins over Swansea
City and Southampton, plus
earned a battling 2-2 at
home to Newcastle United.
September had started with a
2-0 defeat at West Bromwich
Albion, but Moyes led his
troops through the rest of the
month unbeaten to move the
Toffees into the top four.
Everton: W2 D1 L1
Championship,
Crystal Palace
manager Dougie Freedman
inspired his side to four wins
and a draw during September.
The south London club picked
up away wins at Charlton
Athletic and Bolton Wanderers,
plus defeated Sheffield
Wednesday and Cardiff City
at Selhurst Park. There was
also a home draw against
Nottingham Forest.
The 1-0 victory at Bolton
Wanderers on September 29
was maybe significant given
that the 38-year-old manager
would, just over four weeks
later, be announced as the new
manager of the Lancashire
club.
Crystal Palace: W4 D1 L0
League One,
unfancied
Tranmere Rovers continued
their incredible start to the
season, earning manager
Ronnie Moore his second
consecutive Manager of the
Month award.
Tranmere picked up where
they’d left off in August,
scoring 15 goals in the month,
with victories over Colchester
United, Coventry City, Bury
and Crawley Town. They also
earned draws in matches
against Crewe Alexandra and
Brentford to go clear at the top
of the division.
Tranmere Rovers: W4 D2 L0
League Two,
Port Vale boss
Micky Adams continued to
block out distractions from
behind the scenes at Vale Park
to take the club on a great
run in September during
which they lost only once in six
matches. That defeat, against
leaders Gillingham, came at
the end of the month, but the
club claimed victories against
Rotherham United, Plymouth
Argyle, Fleetwood Town and
Bradford City. September
began with a 1-1 home draw
against Torquay United.
Port Vale: W4 D1 L1

CAREERPATH players. After some time at Lancaster

... with Micky Mellon, manager of npower
League Two side Fleetwood Town
Q. You enjoyed a good playing career
– notably at Blackpool, Burnley and
Tranmere Rovers. Was it always in
your mind to enter coaching?
A. As you get older you realise
you’re not going to be able to carry
on playing forever. I’d moved down
into the non-league game and
realised there were some
opportunities to impress
my knowledge on younger
and less experienced
City, I moved into coaching Burnley’s youth
teams, before the opportunity of managing
Fleetwood Town – who were then in
Conference North – came about.
This was a real opportunity to get my hands
dirty, and being able to share duties
with the work at Burnley meant I
could feel my way into it. So yes,
I guess I was always looking for
that opportunity.
Q. How steep has the learning
curve been?
A. It has been very
steep because the
club has earned
two promotions
since I arrived
in 2008. To now find ourselves playing in
the Football League is remarkable, and a
credit to the hard work put in by everyone at
the club.
Q. Coming back into the Football League,
has the standard of football changed?
A. It’s a high standard and there is more
technical footballing ability on show. There
are some very good players here in League
Two – we have a few at the club... players
who have done it in the Premier League
and even at international level – but the
challenge always remains the same. That
challenge is for us to get our heads down
and work hard. If we don’t do that then no
amount of talent will take us to where we
want to go.

3 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

WEST BROMWICH
ALBION penalty box session
Steve
Clarke SET-UP Player movement:
Penalty box Area
Players 1 and 2 link, feed player 3, then sprint to the box for the return
session Up to a half-pitch
Equipment Players 4 and 5 link, feeding player 6
Overview: Balls, cones, goals Players 7 and 8 link, feeding player 9
This is about high Number of Players
Players 10 and 11 link, feeding player 12
quality of crosses Up to 20
into the box with good Session time Players 13 and 14 link, feeding player 3
finishing. Link-up attacks Key
It’s important to 8mins, Ball
movement

practise this because with full-back 8mins, 12 13

Player
movement
with defender 8mins, 8 Dribble
despite the minute game 2x8mins 1
attention to detail that

1a
3
soccer demands, it
is basic technique, 2
7 14
skill and tactical
awareness that
ultimately leads to
goalscoring chances 6
10
being created. And 5

that applies at all

levels of the game.
4
We saw effective 11
9

crossing into the box Players 1 and 2 combine, feed

the ball to player 3, then sprint
yield particularly into the opposing penalty
good rewards for area looking to score from the
us in matches resulting cross
against Everton,
Aston Villa and QPR
in September and
October. Four of the
six goals we scored in
1b
12
13
8
those matches came
from crosses.
3

7 14

2
10
5
6

4
9
Now the move comes back 11
the other way, with players 4, 1
5 and 6 combining to set up a
similar chance

“Attackers
must use What do I get the the D, as shown). The to player 3. Player 3 the goal.
players to do? practice uses an even controls and crosses
the pace on Two-box link-up number of players – for those two active
The sequence now
comes back in the
the cross attacks between 12 and 20. players who have now
made runs into the box
other direction,
and guide We set up two goals
a distance of 41 yards
In the first part, player 1
passes in to the coach, (1a). After an effort at
with players 4 and 5
combining to hit player
a finish into apart (two penalty who sets the ball for goal, players 1 and 2
join the queue behind
6 on the wing, and so
the goal.” boxes end to end, plus player 2 to drive out on (1b).

4 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

penalty box session

2
Full-back 12
Key
Ball
movement
13
progression 8 Player
movement
Dribble
In the progression, the 1

Steve Clarke drill starts the same 3

WEST BROMWICH way, but 3 now sets

ALBION 2
7 14
Steve Clarke has had
the ball back to 12
an impressive start to for a first-time cross
life in management, (2). The practice then
having been announced continues with the 10 6
as West Bromwich same new sequence 5

Albion manager in the – 4 and 5 pass out to 6,

summer. He celebrated who sets back to 9, and 4
his first competitive so on. 11
9
match in charge of West
Brom by leading the
Defender In the progression, the move
progression commences as before, but
club to a 3-0 Barclays instead of player 3 crossing,
Premier League victory Now put a defender in the ball is set back for player
over Liverpool. position at each end 12 to send over a long cross

Previously, the (3). This will require

49-year-old had acted attackers to find space,
as a faithful deputy to a as well as requiring

3
series of high-profile greater accuracy on 12
13
8
managers, including deliveries from wide
Jose Mourinho, Sir players.
Bobby Robson and
Kenny Dalglish. What are the key 3

Clarke began coaching

things to look out 7 14

in 1998 after calling

for?
an end to 16 years as The tempo of the
a professional. The practice must be at
2
defender played for match pace. If the 10
5
for St. Mirren and session is too slow it 6
Chelsea, making 530 doesn’t work. We’re
appearances in total also looking for the 4
and scoring 14 goals. 9
timing and angle of 11
He also made six Putting a defender in place 1

senior appearances for

runs into the box to be creates an additional
Scotland. precise, and players challenge – for attackers in
must attack the ball finding space, and for wingers
in picking out their team
as a pair – one to the mates in the middle
near post and the
other to the far post.
Attackers must use the
pace on the cross and
guide a finish into the
goal. Crosses can be
whipped in, driven or
4
set back.
How would you put
“The tempo of this into a game
the practice situation?
For a game situation,
must be at set up a half-pitch
match pace. game with two wide
players for each team.
If the session Goals can only be
is too slow scored from crosses Playing out the principles
(4).
it doesn’t
practised in a small-sided
game, goals can only be

work.”
scored from wide crosses into
the middle

5 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

PRESTON NORTH END

Graham defending set plays
Westley SET-UP
Key

Defending
1
Ball
movement
Player

set plays
Area movement
Dribble

Up to 54x36 yards
Overview: Equipment

A high percentage Balls, cones, goals

of goals are scored Number of Players

from set plays. For 18 plus keeper

that reason, it is vitally Session time

important to create Main session 15mins,

a skill set in players game 15mins
which maximises set What do I get the
play defence. players to do?
It’s important to Set up with three Close man-to-man marking means
practise this so that teams of six, positioned the defender stays close enough to
players have a firm in and around the his attacker to comfortably clear the
steer on following penalty box. One team
danger
play, coping with defends, one team
movement, affecting attacks and the other
an opponent, winning acts as servers, as
the ball, avoiding shown.
blocks and using
quick reactions.
If well organised,
We call each server
sequentially – from
left and right sides the
2
it is my belief that a deliveries replicate
defence can cope a corner, a wide
with any type of set free-kick or a central
play. For instance, free-kick. The ball into
against Hartlepool the box is contested
United on September by the attackers and
18, we kept a clean defenders to see which
sheet despite our team can win the duel.
defence having a The ball remains alive
significant height until it goes into the
disadvantage against goal or leaves the area. The ability to cope with movement of
attackers means defenders staying
their strike force.
Each team attacks goal side at all times
and defends 18 balls –
three per server. Once
18 balls have been
served, teams rotate

3
their positions.
What are the key
things to look out
for?
The emphasis here is
on how to defend set
“If well plays, and there are
organised, a number of different
elements we look out
it is my for. These include an
belief that a absolute focus on close
man-to-man marking,
defence can whereby attackers
Here, the defensive line stays strong
cope with jostling for position
and space must be
in holding off attackers, and the ball
drops through to the keeper
any type of well marshaled(1).
set play.” Defenders must also

6 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

defending set plays

ensure they stay goal Key

4
Ball
movement
side for every delivery Player
movement
(2), as well as having a Dribble

Graham good appreciation of

Westley attacker movement.
PRESTON NORTH END This includes knowing
Graham Westley how to affect an
joined Preston North opponent – through
End in January 2012, blocking, going
following two spells as shoulder to shoulder
manager of Stevenage, and holding the line (3)
during which time he – as well as being ready
transformed the club
to intercept incoming
from Conference also-
rans to a real force in
balls (4).
npower League One. Knowing when The defender anticipates a grounded
through pass and steps in to make a
He inspired the to avoid blocks telling interception
Hertfordshire outfit to (where attackers
FA Cup upsets against link up to confuse
Newcastle United and the organisation of
Reading, and won the the defence) is also
club the FA Trophy at essential (5), with
Wembley in 2009, when
Stevenage defeated
York City in the final.
good communication
allowing defenders to
‘pass on’ attackers.
5
The back-to-back
promotions which
Overall, defenders
saw Borough land must show quick
themselves a place in reactions, be
League One attracted organised, switched
the attention of a on, and with an
number of potential absolute focus on
suitors, and Westley winning the ball whilst
– a former owner denying an opponent
of Stevenage and a goalscoring
Farnborough – steadied
opportunity. Defenders must stay alert to
the ship at Preston to attackers working together in
secure a mid-table How do I put this the box to lose markers. Good
finish. This season, the into a small-sided communication is key between
players
Deepdale club are one game?
of the frontrunners for For an 8v8 game
promotion. situation, we put
As a player, Westley two penalty boxes

6
turned out for QPR, together, adding a
Barnet, Gillingham and 5-yard zone to the left
Wycombe Wanderers,
and right where two
as well as a number of
non-league sides.
neutral players wait.
It’s a set 4v4 in each
half (6). The keeper
“Defenders must roll the ball to
one of his defenders
must show before it is sent wide,
quick with any goal needing
to come from the wide
reactions, ball in. The game
must be creates live and fast-
paced opportunities The small-sided game is 4v4
organised, to practise set play in each half with neutrals
patrolling each wing
and switched scenarios.
on.”
7 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 In partnership with

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Carl Attacking movement for your no.10
Fletcher
1
SET-UP
Key

Attacking
Ball
movement
Player

movement
Area movement
Dribble
Half pitch
for your
Optional pass/
run
Equipment
no.10 Balls, cones, goals,
mannequins (or
Overview: cones)
This session is about Number of Players
the movement of the Up to 14 (6v6 plus 2
striker away from keepers)
defenders and into Session time
the no.10 position. Session 10mins,
The mechanics of progression 15mins,
the tactic mean that game 20mins
the striker can work
space quickly, finding What do I get the The striker drops in
front of the mannequins,
players to do?
good passing options receives the pass, then
touches the ball to initial
whilst helping On a half pitch, set server, who makes a
his team retain up start positions as diagonal run into the box
possession. shown. The server
passes to the deep

2
The area in question
can prove a very midfielder, while the
difficult space for no.10 now times his
defenders to patrol, run from behind the
and by practising mannequins, moving
our movement in front to receive the
around this space, ball from his team
we can effectively mate. As this pass
outnumber the travels forward, the
opposition in server makes a run
midfield whilst across the no.10.
creating positive and A pass is played
threateningattacking diagonally across
scenarios. his path and into the
penalty box (1), and the In the progression, the player on the
Quickly rotate players
move ends with a shot right receives a pass from the no.10
in all positions so
at goal. and delivers a cross to be attacked
the drills retain their
momentum. How do I progress
the session?
We now place a second
striker behind three
“By practising
3
mannequins, and
position four players
movement, in an arc 40 yards from
we can goal.
These players keep
effectively the ball amongst
outnumber themselves through
quick passing, waiting
the opposition for either attacker
in midfield to move through the
mannequins into
whilst creating the shaded area and
positive and receive the ball. Once in
On this occasion, the ball stays
possession, the central
threatening midfielders move to
central and the midfielder comes
forward to receive the pass and fire
attacking receive a pass, while a shot at goal

scenarios.”
8 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 In partnership with

Attacking movement for your no.10

4
Key
Ball
movement
Player
movement
Dribble

Carl Fletcher 20
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Carl Fletcher took
temporary charge of 5
the club at arguably
Plymouth Argyle’s
lowest ebb, in
November 2011 - the
20
club having suffered
consecutive relegations
back to the bottom tier,
as well as very nearly
being forced out of
business.
Quick movement sees
The player/manager
the attacker drop into the
led from the front, area, then skip back past
30

inspiring a group of his man and down the

inexperienced players flank
to pull clear of the
npower League Two
relegation zone in the
closing weeks of the

5
2011/12 campaign.
Signing a permanent
deal in July 2012, 20
Fletcher continues to
work his influence at
Home Park, with the
Pilgrims this season 5
much better equipped
and eyeing a drive
towards the promotion
places.
20
As a player, Fletcher –
now 32 – represented
Wales for five years, and
played for club sides
AFC Bournemouth,
West Ham United,
As an alternative, the
Crystal Palace, attacker turns infield and
Nottingham Forest and switches play, while good
30

Plymouth. movement by his team mate

creates space for the pass

wide players can make area, with a five-yard possession, they now switch, is essential
positive forward runs channel across the attack the other way. in maintaining
“A good first to the flanks (2). Either middle. The keeper What are the key possession(5), as well
touch and the ball is fed wide for a
cross that’s attacked,
feeds his defender. The
onus is on the attacker
things to look out
for?
as a smart onward
pass, dribble or shot.
intelligent or a central shot is in the other half to drop In both the drill and For a further
passing taken (3). into the shaded area to
receive (4). Opposition
the game, we’re progression, allow a
How do I put defender to break into
direction is this into a game defenders cannot
looking for good
timing of movement the opposing half so as
essential in situation? follow into this area,
nor can a striker wait in
by strikers. A good first to create a 4v3 overload
(6).
maintaining This is 3v3 in each half
of a 45x30-yard
that channel for a pass.
touch and intelligent
passing direction,
possession.” If defenders turn over
plus the ability to

9 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

BURTON ALBION
Gary switching play
Rowett
Switching
play
SET-UP
Area
Box to box
1
Overview: Equipment

This session is Balls, cones, goals

about recognising Number of Players

opportunities to 22 (9v9 plus 4 keepers)

switch the point of Session time

attack. 20 mins
Switching is a regular What do I get the
occurrence in any players to do?
match, and in this
Set up as shown in
session we want to
the diagram. This
challenge players to
is a 9v9 game plus
open up the wings,
four keepers, where In open play yellows keep
moving the ball
each team attacks a the ball, drawing reds over
quickly and positively. towards one side of the pitch
designated end. Take
If done well, throw-ins as usual,
switching can be but if a move results
a devastating tool,

2
in a goal or a corner,
and we’ll practise the attacking team
this session at least restarts from their
once a week, as well keeper on the other
as rehearsing the side of the pitch.
elements in game
situations. What are the key
things to look out
for technically/
tactically?
Players must realise
when the opposing
players are defensively
solid at one goal - this
then requires quick
passing to change A quick switch across to the
the point of attack. other side releases a yellow,
Timing of runs into key who moves in on goal and
scores past the exposed
scoring areas is also keeper
essential, as is the
Gary Rowett ability for attackers
BURTON ALBION
(and defenders) to

3
Having worked as reposition quickly
caretaker manager
when the keeper
at the Pirelli Stadium,
npower League
restarts.
Two side Burton How do I progress
Albion confirmed the game?
the permanent
To increase the
appointment of Gary
Rowett in May 2012.
difficulty for attackers,
reduce the playing area
The Staffordshire
length by 20 yards, or
outfit were well known
to the former Derby
limit the game to two-
County, Birmingham touch to test players’
City and Leicester City ability to move the ball
defender, after he made quickly. After scoring, play restarts
43 appearances for Key
with the keeper on the other
the club – then in the Ball
movement
side of the pitch, with both
Player teams having to regain shape
Conference – between movement
quickly
Dribble
2005 and 2007.
10 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 In partnership with

11
9

RANGERS 10

Tommy 4-2--3-1 alternatives 3 8

7

Wilson
6
5

SET-UP
4-2-3-1
4
2
4-2-3-1 formation set-up
Area
alternatives Up to a full pitch
11
10

Overview: Equipment Passing practice 3 The

9 receiving player
takes the ball outside
This session Balls, cones, the mannequin and
examines position- mannequins, goals 4 The ball is passes to 9, who links
Number of Players passed on to with 10
specific activities player 11, who in
11

within a 4-2-3-1 16 turn completes

10
9
formation. Session time the circuit6
7
10mins per practice
These practices
allow players to
combine useful What do I get the 8

players to do?
6
training principles 30
7

30
– passing, running, We use a set 4-2-
crossing and 3-1 formation. By
finishing - within the assigning a number to 1 Player 6 8

formation, and the the relevant starting

plays a short 30
benefits of this can be position, players build
pass to 8
30
2 8 passes on
seen over time. familiarity, and can to 7
This is a progressive translate the training Midfield
session that players instructions directly movement 3 The no.10 feeds
must take step onto the pitch. the ball wide to
by step, and one Passing practice
the winger, who
prepares to cross
that needs to be
We place mannequins 3 9
repeated often so 11
around a 30x30-yard
that technique and
area, as shown. This
understanding
first exercise pays 3
11 9
can be refined over 10
particular attention to
time. The use of 5
the weight and angle of 6 7
mannequins is 2
the pass, with players 10
preferable but not
needing to link quickly 5
essential. 1 The feeder
6 7

with one- and two- plays square

8
4
2

touch play. All players across the

follow their passes. midfield 8
4
We can give additional 2 The ball goes in
to the striker then
roles to players at back to no.10
positions 7 and 11.
When receiving, they Passing through 2 The receiving player takes the
can either perform ball side-on, moves away from
one-twos with the the mannequin and plays through
to the striker, who runs in from
passing player, or 3 Support comes
either the left or the right
from the winger,
these players can who takes the final
move inside and pass shot at goal
the ball on with their
weaker foot.
Midfield movement
Players now work
in groups – feeders,
“Players strikers and wingers.
need to link This practice works
on creating a final
quickly with product – quick 1 The player in the
centre circle passes
one- and passing leading to a across the midfield
good cross and positive
two-touch finish, for instance.
Key
Ball
movement

play.” Player
movement
Dribble

11 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

4-2--3-1 alternatives

Switch of play
1 The exercise begins with a
Tommy Wilson switch of play from left to right
RANGERS across the defence
Tommy Wilson is
reserve team coach
as Rangers, having
previously been involved
with the Scotland
national team.
The 51-year-old
enjoyed an extensive 3 It is now moved
playing career, having on to the flank
made his debut
for Queens Park in
1978. During 237
appearances for St. 2 The ball is moved up
Mirren, he won the to the attacker, then
Scottish Cup in 1987, back to his supporting
then moved on to have man
spells at Dunfermline
Athletic, Hearts,
Kilmarnock and
Dumbarton.

The cross is
“These played in, looking
for a finish from
practices the attackers

allow players
to combine Key
Ball

useful
movement
Player
movement
Dribble

training
exercises
within the
Work from both the left quickly from the midfielders, wide alternate sides on
formation, and right sides. We can halfway line, and again players and strikers. each subsequent
and the either decide to rotate we’ll switch between The idea here is to run. Progressions
players, or keep them left and right sides. encourage position- include the use of the
benefitsofthis on specific positions. Switch of play specific technique and weaker foot for for
can be seen Passing In the final practice,
movement. Players the switch of play, and
remain in their areas more complex passing
in almost through
The next set-up
we put mannequins
and only rotate in those combinations between
in place with players
all top-level combines movement, in position, as shown.
positions. the two strikers.
teams and passing, receiving
and shooting. It builds
So this features Deliveries should
be made from
centre-backs, central
matches.”
12 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net
 In partnership with

EXETER CITY
Kevin free-kick routines
Nicholson Third-man run
Free-kick into the penalty
3 The winger makes
an ‘in and out’ move to
routines box distract his man and
create space for the
Overview: 1 The server makes midfielder to run into
a pass into a team
This session looks mate at the edge of
at maximising the the box
potential of scoring
goals from free-
kicks. It does this
by looking at ways
of working the ball
into the penalty box
through intelligent
and innovative
routines, instead of
continually shooting 2 As the serve is
direct from outside of made, the midfielder
the box. sprints behind the
kicker and into space
The session provides inside the box
a variety of free-kick
routines that involve
thoughtful, clever
and fast movement The Zanetti goal
and combination play (vs England, World Cup 1998) 3 The attacker had
been stood behind the
in attempting to catch wall, but bolts left to
out the opposition. 1 The deep-lying receive a pass in space
midfielder approaches
Repeated practising with the ball, preparing
of set play routines to step over
will lead very quickly
to an increase in
good goalscoring
opportunities, and
that’s the most
important ‘take out’
for any player.

2 The kicker
approaches from the
left, and is the man who
plays the pass forward
into the attacker inside
“Repeated the box

practising of
set play What do I get the We have annotated What are the key
SET-UP
routines will Area
players to do? each individual free- things to look out
lead very We guide the players kick to break down the for?
Final third
through a number of multiple player moves On each free-kick, it’s
quickly to Equipment
Balls, goals set free-kick routines. that make each set-up essential that players
an increase Number of Players Each set-up is 10v10, unique. recognise the signal or
and follows a bespoke trigger run. This is the
in good 20 plus 1 keeper
pattern of movement, start of the move and
goalscoring
Session time
approach play and is the point at which
10mins per free-kick
delivery.
opportunities.” routine

13 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

 In partnership with

free-kick routines

The wide position 2 At the same time, the

overlap second runner uses a
distraction move to pull the
Kevin Nicholson wing-back out of position and
towards the flank
1 The first runner
EXETER CITY uses the kicker to
In October 2012, hide his run
Kevin Nicholson
was appointed
Under-18s manager
and Professional
Development Phase
Coach at npower
League Two side Exeter
City.
The 26-year-old holds
the UEFA ‘A’ Licence
qualification, attends 3 The receiver moves
the FA Elite Coaches forward to distract the
Award and has recently centre-back, and makes
been selected by the space in behind for the
midfielder to run into
LMA to be part of the
Leadership Education
Programme, which is
aimed at developing
leadership skills in The run and
potential managers of pass wall
Premier League and routine
Football League teams 3 The receiver needs to
time his run carefully,
in the future. only moving after
Prior to his appointment the decoy move has
at Exeter City, occurred
Nicholson worked at
npower Championship
side Derby County for
six years and Stoke
City previous to that.
He joined Derby in
February 2007 and
progressed through the
ranks to become Head
Academy Coach and
Under-16s manager.
1 The first runner
creates a decoy,
stepping over the ball
and distracting the
centre-back 2 The pass is laid
into space created
on the right-hand
side of the box

attackers must be alert The quality of the first Finally, when the
“On each and ready to move. pass must be good ball is worked into a
free-kick, Obviously the timing of or the whole move
fails, and once that
dangerous area, we’re
looking for a positive
that movement from
it’s essential each player within the delivery is made, quick and decisive finish into
that players set play is key, and they combination play and
one-touch precision
the goal.
must be appropriate
recognise distances to and from football must follow.
the signal or the ball to make the
approach play work.
trigger run. ”
14 november 2012 www.elitesoccercoaching.net

EXTRA-TIME
ROBERTO MARTINEZ/Wigan Athletic
A
t the heart of great man
management is the ability
to understand individuals
and to be able to inspire them. Such
qualities have been exemplified by
Roberto Martinez as he has steered
Wigan Athletic clear of relegation for
two consecutive seasons.
In May 2011 Wigan pulled off a last
day great escape away to Stoke. A
year later, despite a daunting end of
season fixture list, seven wins in nine
matches ensured Wigan’s Barclays
Premier League survival.
With the pressure on and the
stakes high, Martinez’s team
demonstrated a cohesive mental
toughness and stepped up to fight
to keep each other in the top
flight. Martinez’s successful
relationship with his squad
mirrors his much coveted
partnership with Chairman
Dave Whelan. With a
relationship spanning
17 years, theirs is a
partnership based on
trust, with a clear club
business plan agreed
from the outset. With
the first three years of
their joint project complete and the
foundations of the next phase in
place Roberto Martinez is aspiring to
take Wigan to the next level.
Y ou’ve now lived almost 50 per
cent of your life in the UK and
50% in Spain. How has that shaped
you culturally in your leadership
style – how much of a multi faceted
approach do you have?
“To understand individuals it is
important to understand their
background and any cultural
barriers that might hinder their
understanding of what you want
them to do. When I arrived in Wigan
15 november 2012
“Icouldn’tcompetewiththe
oppositioninaphysicalwaysoIhad
tothinktacticallyandhurtthemby
keepingtheball,beingmorepatient
andbyfindingthechancetoscore
ratherthanchasingit.”
In partnership with
WORDS Sue McKellar
from Spain in 1995 I really got
a cultural shock. You tend
to assume that the way you
have been raised and what
you know is the only way
that exists in the rest of the
world. When you leave your
own country you realise that
there are other cultures and
other ways to understand things.
You quickly realise that there is a
variety of options of how you see life.
So it’s very, very important to be open
minded and be respectful of every
way of working and understanding
cultures means understanding
individuals. So my approach has
certainly been influenced by my time
spent in both Spain and the UK.”
W
hat was it like growing up in
Balaguer, Catalonia and how
did that upbringing shape you?
“Balaguer is a very family
orientated place with a
population of only 15,000
people. You get to trust
everyone straight away
because when you walk
down the street you
feel like everyone
knows you and
which family you
are from. Leaving
my family home at
16 to play football and go
to university in Zaragoza did almost
feel like being thrown into the Wild
West and I was forced to mature
very quickly. However, moving to
Wigan in 1995 when I was 21 really
was the catalyst that broadened my
thinking. I learnt to live in a different
culture and I realised that there were
different ways to play football outside
of what we had been taught in Spain.
In many ways you are shaped by
your own experiences. When I look
back now, I realise how fortunate I
www.elitesoccercoaching.net

EXTRA-TIME: saM ALLARDYCE
was growing up to have such a strong
and protective family environment
before arriving in England to face the
fantastic challenge of a new life and
football culture within the British
game.”
Y our father had a very positive
influence on you; tell us about
his football career and how he
influenced your values and the way
you manage?
“My dad was a big, big influence on
the way that I have subsequently
done things. He always set standards
in whatever he did. He was born in
Zaragoza and was a footballer who
moved around during his career
before settling in Balaguer. When he
stopped playing he enjoyed being very
committed to spending time with our
family. He opened a shoe shop whilst
carrying on managing amateur clubs.
In everything he did, he was so, so
professional. He taught me to have
real standards in whatever you do - it
wouldn’t have mattered if he’d been
managing a local side or managing
Barcelona, he’d have approached it
in the same manner. I always have
his strong values in my mind. He
had a real commitment to the game
and never viewed it as a job, a chore
or an activity, it was his passion. I
am thankful for his influence on me
because you must have a passion for
football to survive its intensity.”
A t what stage did you decide you
wanted to be a manager?
“I never had early leanings towards
management probably because I
always felt it could only be a great
substitute to playing for me. I always
told my friends that they should go
on playing for as long as they could.
In 2007, I ended up going completely
against my own advice because Huw
Jenkins at Swansea City asked me
to take over as Swansea manager.
It was the right opportunity and
the right dressing room to start
expressing my ideas about the game
but I really felt that I had to give up my
playing career much earlier than I
wanted to. I kidded myself of course
by remaining registered as a player.
16 november 2012
However, I knew I would never accept
being player manager because I don’t
believe you can do both jobs.”
Y ou are committed to your style
of playing free flowing, offensive
football. How did your philosophy
evolve?
“Being raised in Spain, I was a
technical player and my philosophy
of how I like to see the game played
evolved from there. When I told people
in Spain that I had decided to play for
Wigan Athletic in the old 3rd Division
they told me I’d only last 6 months
because the British game and lower
leagues wouldn’t suit me. In a way I
saw it as a big challenge just to be able
to be useful to my manager at Wigan.
To be able to affect the game from a
technical perspective enabled me to
develop my tactical knowledge greatly.
I couldn’t compete with the opposition
in a physical way so I had to think
tactically and hurt them by keeping
the ball, being more patient and by
finding the chance to score rather than
chasing it. Effectively, I am a product of
my playing experiences in Spain, what
type of football I love to watch and how I
had to play in the lower English football
leagues in order to have a career.”
H ow would you describe your style
of management – is it a conscious
style of leadership or an extension of
your personality?
“I like to lead through aspiration.
In a way this is an extension of my
own personality. I always had great
aspirations as a player and as a person
and that always enabled me to give
myself direction. I feel that your own
aspirations can be fitted into a team
dynamic very easily. I’ve never believed
in forcing people to do things. Even
when you are the manager, at the
forefront and setting the direction, you
are still part of a team, a dream and
an aspiration. I only want to manage
players that want to achieve. I don’t
see any long term benefit of being
in a position where you have to force
or punish players to reach certain
standards. I like to build football clubs
and put things in place so that the club
is going to continually develop, and
In partnership with
get their rewards. I fully believe that
you can only achieve such rewards
through aspiration.”
T he nature of your relationship
with Dave Whelan will be
coveted by many; he’s committed to
the plan you both drew up for Wigan
and incredibly loyal. Why do you
work so well together?
“From my point of view our strong
relationship started on the first day
that I’d signed to be manager of
Wigan Athletic. We went for a meal
and he said to me ‘For three years you
are going to be the manager of Wigan
Athletic. If we get relegated twice
you are going to be the manager of
Wigan Athletic in League One.’ From
that moment on I knew I could trust
him, I knew I could make decisions
for the long term and that I could
build a football club with his support.
When, as young Spaniards myself,
Jesus Seba and Isidro Diaz arrived
in Wigan in 1995 we were coming
into the unknown. Dave Whelan was
great with us; he gave us guidance
and understood us. The Chairman
played the game at a high level and
he understands the game. I am well
aware of how privileged I am to have
such a good relationship with him.”
Y ou have a Post Graduate Degree
in Business Management. In
what ways has studying Business
Management been of benefit to you
in your football career?
“As a manager you need to have as
much information as you can when
you need to make decisions. I’ve
found that my Post Graduate Degree
has been very beneficial in helping
to put club strategy into place and
draw up plans so that the clubs I
have managed are not just working
game by game or season by season.
You can really set-out your football
ideology and not only decide how
you are going to win your game this
weekend but how you are aiming to
win your football club’s games three
years down the line. Having this
qualification has helped to challenge
me and open my mind. “
www.elitesoccercoaching.net

booked: this month’s choice
SourcesofPower
Sources of Power: How People
Make Decisions
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press 1999 17
E
xperts can perceive
things that are
invisible to novices;
find discriminations,
patterns, alternate perspectives,
missing events, the past and the
future, and the process of managing
decision-making activities. Skilled
chess players show high-quality
moves even under extreme time
pressure, and high-quality moves as
the first ones they consider. Training
to high-level skills should emphasise
perceptual skills, along with mastery
of procedures.
Why our players make poor
decisions under pressure is a
constant source of frustration. How,
after hours of training, video analysis
and reinforcement, they decide to
give away a crucial advantage leads
us to wonder whether they have been
listening OR worse still, whether we
need to rethink our own coaching.
To find some answers, we can
learn much by delving into worlds
where people are making life and
death decisions on a almost daily
17 november 2012
basis.
Gary Klein is a research
psychologist, who started out as a
professorworking with the US Air
Force, before setting up his own
decisionmaking consultancy.
His deeply-researched book
shows how, under pressure, the most
successful people use a naturalistic
decision-making process. The book
sets out to change the way you see
events around you, even for just a
short time. You might then change
the way you coach.
Klein lists nine sources of power,
with the two main ones being intuition
and mental simulation. Intuition
he describes like you would want
to describe your fly half: pattern
recognition, having the big picture,
good situational awareness. Mental
simulation is seeing how events have
In partnership with
moved from the past into the present
(for instance, why we are losing the
game) and how events can lead to the
future (how we can win the game).
Crucially, Klein says that
experience counts. The best decision
makers are the most experienced.
They draw on their experiences
expertly. If we put this into the context
of rugby, because it has so many
variables, the best decision makers
need to use their experiences to
inform them of the best decision, even
if they have not seen that situation
before.
However, Klein also says that we
cannot expect to grow instant experts
by using powerful training methods.
But he does show us ways we can
build a person’s experience base. For
instance he talks about recognition
of typical courses of action (we could
think: kick for touch in your 22m, kick
for territory in your own half, kick
for pressure in their half) or judging
the urgency of the problem (when to
kick for goal, kick for a lineout or run
it when you are losing). The book is
littered with compelling stories that
illustrate his conclusions.
Times when against the analytical
www.elitesoccercoaching.net

booked: this month’s choice
“You might want to look differently at the way
expert coaches go about their business”
approach, a radar operator decided
that the object coming towards
his ship (HMS Gloucester) was a
missile and not a returning jet fighter
and decided to deploy weapons to
intercept it. He has used his sources
of power to override the normal
decision making process.
That is not to say that good people
don’t make poor decisions. A poor
decision can be defined as when the
person who made the decision would
change it if the same situation arose.
They make poor decisions for three
reasons.
First, a lack of experience of that
situation. You may remember Wales
beat Scotland with the last play of
their Six Nations game in 2010. Wales
had just scored and Scotland were
told “last play” as they trotted back
to the halfway line. Andy Robinson,
the Scotland coach, was shouting
down from the stands to kick the ball
dead. Of course his fly half could not
hear him, Wales gathered the kick
off and with two Scots in the sinbin
put together enough phases for
Shane Williams to fall over the line
for a victory. The 10 will not make that
mistake again.
A second reason for poor decisions
is lack of information (perhaps
not knowing the strengths of the
opposition).
The third, poor mental simulation.
The past facts are ignored or
explained away. A team might
continue to ask for 5m scrums on the
18 november 2012
In partnership with
opposition line in the hope that the
referee will give a penalty try.
Too much science? You would not
read this book cover to cover in one
session, but dip into it over a period
of time. Each chapter comes with
a useful summary, which probably
entices you to reread the piece
again. As Klein points out, one of
his intentions is to make you think
again about how you might approach
certain situations.
It has been criticized as drawing
obvious conclusions. Yes, it is natural
to think that the more experienced
person will make better decisions.
But, what the reader gains is an Gary Klein (born February 5, 1944
insight into the reasons why that in New York City, New York, U.S.) is
experience counts. Expertise makes a research psychologist famous for
you see what is invisible to the pioneering in the field of naturalistic
novice. That expertise comes from decision making. By studying experts
such as firefighters in their natural
experience, and this book helps to
environment, he discovered that
you consider how to develop that
laboratory models of decision making
expertise. could not describe it under uncertainty.
There is little reference to sport in His recognition primed decision (RPD)
the book, though it does use some model has influenced changes in the
chess examples. It concentrates ways the US Marines and Army train
on the much weightier examples their officers to make decisions.
such as air traffic control or medical “A poor decision can be defined as when
procedures. But the reflective coach the person who made the decision
will draw plenty of parallels with their would change it if the same situation
own experiences of working with arose again.”
rugby players.
If you want to really develop your
own philosophy and not just be a
good drill master coach, then this
book should be in easy reach on your
shelves.
www.elitesoccercoaching.net