Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Passing, Receiving, Crossing & Finishing.

Passing Warm Up

Organization: Square, size to suit group.

Instructions: Pass & follow.

Coaching Points:

1) Back foot receiving

2) Open body position

3) Break line with 1st touch (1st touch needs to be excellent)

4) Fast hard passing (receivers must learn to deal with it)

5) Time pass so that it is in to feet or in to players stride

6) Move quickly into position, following pass, to be able to receive the next pass immediately

Progressions:

1) Red Line Passing Pattern

2) Overlap Passing Pattern (Diamond Shape Cones)

Crossing, Overlapping & Shooting

Organisation: Organisation varies depending iupon numbers. 15-20 players is great. Is doable with 10 as a minimum (no GKs or Defenders).The red cones are laid out as above so that younger and older

players can play from different positions and also so that when the overlapper is introduced, if the play needs to be pulled back a little, the coach can get the players to run from a different starting point.

As many balls as available.

Instructions: Circular game, non stop. Server plays ball into player A UPON HIS CHECK IN. Player A then plays to Player B who has follwed underneath the original pass. Player B Checks out to back foot receive the ball around the cone and then plays a pass out to Player C. Player C either checks back or forward of the cone in order to make space, then he attacks the space and crosses.

Players A, B and the OPPOSITE C, now all attack the cross and score.

Server then plays pass into the other Player A and the drill repeats. NOW AN OVERLAPPING RUN IS INTRODUCED.

Coaching Points:

1) Player A initiates check in by communicating to receive the ball with the server.

2) Player B initiates check out by communicating to receive the ball with Player A.

3) Player B must communicate effectively with Player C in order to understand where he wants the ball played.

4) Player B must play a well weighted, timed and angled pass in order to hit the run or play to feet of Player C.

5) Player B needs to execute a good, back foot, receipt of the ball and get away a quick pass to Player C.

6) Winger now has to make a decision to cross, release the overlap or cut inside and shoot/cross based on the positioning of the

defender (when defenders are introduced in the progression).

7) Overlapper needs to time his run based on winger and defenders runs and positioning.

8) The runs of all attackers now need to be clever and more thought out in order to try and pull defenders out of position (instead of

just thinking GOAL GOAL GOAL).

Progression: Defenders can be introduced.