Striker Movements

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In May 2016 I tweeted a diagram trying to break down the different movements strikers make to score goals.  This 'mind map'  was step 1 in my attempts to build a video to help players, without removing the variety and complex detail of scoring goals.  

What I've learnt:

  • There are tons and tons of factors to consider..(see diagram)
  • Recognising 'good' or 'clever' movement is quite easy
  • Identifying and categorising movement is really difficult
  • Lots of runs have similarities
  • As coaches do we spend enough time coaching 'away' from the ball?
  • How do we coach players the visual cues to "make a run..."?

Here is the first attempt...

Coaching in Uganda: Snakes, Malaria and Football

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Driven kids, challenging facilities and some surprising results.   In this blog, we take a look at the Football For Good Academy, Uganda's only full time football program achieving results against the odds.

For the past 3 months I have been coaching in Gulu, Northern Uganda. There have been many new experiences during this period including; a brush with Malaria, poisonous snakes in the bathroom, intense heat, spectacular thunder storms and the daily battle for good Wi-Fi!

On the field, life has been equally exciting. The stay has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and is a whole world away from academy football in the UK. Of course sweeping generalisations are dangerous, but the raw and real scene in Uganda presents a set of challenges which puts the problems at home into perspective. For example, at a parents day I meet Sam Opio, father of academy duo Yona and Abraham, Mr. Opio is a single parent and HIV Positive, the academy offers a life and hopefully a future for his sons that he simply could not create. 

I first visited Uganda in 2015, having been introduced to the Canadian Academy Director Adrian Bradbury via email. I stayed with his family for 2 weeks. In April 2016 Adrian invited me to visit for an extended period, so my partner and I traded life in West London to live in Northern Uganda.  In my role as Head of Coaching the aim was to develop the players and native coaches and build on the foundations Adrian had built.

Following civil war which spanned almost two decades, Toronto based Bradbury has been involved with charitable projects in the region for 10 years and took the plunge to start Uganda's first full time football academy in January 2015. This decision included moving his wife and sons Isaac (15) and Owen (13) to Gulu, both boys swapping the turf pitches of Power FC for the dusty pitches at Layibi where all 46 players eat, sleep and train every day. 

16 months on the 'Football for Good' academy has gone from strength to strength, at school the players are amongst the brightest in their classes, on the pitch the academy sides compete several years up, playing against men's sides from the district.  The "Under 16" group come off the pitch drawing 2-2 with thirteen year old Mwaka scoring the equaliser past the visiting 20 year old goalkeeper. The sole focus here is on developing individuals, results come but they are secondary to pushing each and every player. Culturally this is not the norm, people believe in winning with direct football and strong athletic players. This leads to local schools and coaches selecting over aged players, a problem which runs deep in the country. During my time here, Uganda's U20 side have their win against Rwanda overturned after fielding an ineligible player. Uganda is not a footballing world power; currently ranked 79th in the world they last qualified for the African Cup of Nations in 1978 and have never reached the World Cup finals. 

Eastern Africa is a region of 325 million people with limited football structure and very little attention paid to developing the next generation. The feeling here is players "make it" in spite of the system, not because of it. Bradbury's vision is to start with the youth, the academy runs 3 groups with Genesis the youngest at 9,  through to the U21 group featuring Allan and Pixie, players the academy are supporting through their university studies. 

After attracting the best players locally, the academy in Gulu is now firmly established. With the aim of unearthing the best talent in the region we travel 4 hours west to Arua for a weekend of identification. The trip isn't without scenery, we cross the Nile at Pakwach and an Elephant pauses for thought on the roadside as we skirt around the national park.

With neighbouring Sudan and Congo now less than an hour away, the town is an intriguing mixture of nationalities, cultures and languages. James Obalo (Public Relations Officer) leads registration on the Saturday morning, 385 hopeful young players turn up, most barefoot but all with the desire to seize the opportunity presented to them. The prospect of free education, food and board, as well as football every day is a dream for most. 

The trials are intense, in tough conditions players strive to impress the coaches. The pitch is rock hard, full of stones and rubbish, the sun beats down as players’ drip with sweat. For the first time on my trip language is an issue, even the native coaches struggle to communicate with the locals. Gulu's tribal “Acholi” is ineffective here, Lubwara is dominant, so sessions run through local officials who act as interpreters.  After 2 days of games and sessions, we select 12 to be invited back to a residential trial with the main groups back in Gulu. Although there is a long way to go, for some this could be a significant turning point in their lives

May 28th 2016 is a big day for the Football For Good academy, 16 of the players will travel to Dar es Salaam for their first taste of an international tournament. Although many of the players have played in the Coca-Cola Copa; The National High School Championships, few have ever left the country. With vaccinations and identification papers complete we begin the arduous journey from Gulu to the largest city in Tanzania , via Nairobi. 

After a break down, several border control issues and 54 hours in the bus we finally arrive at the Chamazi Stadium, the home of Tanzania Premier League side Azam FC.  The facilities are another new experience for the group; players remove their sandals and some even stroke the pitch as the encounter an artificial turf for the fist time. The swimming pool also causes a stir, with the vast majority of the group not able to swim the afternoons water-polo game lacks quality but is certainly enjoyable.

The four team tournament hosted by Azam FC saw Ligi Ndogo (Nairobi), Future Stars (Arusha) and Football For Good (Gulu) compete in a round robin format.

Game one saw us take on Ligi Ndogo under the lights at Chamazi.  As coaches we weren't 100% sure what to expect, the players had limited experience of competing outside of the district and there were many new factors such as the pitch, the lights and the crowd that we couldn't influence nor could we predict the effect on the group.

ENCOURAGING THE BOYS DURING GAME ONE

ENCOURAGING THE BOYS DURING GAME ONE

The game was extremely pleasing, we started like a house on fire; dominating possession and creating numerous chances on goal.  We were 1-0 up at the half, but the game finished 1-2 with Ligi Ndogo scoring with their only chances at goal. Despite the loss, we were delighted with how the team had expressed themselves and entertained the local crowds with attacking football.

The second game saw us play the hosts, Azam FC.  Azam are a reasonably new club having formed in 2007, but with significant investment the club has now become one of the big 3 in the country, winning the Tanzania Premier League in 2014. We knew this game represented the biggest challenge of the week: Azam were older, more experienced and very athletic. Unfortunately our lack of big game experience showed as we conceded 3 goals in a difficult 15 minute spell, as Azam went up the gears.  The players adapted well in the second half and competed with the professional club, passing the ball better and creating chances.  This game was a great lesson for the group, with individuals showing they could compete at the highest level.

The week in Tanzania was not all matches and training.  Off the pitch there was a lot for the players to enjoy and more "firsts" for the boys from Gulu. A visit to the picturesque beach at Kigamboni gave the players another opportunity to practice their new found swimming skills.  We were also fortunate to visit the National Stadium as Tanzania took on Egypt, with Mohamed Salah impressing as Tanzania fell to a 2-0 loss.

Back at Chamazi, the final game saw us take on Future Stars, the team from Arusha, Northern Tanzania.  In our pre-game meeting we discussed how, as a group we had played well in spurts but had yet to collect the 3 points our performances had deserved.

There were similarities to the first game as we started brightly, going 1-0 up inside 2 minutes.  The boys pressed with aggression and looked in control as they passed the ball with purpose and constantly threatened the Future Stars' goal.  At the break we were 2-0 up, with goals from Stephen 'Kabila' Bongomin and Kilama Dickens.  We used the interval not just to praise the group, but to remind them that we had been here before, we led in the first game and came off losing after not taking our chances.  The group took heed of the advice and showed a new ruthless streak, the temperature now at 32˚  the team ran the opposition off the park, with their forward runs and relentless pressing.  The game finished 8-0, the locals cheering on from the stands in appreciation.

Azam FC dominate the tournament winning all 3 games and netting 12 goals, Football For Good finish 2nd based on superior goal difference.  A pleasing end to a week in Dar es Salaam, an adventure in which the players and coaches learnt a lot about Youth Development in East Africa.

As the Azam Youth Cup draws to a close, Adrain's attention now switches to the youngest age groups.  The  U13 and U15 groups have been invited as guests of the French Embassy to a tournament to celebrate the start of the European Championships.  Similar to the older boys, the majority are travelling out of the region for the first time.  The pitches at the international school inspire the young players, the U13 groups are a joy to watch; 9 year old Genesis nutmegging his opponent, Innocent scoring 6 goals in one half and Adrian's son Owen dictating play from the centre of the park.

Both teams win their age categories, a great way to end to a memorable time in Uganda.  In the 10 weeks I have spent with the academy it is clear, despite the challenges, there is talent and huge potential in the region.  It also proves that people, not facilities make academies work; from the grit and desire of the players to the vision of Adrian.  

To learn more about the great work Adrian is doing in Gulu, please visit the Football For Good website. 

COACH THE PERSON NOT THE PLAYER

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Building trust between coach and player is vital for success at all levels.

If your goal as the coach is to aid development of youth players or to win the Premier League it is impossible without the relationship between athlete and player.

The intangible bond between athlete and coach is very noticeable, at training sessions, in conversations and at games and yet at the same time difficult to quantify. It’s not earned on a course nor is it exclusive to coaches that have ‘played the game’.

As I move along my coaching journey I believe it is these interpersonal soft skills that separate the good from the great. Yes there will always be tactical innovators; new systems and roles but these are redundant if the player doesn’t buy into the methods or truly believe the words and promises of the coach. Call it personality, charisma or chemistry, it’s important and it can be improved. Conversely, the coach must buy in to the players and understand them.

Let Them Speak

This is a crucial starting point for me, how can you begin to understand your players if the communication is a one-way relationship.

With older players this can be done in a one to one meeting, but with younger players I’ve distributed an ‘about you form’. This gives the player freedom to discuss his football, travel, past performances and everything in-between.

A Shared Vision

The key here is to ensure that these individual learning plans are agreed between player and coach, in my experience if they are driven by the coach the player will not take ownership when it really matters. Equally if they are set by the player but not agreed by the coach they can be so generic they are difficult to measure later on.

Be Honest

Throughout the player development journey the coach must remain honest. Too often we tell the players what they want to hear rather than what can help them reach the next level. Of course, we must be considerate with younger players and parents, but honesty is vital to this process. If you aim to be “nice”, later on when the targets are not met you will be seen to be untrustworthy and perhaps even inept.

Players that I have worked with have always appreciated honesty, some more than others granted but it has been the rock solid foundation of success. You can’t build a true relationship on false promises or unwarranted praise.

Unconditional Support

This is the hard part, the part where most coaches struggle. Once you’ve set the expectations or targets, you have to stick to them. There is no linear path from novice to expert, everyone is different. It is so easy to be supportive and encouraging when the player is confident, scoring goals and demanding the ball. But what is your body language and communication like when he’s given 5 misplaced passes in a row? How can the player trust you if as soon as there is some adversity you cut all ties and claim he’s not at the level or needs to be released.

Obviously at times failure is harsh necessity on the journey, but too often we blame the players. “He can’t move” or “he can’t use his weaker foot.” Well, isn’t that your job as a coach? You’d be out of job if all players were Messi at 7-years-old.

If a player fails in training or in games, I will always ask myself “Is there is anything more I could of done to help them in that situation.” Almost always the answer is yes; be it through one to one sessions, video analysis or just a simple “keep going!”

I live for that golden moment, when the player becomes aware and self relflective. He makes a mistake and will tell you “I should have…”, sometimes even a look is enough. That to me is great coaching, when a player starts to self-correct and all you have to do is nod or give them a thumbs up. They don’t need the hair dryer treatment when they start to recognise their own faults. However, to get to this stage it can take weeks and months or sessions, games and discussions.

Stay on the Same Page

The unconditional support still has a framework. You can’t just back someone without a road map of where we are, where do we want to go and how will we get there?

This is best done formally, I like this to be written down and I use a similar template as to when we started. Again aim to be honest and objective.

Know Your Player

This is the art of coaching. Knowing how and when to communicate, and how this varies from individual.

A key way to do this quickly is to speak with their parents, preferably without the player.

Ask key questions like:

  • What’s motivates them?
  • What makes them frustrated?
  • Why do they play football?
  • What are they like at school?
  • What are the like socially?
  • Do they have any siblings?

This will open a whole new level of understanding; you’ll get an insight to the person behind the footballer. Once you’ve worked out whether they need praise, encouragement, criticism, a high five or silence you’ll start to see fantastic results

It’s Not all About Football…

Some players are easy for coaches to connect with, they might enjoy feedback or be the joker in the group. Most young players are actually quite difficult to get to know properly, the player you see on the pitch might be very different to the personality at school, home or even in the changing room.

A great way to make that first connection is to get to know them and if possible talk about something other than football. A few simple questions could include;

  • Do you have any brothers or sisters?
  • How was school today?
  • Do you speak any other languages?
  • What’s your favourite thing to do in your spare time?
  • Do you play any other sports?
  • What’s your favourite…food/movie/holiday destination etc

This is something which is blindly obvious and has almost instant results. Players feel like you care about them not just how they play football. These conversations open lots of doors, create weekly conversations and even some great new nicknames!

“You can’t work with them exactly the same way. You’ve got to study and analyse each individual and find out what makes them tick and how you get them under control. Some you may have to put on the bench more. Others you’ve got to pat on the back more. I wish there was a formula…”

                                                                                                                                                                  John Wooden

This blog was originally written for the Player Development Project, this is a fantastic resource for players, coaches and parents.  

It is hard to score from a cross

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It is hard to score from a cross, perhaps more difficult than you think. 

  • 4 out of 5 crosses lead to a turnover in possession
  • 1 in 92 successful crosses are converted into a goal
  • In the top 4 leagues teams are crossing less and less

With the season drawing to a close, I have spent the majority of 2015/16 looking at crosses and their value to create goal scoring opportunities, this part is more subjective but might be of interest.

Crossing for the sake of it is generally a waste of time, if the opposition are in "balance" and prepared for the cross the chance of scoring is really low.  Traditional crosses still work if we have superiority, through a numerical advantage or if our quality is better than the opposition, think Zlatan against a 5ft 6' full back, but generally scoring from crosses is difficult.

Where we can get success is through cut back and box crosses, or what the kids might call a "sweaty". These crosses are low, either once we have broken the defensive line or cutting back to eliminate the defenders. 

The obvious advantages here are;

  • They happen closer to the goal, which we know increases the success rate
  • Its easier to score with feet than with a header
  • Its encourages 1 touch finishes, 70% of goals scored are with a 1 touch finish
  • From a cut back the striker can see the whole goal
  • Cut back gets the crosser in the box which has benefits such as penalties and rebounds
  • Its easier to eliminate defenders than wide crosses

 Further Reading and stats;

https://t.co/onWgJs9Mie

https://t.co/yJKwCNASED

If the opponent pressures us then more space appears..

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“Our goal is to play the same, looking for goals, whatever the result. Sometimes it’s interesting to have a different type of game, but always controlling the play. If the opponent pressures us then more space appears, to know what areas of the pitch you can do more damage to the rival in is key. ”
— Luis Enrique

I have been studying the recent Barcelona vs Arsenal ties in the Champions League, specifically looking at how Barca build up play from their defensive third;

  • When they play short and when do they play direct?
  • What are the triggers?
  • What individual roles does each players play?

I hope to have this completed soon, but here is a quick sample of what to expect.