I had the opportunity last night to attend a Coaching Clinic for Coaches led by an outstanding Coach from US Soccer Federation.
Most of the Clinic was about playing out of the back and involved coaching 'tips' for getting all age groups to improve playing out of the back. Last night we worked with U-12 Boys and Girls and U-13 Boys and Girls. It was interesting to watch as this was most certainly the first time 4 teams of players in these respective age groups had worked specifically on building out of the back and the patterns of passing and runs in order to do so.
We were introduced to many 'formulas' for making these sessions viable and useful for our Youth players. Word quickly spread throughout the Coaches in attendance that this was part of the Klinsmann 'blue-print'. To be honest, the training was set up to be almost robotic in trying to achieve the end-goal of getting the ball from the back third to the middle third to the attacking third. And I kept thinking as I watched this......
"This is very German; and would be so much better if German kids were the U-12 and U-13 players......but we're in America." Don't get me wrong: there was a lot to appreciate about the training subject, and it was expertly presented, but I kept getting the feeling that A. it was way over the heads of these Club players from Tennessee; and B. these kids weren't enjoying training. Yes, it was German, and yes, it has been proven--for Germany--but as I've advocated before.....we are the USA. Our idea of tactics is, like in most of our American DNA....ATTACK! Go forward. Go forward quickly, and keep going forward until the opposition gives.
One would think that Klinsmann realized this during his 2 successful friendlies against Holland and Germany respectively. In both matches we went FORWARD and continued to ATTACK and won both matches late in the game when we (the US) continued to 'press the issue' for the full 90 minutes (plus stoppage time). Building from the back is great! And it should be taught and implemented into all training as our kids get older and more serious about playing....but we cannot--I repeat, CANNOT-- ignore our deep psyche of attacking coupled with the use of our athletic abilities.
I am probably shouting into the Canyon.....and I may be wrong.....but I don't think so.
What do you think?
May the ground beneath your dive be soft. May the other team (build from the back--methodically) and shoot straight at you. May your goalposts be 3 feet wide.
All the Best--EV
Most of the Clinic was about playing out of the back and involved coaching 'tips' for getting all age groups to improve playing out of the back. Last night we worked with U-12 Boys and Girls and U-13 Boys and Girls. It was interesting to watch as this was most certainly the first time 4 teams of players in these respective age groups had worked specifically on building out of the back and the patterns of passing and runs in order to do so.
We were introduced to many 'formulas' for making these sessions viable and useful for our Youth players. Word quickly spread throughout the Coaches in attendance that this was part of the Klinsmann 'blue-print'. To be honest, the training was set up to be almost robotic in trying to achieve the end-goal of getting the ball from the back third to the middle third to the attacking third. And I kept thinking as I watched this......
"This is very German; and would be so much better if German kids were the U-12 and U-13 players......but we're in America." Don't get me wrong: there was a lot to appreciate about the training subject, and it was expertly presented, but I kept getting the feeling that A. it was way over the heads of these Club players from Tennessee; and B. these kids weren't enjoying training. Yes, it was German, and yes, it has been proven--for Germany--but as I've advocated before.....we are the USA. Our idea of tactics is, like in most of our American DNA....ATTACK! Go forward. Go forward quickly, and keep going forward until the opposition gives.
One would think that Klinsmann realized this during his 2 successful friendlies against Holland and Germany respectively. In both matches we went FORWARD and continued to ATTACK and won both matches late in the game when we (the US) continued to 'press the issue' for the full 90 minutes (plus stoppage time). Building from the back is great! And it should be taught and implemented into all training as our kids get older and more serious about playing....but we cannot--I repeat, CANNOT-- ignore our deep psyche of attacking coupled with the use of our athletic abilities.
I am probably shouting into the Canyon.....and I may be wrong.....but I don't think so.
What do you think?
May the ground beneath your dive be soft. May the other team (build from the back--methodically) and shoot straight at you. May your goalposts be 3 feet wide.
All the Best--EV