ASPECTS OF TRAINING
Skills and technique development
Skill and technique development includes an individual player strengths and weakness analysis, assessing and highlighting areas for development.
Each player is given the opportunity alongside the coaches to look at and assess their game. Together, you will decide on the areas where improvement can be developed. This requires a commitment from the player to devote themselves to practice, alongside the coaches commitment to support and monitor this.
Involved within skill and technical development is position-specific technical training, which includes taking players from each position of the field and working with them on the technical aspects involved within their position. Aspects include runs and passes to be made and physical and technical requirements needed for the position.READ MORE
Being aware of team-mate strengths and weaknesses will enable a team to operate at their full potential.
Working cohesively as a unit will enable a team to be far more effective together than individually. Focus can include work on combined defensive, midfield and attacking cohesion developing understanding of the team’s style of play and playing to the these strengths.READ MORE
Football fitness training
Football fitness training is an area that is often neglected or not carried out very effectively at many football clubs. Even at the highest level, there are still many improvements that can be made in focusing on a player’s all-round fitness levels. Within sports where there is a major emphasis on physical conditioning such as athletics, no stone left unturned in terms of fitness preparation and great detail is placed upon the athletes fitness and conditioning.
In football, the Football Developement Programme strives to have the same emphasis placed on a footballer’s physical conditioning for effective performance.
The Football Development Programme aims to produce players that are effective athletes as well as effective footballers.
Football fitness sessions contain a number of different aspects of fitness designed to work on all the specific movements and energy systems required on the pitch.
Sessions devoted to improving fitness include working on speed and acceleration, reaction times, mobility and agility sessions, sustaining match intensity for short and long duration, endurance work, core fitness, flexibility, balance, and upper body strengthening to name but a few.
Fitness sessions can also be a blend of fitness and skills training - working on both aspects or pure fitness sessions working intensively on a specific area of football fitness.READ MORE
Season specific training
Specific fitness training to suit your team can be designed by Football Development Programme and any areas that need particular work on. Consideration is also taken on the time of season as this can determine the kind of training your team requires.
Pre-season training is a time of assessing and developing players fitness, getting players up to speed with match sharpness, endurance, speed and technique. Fitness testing and ball work are carried out.
Mid-season training involves maintaining player fitness, keeping players match sharp and working on any weaknesses that have been highlighted from matches. Overseeing any injuries that may have occurred and rehabilitating is vitally important.
End of season training
End of season training is about recovery and rehabilitation with player and team assessments and analysis for the next season.
You’re never too good to stop working on your game...
Football Development Programme sometimes meet players with the attitude that it is a waste of time to continue to practice core skills and that the discipline of regularly devoting themselves to practice and honing their skills is beyond them.
Xavier “Xavi” Hernandez and Zinedine Zidane are two examples showing that whatever age or ability level, every player can improve and will never reach the point of being too good to stop working at their game.
Good coaches often say that if you meet a player who thinks he has nothing to learn, you can’t coach that player. Only the best want to continue to learn, improve and develop their game and are open to doing so.
Spotlight on “Xavi”
Xavi came through La Masia, the Barcelona youth football academy, from the age of 11.
He made his international debut for Spain in 2000, and has been part of both UEFA Euro 2008 and 2012, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup winning team.
Your first touch is always perfect. This requires mastery of the ball. How important is ball mastery for players?
“I think mastery of the ball, with good ball control, should be the priority of all players and their coaches. As your control improves, you will get more satisfaction and fun from playing the game. Ball mastery is the foundation that you can build all other parts of the game on.”
How can players improve their ball control?
“Ball control can only be improved by practice, so try and make the time to do this. Make sure you work on both feet.”
Your passing is world famous. What tips can you give players to improve their passing?
“Try and be accurate in your passing. To do this, you must be constantly looking up, to see your options. Once you pass, then move into space where you can help your team mate.”
Spotlight on Zidane
In his prime, Zinedine Zidane won the World Cup with France in 1998 and the European championships in 2002.
At this time of his heightened success, Zidane was asked by a journalist what his plans were for the afternoons once he had finished training in the mornings. He replied, “I come back to train in the afternoons as I’m not satisfied with my left foot”.
This was Zidane’s response after what he had achieved in the game at the age of 33 and our view is that every player however good, old or experienced should want to continue to practice, improve and hone their skills further.
We offer physiotherapy sessions with qualified physiotherapists able to visit on location to provide the specific treatment required.
Requirements for individual players could include sports massage, treatment for specific sports injuries or stress-relieving massages.
For more information or to book a physiotherapy session, please contact us.
We offer 60 minute one-to-one in-depth training sessions designed to improve and work on specific aspects of a player’s game.
Sessions include ball work drills, technique coaching, fitness development and help and advice on match performance and nutrition.
For more information on prices or to book a one-to-one session, please book online.
A must for all footballers, maximise your sports performance on the pitch by learning about the best nutrition to take on at the right times.
Information is provided on pre-match meals, post-match recovery fuel and nutritional advice including individual diet analysis and advice.
For more information or to book a seminar for your team, please book online.