Hide and manoeuvre
- The Boot Room
- 27 June 2019
Getting used to dealing with the pressure and intensity that comes with being very tightly marked, will improve players' individual capabilities. The Foundation Phase is the perfect time to start developing this skillset.
The coach in the video below is working on the theme of “hiding” and “manoeuvring” the ball, and gives very clear and simple tips to help the players build confidence in their ability to cope in these situations. The challenges are slowly increased and the coach offers individual help and support when needed. The coach also skilfully gives the goalkeepers an appropriate challenge to keep their motivation high.
Developing players' individual abilities through this kind of practice is really important in the Foundation Phase. It also gives the coach the added benefit of being able to carefully select who plays against who (so the challenge is appropriate) and in areas of differing sizes and shapes in order to further challenge players.
The next challenge for the players is to hide the ball but also look to manoeuvre the ball into a more attacking position. In a match, this might be the difference between facing your own goal and having to play the ball back, or being skilful enough to cope with the pressure and manoeuvre the ball into a more attacking and threatening position – meaning you can now play towards the opponent's goal. This will add a new dimension to how effective your players can be in a game, but it requires lots of appropriate practice.
To learn more about Foundation Phase DNA, click here.
