A huge number of children want to play football at an elite level. They dream of becoming the next Ronaldo, Messi, Tommy Rogic.. and the list goes on. With so many people vying for a very, VERY limited number of spots, only the best will have any chance of becoming a professional footballer. How do you give yourself a chance..?
PLAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!
Children shouldn’t only have a ball at their feet when they attend football training sessions, they should be looking to play at every opportunity!! Instead of playing fortnight after school, they could go to the park with friends and work on shooting, passing, make up fun games… their options are endless! When I was growing up, the streets were full of children playing football and now, largely due to technology, they are deserted… it’s sad.
There will be times when no one is available and it is obviously impossible to play games by yourself but the more a child has a ball at their feet, the better their game will become. Dribbling a ball around the garden will improve ball control and skill levels, juggling will improve their first touch and the list goes on. Obviously children spend a lot more time away from training sessions than they do there which is why Manchester United legend Roy Keane said:
In short, if a player loves football enough, and play at every possible opportunity, how far they go in the game is down to their application and choices. Through complete dedication, dreams can become a reality!
There are decisions which have to be made away from the football pitch which are also important. Having a Mcdonalds twice a week will not be beneficial and drinking two cans of coke each day will not do your body much good, but if a child loves football enough, sacrificing these small things will make a huge difference in their quest to reach the top.
If a child is making good choices and spending as much time as they can with the ball at their feet, it is important that their coaches also give them the best platform they can and putting children through different exercises for the full hour they are at training is not the answer. It is essential that the biggest component of each and every training session is an
unrestricted game in which the kids are given complete freedom. Children enjoy playing games and it is in this enjoyable environment where their capacity for learning is at its peak.
We all learn best through making mistakes so a coach should allow the children the freedom to make mistakes in a game environment, giving them little pieces of information which will help prevent them from making the same mistakes over and over again. A good friend once said to me:
“Never underestimate the art of under coaching”
And I think this is something more coaches should take on board. Once a child can control the ball and strike it properly, they should be given as much time to play as possible
