Football General Information Sheet

FOOTBALL GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET

Football is a fast moving game involving players to sprint and jog/walk throughout the game.

Fitness demands of the game are specific:

· cardio-respiratory endurance (to last the full 90 minute game whilst effectively maintaining a high skill level).

· Speed endurance

Importantly, fitness components do not exist in isolation; the development of one will influence the development of another. Therefore other aspects of fitness, such as, flexibility, power, muscular endurance and strength should also be developed if the player is to be effective in their specific role.

Fitness is also relative; the fitness requirements of the forwards will be different from that of the defenders. For all players however, the conditions of the game will be the same i.e. periods of rest and recovery will be unpredictable and varied dictated by the pace of the game.

The skills involved include:

· Multi-directional running, kicking, shooting, dribbling and controlling the ball at speed

· Tackling and denying space

· The ability to change direction and pace

· To work co-operatively as a team.

A lot of the work in football is done ‘off the ball’ - marking, getting into open space to receive the ball, chasing back to defend. As a running sport, football uses the muscles in the front and back of the thigh, the gluteals and the calves. The upper body muscles are used when holding off tackles and when challenging in the air for the ball.

INFORMATION SHEET 1: RULES

There are two types of rules formal/written rules and unwritten rules.

Written Rules

•  Found in a rule book

•  Rules ensure that the activity is fair

•  Shape the way we perform in an activity (only the goalkeeper can touch the ball with his hands, when the ball is in play).

•  Help keep an activity safe. You must wear shin guards, now two footed tackle etc.

Unwritten rules

•  Informal codes of conduct which you won't find in a rulebook. They say how a team or player should behave, and are sometimes called 'etiquette' (or 'sportsmanship'). These rules recognise the importance of co-operation, showing respect, and consideration for others.

•  If a player is injured during a football match, it is common to see the ball put out of play by the opposition.

Many activities end with players shaking hands at the end of the game.

INFORMATION SHEET 2: SPECIFIC FITNESS DEMANDS OF DIFFERENT ROLES

To play football effectively requires a wide range of technical/skill related, physical and mental skills. The team comprises of 11 players and is made up of the following positions:

· goalkeeper

· defenders

· midfield players

· forwards.

A variety of formations can be selected dependent upon on the individual ability of the players. Although ALL players require combinations of CRE, speed endurance, muscular endurance, power, strength and flexibility should also be developed. The physical demands placed on players will be different according to the specific role they have to perform within the game.

The specific fitness demands of each player:

DEFENDERS/MIDFIELDERS require:

stamina - to cope with the high intensity demands for the duration of the match

strength - (particularly upper body) to hold off strong challenges and wins tackles

speed endurance - to continually make repeated runs over varied distances

acceleration - to narrow angles and limit attacking options.

FORWARDS require:

stamina - to cope with the high intensity demands for the duration of the match

strength - to take on challenges and get past the opposition

speed endurance - to take an early advantage and gain possession before the opposition

agility - to create gaps, disguise moves, keep tight ball control and move quickly into scoring positions.

INFORMATION SHEET 3: WHAT IS CRE?

Cardio-Respiratory Endurance (C.R.E.) aerobic endurance and stamina are all the same type of fitness. It is the ability of the heart and lungs to provide oxygen to the working muscles over a long period of time.

We breathe in oxygen from the air. Oxygen goes from the lungs into our blood and is pumped by the heart to the muscles. The oxygen makes energy which is used to make our muscles work.

Having a high level of C.R.E. is important in sports where we use whole body movements or large muscle movements over a long time.

Benefits of Improved Cardio-respiratory Endurance

·  Increase the size of the heart and will improve the ability of the heart to pump blood with oxygen to the muscles.

·  Increase the amount of air that the lungs can take in with each breath. This will give you more oxygen with each breath.

·  Exercise longer and harder.

·  Do the same amount of exercise as a less fit person with less effort.

·  Recover quicker after hard exercise.

·  Have a short rest and exercise again.

INFORMATION SHEET 4: WHAT IS SPEED?

Speed is the ability to cover a distance or perform a movement in a short time. It can involve your whole body or just one group of muscles.

Most activities require speed in some way. To improve your speed you need to work muscle groups for short intervals at a relatively high intensity. Speed is a mix of physical fitness and technique. For example, to run quickly you need strong leg muscles as well as a good stride pattern and running style.

Speed can be improved through training. You must increase muscle strength and the range of movement in your joints by working on your flexibility.

When training to improve speed you mostly use anaerobic (without oxygen) energy. It’s important when training to improve speed that you ensure that your rest and recovery time is long enough.

This is known as work/rest ratio.

INFORMATION SHEET 5: FITNESS TESTS

The main aspects of fitness that we will look at during the football block are:

·  CRE

·  Speed

CRE FITNESS TEST 12 MINUTE COOPER TEST

Aim: To calculate your level of cardio-respiratory endurance by applying a time/distance formula. The object is to see how far you can run in 12 minutes.

Test Procedure: 12 minutes to cover the maximum distance possible through running, jogging or walking. 400m track with markers 10m apart

SPEED FITNESS TEST 30 METRE SPRINT TEST

Aim: To calculate your average time to cover 30 metres as fast as you can.

Test Procedure: * You must run 30 metres in a straight line.

* Your partner would time your run.

* This would be completed 3 times.

* Your time would be the average of the 3 times.

INFORMATION SHEET 5: UNDERSTANDING FITNESS TESTS

Fitness testing gives you specific information which you can:

•  Compare your results with peers

•  Compare with Norms (National Average)

•  Easy to set up and do

•  After re-testing it allows you to see if you have improved

COOPER TEST NORMS

30 METRE SPRINT TEST NORMS

INFORMATION SHEET 6: PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING

The principles of training are the guidelines you should follow to make your training successful. Whenever you are asked about training think S.P.O.R.T.

(S)pecificity – This is training within the activity.

Specificity is crucial to physical fitness performance improvement. Training has to be specific to your needs; it has to relevant to that activity, and your existing levels of fitness and ability.

If you are a runner you must train by running. If you are a swimmer you must train by swimming. If you are a cyclist you must train by cycling.

(P)rogression

Almost any increased amount of regular specific exercise will produce improvement in the body parts being stressed. The fitter you become the harder it is to improve their fitness. Therefore it is important that the overload is increased progressively.

(O)verload

To improve the fitness of various body systems we need to overload them. By stressing the cardio-respiratory system, this will help the heart and lungs to work more efficiently, thus improving aerobic ability of the individual. This can be achieved by either modifying the frequency, intensity and duration of the exercises.

You overload your training once you can cope easily with the training you are doing. Your body will have adapted to the level it is working at and your fitness will only improve if you make the training harder.

Whatever way you decide to make your training harder you must make small increases in how hard you train

Frequency – This is how often you train.

To improve your C.R.E. you must train at least 3 times a week. You should take rest days between training days to allow yourself to recover. Taking rest days will allow your muscles to adapt to the training and you will improve your C.R.E.

Intensity – This is how hard you train.

The intensity of your training to improve C.R.E. should be 70% to 85% of your maximum pulse rate. A rough guide on how to work this out for yourself is to subtract your age from 220 and work at 70% to 85% of this figure. Exercising within these pulse rates is called working in your aerobic training zone.

For example, an athlete aged 20 will train between 140bpm and 170bpm. This is a rough guide and some elite athletes can work for a long period of time at over 90% of their maximum pulse rate.

Duration – This is the length of time needed for you to get a training effect.

To improve C.R.E. you normally need to train without rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes.

Duration can be:

·  the time you train in each training session.

·  how long ( number of weeks) the whole training programme lasts.

(R)eversiblity

If you stop training your body will revert back to the condition it was in before you started training.

(T)edium

Tedium is boredom. It is important that training sessions are not boring and keep you motivated throughout or this will affect your overall improvements.

SPECIFICITY

PROGRESSION

OVERLOAD SPORT

REVERSIBILITY

TEDIUM

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INFORMATION SHEET 7: METHODS OF TRAINING FOR CRE

CONTINUOUS TRAINING

Any exercises (e.g.. running, swimming, cycling) that ensures that the heart rate is operating in your training zone for approximately 20 to 30 minutes for 3 to 4 sessions per week.

Benefits

1.  Develops cardio-respiratory endurance

2.  Develops aerobic capacity

3.  Straight forward to plan

4.  Progressive overload achieved by exercising more often, by exercising faster, or by training longer. (Frequency, Intensity, Duration)

FARTLEK TRAINING (VARIED PACE MOVEMENT)

Continuous running or swimming with short sprint bursts followed by a slower recovery and then more continuous paced running or swimming.

Benefits

1.  Develops both aerobic and anaerobic fitness through continuous running and short speed endurance sprints

2.  Can be varied to suit your own requirements.

3.  Progressive overload achieved by exercising more often, by exercising faster, or by exercising longer.

INFORMATION SHEET 8: TRAINING TO IMPROVE SPEED

WORK/REST RATIO

1(work):4(rest) 1/4

For every sprint you do you would rest for 4 times as long. Rest is necessary as it allows time for the reduction of oxygen debt and the removal of lactic acid.

E.g. Sprinting for 10 seconds and resting for 40 seconds.

INTERVAL TRAINING

Includes exercises that allow a work/rest interval to be worked out easily. Interval fitness training is useful because it allows you to work hard ( at high intensity) followed by periods of rest. This helps you work for a long time without getting too tired.

Benefits

1.  Enables high intensity work to be undertaken with limited fatigue occurring

2.  Develops both aerobic and anaerobic activity.

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INFORMATION SHEET 9: FORMATIONS

There are a variety of formations in football that team can use at any one time. This will depend on tactics, strengths and weaknesses of the team and the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents. The diagram below highlights a 4-4-2 formation.

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INFORMATION SHEET 10: TACTICS AND PRINCIPLES OF PLAY

Competitors hope to make the most of their own strengths whilst exploiting the weaknesses of the opposition to win.

Tactics are used both in team and individual activities. And they can be adapted during the course of a competitive situation.

Teams can use a variety of formations to utilise your team’s strengths and exploit your opponent’s weaknesses. Tactics are you used both in attack and in defence.

In competitive team games strategies and tactics can be improved by applying principles of play.

Width in attack players spread out across the area in order to pull defenders out and create space to play through the middle.