ISFA CONFERENCE – DEVELOPING A PLAYING PHILOSOPHY
CREATIVE PLAY BY ROSS MILLARD
Below is the programme I have set up at the school I work. Today I wanted to give you a taster of the sessions I would put on at the different ages. The emphasis is about having lots of touches on the ball and being creative in a pressure free environment.
My main aim is to encourage the small-sided games on match days, 4v4, 5v5’s and create a fun environment where the players can express themselves and try things knowing that they will not be in trouble if they give the ball away.
As they move up the school they will begin to understand “when” and “where.” I believe the sessions I do today can be done with all the levels of children at prep schools and the weaker children should have more contact with a ball in their session and play more small-sided games.
The Cumnor House Model for Football
The Independent Schools FA is delighted to recommend Cumnor House, in Haywards Heath (Sussex), as a model for good practice in their provision for football.
In the past football at junior level in independent schools was often played as much for the benefit of the adults as the children, with too great an emphasis on results, perhaps to impress parents, at the expense of the technical development and enjoyment of the children. Whereas in academics, music, drama and even other sports, the independent sector has often led the way in adopting best practice, the provision of football changed little in over half a century or more in many independent schools.
Fortunately, increasing numbers of prep schools have in the last few years made major changes in the way the game is taught and ISFA has been particularly delighted by the model put in place at Cumnor House by Director of Football, Ross Millard, a former Manchester United Academy Coach.
Pre-Prep
For pre-prep children the emphasis is on having a ball at their feet at all times. They are taught dribble tricks and turns to give them a “Tool Box”. The children are encouraged to use these tricks and turns as much as possible during 3v3 and 4v4 games. The focus is on positive play with lots of goals being scored and everybody involved.
Year 3
Year 3 is organised on similar lines to the pre-prep, still focusing on their “Tool Box” and encouraging them to enjoy having the ball at their feet.
In addition 4v4 Festivals are organised, rather than 6v6 competitive games. In this way all the children are playing in a small area at once, depending on the numbers in the year group. Most weeks it will be 32 players playing on 4 different pitches. Each pitch will have a different 4v4 game to encourage specific areas – e.g. the “four goal game” encourages change of direction and switching of play. No score is kept so there are no winners and losers but the focus is again on tricks and moves to beat an opponent along with goals, goals, goals!
Parents are happy because all their children are involved and the pressure to win is removed, with the focus on allowing the children to express themselves in a safe environment.
Year 4
Whilst 6v6 games remain popular with many schools, Cumnor House agrees with both The FA and ISFA that children should still be playing 4v4 at this stage, along with perhaps a few 6v6 games. At this age it is appropriate to look at some structure in the play, positions on the pitch and using the “Tool Box” in the right areas. In addition the players are encouraged to pass the ball out from the goalkeeper and build from the back.
Years 5 & 6
All games at this level are 7v7 with the focus now on team play, with the focus being on passing the ball and building from the back. Players are still encouraged to be creative, to take opponents on in the right areas of the field and not to be afraid to try things. There is work on team shape and trying to improve game understanding and positional awareness.
Year 7 & 8
With effect from September 2010, while 1st XI (U13) matches will continue to be 11v11, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams will play 9v9 in all home matches.
The reasons for this are:
- It is a more appropriate and gradual progression from 7-a-side at U11’s to 9-a-side for Year 7/8 boys
- All players will have more time and space on the ball and the weaker players will develop further and quicker because of this.
- More touches means more improvement in the players’ technique.
- 9v9 is strongly is recommended by the FA for the U12 age group.
Teams will still have a squad of 12 players but will be rotated as matches will be 3 x thirds (in line with current practice at most professional clubs), instead of two halves. This again will allow the children to experience different positions and allow the coaches more feedback during the breaks in play.
The overall philosophy throughout the programme is aimed primarily on improving the children’s techniques and providing them with an environment in which they can express themselves by playing attacking football without the fear of making mistakes, often as a result of pressure to win applied by adults.
Pre-Prep and year 3.
Children will be given a ball each and dribble around in a small area. They will be given different instructions.
Game Organisation
- players dribble in square
- include different commands
i.e. inside/outside of foot
- keep adding different skills,
head, knee etc.
The main focus is to have the children have as many touches on the ball as possible.
Each session the children will learn a different trick or turn depending on the level of the group. This will be their “Tool Box”.
The trick and turn the children will be using today are the “Rivelino turn” and “Scissors”.
Rivelino Turn Organisation
- fake to shoot
1 2 - move foot around the ball
- put weight on same foot
- Turn 180 and take ball with inside of other foot.
Coaching Points
- disguise shot/ pass
- bend knees
- transfer weight
- explode/ accelerate away
Dribbling Moves
Scissors Organisation
- Fake to pass with
outside of foot
- move foot in front and
to the side of the ball
- transfer weight quickly
- play with outside of
foot
Coaching Points
- disguise on pass
- transfer weight quickly
- accelerate away
After the trick or turn has been taught the children will play in some 4v4 matches where they will be allowed to try the skilled learned. Children will be encouraged and hardly any coaching is needed. You have created the environment!
Please see separate sheet for set up of the 4v4 festivals. Please also read the Cumnor House model for football to find out more about the idea behind 4v4.
Year 4
We are still focusing on their “tool box” and adding to this or recapping on tricks and turns. Again this is dependant on the talent of the players.
In this part I will introduce some passing as well as the focus on the trick or turn.
Passing, turning a dribbling
Organisation
X 1 passes to X 2
1. X 2 lays the ball off at an angle for X1 to pass to X3
X3 takes the ball to the right/left of the box.
X2 defends X3
X 3 does turn to beat X2 and dribbles towards X1
X 3 then dribbles past X1 who is defending
If it breaks down then start again.
Again the children will do 4v4, 5v5 or 6v6 matches focusing a little bit on the team shape and positions. We give the children an opportunity to try different positions over the course of the season. They will also be encouraged to be creative and try the trick and turn in a match.
Year 5 & 6 (Colts)
This exercise is the progression from Year 4 where the children are doing the same exercise towards goal. This exercise shows that by being able to turn and dribble you can create your own opportunities for shots on goal. There is also some build up play with passing.
X1 / GKX2 / X3
X4
. / X5 / .
X1 passes to X2
X2 passes to X1
X1 passes to X5
X5 dribbles to either cone.
X4 defends X5
X5 turns X4 and then dribbles past X3 for shot on goal
The exercise starts again.
Within this exercise there are lots of variations of passing sequences and you can add more players to pass before you get to the turn and the dribbling part.
Year 7 & 8
D / DD / D
D / GK / D
D / D
X2
X1
D
X3 / X4 / X5
Feeder
Again this exercise is working on being creative and being dominant in 1v1 situations. It is slowly working towards a match situation.
X3/X4 and X5 have to get 5 passes (depending on the standard of the players before they get the ball into the feet of X1.
X1 is allowed to drop off into the coned area to turn and attack the defender. Defender is not allowed in the coned area.
X1 can work with X2 to create an opportunity or take the defender on 1v1.
Key points
· Patient in the build up
· X1 not dropping in the space to early
· X1 receiving the ball at an angle
· Movement of X2
· Decision off X1
You can start this exercise off with a 1v1 situation and build up with a phase of play towards one goal.