Reader,
Recently, I was fortunate enough to reconnect with Mick Beale through an online workshop. Mick is a coach who has had an amazing career in both development and performance contexts in England, Brazil and Scotland.
Mick presented a collection of ideas heavily focussed on the technical development of individual players across the age groups, with a heavy emphasis on 1v1 ability and mastery.
I first interviewed Mick in 2015 for Player Development Project, and I was also lucky to spend a day with him at Liverpool while he was coaching the Liverpool U21 team. These interactions had a lasting impact on me, and I picked up some great insights and knowledge.
The key message that Mick continues to emphasise almost ten years later is the importance of coaches designing practices focusing on technical attributes around retaining, releasing and receiving the ball.
It’s critical, especially through the foundation and youth phase that we design practices for players that allow a high volume of repetition on the ball, ideally in an opposed setting.
Three things to consider
- How much time do you plan for in every session with your players to include 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3 moments? These scenarios happen frequently in the game, so allowing players to practice finding solutions to these moments is key.
- Do you work on 1v1 duels from all angles? 1v1s happen from behind, the side and in front. The sideline can also play a critical role in 1v1 moments if players find themselves in wide areas.
- Ensure your task design is simple and realistic, and doesn’t require you to stop the practice to explain or over-coach. Directional practices should afford players the opportunity to find different solutions.
One thing for you to try this week.
Consider how you can build in a variety of 1v1 moments into your session planning through the week that allows players to deal with pressure from behind, in front and from the side.
One critical resource on the topic.
Check out this Masterclass Discussion with the PDP team which focusses on how to develop 1v1 players, referencing some of Mick Beale’s work along the way.
