Reader,
When designing a session, it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to coach everyone at once. We stop the game to correct the left back, then stop it again to fix the striker’s run, and then again for the midfielder’s pass. The result? A disjointed session where no one gets into a flow.
A brilliant concept shared by Ted Dale (former FA National Coach Developer) is to ask yourself one question when planning: “Who is James Bond in your practice?”.
This means identifying the “star of the show” for that specific session. If your session focus is on a central midfielder receiving the ball, they are “James Bond”. Everyone else, the defenders pressing them, the wingers offering options, are the “supporting cast.”
They are necessary for the scene to work, but your primary feedback and observation should be on the “James Bond“.
Three Things to Consider
1. The Star: Decide who the session is for. Is it a unit (the back four) or an individual (the #9)? Design the practice to ensure they get the most repetition and the most realistic challenge.
2. The Supporting Cast: The other players need to know their roles to help “James Bond” shine. If you are working on the #9 finishing, the midfielders need to provide quality service. If the service is poor, the “star” cannot practice their lines.
3. Rotation: Just because one player is the focus today doesn’t mean they are the favourite. Rotate the focus over the season so every player gets their turn to be the lead actor in a session tailored to their development needs.
One thing to try this week
Design for the individual: Pick one player who has a specific development goal (e.g., receiving on the back foot). Design a small-sided game where they are the “Magic Player” or “Joker” who plays for the team in possession. This ensures they are constantly on the ball (repetition) and are the focal point of the session (realism).
One Critical Resource on the Topic
Watch this Masterclass on Session Design where Ben Bartlett discusses how to build sessions around individual needs.
