In this article PDP Coaching Advisor, James Coutts discusses the value of ‘unit coaching’ or ‘position specific coaching’ and how you can incorporate this specific coaching model into your sessions. What is unit training? When discussing unit training we are considering a unit that’s position specific within the team, for example ‘defenders’ can be a unit, ‘wingers’ can be a unit and so on. Depending on what shape you play could have an impact, it could mean you’re working with a ‘back 3’ as your…
How We Coach
This is the PDP way, informed by years of coaching experience and the wisdom of our network of experts.
In this Masterclass Webinar replay, PDP Technical Advisor, Dan Wright is joined by PDP Coaching Advisor, James Coutts for an interactive and engaging webinar on the challenging topic of How to Coach Teenagers. Dan and James present a series of considerations for developing youth players from social and emotional needs, through to physical and tactical considerations. This replay also includes questions from the live audience who tuned in at the time which the PDP team answered during the presentation. This is essential viewing for coaches…
In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Editor, Dave Wright is joined by Mark Lyons – Pre Academy Co-ordinator and Lead Coach at Leicester City Football Club. In this wide ranging conversation, Mark and Dave dive into the topic of coaching foundation phase aged players. If you work with U7-11 players, this is essential viewing. Mark shares his philosophy, insights into the clubs approach when working with young children, the importance of fun, variety of experiences, session design and more. Mark is a vastly experienced coach, holds…
In this Masterclass Webinar replay, PDP Coaching Advisor, Dan Cooke joins PDP Co-founder, Dave Wright for an in depth discussion on how to support players physical development through football. Dan and Dave will discuss some key considerations for coaches, take a deep dive on the topic of speed, share practical examples and discuss how to use small sided games for physical outcomes. Image Source: Unsplash Would you like to learn more about physical performance in football? View our online course on Physical Performance through Soccer….
Game management and understanding how to control a match are important elements for young players learning any sport. So how do we coach it? Ben Bartlett, one of The FA’s most highly regarded coach developers provides ideas as to how you can create conditions for your players to cope with pressure and manage the game. If we value young people (and young footballers) having the capacity to understand that there may be different ways to respond when different challenges present themselves; to what extent do…
Ball mastery and skill acquisition are crucial themes when coaching young players. But how complex should we make our practices when working with younger age groups? And how can we optimise these sessions to give kids the best developmental outcomes? Below, Gabriel Flores, Youth Development Phase Coach at Fulham FC, discusses the importance of technical coaching, its role within the wider context of player development, and how, by manipulating environmental constraints, we can use ball mastery sessions to help develop confident, adaptable players. In This…
The psychological components of coaching have a huge impact on the development of our players — both on and off the pitch. As coaches, we have a responsibility to understand these components, in order to provide supportive and constructive learning environments for the kids we work with. In this article, Dr. Suzanne Brown, Clinical Psychologist and Lead Psychologist at Sunderland AFC, explores some of the most important aspects of psychology in football, as she discusses emotional control, how to develop positive attitudes to mistakes, and…
Communicating with children is a fundamental part of youth coaching. How we interact and connect with our players underpins everything else we do, making it vital that we learn to communicate effectively and form positive relationships. In this article, we explain why it’s so important to connect with our players, discuss the value of empowerment in learning, and consider some effective strategies for communicating with children. In This Article The Importance of Connecting Good communication and an ability to build relationships with our players are…
In this Masterclass webinar replay, the PDP team share a top presentation on developing 1v1 players. PDP Co-Founder Dave Wright hosts a conversation with PDP Technical Advisor, Dan Wright and PDP Coaching Advisor, James Coutts on the value of 1v1s and how you can support your players confidence in developing this key attribute. The conversation covers a range of topics related to 1v1 football: – Position specific 1v1s – Various session plans for you to adapt – Discuss where 1v1s happen on the pitch –…
Are learning and performance different? In this article, Nick Soderstrom discusses how teachers or coaches can enhance performance by stretching individuals and discusses the key differences between the two. You’re teaching a concept in class, working through examples and explaining the steps. You have your students do some practice problems and they seem to be getting it! After a while, the bell rings, you dismiss your class, and you leave for home feeling satisfied with your students’ progress and your teaching methods. The next day,…
At every level of the game, 1v1 duels are a fundamental part of soccer. So it’s vital that we help our players develop the skills to feel confident and thrive in these situations when they arise on gameday. Below, we look at the different kinds of 1v1 soccer skills, explain why they’re so important to player development, and outline some of the best 1 on 1 soccer training exercises. In This Article Why are 1 on 1 Soccer Skills So Important? Many people associate 1…
Coaching youth sport is complex, challenging and rewarding. In this Masterclass Discussion we speak to Founder of Changing the Game Project and youth coaching expert, John O’Sullivan. PDP Editor, Dave Wright hosts John for an in depth discussion which dives into a range of topics including women’s football, John’s work in the youth coaching space, specialisation, organisational culture and creating learning environments for young people. John is a leader in driving change in youth sport, a long time PDP contributor and has some fantastic ideas…
Creating a soccer training schedule for an entire season takes careful planning. We need to consider the individuals we’re working with, our environment, what our players want to achieve, and then how we can help them accomplish their goals within those parameters. But the process isn’t necessarily as complicated as it seems. Below, we discuss the key components of a successful training program, how to adapt it when circumstances require, and how to create an appropriate training schedule for our own teams. In This Article…
Position-specific coaching can be a powerful tool in player development. It enables us to add new dimensions to our activities, familiarise players with the distinct challenges posed by different positions, and help them work on individual areas of development within the wider context of a team practice. Below, we examine the fundamentals of position-specific coaching, and how we can successfully embrace it within our sessions. In This Article Utilising Position-Specific Coaching Position-specific coaching can provide great opportunities to work on individual areas of learning with…
When it comes to learning, development or performance, what is ‘The Zone’? In this article, motivational researcher and rugby coach, Jonny McMurtry shares some ideas as to how we can help athletes get into the zone. Driven by my on-going reviews of my current research and listening Coach Reed Maltbie’s recent podcast regarding Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximial Development, I wanted to look deeper into the theory, applying ideas against recent articles and incidents in the coaching world to highlight my perceived importance to this matter….
In this session UEFA A licensed coach, Dave Wright continues on his defensive work with the Melbourne Victory U20 group. The practice is designed to encourage players to collaborate and work together in units to block forward and split passes. Dave demonstrates some gradual progressions to allow attackers and defenders to move into opposition zones and create more chaos. The purpose of this practice ties in with the next session (a phase of play) which encourages players to be patient out of possession and choose…
Making mistakes — and learning from them — is essential to developing as a coach. Below, in our guide on soccer coaching for beginners, we discuss ten of the most common mistakes made by new coaches — and how to avoid them. Transplanting Approaches from Other Teams It’s tempting to observe the best professional teams and attempt to replicate their approaches. But we must account for our environment; factors like culture, the players we’re working with, and our collective aims all underpin the most effective…
In this Masterclass Discussion, Dave Wright & Dan Wright Co-host a conversation with Danny Barham, Head of Analysis and Data for Birmingham City FC. Danny shares insights into the power of video, practical advice for grassroots clubs looking to apply analysis, shares the approach of Birmingham City’s analysis department and how they individualise analysis for players. This is a fascinating discussion for analytical coaches interested in how performance and development environments are utilising objective analysis and data to support player development in a holistic way….