Football Coaching

Futsal is the shortened form of football that is currently taking the world by storm. Labelled as ‘the fastest growing sport on the planet’ by Futsal and Education Programmes, the game is played with a smaller, heavier ball, on pitches similar in size to those used in the five-a-side version of the game. Increasingly used as a developmental tool for...

In order to deliver effective safe and enjoyable training sessions in your role as a football coach, you will need to ensure that you have the right equipment available. High quality, durable and safe equipment is absolutely essential for player development, but knowing what’s available and what your players require can be tricky. These items of equipment should be in...

Participation in football at grassroots level is declining in England, and children in particular simply aren’t playing the game anything like as often as they used to. One of the reasons for this decline has been the increasingly competitive nature of youth football. Pushy, aggressive parents and an unhealthy obsession with winning can cause stress and fear amongst kids, and...

As England faces at least another decade in the second tier of international football, the footballing authorities continue their search for answers. In January 2015, this search led to the PFA visiting Brazil. Although the South American country has major social and economic problems to deal with, the conveyor belt of talent it produces is regarded as the driving force...

Faced with continuing criticism with regard to player development and the standards set by the England national team, the Football Association has been busy introducing a series of standards-based initiatives. One of the most high-profile schemes to be announced under Greg Dyke’s leadership is the 2020 vision – a six-year plan to boost grassroots football across England. What is the...

Football has become increasingly physical and fast over the years, so the modern player must work on core-body strength and power in order to compete at the highest levels. Toned and conditioned muscles can aid acceleration, balance and the ability to tussle opponents off the ball, which is why these five resistance workouts should be part of any team’s weekly...

The modern footballer needs to take a comprehensive approach to fitness and conditioning, which is why resistance training is fast becoming an intrinsic part of the game. However, there are some widely held misconceptions about the benefits of resistance training, and about the various techniques involved. With a sensible schedule in place, and the right techniques, footballers can improve their...

The start of a new year can be a great time for grassroots footballers to assess where they are in terms of their progression, skills and mindset. Whether you play in a local league, for your local pub team or in a Premier League academy set-up, focussing your mind on some very specific goals could be the key to making...

Whether you play for a local pub team or for your county, the festive season represents a time of temptation and bad lifestyle choices. Christmas parties usually mean alcohol and tasty treats are never far away, but that can spell disaster for your performance levels if you have a busy festive period of match action ahead. Too many footballers attempt...

Following a calamitous 2014 World Cup campaign, the FA and those at the very top of English football realised that something needed to change. In all fairness to the game’s authorities, there have already been some major changes to the grassroots game and the developmental pathway in England, but the FA’s new DNA programme has been launched with the clear...