Soccer Fouls - Free Kicks, Penalty Kicks, Indirect Free Kicks, Yellow and Red Cards

The 2010 season is due to commence next week so get yourself familiar with the laws of the game concerning:

1. Direct Free Kick
2. Penalty Kick
3. Indirect Free Kick
4. Yellow and Red Cards

Courtesy of http://worldsoccer.about.com/od/soccer101/a/Soccer101_Fouls.htm

Harry Redknapp Classic - How To Get The Manager / Coach On Side!!!!

Now I have to admit, Harry Redknapp is one of my favourties. Sooner or later, some dill of a player goes too far with the Coach and BANG!!!  Lots of time in the Reserves. The language is a bit strong but...

A Lesson In Football , A Lesson In Life - The Value Of Persistence and Self Belief - You Can't Beat It!

The season's about to begin here in the ACT Region, the World Cup is just around the corner and our team is there - it just doesn't get any better.

You're not fair dinkum if this video doesn't send a shiver down your spine!

Sit On The Bench? I Don't Think So!

Now this is one article that should ring a few bells for a lot of parents and coaches. A common problem for all Clubs and coaches is the desire to develop players more slowly and allow them time to become more proficient and knowledgable of the game, to be good at age, and importantly, mature. But as often as not, if you suggest this to many young players, they see it as failure and an unreasonable restriction on their playing abilities. Parents who are driven by the desire to push their child forward at maximum speed are offended by the suggestion as are just as likely to head to another Club where the grass looks a bit greener. Then of course there is the Coach that can't get his or her hands on emerging talent quickly enough and throw the player into football at levels of resistance that overwhelms the player and blunts their development - then they leave the game! There are no innocent bystanders on this matter.

Have a read of this article, its very topical - might even be applicable! You decide!

Sit On The Bench? I Don't Think So! Delaying gratification in competitive sports.


The View From the Dugout-
A College Coach's Perspective
by Brian Tompkins
Published on November 1, 2008
Brian Tompkins is the Head Coach of Men's Soccer at Yale University in New Haven, CT.

"I want it all and I want it now." Those lyrics have been featured in a recent television credit card commercial but were actually written with some rebellious prescience in the late 1980's by the rock group Queen. They sang of a desire to see young people seize the day and march boldly into an unknown future. Little could Freddy Mercury and Co. have known back then that their somewhat innocent assertion would become an unspoken mantra in the new millennium.

Dutch National Coach Has A Lot to Say That Has Meaning For Our Football

This is an excellent interview. Everything Bert VAn Marwijk has to say is directly transferrable to our thoughts and practice of the game in the ACT Region. Why not learn from a Master Coach? Perhaps he is a good candidate for the Socceroos job?


Interview With Dutch National Coach - BERT VAN MARWIJK


BY ANDY ROXBURGH,
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Sourced from UEFA at http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/Publications/uefa/UEFAMedia/94/76/74/947674_DOWNLOAD.pdf
 
AS A PLAYER, BERT VAN MARWIJK PLAYED ON THE LEFT WING, THEN MOVED TO MIDFIELD, BEFORE ENDING HIS CAREER AS A DEFENDER. HE PLAYED FOR GO AHEAD EAGLES, AZ ALKMAAR AND MVV MAASTRICHT AMONG OTHERS, AND WAS CAPPED FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM. UNFORTUNATELY, INJURY DEPRIVED HIM OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP IN ARGENTINA IN 1978. HIS COACHING CAREER WAS LAUNCHED IN THE YOUTH PROGRAMME OF MVV MAASTRICHT AND, AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF NURTURING YOUNG PLAYERS, HE MOVED TO THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS. HIS FIRST TASTE OF A CUP FINAL CAME IN THE NETHERLANDS WITH FORTUNA SITTARD FC, BUT IT WAS IN 2002 THAT HE STRUCK GOLD WHEN HE WON THE UEFA CUP WITH FEYENOORD. FOLLOWING A TWO-YEAR STINT AT BV BORUSSIA DORTMUND IN GERMANY, HE RETURNED TO FEYENOORD AND WON THE KNVB CUP IN 2008. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THAT SUCCESS, HE REPLACED MARCO VAN BASTEN AS THE HEAD COACH OF THE DUTCH NATIONAL TEAM FOLLOWING EURO 2008 IN AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND. IN HIS NEW ROLE, HE TOOK THE NETHERLANDS TO THE FINALS OF THE 2010 WORLD CUP BY WINNING THEIR QUALIFYING GROUP IN IMPRESSIVE STYLE. HE WAS A CREATIVE PLAYER WHOHAS DEVELOPED INTO A POSITIVE, IMAGINATIVE COACH AT THE TOP LEVEL, HE IS BERT VAN MARWIJK

Head Coach of the AIS Mens Program Gives Some Very Good Advice.

The Head Coach of the AIS Mens' Football Program, Jan Verssleijen discussed the performances of the Nara Ichijo team with the NPL.

Jan is a highly experienced and contemporary international standard Coach who is always willing to share his knowledge and experiences in Football. Jan has been involved in football development and coaching in Japan for three years. He knows what he is talking about.

In the interview to be broadcast next Tuesday, Jan uses the Nara team and Japanese football to illustrate some crucial aspects concerning the development of the game and the players in Australia. It shoul birng you back to reality and help adjust your expectations around your son or daughter in Football!

In addition, Jan makes some very interesting and informative observations concerning coaching in the modern era, consistent with the direction in which the FFA is moving with Coach Education and Development. Now this has very particular meaning for many in the ACT for those parents and supporters who are watching coaches (particularly in the Premier League and Rep teams - well a few of them) and perhaps wondering why some of these coaches are not as noisy on the sideline as was the practice (and still is for many) in recent times. You know the sort - the coach that wants to script every movement of every player and makes the mistake of thinking that constant haranguing (and abuse) from the sideline is a meaningful contribution to player development, effective performance and the game in general.

The change preferred in coaching style means that coaches have to do a lot of work constructing the practice sessions - always with a ball at the feet. That's where the effort must go. No more gratuitous fitness training thankyou. The game is for the players.

Jan's message -
Let The Game Be The Teacher

Make sure you listen to the program or get to the Podcast. It's too good to miss.

Goulburn Strikers Have Struck!

If you haven't caught up with the Federation Cup news, you must have been in a coma.

The Goulburn Strikers won over a terrific Belconnen United side in a penalty shootout!

I missed the game as my team (Woden) were playing a pre-season training game against Tuggeranong United. But I can tell you this, the mobile phones were running hot on the sideline as match updates were reported to us all by friends at Hawker.

Now Belconnen are a terrific Club but I doubt there was one person on the sideline at our training game who didn't hope for a Goulburn victory. Everyone loves an underdog! Belconnen will bounce back you can count on that, but Goulburn are getting better.

This is such a good result for Premier League football and for newcomers, Goulburn Strikers, who I have to say, have delivered on everything their Club President promised when he spoke to the NPL (see earlier posts). They have very reason to be quietly confident - they are the real deal!! Now everyone knows.

Now we have a Fed Cup final that is a little less predictable, before we hit the season proper! Marvellous!!

I'll quote the excellent match report from Capital Football (good one Russ):

Japanese Under 17 Squad From Nara-Ichijo FC visits the ACT

These opportunities don't come along often enough in our region. Go and see them play! 

Japanese touring side Nara-Ichijo FC from Canberra’s sister city of Nara arrived in the capital on Saturday morning for a series of fixtures.

Schedule

Monday 22nd March – v Canberra FC under-16 (Deakin Stadium), kick off 18:00

Monday 22nd March – v Canberra FC under-18 (Deakin Stadium), kick off 20:00

Tuesday 23rd March – v ACTAS (AIS), kick off 16:30

Tuesday 23rd March – v AIS (AIS), kick off 20:00

Wednesday 24th March – v CP HPP under-17 (Hawker Football Centre), kick off 16:00

Focus On Your Technique - Be Ready To Learn - And Try It The Coach's Way!

Swimming has a bit too teach Football in Australia, but that's a subject for another time.

The ACT swiming club - Tuggeranong Vikings Swimming Club is a  first rate swim club, producing high achieving swimmers at all ages, with one essential ingredient - highly qualified coaching staff. The swimmers in serious training are carefully managed and train hard every day of the working week and Saturday - very often, mornings and afternoons.

The underlying focus is always on what I would call achieving "perfect technique". Its seems to be a never ending quest as swimmers grow, mature, take on more responsibilities in life, decline other alternatives for their meagre recreational time, progress at work, excel in education, establish and maintain relationships and wrestle with the demands of competition.

Coaching Strikers To Be The First Line Of Defense

If you are using the 1-4-3-3 system of play, it essential that you get good transition and defensive work from the front three players. See previous posts for additional detail. Without it your team is quickly outnumbered in midfiled and vulnerable.

The video below explains the importance of getting the forward to do defensive work, as high up the field as practicable. The 1-4-4-2 system is used to illustrate the teaching points, but it could just as easily have been any other system of play.

The Goulburn Stirkers Have Arrived and They Are The Real Deal!

Today's Federation Cup was more than a victory by Goulburn Strikers over Woden Valley FC. It was a most emphatic statement by the Gouldburn Strikers that they had arrived in the Premier League.

They are a well prepared and coached Football team, fast, fit and play in good style. A real tonic for the Capital Football Premier League.

Best of all - as their Club President made clear, with considerable and justifiable pride "they are all Goulburn boys".

See video of the game in the media player at the bottom of the page.

A Bit More On the 1-4-3-3 System of Play

This video makes some good points, some of which were made in earlier posts, but they make good sense.

If your team made a mess of their game today, as did mine, attempting to playing the 1-4-3-3, then have a look at this video because it makes it clear where it probably went wrong. Add this one the Roy Hodgson's explanations of the 1-4-3-3 and you probably have a solid general understanding.

If the 1-4-3-3 went badly for you, ask yourself this:

1. Did the players play the system well enough for you to make a judgement on whether this is the right system of play?
2. If the players did not play well, is it because they just can't play well enough to compete with the competition in some positions, no matter what the system of play?
3. Did they have a bad day and are they still learning the system and adjusting to new playing positions and responsibilities?
4. What's missing in the coaching regime that might help play the 1-4-3-3 better? ( and then tell the Coach - he or she may appreciate the fact that you took the time to think about it and tell him)

Rome wasn't built in 90 minutes!!! Be patient and be realistic, but please be constructive. This is a real good system of play.

Roy Hodgson on the 1-4-4-2 Sytem of Play

A couple of  coaches are introducing the 1-4-3-3 in the Premier League and its got some supporters nervous as the results are little less predictable while the players adjust to the challenge.

What is it about the 1-4-4-2 that makes us feel like they are an old comfortable pair of shoes?

Lets see what Roy has to say on the 1-4-4-2. He should know!

A Proper Sunday Premier League Changing Room - Complete With A Scotsman in the Coaching Staff

This could a scene from the PL Clubs in the ACT that don't own a ground or a clubhouse and run on a budget that is best described as the smell of an oily rag.

Club Football - you gotta love it!

Roy Hodgson - Coach of Fulham Gives Us A Timely Reminder On the Subject of "Success" in the Premier League

Roy Hodgson, yes Roy Hodgson provides a realisitc picture of life in Football at a Club - no matter what level or location.

After my Club, Woden Valley, were smashed today by the terrific new PL addition to the competition, Goulburn Strikers, I take some comfort in Roy's musings. Honestly, who would be a Coach in the Premier League, when training was good and no one really saw this shallacking coming.

AH yes - Michael Azize, Coach of the WVFC P16s, you are absolutely right about the earlier post (see 1-4-3-3 video), it is Roy Hodgson. I know, the jumper is the give away, and I shall never trust my source again - when I can find hin to tell him!!!! Apologies to Harry Redknapp.

In the meantime, take the long view and don;t get too tense yet, its still the preseason. But I know some flamin' players who have played their way back to the Gallarginbone Sixths after today though!

Coach - What Do You Do About Lazy Players With Bad Attitudes and Parents From Hell!

A straight forward piece of advice from http://www.footy4kids.co.uk/

I can think of a couple of players in the Club I am associated with that fall into this category. Bet you can too! Life is too short to waste time on these malcontents. Let the axe fall!

Get rid of lazy players with bad attitudes.

No amount of good coaching and team building can fully overcome the negative impact of whiners and kids or families that aren't up for the challenge. Let them move on to some other team or activity where they will be happy. Get input from your coaching directors, from other players, from parents, and find out what's really going on. Be more observant and take note of how the players are interacting, look at body shape and eye contact, enthusiasm, and verbal support from the team. Get to know who is really committed. If you have a great player with a terrible player, and you can't get the family squared away, let the player and the family move on. Don't hang on hoping for improvement that never comes, you'll just put yourself and the team through hell. Hardworking players with good attitudes, and their parents, will become angry with you and disillusioned with the team if you don't have the courage to dismiss bad apples and problem parents.

Members Common Sense Wins Out Over HPP. Referees and Clubs Meet for Pre-Season Discussion. Refresher on the 1-4-3-3 System of Play

Program Broadcast on 09 MArch 2010 at 2xxfm, 98.3mhz through the COmmunity Radio Network.

Tonight's program is a diverse offerring:

• President of the Capital Football, John Logue confirms that the Board has reconsidered it's position over the issue of playing squads for the HPP and agreed in substantial part with the views expressed by the Members (Zone Reps and Chairs of the Standing Committees). See earlier posts for further comments of this matter. In short, there will be no playing squads for the HPP, with the exception of the Under 13 Boys - which is a curious exception.
• What do you really know about the 1-4-3-3 system of play? We have two short explanations - the first from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and another from UEFA, with the Coach, Harry Rednapp of the EPL team Tottenham Hotspurs giving his views ont he system of play. Very intersting.
• The State Coach of Referees, Clive MacKillop brings us up to date with the availability of referees for 2010 and the issues that arose form a meeting between key Referee officials and Club Coaches.

Download the Podcast of the Program here: