This session involves many important topics from our football philosophy, such as possession and transition after winning or losing the ball in narrow spaces. The players are encouraged to perform the activities at their highest levels of intensity, which is important because it gives them the ideal load. MORE
This session is designed to improve player and team awareness within the game. The specific awareness we are looking to improve is how to read an opponent’s defensive block and identify the space to attack. MORE
This is a finishing session, but as it unfolds and progresses it becomes so much more than that. It allows you to devote time to all of the players – practising and repeating specific actions that will be asked of them in a match situation. MORE
This is an all-round session for all players – strikers, midfielders, wide players, full-backs, defenders and goalkeepers – and uses the basis of attackers having three separate attempts on goal. I like this session because it can be adapted for any formation, and has the important feature of an end product – namely goals being... MORE
This session is about counter-attacking, transitioning, and players rotating in their positions. It relies on good link-up play and positive attacking, combining fast-paced and measured attacks on goal. Defenders benefit from dealing with overloads in this session, which we always find important to practise, given that there are 200 turnovers per team in each game.... MORE
This session is about developing blind side runs in the final third in order to break the last line of defence. It’s important to practise this because goals are scored at the highest level as a result of blind side runs. In this session, the first practice was designed to recreate the goal scored by... MORE
Defending against the counter-attack and reacting quickly to these transitions of play is important. That’s because in the modern era, once teams win possession they are capable of breaking forward at great speed and with real quality. The ability to make the correct countering defensive decisions is a core part of being a successful defender.... MORE
In this session, we try to give players an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in defensive zones in and around the box – this includes defending individually and as a back four unit. We also look at covering, team balance, and the ability to support. It’s important to practise this because, more than anywhere... MORE
This is a session focused on defending against a particular formation. It is aimed at stopping a team that plans to attack in a 4-2-3-1 set-up. When facing a team who have the ability to pass through you or exploit spaces with their running on the ball, being unbalanced in your shape and not closing... MORE
The role of the centre-midfielder is a vital one in modern soccer and his effectiveness and resourcefulness is best practised with regular repetition of technique and job role. This is a session I first outlined when with Besiktas back in 2011, but so solid and reliable is the role of the midfielder that it is... MORE
This session is about creating space in midfield in order to receive or support others in breaks. This scenario often occurs as a first build-up stage in a game when full-backs or centre-backs have possession and want to use it smartly. MORE
Get your midfielders to link up play and support forwards with this progressive attacking session that's based around core principles of retaining possession and getting the midfield to move freely. MORE
This is a functional shot stopping session that starts using just the goalkeepers and the goalkeeping coach and it then progresses into a broader session and a small-sided game with the outfield players. The integration of the outfield players makes the session more match realistic and it will enhance the goalkeeper’s decision making in game... MORE
This is a session for goalkeepers that teaches and rehearses dealing with crosses, both opposed and unopposed, and in the context of a small-sided game. The ability to manage balls crossed in from the wings is one of the most important parts of a goalkeeper’s game. It relies specifically on positioning, technique and good decision-making.... MORE
Distribution from goalkeepers - using both feet - is now a vital part of the game. This session helps distribution to real targets become second nature, and prevents keepers kicking aimlessly. MORE
This session teaches players to stay positive and aware in game situations, with a focus on moving play forward at all times. It encourages players to think about what’s ahead of and around them and relies on a good first touch and the use of clever angled passes. In the Premier League, the better the... MORE
This session is focussed on preparing players for an upcoming opponent, specifically with regard to getting them to understand their options for playing out from the goalkeeper against the exact formation they are likely to encounter. It also prepares them to play against the opposition when outnumbered in certain areas of the pitch. I like... MORE
This session is focused on creating opportunities from possession. Every team should work on their ability to maintain and exploit possession because, when harnessed to attacking intent, keeping hold of the ball is the best way to break down defences and create goal-scoring chances. This kind of play greatly increases a team’s chances of winning... MORE
