Fascinating episodes and really enjoyed. My son was playing for BCN juniors at the MIC (Med International Cup) and an English Coach was surprised and asked “why is it that you pass backwards so much here, Esp to the GK?, when i replied to keep the ball and the GK is a player, he looked confused!!! When i explained the numbers game “ ie Striker chasing defender and he can create a 2v1 situation; Def pass to GK (Striker goes to close down GK) and GK simply passes to defender when the striker is dead and the importance of the movement in ‘Numbers game’and the fact that the GK can be an extra Player, it was as if a lightbulb came on!!! I think this is basic knowledge, but not to some, football at all ages is a game of chess, esp in late youth football..but here in Barcelona in SSGs we start with trusting players to play in all directions, start earlier the better..
The criticism of ball mastery at a very young age is really strange. The pre-academy ages are about building a foundation, a foundation for further success. The ultimate manifestation of being comfortable on the ball is creativity and ball manipulation, in as many ways as possible...this is easily done through skill. Once they are supremely confident manipulating the ball, it then makes it much easier to teach other parts of the game. Ball Mastery shouldn't be frowned upon, it's the basis for most of all outfield positions - everyone has to have great feet now. Just go to any pre/academy, and you will see the kids that have done a lot of ball mastery stick out like a sore thumb, in a good way. It works! Whether or not you use all the skills in a game is irrelevant...that isn't the prime purpose of ball mastery AT A YOUNG AGE. It's about building a rock-solid foundation. For example, when you practice boxing you do 10 punch combinations knowing that you will mainly throw single or double shots all fight, when you service a vehicle you take it through extremes knowing that you'll hardly ever hit top speed etc etc AND etc. The preacademy ages are about calibrating and building a solid foundation.
Of course they are going to stick out like a sore thumb because that environment is all about staying on the ball. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy. Being able to handle and manipulate is really important, I agree with you there. However, much of what is being taught, is not helping young players and I don’t just mean they won’t use specific things in games. They are forming bad habits that will need to be broken later. In addition, this over focus on convoluted skills and routines, is taking so much of the training time of younger players. This narrative that “they can learn the other stuff later” is so obviously flawed. Yes they CAN learn the other stuff later, but the other stuff will definitely suffer compared to the level they COULD have got to with it.
Ball mastery and teaching foundations skills is definitely harder to master than tactics etc etc. its strange how i had to come to spain and spend 10 years Coaching before i fully understood ball mastery and how to teach it correctly.. lots of detail and certainly a hole in the English FA education of Coaches..sad😢 But pro academies are making huge strides forward now
Kante was the best example of the central player. Here in Spain that position is creative, a great touch, 360 awareness and normally exceptional on the ball and has great ball and body movement deception. In Barcelona it is a critical position which is the glue that binds a team. It starts at 8-10 years old and you will always see them in the middle of 3v3 rondo’s and SSGs as a spare player developibg a very specific set of skills. Normally they are small, quick with exceptional 360 scanning and awareness of the game. I personally dont think England has produced a world class centre midfielder since shcoles and Gasgiogne. But, Bellingham is the next hope.. what a player, but interesting that a larger part of his development was outside the UK 😉
Regarding video recording of games, its now common place in Spain and i suspect around the world. Almost everyone has a mobile and cloud storage!!! It is vital for self development and growth for players and Coaches.. last year i video’d my under 10s and shared it to youtube “not made public” and i was fascinated by what different parents did with the video? It was mainly meant to be for for entertainment, and me to sit back and watch the game afterwards, but, some people did stats, some did player promotion, some sent to scouts and others used for player development. One parent even took the data and did a match of the day highlights which was very popular with the kids. We had to change it a bit(not just Goalscorers, so it was fair for all players. My Son at 10 started to sit and watch bits of the game, then askibg to watch his saves and the goals he let in(great for his learning )But in a world of Visual stimulation… this will creep into foundation football, no doubt. It should never be forced on “children”, but is part of their world.. if and when they are ready for it!!!
Correction, in Spain children from 5 years play futsal, and football 7 (across 1/2 pitch) matches. High technical focus in training. There are also lots and lots 2v2, 3v3, 5v5 SSG competitions… m/tournaments in Spain and Barcelona too all year round. But do not start football 11s until 12 year old..
With all respect to the Mother, academics and school provide a number of opportunities in life, the chances of making it pro are so low, it doesnt make sense. Being a pro is still a dream, like with most sports and entertainment. Please put context on ages, one minute talking about scholars and number 6s then u9s and u6s. I've never heard in my life "he had a great game off the ball" 😂 We don’t encourage deep lying n6s because the game is fast and pressured. Defenders now play out the back. 100% agree parents are killing thier kids and doing too much but as long as the child enjoys it, it's a journey.
School (online school, home school etc) does not provide any opportunity. Self confidence does. Education is not equal to opportunity. It gives possibility🤓
Fast twitch is innate. Neymar's ability to move quickly is innate, he became all world because he practiced, but you have to have the God given ability first.
Why are we so hooked on producing a professional player?? It should be about trying to get better at the game so you can enjoy it more. It’s better to bet on horse racing or do the lottery every week to become rich than trying to get a kid to become a pro footballer I don’t agree with home schooling, what about developing people skills and mixing with different types of people, getting street wise! This is why the professional footballers get themselves into trouble!
If your reason for not agreeing with homeschooling is due to not socialising, then you’ve been quite ill-informed. Homeschooled kids are probably more independent, confident, sociable and self-motivated than traditionally schooled kids. Assuming that homeschooling means isolation is quite ignorant. You should look into it and I believe you’d be pleasantly surprised.
Hi Portia , I’m interested in understanding how your child builds up really important quality like resiliency . Part of going to school in a tough area is learning to be able to look after yourself in a challenging environment which at times for kids school can certainly be . I’m not sure how that can be replicated while home schooling. It’s by no means a criticism just a lot of the players that have made it talk fondly of those days at school .
Fascinating episodes and really enjoyed. My son was playing for BCN juniors at the MIC (Med International Cup) and an English Coach was surprised and asked “why is it that you pass backwards so much here, Esp to the GK?, when i replied to keep the ball and the GK is a player, he looked confused!!! When i explained the numbers game “ ie Striker chasing defender and he can create a 2v1 situation; Def pass to GK (Striker goes to close down GK) and GK simply passes to defender when the striker is dead and the importance of the movement in ‘Numbers game’and the fact that the GK can be an extra Player, it was as if a lightbulb came on!!! I think this is basic knowledge, but not to some, football at all ages is a game of chess, esp in late youth football..but here in Barcelona in SSGs we start with trusting players to play in all directions, start earlier the better..
As a Homeschooling parent, I found this to be a really interesting discussion.
The criticism of ball mastery at a very young age is really strange. The pre-academy ages are about building a foundation, a foundation for further success. The ultimate manifestation of being comfortable on the ball is creativity and ball manipulation, in as many ways as possible...this is easily done through skill. Once they are supremely confident manipulating the ball, it then makes it much easier to teach other parts of the game. Ball Mastery shouldn't be frowned upon, it's the basis for most of all outfield positions - everyone has to have great feet now. Just go to any pre/academy, and you will see the kids that have done a lot of ball mastery stick out like a sore thumb, in a good way. It works! Whether or not you use all the skills in a game is irrelevant...that isn't the prime purpose of ball mastery AT A YOUNG AGE. It's about building a rock-solid foundation.
For example, when you practice boxing you do 10 punch combinations knowing that you will mainly throw single or double shots all fight, when you service a vehicle you take it through extremes knowing that you'll hardly ever hit top speed etc etc AND etc. The preacademy ages are about calibrating and building a solid foundation.
Of course they are going to stick out like a sore thumb because that environment is all about staying on the ball. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
Being able to handle and manipulate is really important, I agree with you there.
However, much of what is being taught, is not helping young players and I don’t just mean they won’t use specific things in games. They are forming bad habits that will need to be broken later.
In addition, this over focus on convoluted skills and routines, is taking so much of the training time of younger players.
This narrative that “they can learn the other stuff later” is so obviously flawed. Yes they CAN learn the other stuff later, but the other stuff will definitely suffer compared to the level they COULD have got to with it.
Ball mastery and teaching foundations skills is definitely harder to master than tactics etc etc. its strange how i had to come to spain and spend 10 years Coaching before i fully understood ball mastery and how to teach it correctly.. lots of detail and certainly a hole in the English FA education of Coaches..sad😢 But pro academies are making huge strides forward now
Kante was the best example of the central player. Here in Spain that position is creative, a great touch, 360 awareness and normally exceptional on the ball and has great ball and body movement deception. In Barcelona it is a critical position which is the glue that binds a team. It starts at 8-10 years old and you will always see them in the middle of 3v3 rondo’s and SSGs as a spare player developibg a very specific set of skills. Normally they are small, quick with exceptional 360 scanning and awareness of the game. I personally dont think England has produced a world class centre midfielder since shcoles and Gasgiogne. But, Bellingham is the next hope.. what a player, but interesting that a larger part of his development was outside the UK 😉
My son plays for cornella ❤
@@OgoEzeagugreat club. My youngest Son is at Mercantil now alevin Sub12. I have coached players who have gone to Cornella, what age group is your son?
@@neildean7515 benjamin k the seleteced ones competive my prebenjamin But plays Kids 2-3 years old er s10 group
Regarding video recording of games, its now common place in Spain and i suspect around the world. Almost everyone has a mobile and cloud storage!!! It is vital for self development and growth for players and Coaches.. last year i video’d my under 10s and shared it to youtube “not made public” and i was fascinated by what different parents did with the video? It was mainly meant to be for for entertainment, and me to sit back and watch the game afterwards, but, some people did stats, some did player promotion, some sent to scouts and others used for player development. One parent even took the data and did a match of the day highlights which was very popular with the kids. We had to change it a bit(not just Goalscorers, so it was fair for all players. My Son at 10 started to sit and watch bits of the game, then askibg to watch his saves and the goals he let in(great for his learning )But in a world of Visual stimulation… this will creep into foundation football, no doubt. It should never be forced on “children”, but is part of their world.. if and when they are ready for it!!!
Correction, in Spain children from 5 years play futsal, and football 7 (across 1/2 pitch) matches. High technical focus in training. There are also lots and lots 2v2, 3v3, 5v5 SSG competitions… m/tournaments in Spain and Barcelona too all year round. But do not start football 11s until 12 year old..
Very good podcast - Lots of important topics raised!!
Great Chat! Really insightful!
1h:25m - Absolutely spot on!! 100% social media has sanitised the real art of football.
Great episode yet again
With all respect to the Mother, academics and school provide a number of opportunities in life, the chances of making it pro are so low, it doesnt make sense. Being a pro is still a dream, like with most sports and entertainment.
Please put context on ages, one minute talking about scholars and number 6s then u9s and u6s.
I've never heard in my life "he had a great game off the ball" 😂
We don’t encourage deep lying n6s because the game is fast and pressured. Defenders now play out the back.
100% agree parents are killing thier kids and doing too much but as long as the child enjoys it, it's a journey.
School (online school, home school etc) does not provide any opportunity. Self confidence does.
Education is not equal to opportunity. It gives possibility🤓
Fast twitch is innate. Neymar's ability to move quickly is innate, he became all world because he practiced, but you have to have the God given ability first.
Are we talking about a 8 year old here
Why are we so hooked on producing a professional player?? It should be about trying to get better at the game so you can enjoy it more. It’s better to bet on horse racing or do the lottery every week to become rich than trying to get a kid to become a pro footballer
I don’t agree with home schooling, what about developing people skills and mixing with different types of people, getting street wise! This is why the professional footballers get themselves into trouble!
If your reason for not agreeing with homeschooling is due to not socialising, then you’ve been quite ill-informed. Homeschooled kids are probably more independent, confident, sociable and self-motivated than traditionally schooled kids. Assuming that homeschooling means isolation is quite ignorant. You should look into it and I believe you’d be pleasantly surprised.
Hi Portia , I’m interested in understanding how your child builds up really important quality like resiliency . Part of going to school in a tough area is learning to be able to look after yourself in a challenging environment which at times for kids school can certainly be . I’m not sure how that can be replicated while home schooling. It’s by no means a criticism just a lot of the players that have made it talk fondly of those days at school .