At my
coaching session on the Monday under the backdrop of Wembley Stadiums iconic
arc we put together games for the boys. Some registered academy players and
some trial players. I happened to be on the phone to a well-known coach as I
struggled to get all my equipment and balls from my car to the pitch. He said I’ll
let you go but I suddenly thought, no wait actually because something has occurred
to me. I had recently hurt my back yet I had counted 15+ lads had walked past
me and not offered to help. I have a bag of balls, a kit bag an equipment bag
as I shuffled around consciously not asking to see if anyone offered. Within
yards of the pitch one lad finally offered to give me hope that some decency
and manners existed still. That was followed up by a lad showing me the
ultimate disrespect kissing his lips at me when asked to play in a position he didn’t
like. I offered him another option which was standing on the side of the pitch
and he decided to opt for the first option and play where I asked him. I later
explained to him the importance of trying different positions, examples of
professionals playing now where we had done the same in their development
years.
Another new
lad had arrived late and we got him on the pitch. Just as I was in a bit of a
gaze despairing in my mind and frustrated at the attitude of some of the boys
that we are here trying to help, maybe they think they have cracked the code.
As I quietly & thoughtfully carried on watching I was quickly diverted. The
new lad was running and trying like I haven’t seen in a long time from any
player. He tactically wasn’t great and you could see he was ‘raw’. Immediately I
can see that he hadn’t been in any academy structure which sometimes I like.
When he got the ball his first touch was excellent and positive. He drove at
players, could beat them 1v1 and had a great shot but also awareness to pick
out opposition. Every time his team lost it, he ran and closed down like it was
the last 5 minutes of an FA cup final he was losing. I got him on the side for
a chat as I had not really spoke to him. After introductions…
Me “hey,
great start, well done”
Player “Thank
you” (hes looking at me smiling)
Me “So,
could you tell me, where have you been playing”?
Player “I
play for *** ******” (of course need to protect his identity)
Me “So, how
long have you played for them”
Player “have
played for them for 3 months”
Me “Oh cool,
so where did you play before that?”
Player “I
just came to the country a year ago”
Me “that’s
ok, so you played where you lived before”?
Player “No,
I didn’t, I never played football”
So, what
happened next took my breath away. It turns out this child is an orphan
refugee. He has foster parents in London and was rescued from a war torn country.
His parents killed in the process. He had never played in an organised football
match until September this year and at best practiced skills in the street on
his own. Hes 13. We’ve all seen the refugee crises on the TV and most have seen
and heard the resentment towards people that come here perhaps unjustified.
However, for me this was the first time I had met a real victim. A poor child
on his own in a foreign country. I have children and it quickly hit home how
lucky we are. I put him on the pitch and what he displayed the first time only
got better. It was like watching one of those X Factor episodes of a child
lighting up the stage that followed a heart-breaking story. Except this was no
stage and no audience. However he still left me thrilled and excited. I of
course had to remain professional but inside it felt both heart-breaking and heart-warming.
If this child gets signed and continues on what he showed, he will be an unbelievable
story. I feel like if he does then every cold wet night evening of ups and downs
will have been worth it, just for that. I think I might need to wear sunglasses
next week if he performs like that again.
Reward v Reports
Delivering
Fiitball this week in schools got me thinking about player reports in academy
football. We really want players to learn movement off the ball and forward
runs. In Fiitball we have scoring end zones and when the first child did it I
really exaggerated the reward. I stopped it, everyone clapped. I reminded
everyone how that indicates great tactical ability. Guess what, within 5
minutes of restarting 6 further children ran into the end zone seeking out a
similar “well done”. I then thought about player reports and what if I did that
as a trial. As an alternative method just write that learning objective down on
the child’s report. Then see how translate that into a game. To me, most
children have a natural competitive instinct that can be exploited as a coach
to be able to provoke that leaning point. Just by a tweak of the rules and game
targets can help you get the learning target out instead of putting it down on
paper as a ‘negative’ that many children can take badly even putting them off
the sport. I’m not a fan of endless pointless reports and I believe it creates
lazy coaching.
Performance Bands
I heard
something outrageous this week. A professional club development centre putting
bronze, silver and gold bands on the children. This is ten year olds. Maybe
they do it with younger ones as well. But what is your view on this? Am I alone
in thinking of so many reasons of why this is bad and I don’t know how it helps
development at any level of football. Reality is, some players are better than
others. In the end, at professional clubs, some get contracts, some don’t and
get released. In development years I see no benefit whatsoever of there being a
public display of your ‘opinion’ of who is doing better and who is struggling.
It will create an environment straight away that could create bullying behind
your back. It’s embarrassing for the child and you could completely demotivate
that child and put them off football. Also, how does it help the ‘gold’
players? They think they’ve cracked it, get over confident and now start to
coast along. The reality behind the scenes inside professional clubs is that
they indeed will have typically three groups. Those struggling, the ones in the
middle and the ones flying at the top. Ultimately if players don’t improve or
development strategies tried have failed they will get released. Recruitment
teams then replenish those players. But discussions need to be private with the
player and parents and include expected areas of improvement. To put bands on
them to me is awful. If it was my club I would tell the coaches I’m going to do
the same with them. Put them is groups of who we as a club rate as a club and
those we don’t. I wonder how that would make them feel? Or let the parents put
them into those groups. Sounds outrageous doesn’t it? That’s because it is, if you’re
a coach, stand up for what right and challenge that please. Or, help me
understand the argument for it. For example, in class the children will sit in
groups for maths. Stronger ones will be developed/challenged more. Lower performing
groups helped more. Personally, I don’t think this can work in football. Do
you?
Tony McCool
@antmccool7
