2011 Northwest All Sports Clinic February 11 th Five Lessons from World Cup 2010 for the High School or Youth Soccer Coach Dean Wurzberger

2011 Northwest All Sports ClinicFebruary 11th

“Five Lessons from World Cup 2010 for the High School or Youth Soccer Coach”

Dean Wurzberger

2011 Northwest All Sports Clinic

World Cup play serves as a “benchmark” for all coaches in regards to analyzing the game played at the highest level.

Coaches can benefit from study and analysis of these “world tournaments” and use them to gain greater awareness and understanding of modern trends and current developments in today’s game.

2011 Northwest All Sports Clinic

While there are many aspects of play and numerous “conclusions” that coaches could take away from the 2010 World Cup, I will offer 5 “lessons” that I believe will be useful for all coaches working with players and teams at the levels below the game played at the highest level.

None of these “lessons” will likely be “revelations” or new “concepts” but they will hopefully serve as reminders and “motivators” for guiding players and teams to success today and in the future.

2011 Northwest All Sports Clinic“Five Lessons from World Cup 2010 for the High

School or Youth Soccer Coach”

1. Think of ways to maximize player development:A.The “standard” for players playing the game at the highest level is changing and evolving and we as coaches will be challenged to assist with this player development in anyway we can.

B.The “modern game” can be characterized by the following statistics:• Players are covering greater distances than ever before and doing

so at higher speeds than ever before• The ball travels more quickly between players• Teams are making more passes• More goals are scored quickly as a result of counter attacking play



1. Think of ways to maximize player development:C. We must strive to help develop highly skilled players in great physical

condition with a high degree of “comfort” in possession of the ball. Passing and receiving skills (“first touch”) in tight spaces is of paramount importance for the player of the future.

D. Players must work on gaining these high level qualities outside of the limited time we have them in our soccer seasons. Year around training programs and regular “homework” for players needs to be encouraged and will be the norm for serious player seeking higher levels of play

E. All training sessions we conduct must maximize player development with many aspects of high level play addressed. All coaches must strive to design training sessions that address fitness, technique, tactical understanding and mental toughness



1. Think of ways to maximize player development:E. “High intensity” small-sided games with an emphasis upon

competition are extremely useful for reaching the objectives of the effective modern training session. “Three” practice groups will often assist in effective training organization.

F. Players need to be encouraged to seek the highest levels of play (Select, ODP, Top Club) and become a student of the game in regards to watching the game at the next level of play.

G. Players will require “position specific” training on a regular basis

Steering the HS player to success at the next level of play



2. Possession based style of play still “rules”:A. More teams at the highest level now value the importance

of maintaining possession and make more passes per game than in the past with leading teams often dominating in possession in the ratio of approximately 2 to 1 (65% to 35%).

B. Teams like Spain, Holland, Germany, Argentina and Brazil were all great examples of teams capable of extended possession sequences along with the ability to launch quick “fast break” attacks.



2. Possession based style of play still “rules”:C. Use of possession games in training is a must for players

to master the skills and decision making they need to improve in this important area. Play these possession games for short but intense periods of play.

D. High intensity small sided games and possession boxes for measured amounts of time (4-6m) is also an excellent method for developing aerobic endurance in your players

Possession Practices 1. Warm-up grids:

A. 4 v. 1, 3 v. 1, 4 v. 2, 5 v. 2, 6 v. 2 etc.

B. Possession boxes with “exchange of players”

2. Possession games with larger numbers with direction:

A. 8 v. 8 into end zones with GKs sweeping at the back (60 x 44) with 2 five yard end zones

B. 6 goal game (See pdf attachment)

C. 7 v. 7 four corner “gates” game (52 x 43) Score with a “3 man move” through a gate

3. Small sided games to goals:A. 2 v. 2 v. 2 on a pitch with three 20 yrds. zones marked out (60 x

36). Small sided goals. 3 touch in the back and MF third with all in for the finishing third

Possession games

2011 Northwest All Sports Clinic“Five Lessons from World Cup 2010 for the High School or

Youth Soccer Coach”

3. Width in the attack must be created:A. Width in attack is key for successful possession and

penetration. Width in the WC games was created either by wingers, wide MF players, inside MF players moving wide, fullbacks pushing up or even front players showing in wide areas during the build-up phase. Successful 1 v. 1 attacking play in wide areas was also a feature of the top teams

B. Use of the wings can create attacking situations for players to deliver dangerous passes to teammates in scoring position by “crossing” the ball or “cut backs” once the ball has been moved into “deeper” positions

Training games to create and exploit “width”



4. Work on counter attacking at practice :A. The best teams in the world today can hit their opponents with

quick transitions to attack at speed. “Counter attacking” in today’s game so prevalent that all top coaches must now prepare their teams as to how to best defend against this tactic (“counter the counter”) in order to remain safe and secure as a team as they develop their attacking play.

B. Three types of counters can be identified:1. “Classic”: Fast breaks from deep areas (near your own goal)2. “Collective”: MF collective defending leading to a gain in

possession (MF press) 3. “Advanced”: Pressing “high” and winning the ball in the

attacking third close to the opponent’s goal

Counter Attack Practices



5. Use of one or two midfield “screen” players A. All of the top WC teams featured either one or two central

“midfield screens”. The “screen player” had the ability to defend well in central midfield and provide “protection” for their back lines. They key players were also comfortable “in possession” and were able to help build attacks from deep areas and even go forward into the attack at times.

B. Examples of such players who complemented each other well in these “central midfield positions” in the 2010 WC final were Alonzo (#14) and Busquets (#16) for Spain and Van Bommel (#6) and De Jong (8) for Holland

WC 2010 Final team formations and use of the two MF “screen” players

Practices for coaching the MF Screen playerDefending function Attacking function

Documents

2011 Northwest All Sports Clinic February 11 th Five Lessons from World Cup 2010 for the High School or Youth Soccer Coach Dean Wurzberger