Coaching players during COVID-19: part two

Session 1 - Mind the gap

Organisation

• Create an area 10x10 yards.
• Players work in pairs.
• Four cones.
• One ball.
• Passing gate set halfway between players – size of gate and distance between players can vary.

Session information

• Players pass and receive across the area.
• Receive on one side of the cone, transfer ball across and pass back.
• Complete ten passes then narrow the gate.
• Use both feet to control and pass the ball.

Coaching points

• Pass the ball with weight and accuracy.
• Strike through the ball.
• Control the ball with inside, outside or sole of the foot.
• Practice to play using both feet to control and to pass.
• Move to get in line with the pass as the ball travels.

Adaptations

• Increase or reduce distance of the pass.
• Increase or decrease the size of the gate.
• Rotate players throughout the practice.

Session 2 - On your toes

Organisation

• Create an area 10x10 yards.
• Players work in pairs.
• Four cones set up as three passing gates halfway between players – size of gate can vary.
• One ball.

Session information

• Players pass and receive between the passing gates.
• The first pass can go between any of the three gates, but all others must go back through a different gate.
• Complete ten passes.
• Use both feet to control and pass the ball.

Coaching points

• Pass the ball with weight and accuracy.
• Strike through the ball.
• Control with inside, outside or sole of the foot.
• Practice to play using both feet to control and to pass.
• Move to get in line with the pass as the ball travels.

Adaptations

• Increase or reduce the distance of the pass.
• Increase or decrease the size of the gates.
• Use one-touch to pass the ball quickly or multiple touches to build control and change the pace of the game.
• Rotate players throughout the practice.

Session 3 - Individual practice: dribbling and passing

Organisation

• Create an area 20x20 yards.
• The blue team have a ball each while two additional red players have one ball between them (numbers can be adjusted based on FA COVID-19 guidelines and social distancing recommendations).
• Players start by spreading out within the square.
• Players move freely whilst dribbling within the area.
• The pair of players with one ball between them moves within the square passing to one another, avoiding dribbling players.

Session information

• Establish social distancing conditions and rules with players to ensure no misunderstanding takes place.
• Set up an area to relate to the ability of your players - this can be adapted to suit your players where necessary and if safe to do so.
• Passing players will need to assess appropriate techniques, passing first time, moving the ball under control, to create passing angles and spaces.
• Players should be encouraged to be courageous and unorthodox on occasions in executing passes in tight situations to develop higher skill levels.

Coaching points

• Look up to assess situation and identify clear passing opportunities.
• Recognition of space and time to execute accurate passes to partner.
• Protecting the ball is important whilst seeking opportunity to pass.
• Passes must be delivered through, rather than over, players moving around the square.
• Recognition of different weights to put on passes relative to space and time available to execute.
• When dribbling, make sure all players are using both feet and all surfaces, with their heads up, knees bent and arms out for balance.

Adaptations

• Add gates or defenders to increase the game realism (only when FA COVID-19 guidelines permit opposed practices).
• Reduce area within which players operate.
• Use different shaped areas including circles, diamonds etc.
• Vary the types of passes and ball dribbling skills to ensure both feet and all surfaces are practised.

Session 4 - Individual practice: dribbling and running with the ball

Organisation

• Create an area 15x15 yards, with four zones labelled A, B, C & D with mannequins (or gates) in the middle set-out as illustrated.
• The blue team have a ball each while the red team have a ball between them.
• Blue team start on the outside of square, evenly-spaced and must:
  • attempt to dribble with the ball across the square or to an adjacent side
  • avoid the mannequins (gates)
  • avoid their ball being hit by the red team who are passing between them in the middle.
• Running with the ball across the area gains two points (zones A and B), dribbling to the adjacent side (zones C and D), gains one point.
• If a player on the blue team lose their ball, they join the red team in the middle to increase the level of interference.

Session information

• Establish social distancing conditions and rules with players to ensure no misunderstanding takes place.
• Create an area to relate to ability of your players and can be adapted where necessary.
• Different strengths of the contact touch on ball according to availability of space.
• Ability to contact the ball using both feet.
• Ability to reverse or change direction quickly if there's another player nearby.

Coaching points

• Look up to assess situation and capitalise on opportunities that open up.
• Assess risk and making positive moves that involve an element of risk to score high-tariff points.
• Ball protection is important whilst seeking an opportunity to exploit space.
• Recognition of different weights to put on passes relative to space and time available to execute.
• Dribbling players need to be using both feet and all surfaces with their heads up, knees bent and arms out for balance.

Adaptations

• Add more interference including gates, mannequins or even an intercepting defender to increase the challenge and reduce available space for players to move into (only when FA COVID-19 guidelines permit opposed practices).
• Condition the practice so that only one player is able to be on one side, at any one time. This will increase need for movement and evaluation of positioning of other players.
• Introduce a supporting player inside the inner square as a passing option to combine with, whilst moving across square (the coach or another player if guidelines allow).

Session 5 - Finishing alley

Organisation

• Create two parallel pitches of different widths and lengths.
• Use mannequins/cones and place them in a section of each pitch to encourage decelerating/accelerating.

Session information

• Players can only score within the scoring zone.
• Players work around in a circuit for three minutes and keep count of the number of goals they score. The player that scores the most, wins.
• Players keep their own ball – if they miss, they fetch it back.
• Goalkeeper challenge: the keeper that concedes the least, wins.

Coaching points

• Recognise when to slow down (approaching the cones/mannequins) and when to accelerate into space.
• Ball manipulation through the 'traffic’.
• Final touch before the finish to set up the shot.
• Composure/confidence.
• Goalkeepers: narrow the angle, set position and make the save.

Adaptations

• Move the cones to a different area of the pitch.
• Bonus points for scoring with weaker foot.
• Move or make the scoring zone bigger.

Session 6 - Combining to finish

Organisation

• Create two parallel pitches of different widths and lengths. 
• Use mannequins/cones and place them as per diagram to increase realism and decision-making.
• Mark out two zones on each pitch – one ‘floating zone’ and one ‘scoring zone’. Notice the floating/scoring zones are reversed on each pitch.
• Place footballs at the start of each pitch.

Session information

• Floating players remain locked into their zone.
• Players can only score within the scoring zone.
• Players must combine with the ‘floating player’ before scoring.
• Play for three minutes then rotate floaters/attackers (and possibly goalkeepers).
• One point for an assist, two points for a goal.
• Play two or three rounds.

Coaching points

• Pitch 1 - finish by moving onto the ball.
  • Floater - movement to create space/receiving skills to play forward or creativity/disguise to play penetrative pass into the scoring zone.
  • Attacker – movement to break the line/finishing techniques.
• Pitch 2 – finishing after a set back.
  • Angles of support from the floater to create clear passing lane.
  • Quality of pass/quality of ‘set’.
  • Finishing technique.
• Both pitches.
  • Speed of play/composure/creativity.
  • Goalkeepers - narrow the angle, set position and make the save.

Adaptations

• Move the cones to a different area of the pitch.
• Bonus points for finishing with their weaker foot.
• Move or make the scoring zone bigger.

Session 7 - group practice: passing and receiving

Organisation

• Three players on the outside of the zoned area with a ball who can travel around the perimeter, being aware of distance between them.
• Two players inside the zoned area. 

Session information

• Outside players move around or across their line. 
• Players inside make movement to receive pass from an outside player by trying to receive ball in different area and not in the same zone as the second player inside the zone.
• Players then look to pass out to outside player and move to receive ball. 

Coaching points

• Movement to receive ball, anticipation.
• Body shape to receive ball, open, front foot, back foot.
• Communication, verbal, and triggers.
• Observation, head up, scanning.
• Speed and distance of pass.
• Touch and control.

Adaptations

• Rotate players, inside and out.
• Alternate numbers inside/outside: 3-2, 4-1 etc.
• Alternate number of balls on outside.
• Introduce mini targets for points scoring. 

Session 8 - Small group practice: passing

Organisation

• Players on outside of the circle with a ball who can move around the outside.
• Matched and mirrored by players on the inside of the circle with a ball.
• Zoned areas spaced apart within circle.

Session information

• Players on the inside look to avoid other players within circle and travel to receive ball in zones marked.
• Players on the outside react and pass accordingly then move to receive whilst also avoiding players on outside of area.

Coaching points

• Movement to receive ball, anticipation.
• Body shape to receive ball, open, front foot, back foot.
• Communication, verbal, and triggers.
• Observation, head up, scanning.
• Speed and distance of pass.
• Touch and control.

Adaptations

• Add more players where appropriate (and when guidelines allow).
• Alternate players inside and outside.
• Change size, shape and number of zones within circle.
• Set challenges on touches, time and options.

Session 9 - Small group practice: shooting

Organisation

• Attacking players start at side of the goal, the server (the coach acting as one server) stands at side of pitch to feed balls in.
• Zoned area in front of goal for players to shoot before entering.
• Can be used with or without goalkeepers.

Session information

• Players start at side of goal, the ball is played simultaneously, to each end, players try to score as quickly as possible.
• Zoned area in front of goal for player to shoot before entering.
• Can be a race, or just repetition of serve in and rotation.

Coaching points

• Speed of pass.
• Receiving run and angle.
• Running with the ball/dribbling.
• Shooting.
• Shot Stopping.

Adaptations

• Rotate players regularly.
• Adapt numbers accordingly.
• Use session with or without goalkeepers.
• Adapt type of initial pass into area: fast, angled, bouncing etc.

Session 10 - Move in threes

Organisation

• Players are arranged in groups of three (which can be increased based on government guidelines).
• Each player has three zones to work in on their own.
• A two-metre dividing zone is placed between the player zones.

Session information

• The players try to move the ball from one end to the other as many times as possible – one point per success.
• Players are encouraged to dribble in their own zone before making a pass to their teammate in the next zone.
• Swap roles after each round so players get to experience playing at the end and in the middle.

Coaching points

• Try to encourage a range of different passing styles e.g. right foot, left foot, side foot.
• Also try to incorporate elements of trickery, disguise, deception etc.
• Scanning – can you see both players when receiving the ball?

Adaptations

• Play to a time limit – how many can you score in thirty seconds?
• Challenge the end player to receive the ball on a different line to the one the previous player received it on.
• Up, back and through – play a one-two with the central player before playing a longer pass to the other end player.

If you’re back out on the grass and want to find more safe sessions, head to our playlist by clicking here.

The FA’s Diversity & Inclusion team are aware of additional concerns and anxiety that members of the BAME community may have regarding returning to football. We fully support these concerns and care about the welfare of coaches and volunteers when carrying out football related activities. We also recognise that early research and insight in relation to the impact of COVID-19 on the BAME community is complex and still not fully understood.

If you have any health concerns regarding returning to coaching for yourself, your players or parents/carers etc you can contact The FA at D&Isupport@theFA.com for advice. We must follow the latest government advice and ensure that we do not feel pressured to return to coaching. You can find some additional support below:

• https://www.gmcvo.org.uk/Coronavirus/BAMESupport
• https://www.mind.org.uk/