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European Academy Training Session

Michal Jagielka

Published by WORLD CLASS COACHING

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First published December, 2017 by WORLD CLASS COACHING 12851 Flint Street Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 402-0030

All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Authors – Michal Jagielka Editor - Tom Mura Cover Art By - Barrie Smith

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INDEX

1. PSV Academy Page 4

2. Small Group Training Page 9

3. Cognitive Training Page 14

4. Developing Players, Not a Team Page 18

5. The Question of Competitiveness Page 23

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PSV Academy Passing

Between 7th and 20th of February 2016 I was in Belgium and Netherlands on a coaching internship. First, I visited Sint Truiden (Jupiler Pro League) where I could observe coaching work within first team and academy. In Netherlands, I visited PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie) where similar like in Belgium I had the chance to observe the work and talk to coaches of the first team and academy. In few articles I will describe my experiences and the most interesting conclusions from that educational time.

I will start with training forms that do not include the presence of opponent, which I observed in „De Herdgang” (PSV Eindhoven Training Ground). I thought that was very interesting, because I saw such forms used relatively often in PSV Academy. I had the opportunity to observe many training sessions of age groups from U11 to U18 and unopposed drills were rather regular part of their sessions. They were usually based on schemes of passing drills and some examples of those I will present below the text.

Why it was surprising for me? It is not a mystery that drill without opponent are always present in the initial phase of football education. I thought that players who are part of PSV Academy, due to their high skills, work mainly with more complex drills and small sided games.

Football is such a complex sport, that the current trends are revolving around a training process possibly similar to environment of rivalry of a match. The base for such point of view are tests for how our brain works. For example, player who is able to be very effective and quick in dribbling and moves without the presence of opponent, could be completely ineffective during the match. It happens because the very execution of drills is only one part of the activity. The rest is based on decision making and perception. And that is influenced by distance to opponent, moving ball, the area, opponents’ and teammates’ positions.

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Coaches who works mainly with schemes of passing and similar unopposed forms often spends a lot of time just to teach the drill. From my point of view training process should endeavor to teach the game, not the drill.

So, knowing the value of opposed and unopposed forms, why in PSV Academy there were so many drills, normally connected with the initial form of football education? I asked Mark van Bommel (former footballer PSV, AC Milan, Bayern Munchen) about that, who just like Ruud van Nistelrooy, works with youth players in PSV Academy.

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His first argument was that this way, they give the players the possibility to focus only on execution. Thanks to that he can perfect possibly best execution of technical aspect. I can confirm that the level of execution of those technical drills was unbelievable and moreover players were able to transfer that level to game environment. Coaches who work in PSV Academy require from players perfection in unopposed drills and simultaneously that perfection is based not only on technical aspect, but on the speed of execution as well. That element of time or area restriction is an element creating pressure just like during drills with an opponent.

Unopposed forms in PSV Eindhoven are a tool for them the step back with some element. If during more complex session, players aren’t able to perform the task and improve their skills, coach could always get back to less complicated forms. Adding explanation why they do that and what is the point of that change.

What is equally important, working with the players within the academy, coaches in Eindhoven, but also in other professional clubs, have a lot of time to spend on training. Because of that, they have enough time to control the training process and use many different forms of training as well. That allows them comfort of high number of training sessions during a week and number of working hours. They can patiently improve all skills necessary to become a professional footballer. Coaches who work with his team less often (mainly on semi-professional level) are forced to choose what form will be

most effective for his players and will be dominating in his club. The main conclusion is that the form of training (opposed or unopposed) isn’t crucial in long term process of player development. Both forms are useful but the most important factor is providing your players with enough hours of effective work, so they can improve their soccer skills. (equally important is working with a specific plan, what would make it easier to control the development process). If you have enough time, you can mix both forms, creating the best environment for your players to grow up.

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Practical examples of passing drills used in PSV Academy:

1. Scheme of passing through the central channel

2. Scheme of passing through the central channel – progression

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3. Scheme of longer diagonal passes

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Small Group Training

Between 7th and 20th of February 2016 I was in Belgium and Netherlands on a coaching internship. First, I visited Sint Truiden (Jupiler Pro League) where I could observe coaching work within first team and academy. In Netherlands, I visited PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie) where similarly like in Belgium I had the chance to observe the work of and talk to coaches of the first team and academy. In few articles I will describe my experiences and the most interesting conclusions from that educational time.

Another of my observations was that about dividing players into groups in training. Within every soccer team we can indicate formations. There is a goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders and forwards. Every formation has own specific characteristic and tasks. It results with that during the training process we should take into account various needs of players from different positions. Moreover, every team having own Model of Play, has to train specifically according with that plan, so it requires both individual and groups approach.

Historically, in soccer training process, throughout many years, the only formation/position specific coach was the one working with goalkeepers. That position is significantly different than the others, so that seemed more to delegate someone to work the player, whose main attributes during the game are hands. The need for specialization in training increased in recent years. At the moment, on the top level, the attention to details is so big that the coaching staff have a lot of specific members - not only ana- lysts or conditioning coaches. Examples of such specific positions are Gianni Vio and Bartosz Syl- westrzak. The Italian become the first much-famous set-pieces coach, having worked with Fiorentina, Al Nassr and AC Milan. The Polish coach teaches individual players how to improve their kicking technique. He is the free kicks’ specialist and has experience working with players in Premier League or in the Danish club Midtjylland. Such solutions are more popular in other sports. However, some European Academy Training Sessions 9 ©WORLD CLASS COACHING

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soccer clubs or academies are adopting the concept, having hiring coaches responsible for working only with specific formations (defenders, midfielders or forwards). Such kind of work is often being done by former players, who have great experiences on that specific position. (For example Dennis Bergkamp works with strikers in Ajax Amsterdam).

When I was on my coaching internship in Sint Truiden and PSV Eindhoven I was interested in how they try to develop players within their specific position. In both clubs I found interesting examples of how it could be done - both in adult and youth teams. In the senior teams’ case – in the first team in Sint Truiden the process was based on specific analyzing of the matches and dividing players during training sessions.

Especially interesting was the approach towards the analysis. When the coach was analyzing their last game or one of next opponents, meeting with the players was divided into two stages. During the first one, coach passed general information, that he felt was necessary to discuss with the whole team. The second phase was meeting with some sub-groups of players. The division was based on formations. There were separate meetings with defenders, midfielders and forwards and it helped the players to understand better what coach required from them and moreover what they could expect in next game. Analysis was often based on informations specific for particular groups. That surely is an interesting idea, especially for coaches who use game analysis often.

During the time I spent in Eindhoven I had many opportunities to observe how the club works with youth players. When I met Ruud van Nistelrooy (former PSV, Manchester United and Real Madrid player) and talked with him, he explained that he works with strikers within U17 and U19 teams. Un- fortunately, I wasn’t able to see any of his training sessions, but he wasn’t the only one responsible for working with formations. Between others Marc van Bommel (PSV, Bayern Munich) works the same way, but is helping midfielders. Another former players who have playing experience with PSV in the past and now work for the academy are Andre Ooijer (defender - PSV, Blackburn Rovers), Kevin ©WORLD CLASS COACHING 10 European Academy Training Sessions

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Hofland (defender - PSV, VFL Wolfsburg), Wilfred Bouma (defender - PSV, Aston Villa) and Michael Lamey (defender - PSV, Leicester City).

Players with such vast experience help as coach assistants and during training sessions, when team is divided in groups, they work with defenders (Ooijer), midfielders (van Bommel) and strikers (van Nis-

telrooy).

Such specification is visible during training sessions of older groups. Goalkeepers works with goalkeeper’s coach, while the rest of the group is divided after warm up. One of the assistants works with strikers, improving their movement’s and finishing abilities. Another group works on topics that include midfielders’ tasks and the last one includes defenders. What is important, working with relatively small groups makes it easier for the coach to observe players and react quickly when necessary.

To work this way, you have to cooperate with your assistant. When working as a youth coach it is especially important in long-term training process to improve individual skills (not only those specific for positions). Youth football requires development more than team results. My observations from Sint Truiden and PSV Eindhoven relate mainly with professional level, but by knowing the importance of working in small groups you can create appropriate environment to execute it on any level.

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Practical examples:

1. Drill for defenders:

2. Drill for midfielders:

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3. Drill for forwards:

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Cognitive Training

Between 7th and 20th of February 2016 I was in Belgium and Netherlands on a coaching internship. First, I visited Sint Truiden (Jupiler Pro League) where I could observe coaching work within first team and academy. In Netherlands, I visited PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie) where similarly like in Belgium I had the chance to observe the work of and talk to coaches of the first team and academy. In few articles I will describe my experiences and the most interesting conclusions from that educational time.

During one of conversations with youth coaches from Sint Truiden Academy I heard about „Cogi Training”. I knew about Michel Bruyninckx and his method before my coaching internship in Belgium and Netherlands, but my knowledge was scarce. Because the author of this method is from Belgium, I knew this will also be a great opportunity to learn more about it. Coaches from Sint Truiden told me that for them „Cogi training” is one of the important elements of training process in academy.

Cognitive training method is based on principles of “Brain Centred Learning”. Moreover, the method respects the 10.000 hours’ rule. In the past, the players’ activity was interpreted mainly by physical aspect. Many researches, thanks to neurology, neurobiology, neuro pedagogics and didactics helped to understand better that with every human activity the most important is our brain.

Authors of „Cogi training” methodology used those researches to create a soccer training program, that will be based on how our brain works. The methodology has its own specific principles, that helps to understand better the authors’ point of view.

1. First of all, players should be aware of the development process. It means that they should know what they are learning at any given time. More awareness helps to understand better and in long- term process helps with players’ motivation. This also create points of reference for the player. It has influence on decision-making process eventually. Knowing many different game situations, players are able to react quickly and make better choices. ©WORLD CLASS COACHING 14 European Academy Training Sessions

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2. Visualization of technical skills is considered as an important factor when improving player’s abilities. Coach can enrich the training process and try to use it during sessions.

3. Generally, perception as an element of soccer abilities is respected in this method. Many of player’s activities are based on behavior without the ball, so to make best decision possible, the footballer needs to observe and understand the game around him.

4. Another important factor for „Cogi training” method is synchronization of behaviors during training session. If during the drills, we try synchronize different actions, the execution will become au- tomatic and that will exclude the thinking process. What is obvious in soccer we can waste no time, so if we are able to learn to use some skills automatically, it will be useful during the match.

5. Both in school and soccer academies players are often treated as a group while every kids, every player has own specific characteristics and own preferred method of learning. Individual approach allows pupils to be focused on own development more.

6. Every game skills are used in a specific context. If we teach our players those skills mainly through drills that are deprived of any context, they won’t be able to transfer those skills effectively into the game. The reason for that is that our brain will react in a faster way if the sensorial and motor en- grams (memory trail) are related.

7. Social interactions in training process help in creating positive environment between coach and players and between players in the team. That positive environment and universal acceptance make it easier for players to have fun during training session and thanks to that to improve skills. Without it, especially when coach is very strict, players avoid improving their creativity in fear of negative evaluation.

In that text I described „Cogi training”, based on conversations with coaches in Belgium and Nether- land and on documents about that methodology. I suppose that most of coaches use similar elements in own training methods but it is wort to know „Cogi training” to improve own model. The role of science European Academy Training Sessions 15 ©WORLD CLASS COACHING

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researchers is very important. We can’t develop players without knowledge of how our brain works. I recommend to all coaches reading studies about it.

Practical examples:

1. Running with the ball:

2. Running with the ball with passes:

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Running with the ball with pass combination:

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Developing Players, Not a Team.

Between 7th and 20th of February 2016 I was in Belgium and Netherlands on a coaching internship. First, I visited Sint Truiden (Jupiler Pro League) where I could observe coaching work within first team and academy. In Netherlands, I visited PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie) where similarly like in Belgium I had the chance to observe the work of and talk to coaches of the first team and academy. In few articles I will describe my experiences and the most interesting conclusions from that educational time.

The main goal for youth coaches should be developing players who in the future will become profes- sionals. Many coaches, especially those keen on the tactical side of the game prefer building the team, rather than improving individual skills. Such kind of approach is also related with league mat, where even for the youngest teams compete. Additional pressure from the manager doesn’t help in the coaching process. In some countries, league competitions, where results are officially recorded, are prohibited up to a certain age. Professional academies create comfortable environment for coaches to focus on players rather than team.

During my coaching internship in Sint Truiden Academy I had the opportunity to talk with Erwin Coe- nen, who is Academy Coordinator. Apart from discussing the structure of their general development ideas, we talked about the main goal for the youth academies - the comprehensive development of footballer. I asked him also about the system of Ajax Amsterdam Academy, based on the rotation of coaches.

That Youth Academy, one of the best in the world, introduced a system of six-weeks-long rotation. In older teams they change head coach every six weeks. Such idea is used because of few important rea- ©WORLD CLASS COACHING 18 European Academy Training Sessions

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sons. From coach’s point of view, it gives them the opportunity to work with different players and that provides them with more experiences and allows to get to know the level of potential of each of those. Another aspect important for the coach is focusing on individual development of players, because he isn’t responsible for the team and the results. On the other hand, players aren’t dependent on just one coach, who may have own specific vision. Players can learn more, working with different coaches with different experiences. Player who may be just a reserve option in the team throughout the whole season, could be treated differently by another coach.

Erwin Coenen explained that they don’t use such method, but have the own, that should ensure constant improvement of soccer skills by their players. In Sint Truiden Academy every coach works with his team by the whole season. That standard work organization is supplemented by training sessions with specialist coaches, for example technical coach, and splitting the training week into two parts.

During the first part, usually on Monday and Wednesday, every team has their training sessions led by visiting coaches who prepared training drills from different development areas (strenght, speed, coordination, technic). Each training station is related with different specific skills and lasts for a limited time. What’s most important, such type of training session is mainly based on improving individual abilities. Every player gets the same stimuli to improve own skills.

Those sessions are organized by the coaches, who usually work with the teams in academy, but during that part of the week they prepare drills for more players and work outside of their team. That allows them to get to know more players from academy and discuss about their behavior or development with other staff members. European Academy Training Sessions 19 ©WORLD CLASS COACHING

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During the remaining days, Wedesday, Thursday and Friday, players work with own coach, the one responsible for the team. During those sessions they improve the abilities connected with the soccer team play. In total every player gets the opportunity of developing their individual skills and those needed to play the sport.

Such organization methods, used in Ajax Amsterdam Academy and Sint Truiden Academy, may not suit your club or academy, but the most important for coach is providing the players with constant and comprehensive development stimuli.

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Practical examples: 1. Ball Control:

2. Coordination:

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3. Speed:

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The Question of Competitiveness

Between 7th and 20th of February 2016 I was in Belgium and Netherlands on a coaching internship. First, I visited Sint Truiden (Jupiler Pro League) where I could observe coaching work within first team and academy. In Netherlands, I visited PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie) where similarly like in Belgium I had the chance to observe the work of and talk to coaches of the first team and academy. In few articles I will describe my experiences and the most interesting conclusions from that educational time.

During the long term process that is improving skills by youth players one of the most important fac- tors is the competitive nature of the players, not only in the league match, but even during training sessions competing against teammates. Players who do not like competing and don’t feel comfortable with that will not able to experiencing professional career.

From the academies’ point of view, it is important to create an environment for the players where they will be able to improve skills. First thing, very important especially for young players, is the level within the team. If player know feels he is above the teammates, he could lose motivation for further work, because irrelevantly of his dedication, he will be praised by the coach. On the other hand, if some players within the team, will be presenting significantly lower skills level, they motivation will drop. The method to avoid such situations is appropriately selecting the players. The best players should work with other best, while weaker ones should be given the chance to play with players of similar abilities.

Professional academies like PSV Eindhoven and Sint Truiden have to select only the best players and require from them professionalism. Every training session calls for the highest possible level of dedica-

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tion, because it’s not just about getting into the squad for next game, but the goal is much bigger - to become a professional footballer.

In Belgium academy they try since the youngest age to underline the importance of the constant development. Of course that progress isn’t related only with results of the games, but improving individual skills. One of methods they use to motivate players for constant work is a special every-month’s competition. Such competition is based the on number of ball juggling the player is able of performing. Such idea inspires young footballers to spend time with the ball individually outside of the training session and improve technical skills. Moreover, information about the best players from every age cat- egory in that challenge is posted on the wall in academy near the changing rooms.

As we can see, such idea is relatively simple and what is equally important to use it even in smaller clubs and academies. Such kind of competition could be related not only with juggling, but also with other technical elements. The most important is inspiring the players to live with the ball not only during training sessions, but all the time.

PSV Eindhoven to emphasize the importance of competitive nature during training sessions use specific form of competition. Such tournament includes high number matches, but the results aren’t based solely on teams’ results. There is constant rotation of players, so everyone plays in every game in different team with other teammates. What is important, every player collects points individually. He could get points both thanks to team’s activity and individual as well. The rules may be adjusted, but for the U11 team in PSV Eindhoven’s academy, coaches use system with 10 points for win the team and 1 point for every goal scored. After every round players report how many points they get and simultaneously receive from the coach information in which field they will play another game and with which teammates. At the end of that tournament coach sums up the results and informs players who got the most points. Such form of competition allows the players to play with all the teammates and focus on competing with thems. The awareness of young players in PSV Academy was at really high level, ©WORLD CLASS COACHING 24 European Academy Training Sessions

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so, while trying to score as many points as possible, they didn’t focus too much on getting the points individually.

For older teams within PSV Eindhoven academy, there is slightly different form of internal rivalry. Instead of small 4v4 tournaments, they offer them training sessions looking similarly to league games. Players were divided into two 11v11 teams, and they were wearing official match tricots. Academy provides professional referee and everything was looking similar as in the league game. The game is the best teacher. That motto can also describe aforementioned ideas of inspiring young players for constant development and teaching them about the necessity of increased rivalry.

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Practical examples of drills 2v2 with additional coordination element:

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