The Playmaker

KEITH BOANAS –UEFA HEAD COACHES DELEGATE DECEMBER 2013 . THE PLAYMAKER

u WHO IS THE PLAYMAKER IN YOUR TEAM? ü THE BEST PLAYER/PLAYERS u WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PLAYMAKER? ü TO INSTIGATE SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS u WHICH POSITION DO THEY PLAY ? ü GENERALLY ONE OF THE CENTRAL MIDFIELD ROLES ( 4 OR 10 ) BUT CAN BE ANOTHER AND CAN BE MORE THAN ONE u DOES A TEAM NEED A PLAYMAKER ? ü IN AN IDEAL WORLD THEY ARE ALL PLAYMAKERS

• When team in possession operates in the spaces between the defensive and aacking units .

• Mainly linking with GK and back four then aacking midﬁeld and wide players .

• Ulized in formaons shown below : • 1-4-1-4-1 • 1-4-3-3 both in 11 v 11 • 1-4-1-3 in a 9 v 9 • 1-2-1-2-1 n a 7 v 7

• All formaons should and do show the GK .

1-4-1-4-1 1-4-3-3 1-4-1-3

7 v 7 POTENTIAL FORMATIONS SHOWING START POSITION FOR DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

1-2-1-2-1 © KEITH BOANAS 2013 11 v 11

1-4-3-3 ATTACKING HALF IN POSSESSION WORKING ZONE

1-4-3-3 DEFENDING HALF WORKING ZONE BETWEEN THE UNITS IN POSSESSION RECEIVING AND PASSING OPTIONS

2. Use awareness and vision to weigh up aacking opons ,insgate quick counter aacks

3. Use a good range of passing – short and long, to feet or into space - make powerful forward runs with the ball CLAUDE MAKELELE 4. Make well med support runs for Real Madrid & Chelsea aacking players in front and behind the ball. One of the best in this role both in defense and 5. Make late runs to create aack . scoring opportunies

©KEITH BOANAS 2013 ENCOURAGING DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER TO BE THE PLAYMAKER SKILL PRACTICE

SESSION 1 BASED ON PICTURE SHOWING THE DEF- MID (PLAYMAKER) SHOWING FOR THE BALL AND BEING IGNORED. PRACTICE =50 X 30 GRID 3 V 3 INSIDE 2 CB ONE END STRIKER OPPOSITE END – WIDE DEF EITHER SIDE CREATING A 7 V 3 . EMPHASIS ON USE OF PLAYMAKER TO PLAY THROUGH THE AREA – PLAYMAKER MUST TOUCH BALL AT LEAST ONCE AND FINAL PASS SHOULD BE PLAYED BY ONE OF THE CENTRAL PLAYERS DIAGRAM 1 (OR YOU COULD INSIST ON THE PLAYMAKER TO ENCORAGE SECONDARY MOVEMENT DIAGRAM 2

KEY POINTS 1.CREATE SPACE 2. DECISION 3. ADVANCED POSITION –OPTIONS SHOWN –LONG BALL PLAYED ? SUPPORT /COMMUNICATION 4. ACCURACY –FEET OR SPACE 5. MOVEMENT. 6.END PRODUCT . OPTIONAL WARM UP SAME AREA 7 X PLAYERS IN POSITION –PASSING COMBINATIONS END TO END ..MAIN PRACTICE IF DEFENDERS WIN BALL 3 PASSES OR PASS OUT TO COACH

DIAGRAM 1 DIAGRAM 2

SESSION 2 PICTURE SHOWS A 5 V 3 OUTWEIGH WITH LOTS OF SPACE ON THE RIGHT AND THE GK GOES LONG UNECCESSARILY WHEN TEAM MAY HAVE COMFORTABLY PLAYED OUT FROM THE BACK UTILISING THE PLAYMAKER CIRCLED RED. DIAGRAM 3 BELOW FULL WIDTH HALF FIELD PENALTY AREA CUT OFF TO START GIVE GK FREE DISTRIBUTION 5 V 4 IN AREA WITH 2X ATTACKING MID TARGET PLAYERS AND 1 DEFENDING MIDFIELDER OUTSIDE THE AREA TO SCREEN AND ACT AS OUTLET IF DEFENDERS WIN BALL- DEFENDERS CAN ALSO ATTACK THE MAIN GOAL IF GAINING POSSESSION AND ALL PLAYERS CAN PLAY AS NORMAL GAME . KEY POINTS 1.CREATE SPACE 2. DECISION =PASS,RWB GREAT POSITION –OUTWEIGH – GK WENT 3. RECEIVING SHAPE /FIRST TOUCH 4. SUPPORT LONG ? ANGLES /COMMUNICATION . 5. ACCURACY 6. MOVEMENT 7. END PRODUCT

IN DIAGRAM KEEPER DISTRIBUTES BALL TO FEET OF CENTRE BACK –PLAYMAKER –DEFENSIVE MID MOVES TO RECEIVE AND COMBINES WITH RIGHT DEFENDER AND MOVES FOR RETURN PASS TO FIND ONE OF THE ATTACKING MIDS WITH A PASS

ENCOURAGE GOOD DECISION MAKING WHICH MAY INCLUDE RUNNING WITH THE BALL / DRIBBLING IN THE RIGHT AREAS DEPENDANT ON THE REACTION OF DEFENDERS . IN THIS SPACE WORK WITH THE PLAYMAKER TO GET ON THE BALL MORE THAN ONCE IF POSSIBLE BUT SHOULD DEFENDERS DECIDE TO MAN MARK AND ARE EFFECTIVE THEN EMPHASISE THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE ALSO AS SPACE MUST BE CREATED FOR ANOTHER TEAM MATE .

ONCE ATTACKING MIDS RECEIVE THEY CAN PLAY LONG BALL BACK TO KEEPER OR PLAY THROUGH THE COACH ON THE OUTSIDE. DIAGRAM 3 ©KEITH BOANAS 2013 ENCOURAGING DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER TO BE THE PLAYMAKER GAME PRACTICE

SESSION 3 PICTURES SHOW GOOD POSITIONING OF PLAYMAKER IN BETWEEN THE DEFENCE AND ATTACKING LINES SUPPORTING BOTH SITUATIONS AND ALSO IF LONG BALL IS RISKED ABLE TO PICK UP SECOND BALL . DIAGRAM 4 BELOW SSG /PHASE 9 V 9 TEAM WITH PLAYMAKER ALLOWED TO SCORE ON MAIN GOAL PLUS TWO SMALL GOALS (OPTIONAL) – TO REPRESENT THEIR STRIKERS – AGAIN ENCOURAGE PLAYMAKER /DEFENSIVE MID TO GET ON THE BALL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SUPPORT AND COMBINE WITH OTHERS TO CREATE FORWARD PASSING OPPORTUNITIES AND PENETRATING RUNS IN TO SPACES BEHIND OPPONENTS . DEFENDING TEAM IF GAINING POSSESSION ATTACK MAIN GOAL GOOD SUPPORT POSITION BETWEEN AS NORMAL GAME . THE LINES –SET BACK FORWARD KEY POINTS 1. REACT TO GAINING POSSESSION 2. CREATE SPACE PASS INTO SPACE 3. VISION/AWARENESS 4. DECISION=PASS,RWB, 5. SUPPORT/ COMMUNICATION 6.MOVEMENT 7. END PRODUCT /ACCURACY

DIAGRAM 4

SIMILAR POSITION BETWEEN THE LINES – ANTICIPATING SHORT OR LONG BALL