www.elitesoccercoaching.net SUMMER 2014 In partnershIp wIth JOHN ACHTERBERG LIVERPOOL Goalkeeping Soccer technique COACHING PRACTICes from the world’s LEADING MANAGERS AND COACHES NICK DAWS QPR Throw-in tactics ELITE SOCCER: MICHAEL JOLLEY buRnLEy Perfect ball TECHNICAL contact MASTERCLASix completeSS KEVIN BESPOKE AND soccer blueprints NICHOLSON caRdIff cITy EXCLUSIVE from the game’s On the PRACTICes top coaches move THAT DRILL DOWN INTO STUART THE TECHNICAL WATKISS GRIMSby TOWn DETAIL OF defending SOCCER technique CRAIG BREWSTER PFCA MEMbER Heads ALL NEW SESSIONS FOR THE 2014/15 SEASON up ELITE SOccER TEcHnICAL MaSTERcLaSS cOnTEnTS Elite Soccer is published by: A technical soccer showcase from some of the professional game’s Green Star Media Ltd most accomplished coaches Meadow View, Tannery Lane Guildford, Surrey, GU5 0AB, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1483 892 894 hank you very much for picking up this, our first special issue of Elite Fax: +44 (0) 1483 894 148 TSoccer in 2014. Email: I’m sure you’ve enjoyed the assortment of brilliant soccer on show at the [email protected] Brazil World Cup this summer. Only when you draw together nations from every corner of the globe do you realise how diverse and specialised Editor: James Evans the modern game is – different approaches, different styles, different Contributing Editor: philosophies. Yet at the heart of every nation, every player and every team Matthew Amos, LMA talk is the reality that having a sound appreciation of the requirements of Design: technical proficiency is an absolute must for any player who aspires to Jimmy Egerton perform to their potential. Illustrator: Richard Palmer Whether you’re talking defenders, striker, midfielders or keepers, knowing Customer Services: how to manipulate the ball, opponents and body movement is imperative. Duncan Heard And that’s why we’ve really drilled down on the mechanics of soccer to bring Head of Marketing: Paul Mortimer you this Technical Masterclass issue. Operations Director: As always, we’re grateful for some incredible contributions from some Toby Curthoys of the best coaches in the game, all imparting their fantastic knowledge Managing Director: for the benefit of Elite Soccer readers; as you’ll see, at first they focus on Andrew Griffiths photos: action Images individual technical proficiency before explaining how to perform what’s learnt in a practice situation. Published in partnership with: So from the Barclays Premier League, Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg takes us through a brilliant technical mainframe for the man between the sticks. And we’ve two more sessions from other coaches League Managers whose clubs are joining the Reds in the top division this coming season Association – Burnley Under-21s manager Michael Jolley looks at the skills behind St George’s Park National Football Centre perfect ball control, while QPR’s Academy Head Nick Daws explains how to Newborough Road perfect throw-in technique. Needwood Burton upon Trent DE13 9PD Highly-rated Cardiff City Under-21s manager Kevin Nicholson presents a Tel: +44 (0)1926 831 556 session that coaches proficiency on the move, while Grimsby Town’s Stuart Email: [email protected] Watkiss assesses key defensive positions in a technical and tactical setting. President: And to conclude, we have an engaging appraisal of heading know-how Roy Hodgson from vastly experienced coach Craig Brewster, who unveils the technical Chairman: Howard Wilkinson contradictions behind this supposedly lost art. Chief Executive: We hope you enjoy utilising what’s here for the benefit of your team, and Richard Bevan look forward to seeing you again very shortly as the 2014/15 season gets underway. This publication is protected by national and international copyright laws. Elite Soccer will take legal action against any Enjoy your football, individuals or organisations found to be infringing our rights, and will make that action public. Elite Soccer members who have purchased this report may circulate electronic or hard copies to members of their own Howard Wilkinson club or school, provided this is done without commercial gain. However, no part or whole of this report may be circulated elsewhere or displayed on any website or distributed Elite Soccer is a monthly publication for professional, commercially except under licence from the copyright owners. semi-professional and aspiring soccer coaches and © Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved is available by subscription only. £97 for 12 issues. To subscribe email [email protected] or call on+44 (0) 1483 892 894 2 ELITE SOCCER: THE TECHNICAL MASTERclass www.elitesoccercoaching.net ELITE SOccER TEcHnICAL MaSTERcLaSS PROfILES JOHn ACHTERbERG nIcK DAWS MIcHaEL JOLLEy LIVERPOOL QPR buRnLEy John Achterberg joined Liverpool as Nick Daws is Head of Academy at Barclays Michael Jolley is another young and ambitious goalkeeping coach in 2009 having hung up his Premier League side Queens Park Rangers, coach who will begin the new season in the gloves after 16 years as a professional, during a position he took up in September 2013. Barclays Premier League, having recently which time he made over 300 appearances A former player with vast Football League joined the Burnley coaching staff. for Tranmere Rovers, and spent time at experience – for Bury, Rotherham United The 37-year-old is a former Cambridge NAC Breda and FC Eindhoven in his native and Grimsby Town – the 44-year-old hung up University Masters graduate who, having been Netherlands. his boots in 2004 and gained a BSc in Sport a youth team player at Barnsley, moved into Arriving at the Barclays Premier League Science from Manchester Metropolitan coaching in 2003 at the Crystal Palace Academy. giants, he initially looked after the reserve University. Jolley switched to Nottingham Forest in 2007, and academy goalkeepers before being He joined the coaching staff at Rotherham, then took on the role of High Performance promoted to first-team goalkeeping coach in and after earning his UEFA A Licence Football Coach at the University of Stirling. the summer of 2011. switched to Barnsley. His Pro Licence He progressed to Head Coach of the Scotland On a day-to-day basis, the 42-year-old followed, and after scouting for a number of Universities Team whilst working towards a overseas the development of Reds stoppers sides, he joined Harry Redknapp’s revolution MSc Degree in Sports Coaching. Simon Mignolet, Brad Jones and Danny at Loftus Road. He is now looking to bring Moving back into club football in 2012, Jolley Ward. through the next breed of talented youngster completed the FA Elite Coaches Award – one at QPR. of only 16 coaches globally – before joining Burnley as Senior Professional Development Coach of the Under-21 team. KEVIn nIcHOLSOn STuaRT WaTKISS cRaIG bREWSTER CARdIff cITy GRIMSby TOWn PFCA MEMbER Popular coach Kevin Nicholson is Under- Experienced coach Stuart Watkiss is Craig Brewster has coached and managed 18s manager at Sky Bet Championship club current aiding Grimsby Town’s attempts across numerous levels of the game in England Cardiff City. to regain league status having previously and Wales, and spent five years as a player with Kevin holds a wealth of qualifications spent time at Stockport County as Assistant Greek side Ionikos. including the FA Elite/Pro Coaches award Manager. Bursting onto the scene with Forfar Athletic (which sits alongside the UEFA Pro Licence), Prior to that, the 48-year-old was as a tall and powerful striker in 1985, he went the UEFA A Licence and the LMA Diploma in Development Coach at Hull City for three on to play for Raith Rovers, Dundee United, Football Management. years up to 2012, and has also worked Dunfermline Athletic and Inverness Caledonian He joined the South Wales club in June having at Mansfield Town and Kidderminster Thistle amongst others. spent 10 months at Exeter City, after six years Harriers. Progressing into management, Craig at Derby County and, before that, a spell at As a player, Watkiss was a strong and established Inverness as a force in the Scottish Stoke City. confident defender, beginning his career Premier League, and following a spell at At 28, Nicholson is regarded as one of the at Wolverhampton Wanderers before Dundee United returned to Thistle to save the hottest properties in professional coaching appearing for the likes of Crewe Alexandra, club from relegation in 2007/08 season. and is looking to bring through a wealth of Walsall, Hereford United and Mansfield He then took Ross County to the Scottish Cup promising talent at Cardiff as the club plot Town. final in 2010, before guiding Crawley Town an immediate route back into the Barclays to promotion from League Two in 2011. The Premier League. 47-year-old is currently undertaking coaching work for a number of sides in the south of England. 3 ELITE SOCCER: THE TECHNICAL MASTERclass www.elitesoccercoaching.net JOHn ACHTERbERG GOaLKEEPInG cOACH LIVERPOOL THE KEy TEcHnIcaL ELEMEnTS Of Goalkeeping GOaLKEEPInG • catching and handling technique • Stance • closing down Overview a threat t Liverpool we have a very simple way of analysing how our goalkeepers are • Kicking aperforming – simply, everything is judged on their strengths and weaknesses. and ball As goalkeeping coach, I come to decisions on distribution keepers by assessing them live in training and matches, and also on DVD, but any coach can • diving build a picture of the areas a keeper needs to work at, and this is important to do. What’s more, technical football is often at the heart of how a keeper performs, since the margins are very fine for someone who must be precise in what he does and how he does it. So where keeper training is concerned, I like to put together sessions on the training pitch that maximise technical proficiency and progress. Much of this is done by recreating key moments in matches where a keeper needs to have precision and purpose in what he does, and that’s what this training blueprint looks to do.