I have said this for a long time until English players are taught at a young age to play and work in tight areas to be able to control and manoeuvre the ball, they will always play second fiddle to their European and South American counterparts.
This can only be done through good coaching and also some input from the F.A at grassroots football. The F.A have taken positive steps in as far as banning the publishing of results up to the age of 11 for next season so more emphasis is put on development rather than who is top of the league. I have had parents say well that loses the competitive edge. Try telling that to young children when they are playing matches and are in the moment of the game. When players are on the pitch, they are competitive and are focused on the game.
However the F.A can take even greater steps by keeping matches to 7-a-side until the age of fourteen.
Children aged 6-9 should play 5-a-side only with coaches from both sides being able to agree to even making the game 3-a-side.
Pitches should be made smaller so emphasis on first touch.
At the moment children move to 9-a-side at Under 11’s with the offside rule introduced and of course a bigger pitch and bigger goals.
TOTAL MADNESS!
Children in Holland would probably be having four separate games on a pitch that size with every one of those players getting far more touches of a football than the 18 combined.
Four separate games of 5-a-side equates to 40 players being coached, playing matches and touching the football more often.
40 players having to make quicker decisions, react quicker, facing more 1v1 challenges, having to pass to players who were under pressure because they have no other choice, those players having to receive the ball under pressure because the size of the pitch dictates that, having to learn new tricks and ways of beating a player and then we in England.........
SCRATCH OUR HEADS AND WONDER WHY WE ARE BEHIND AS WE POLISH THE TROPHY OUR SON/DAUGHTER HAS JUST WON!!
This can only be done through good coaching and also some input from the F.A at grassroots football. The F.A have taken positive steps in as far as banning the publishing of results up to the age of 11 for next season so more emphasis is put on development rather than who is top of the league. I have had parents say well that loses the competitive edge. Try telling that to young children when they are playing matches and are in the moment of the game. When players are on the pitch, they are competitive and are focused on the game.
However the F.A can take even greater steps by keeping matches to 7-a-side until the age of fourteen.
Children aged 6-9 should play 5-a-side only with coaches from both sides being able to agree to even making the game 3-a-side.
Pitches should be made smaller so emphasis on first touch.
At the moment children move to 9-a-side at Under 11’s with the offside rule introduced and of course a bigger pitch and bigger goals.
TOTAL MADNESS!
Children in Holland would probably be having four separate games on a pitch that size with every one of those players getting far more touches of a football than the 18 combined.
Four separate games of 5-a-side equates to 40 players being coached, playing matches and touching the football more often.
40 players having to make quicker decisions, react quicker, facing more 1v1 challenges, having to pass to players who were under pressure because they have no other choice, those players having to receive the ball under pressure because the size of the pitch dictates that, having to learn new tricks and ways of beating a player and then we in England.........
SCRATCH OUR HEADS AND WONDER WHY WE ARE BEHIND AS WE POLISH THE TROPHY OUR SON/DAUGHTER HAS JUST WON!!
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