Other Coaching Tips

Other Coaching Tips

A. Coaching the Tackle
· Side on tackle
· Front tackle
· Tackle from behind
Four D’s of Defending
· Delay
· Deny
· Dispossess
· Develop

The role of the defender is first to prevent forwards from gaining
possession, which in turn would prevent scores or to prevent a forwards
contribution towards setting up scores. The principles of delaying, denying
and dispossessing are all part of the tackle. Players must finally “develop
and distribute” from defence and link up with support play to form a
platform for attack. These elements are developed through small sided or
conditioned games.

i. Practicing Free-Taking

Scatter 5 or 6 flexible markers in an area out from both goals. Play a
normal game until one team gets a score from play. Now let the free taker
chose which marker to shoot from and let the player take a free from that
spot. If he scores add this point to the original one scored from play. If he
misses, take away original point. If he scores, remove the marker from
that spot. This forces the player to choose another marker next time. If the
player misses, leave the marker there, so the player will have to take a
free from that spot again sometime later. Always retain two spare balls
behind the goal. This way there is no delay with the free. The keeper can
be ready to kick out ball once free is taken.

ii. Improving Attacking/Defending Team Play

Set out two end zones and have 4 (Team A) on 4 (Team B) players. One
player of Team A, drops back into end zone and kicks ball high into air
into Team B zone. Team B then attack with Team A of 3 players
defending. Only if Team B team work the ball into Team A end zone do
they get a point. If Team A dispossess they can try to work the ball into
Team B zone. (American football concept). It encourages Team B to
tactfully think of the best ways to attack and punish 4 on 3 situations and
likewise makes Team A work hard to stop Team B advancing.

iii. Improving on Field Decision Making

After a few minutes of a normal game conditioned or small sided game,
introduce a single rule e.g. “No speech on the pitch”, i.e. no calling for
passes, no reminding team mates to mark opponents, no speaking to
referee, no issuing instructions of any kind. Should a player break the rule,
award a free. You can either tell the players beforehand your reasons for
the rule or let them find out for themselves.

iv. Teaching Forwards to Defend

Imagine the situation in a game where forwards have been in possession
and attack mode. Each forward is looking for space and trying to get away
from defenders. Suddenly the ball is lost near the opposition goal and
their backs can counter. Why are these backs usually able to build
reasonably easily as they move out of defence? Answer – because the
forwards find themselves in no man’s land and are slow to react.
Choose half of the pitch. Set out 6-8 multi-markers, as if they were
forwards in various attacking positions. Pair off defenders and attackers
and ask each pair to stand at a marker. Then tell the defenders to take
three big steps away from the multi-markers. Leave the forwards where
they are. You now have a freeze-frame situation.
Kick the ball long and high from the halfway line towards the goal. As it
bounces the defenders are allowed to move. Only when a defender
actually takes possession of the ball can the forwards move to close them
down and tackle. This is now press play situation.
Forwards must work out how best to close down defenders and win the
ball back before the backs make it out and over the halfway line.
Forwards must learn to switch from attacking mode to defending mode
faster and faster until it becomes instinct. In other words, these mini game
situations will only work if you, the coach, are prepared to run twenty of
them rather than just one or two. Players can take up positions again in a
few seconds and the exercise can begin again and again.

v. Working on the Tackle without Fouling

Let’s say you have 21 players. Set your pitch from the far ’45 to one set of
goals. In front of the goals create a large semi-circle of multi-markers. This
must start on the end line, 20m from the left post, arc out to 30m in front of
the goal and then arc in to finish 20m from the right post on the end line.
Play 11 vs. 10 with one team made up primarily of attackers and the other
of defenders. The goalkeeper plays for the defenders. Start each play with
a knockout. Let the forwards attack the goal when in possession. Only
points count.
Should they shoot and score from outside the semi-circle, they are
awarded 1 point. A score from inside the zone earns 2 points. A free
scored from inside the zone earns 3 points.
Defenders must work to keep the scores to a minimum, so they must
make sure they do not commit fouls inside the zone and that they mark
tightly enough to keep down the number of 2 point scores. Defenders can
earn scores for themselves, by winning the ball and working it up the pitch

14 © 2012. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or retransmitted without permission.
Written by: Michael Byrne Sarsfields CLG Newbridge

to cross the far 45m line while still in possession. The coach can
determine how many points should be given.

vi. Working on Winning the Breaking Ball

An exercise for 5 players. One player sets the ball on a multi-marker (like
a tee foe kick outs). The others form two teams of two (e.g. green and
red). One player from each team stands approx 30m from the kicker,
ready to catch the kick. The other two players (support runners) stand
halfway between the kicker and the catchers. As the ball is kicked, these
two turn and run towards the catchers, hoping to pick up any break ball.
Should the ball be caught cleanly, the support runner must be ready to
receive a quick pass, return the ball to the kicker and end the move.
Should the ball be broken to a support runner, the catcher must move to
be ready for a quick pass which must be returned to the kicker to end the
move.
Variations
1) The ball is kicked and is broken between red and green fielders. The
two support runners look for the break ball. The green runner wins it.
The green fielder must immediately make room to receive a pass from
the green support player and then get the ball to the kicker to end the
move and win a point.
2) The ball is kicked and the red fielder wins the ball cleanly. The green
and red support players have been closing for the break ball. The red
support runner should charge the angle of his run to be in position to
receive a pass from the red fielder. Once the pass is made, the ball is
returned to the kicker to win a point for the red team.

B. Improving Shooting

i. Cut and Drive Shooting

To do this, take about 10 white markers and 10 yellow markers. Stand in
the middle of the 45m line. As you walk towards one corner flag, set out
a line of white markers. Do the same towards the other corner flag with
yellow markers.
Ask an attacker and a defender to stand beside each other on the middle
of the 45m line. The attacker should solo run along a line of markers,
staying on the outside of these. The defender should shadow his run on
the inside of the markers.
When the attacker decides, he should cross the line to run towards goal
and take a shot. Once the attacker crosses the defender can tackle. The
attacker can use different types of evasion skill to make the cut (e.g. side
step/roll/swerve).
 

15 © 2012. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or retransmitted without permission.
Written by: Michael Byrne Sarsfields CLG Newbridge

ii. Fist, Feint & Shoot

This is a simple drill to let players practice quick shooting after they have
feinted and side-stepped to evade an opponent.
Set out 5 cones in a shallow arc along the 13m line. Set out 5 more to
match these on the 20m line. A player stands at each cone. The five
players along the 13m line have a football each and are facing those on
the 20m line. Five more players stand behind the goal to retrieve the
balls.
On the call, each of the players in possession fist passes to a player on
the 20m line and advances to close him down. The receiver has time
only to feint, side-step the advancing opponent and kick for a point. The
opponent can provide passive resistance or may try to get a block in.
After each shot, the kicker moves along the 20m line to the next position,
ready for a fist pass from another opponent. This gives players the
opportunity to evade different opponents and shoot from different
positions. The players behind the goals feed the footballs to those on the
13m line. After a few minutes the groups rotate.

C. Improving Passing & Decision Making

i. Attack the Circle

Set up 3 circles (red, yellow & white), each 10m in diameter and each
25-30m from the other circle.
Approx 10m from each circle set down a cone. Players always start runs
from these cones. Line up 3 or 4 players at each cone.
The coach starts the drill by lobbing a ball into the red circle. The first red
player bursts into the circle to collect the ball and immediately kick
passes it to the yellow circle. The red player then goes to the back of the
red line.
A yellow player should already be sprinting into his circle to receive the
pass from the red. He then kick passes to the white circle and goes back
to the back of the white group.
Once the red player has kicked the first ball, the coach should lob a
second ball into the red circle for the next red player to start the move.
There should be no need for a 3rd
 ball as the first ball will soon be on its
way round to the start again.
Players should attack the circle at pace. Passers must hit the circle and
not the player. Kickers must turn back to rejoin their own lines (i.e. no
following the pass).
To extend this drill coaches may add a shadow runner to each of the
runners and kickers. This will put pressure on the kickers and runners to
be accurate and have a good first touch.
 

16 © 2012. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or retransmitted without permission.
Written by: Michael Byrne Sarsfields CLG Newbridge

ii. Two Passes Maximum Game

This game is to make passes more telling and players more economical
in their play when in the opposition half of the pitch.
Once a team takes possession of the ball inside the opposition half of
the pitch, the ball may only be passed between players a maximum of
two times before a shot is taken.
This does not mean that the players must take two passes [perhaps one
pass may get them into a scoring position e.g. if they take possession
deep into the opponents half].
The coach may change the rule to suit the skill level – would three
passes be better for younger teams? Would a smaller pitch be more
effective?

D. Improving Support Play

i. Crossing the Gap

Four pairs of players, two on either side of the gap; greens play with
whites, blues with reds.
Start a ball with the reds and a ball with the whites. Reds hits a kick
pass across a 25-30m gap (no high ball) and a blue receives. The other
blue player runs to support the receiver (off the shoulder) and take a fist
pass on the burst. He must immediately kick pass across the gap to a
red receiver etc.
As this goes on, the same happens between the greens and whites.
The key to the success of this drill are:
- The passes must be hit properly (driven across the gap, no
more than 2-3m above the ground
- As the pass is hit, the players must decide quickly who will
receive and who will support
- The support runner must learn to peel off and make a late
run to take the ball on the burst, rather than stay too close to
the receiver when the ball arrives.
Coaches will find that the latter is hardest to coach. Support runners
tend to run towards the receiver even when the ball is in flight. It often
runs counter to their instincts to actually move away to create a
distance and then burst when it is most effective.

E. Improving Shooting and Creating Space

i. Step, Space, Score

This is a drill to let players practice soloing towards goal, stepping into
the tackler to make room and then shooting for a point.

17 © 2012. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or retransmitted without permission.
Written by: Michael Byrne Sarsfields CLG Newbridge

Organise three groups of players [e.g. 6 reds, 6 yellows & 6 whites]
Take two from each group and send them behind the goals to retrieve
footballs.
Set out three cones about 30m from goal and at different angles.
Beside each cone place a pole. Groups choose a cone/pole each from
which to start. Each pair should have a football.
One player from the yellow zone takes a ball and stands at the cone.
Another stands at the pole. The remaining two players wait their turn to
do the same.
The solo runner (player at cone) and the shadow player (player at pole)
run at pace towards the goal. The shadower runs tight to the solo
runner but does not tackle.
At some point along the run, the solo runner must step into the
shadower to make room for the shot. The shadower must provide stiff
resistance without charging or shouldering. The solo runner must make
the shoulder-to-shoulder contact.
Once room has been made, the solo runner must shoot for a point.
Both players follow on to the end line. The ball is retrieved by the
yellow players behind the goal and carried out to the start. Meanwhile
the other two yellows who were waiting their turn (at the cone/pole) to
start the exercise.
Reds/Whites do likewise at the same time.
The key to ensure that solo runners do not step away from the
shadower and are not forced to change the angle of their runs just
because an opponent in running alongside them [most players do this
subconsciously and end up kicking the ball wide]. This drill is designed
to work against these instincts.